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Cancer
- Three Easy
Steps to Avoiding Environmental Risk Factors
Do
you want to avoid cancer? Easy,
don't breathe the air, drink the water or eat food.
Of
course, that is a major oversimplification, but with the latest
announcements in the news it seems that way.
In
the last several years there have been announcements
- That
grains and potatoes cooked at high heats may contain a known carcinogen,
acrylamide.
- The
Ontario Medical Association has issued a warning to parents about
protecting their children from smog during the warm summer months.
Studies show that increased exposure to contaminants at an early
age increases breast cancer risk in adults.
Although
eating, drinking and breathing are activities we cannot stop, there
may be some steps that can make living a bit safer. What are they?
The
breast cancer fund has put together a 5 point program to help reduce
environmental causes for breast cancer:
- PHASE
OUT TOXIC CHEMICALS that are omnipresent in the lives of so
many people.
- ENACT
"SUNSHINE" LAWS AND ENFORCE EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
LAWS to reduce the use of toxics by requiring companies to
report how many tons of chemicals they use.
- PRACTICE
HEALTHY PURCHASING, with local, state and federal governments
leading the way in purchasing environmentally preferable products,
thereby creating an example for individuals to follow.
- OFFER
CORPORATE INCENTIVES that encourage businesses to eliminate
the use of harmful chemicals in their products and processes.
- MONITOR
BREAST MILK, through a comprehensive community program that
identifies the chemicals present in breast milk, establishes links
to geographic areas and initiates a plan to eliminate these contaminants.
In
your home the easiest way to avoid pollutants is to try to buy organically
grown foods, including milk products. Use a simple filter for your
water. Most of the filtration systems do the same thing, so there
is no need to buy the most expensive ones.
Use
your air conditioner, the filter will screen out many air born pollutants
as well as some of the allergens and dust that find their way into
your home.
SOURCES:
Canada
NewsWire
Ontario Medical Association Press Release
June
30, 2002
Last
Updated July 8, 2009
Elsewhere
on the Web:
Breast
Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors - Cornell University
Report
Finds Half of Breast Cancer Causes May Be Environmental
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