BPA + Sperm = Bad Swimmers

I've talked about BPA previously on this blog and I just found another story to reiterate that it's not good and there are studies to prove it!

The most recent issue of the Journal of Fertility and Sterility, funded by the US National Institute of Occupational Safety, cited a study that showed that exposure to our good ol' friend, BPA (Bisphenol A), can reduce the quality of men's semen.

BPA can be found in food packaging (the primary source of human exposure) and other plastics. The study was done over a five-year period and is one of the few involving humans rather than animals.

Read the full story here

The study began with 514 workers recruited from epoxy resin factories in China in 2004. Only 218 of the participants ended up submitting both urine and semen specimens for the final assessment. Researchers measured semen quality by examining factors like concentration, vitality, motility (movement), total sperm count and morphology (size and shape).


Men exposed to BPA at work and who showed detectable urine BPA had more than three times the risk of lower sperm concentration and vitality than men with no detectable urine BPA. The former group also had more than four times the risk of lower sperm count and more than twice the risk of lower sperm motility.

Throw out those plastic bottles and get one of these. You will do wonders for those little swimmers and the earth at large!

A Green Home is a Happy Home

I was walking through a store over the weekend and I saw a small child in the basket of a shopping cart. He was trying to pull himself up and in the meantime was sucking on the side of the shopping cart. Aside from the abundance of germs on that thing, what about all those chemicals?

It got me thinking about what's really in things around our homes and then I saw this in my in-box this morning from Rodale.com:

Caution: Floor May Be Toxic: The largest report of its kind finds that more than half of the flooring samples tested contained one or more hazardous chemical additives.

The largest-ever study on toxic chemicals on the home improvement products was released by Healthy Stuff on Oct. 19. The group tested for lead, bromine (brominated flame retardants), chlorine (PVC), cadmium, arsenic, tin (organotins), pththalates and mercury in commonly-used flooring and wallpaper.

PVC building materials, namely, vinyl flooring and coated wallpaper, were seven times more likely to contain hazardous additives when compared to nonplastic flooring options. Wallpaper was particularly toxic because 96 percent of samples tested contained a PVC coating.


"Children and pets are particularly vulnerable to these chemicals, since they are frequently close to the floor and therefore have high levels of exposure. In fact, many of these substances have already been restricted or banned in children's products.," the report noted.

Researchers have found heavy metals like cadmium and lead in vinyl flooring and wallpaper, along with flame retardants. These substances are linked to asthma, fertility problems, learning disability, hormone-related diseases, and cancer. Non-vinyl flooring products are half as likely to contain hazardous chemical additives. Linoleum, cork, bamboo and hardwood all tested free of lead, cadmium, mercury, and other hazardous metals.

Just something to think about when you are walking around barefoot in your home or are thinking of remodeling.

It is more than just what we are eating that is impacting our lives today. We need to think about all environmental factors - at the very least, the ones we can change in our homes.

Be Happy & Green!
xoxo

Rant of the day...

It's Friday and I've had an especially annoying week so I would like to get something off of  my chest. I was on the lovely Facebook the other day and saw this status update:

Yes, there are lots of things that people without kids will never know...but patience isn't one of them hunny! She will never know how annoying that comment is because she will always be a mother but that self righteousness just gets to me. I can understand why couples who chose not to have kids form their own groups like No Kidding!

Yes, I am just a little bitter!

I know this comment wasn't directed at me personally or the millions of other couples dealing with infertility or someone dealing with any illness or house training a dog or my nephew who is learning how to read, but comments like that always get under my skin, especially ones like "wait until you have kids." That one is a doozy and puts me over the edge when I hear it.

You know what else I can't wait for 'till i have kids? Never hearing that comment again!

So off to STFU Parents you go...not sure if it's on there yet but I have patience, even though I'm childless.

*End Rant*

A baby story...

Lately I've been hearing a lot of birth stories and since I have a lot of time to think about it and plan it, the more I am leaning towards a home birth. I am not at all  impressed with hospital births these days.

My sister-in-law just had her third baby and she delivered him at home - all safe and sound! It was such a difference seeing her that morning  - walking around and everyone was quiet and happy and the mood was just so relaxed - versus her other two births at the hospital when she was exhausted and the babies were screaming all night long. Many people believe that they way you came into this world says a lot about your personality so why not try to make it as smooth and natural as possible?

I know many people have complications and home births are often controversial but women have been doing it for years and that is what our bodies are designed for. Maybe its time we take them back!

Initially I thought I would head straight to the hospital and get my epidural and not feel a thing, like some women have said about their birth experiences. But the more I read and heard about hospital births, the more my mind was changing.

Then I watched the Business of Being Born and I was even more sold! I need to get pregnant first, of course, so for now it's just day dreaming. I know that sounds strange but that's what happens when you have a lot of time to think!

Detour

There has been another detour in the road to parenthood and its called money! In the midst of traveling these roads -  that hopefully will lead to parenthood - the recession has taken its toll on our jobs, etc. I suppose when you talk about stars needing to align and the whole "things happen for a reason" then I guess this isn't the right time for us to move forward with a baby. It pains me to even think it, no less write it down.

We postponed our meeting with the Naturopath. I am super bummed and so is my hubby but if it's a stretch in the money department just to see her and pay for subsequent visits, herbs, etc then we need to get to a better place before moving ahead cause babies aren't free :)

I know in my gut that we need to see this woman first before thinking about any other intervention - its just not in the cards right now. I want to get out of this slump and feel better on a daily basis - I am just having a hard time keeping it consistent.