I want women to be aware of what toxins might be hidden in the products they use, in particular Bisphenol A (BPA) and parabens. BPA can be found in hard plastic drinking containers as well as aluminum and tin cans. And parabens are frequently seen in beauty products like shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion.

Parabens can act like estrogens in our bodies, causing women to become estrogen dominant. There has even been a study where male frogs were exposed to high doses of parabens. The frogs were shown to change their sexual characteristics from heterosexual to homosexual.

In addition, there was a recent study showing that higher levels of BPA have been seen in obese children, which shows that BPA contributes to obesity, even in our children.

I recommend that women transition away from products containing BPA as well as products containing any parabens, for example methylparaben, ethylparaben, or propylparaben. I also suggest that you determine the safety of all the products you and your family use. Here are two sites that will help you learn how to read product labels for your best health:

• The Environmental Working Group has a great website on body products called Skin Deep. It spells out what is in the products, what to avoid, and what the safest alternatives are.
• Food Navigator USA goes over the science, ingredients, and recommendation for the food we eat.

Being educated is the first step to being healthy.