Toxic BPA Found In Canned Food; Still Toxic

Remember a little while back, when everybody started freaking out over a toxic chemical called BPA because it was found in plastic bottles- especially baby bottles- and could leach into the water or milk or whatever was in the bottle?

Surprise!  It hasn’t gone away.  In fact, it’s as popular as ever.  Not in plastic bottles… no no no, you’re all looking in that direction now, they can’t get away with THAT… but in the lining of canned food.  You see, something has to protect the metal of the cans from that darn food, and that’s done with a resin sealant made mostly of… all together now… BPA.

Of course, lobbyists and trade groups promise that BPA is safe, despite a massive lack of study into it… I’m guessing because they make millions and millions of dollars off of it.  Just a guess.  And the FDA is pretty sure it’s okay, mostly because they’re a bunch of ineffective nitwits who can’t get anything right.

So what’s the big deal?  Well, like with many industrial pollutants, there’s a concern that BPA may be estrogenic, meaning it mimics or alters the way the female hormone estrogen works in the body.  Estrogenic toxins may be responsible for an untold number of health problems in our society; it’s hard to tell because the endocrine (hormone) system is so complex and intertwined, that being able to target one specific problem becomes nearly impossible.  The big one I keep hearing about is cancer.

There’s one researcher who’s finding that it actually changes the way our DNA works, in such a way to encourage cancer.  Remember, cancer is basically runaway growth, and DNA is the blueprint for growth.  DNA has some protective mechanisms that help make sure that when your body builds something, it gets built properly and doesn’t become a uncontrolled growth (tumor).  Remove those protective mechanisms, like BPA is thought to do, and all bets are off.

This, of course, is only one possible toxic effect.  The truth is, we just don’t know what this crap does to us.  And while various industry spokespersons (read:  spin doctors) say it would take a massive amount of exposure to BPA to cause a problem, I personally take the stance that avoiding ANY dosage level of poison is a good policy.

Folks, don’t expect the government to have your back on this one.  You’re going to have to take care of yourself, as usual.

This is just one more of a long, long list of reasons to stick to a whole foods diet and avoid processed foods.  The more I hear about this sort of nonsense, the more firmly I believe, simple is better, and natural is the way to go.

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