Women's Health: 10 Ways to Avoid Cancer & Reproductive Hazards

Excerpted from www.organicconsumers.org

Almost 40 percent of the new cancers that are expected to emerge this year, as in past years, will be cancers that affect the reproductive organs in both sexes: some 533,980 new cases of cancer of the breast, uterus, cervix, ovary, vagina, prostate, testis and penis. At the same time, female reproductive disorders, such as infertility, pregnancy loss and endometriosis, are on the rise. A long list of chemicals may cause harm to reproductive organs and hormonal systems. The newest compounds found to have hormone-disrupting properties include phthalates, widely used in cosmetics and soft vinyl toys, flooring and medical tubing; and bisphenol-A (BPA), used in polycarbonate water bottles, resins that line food cans and dental sealants. Many of these chemicals interfere with the normal functioning of reproductive hormones, a factor that may help explain the growth of reproductive cancers and diseases. One surprising study found parabens, common preservatives widely used in cosmetics and deodorants, in tissue samples from breast-cancer patients, a finding still under investigation.

Learn more about how you can avoid cancer and reproductive hazards on the Web at:
www.organicconsumers.org/Politics/health092905.cfm