Because Social Media increases Awareness and brings the DES Community Together
Stop Putting Cancer-causing Chemicals on Your Face
Many beauty ingredients have been linked to breast cancer.
Biocoop et l’achat responsable, 2014
Le visuel pousse les gens à s’interroger sur leur acte de consommation et sur certains ingrédients des produits cosmétiques et d’hygiène corporelle.
A travers sa campagne 2014 de data-telling, Biocoop poursuivit son discours de sensibilisation sur la portée de l’acte d’achat. Les images présentent des produits de consommation courante et montrent les effets néfastes sur la planète et pour notre santé.
Infographic: The Rub with Feminine Wipes
The truth is, wipes may be doing you (and the planet) more harm than good.
This infographic created by womensvoices highlights the fact that chemicals feminine wipes contain may have adverse effects on your health.
Prevention starts in your everyday environments
Read the tips below, then download the printable card to share with friends and family.
1. Find the right sunscreen
Many sunscreens contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that are bad for us and for aquatic life. Look for ones with non-nanoized titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, and avoid ones with 3-(4-methylbenzylidene)-camphor (4-MBC); octinoxate/octyl- methoxycinnamate (OMC); homosalate (HMS); and oxybenzone.
2. Find safe ways to fight germs
These days it seems like everything claims to be antibacterial—soaps, toothpaste, clothing, bedding, band-aids, toys, cutting boards—you name it. Chances are, these products contain triclosan, an antimicrobial agent that is suspected of interfering with the hormone systems of humans and wildlife. There’s no evidence that triclosan is more effective than soap and water, so trade in the toxics for some good, old- fashioned elbow grease.
3. Go chemical-free in your garden
Chemical pesticides are designed to kill pests and weeds, so it’s no surprise that they aren’t good for humans either. And their residue can hang around for years, allowing for ongoing exposure. Ask your garden store about non-toxic alternatives, or look for organic pest- management tips such as DIY recipes that rely on everyday items like vinegar and dish soap.
4. Join the Breast Cancer Fund to learn the science, get more tips and take action.
Prevention starts with your morning routine
Read the tips below, then download the printable card to share with friends and family.
1. When it comes to personal care products, simple is best
Decrease your exposure to toxic chemicals in cosmetics by using fewer products and choosing those with simpler ingredients. And avoid fragrance—that single ingredient can contain dozens of chemicals.
2. Don’t be fooled by empty “organic” and “natural” claims on beauty care products
Because the cosmetics industry is largely unregulated, these claims may have no meaning. Read labels for specific information on a product’s ingredients.
3. Avoid these problematic ingredients
• ingredients with “PEG” and “eth” in the name (potential 1,4-dioxane contamination)
• butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
• diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) (possible nitrosamine contamination)
• formaldehyde
• quaternium
• DMDM hydantoin
• imidazolidinyl urea
• fragrance
• hydroquinone
• nonylphenol
• parabens
• petrolatum
• phthalates (DBP & DEP)
• synthetic musks
• toluene
• triclosan and triclocarban
4. Join the Breast Cancer Fund to learn the science, get more tips and take action.
Prevention starts at home
Read the tips below, then download the printable card to share with friends and family.
1. Eat organic and kick the can
When possible, choose organic foods and hormone-free meat and dairy. Buying products grown organically reduces pesticide use, which is good for families, farmworkers and the environment. And avoid canned foods until companies replace toxic BPA-based can linings with safe alternatives.
2. Take it easy on the plastic
When choosing kitchenware and water bottles, go old-school with stainless steel and glass. And never microwave in plastic—even “microwave-safe” plastic can leach chemicals into your food when heated.
3. Choose cleaning products that show you what they’re made of
Companies are not required to disclose ingredients of cleaners and detergents, so look for products made by companies that disclose ingredients, or make your own with things like baking soda and vinegar. For recipes check out Vassar College’s Environmental Risks and Breast Cancer Program.
4. Stick with oil for pans that don’t stick, and use elbow grease to remove stains
Although there’s no denying they make our life easier, non-stick pans and stain-resistant materials can contain toxic polyfluorinated chemicals. Choose stainless steel or cast iron pots and pans, and consider skipping the stain-resistant clothes and carpets
5. Join the Breast Cancer Fund to learn the science, get more tips and take action.
Breast Cancer Fund, State of the Evidence, Sixth Edition 2010
From 2002 to 2010, the Breast Cancer Fund produced six editions of the landmark report, State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment.
Each edition presented a comprehensive summary of the scientific evidence to date linking exposures to chemicals and radiation in our everyday environments to increased breast cancer risk.
The clearest evidence that a synthetic estrogen can increase risk for cancer decades later comes from the tragic experience with diethylstilbestrol (DES). Between 1938 and 1971, doctors prescribed DES for millions of pregnant women to prevent miscarriages. The drug was contraindicated in pregnancy use when daughters of women who took the drug were found to have higher rates of an extremely rare vaginal cancer compared to those who were not exposed to DES in the womb (Bibbo, 1977; Herbst, 1971). Research indicates that DES exposure is also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in the women who took it during the 1950s (Colton, 1993; TitusErnstoff, 2001).
In a follow-up study of daughters who were exposed prenatally to DES, a nearly twofold increase in breast cancer risk was observed in women older than age 40. An even greater effect was found for women over the age of 50, although relatively few of the daughters had yet reached that age at the time of the study (Palmer, 2006; Troisi, 2007).
Recent studies examining the mechanisms by which DES might be exerting its carcinogenic effects indicate that the compound activates the same subcellular pathways that estradiol does, both by altering cellular metabolism and interaction with DNA (Saeed, 2009) and by increasing the rate of breast cell proliferation (Larson, 2006).
A guide to avoiding hazardous chemicals in everyday products
There is growing scientific concern that early life exposures to certain harmful chemicals in our environment may lead to illnesses later in life.
This guide provides some information on what to look out for and what to avoid, both during pregnancy and as your family grows.
Identify and avoid harmful chemicals in everyday products
Not all chemicals are harmful, but some are capable of causing cancer (carcinogens) and others can interfere with normal hormone functions; these are known as endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs. Some EDCs mimic the female hormone, oestrogen, which is a known risk factor for breast cancer.
#DitchTheJunk – your guide to safer cosmetics
To reduce your risk of exposure to chemicals that may be linked to breast cancer, try to avoid products containing the chemicals shown here. Natural cosmetics, free from harmful substances, are readily available, or you can make your own.
