Christina Applegate, Sheryl Crow, Kylie Minogue, Robin Roberts… What is one common thread among all these gorgeous ladies?? They are all breast cancer survivors.
The increasing number of breast cancer cases arises from our lifestyle and our environment we live in. There is a lot of research which is ongoing to join the dots of environmental pollution with chemicals and growing number of cancer cases.
Let’s discuss how chemicals can affect our smooth running life with just some exposure to it.
We are exposed to several natural and synthetic chemicals over our lifetime. There are many ways that our body can be exposed to chemicals- it could be air we breathe, the food we eat, the beverages we drink or products we apply to our skin. All women need to be aware of what they are coming in contact with to make sure it is not a breast cancer causing virus.
Since the last 30 years, breast cancer rates have increased by nearly 20 percent in USA and the usage of chemicals in the environment is going up significantly.
A major source of breast cancer is the exposure to chemicals found in environment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an environmental chemical is a chemical compound present in air, water, food, soil, dust or other items such as consumer products. People are exposed to thousands of these naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals over a lifetime—in the home, the workplace and the natural environment.
Let’s jot down a few chemicals which may be associated with breast cancer-
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) – Research shows that there is a connection of cancer cases with direct and excessive contact of DDT.
Parabens – These are chemicals commonly used as preservatives in many cosmetic products, including makeup, moisturizers, and hair care products, and shaving creams/gels. Parabens have been found in breast tissue and breast cancers.
Phthalates are commonly used to hold color and reduce brittleness in nail polish and hair spray. They’re also a component of many personal care and cleaning product fragrances. Phthalates are considered as a hormone disruptor.
The time has come to be aware of what we are doing to our bodies and make informed decisions as to what we buy and what we consume in order to live a healthy life.
