Healthy World Watch February 26th, 2010

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Top Tips

Looking for ways to save money on natural and organic foods? Check out Mindful Momma’s recommendations for finding coupons.
Finally an affordable self-filtering water bottle! At just under $10 each the new Water Bobble is 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, BPA and phthalate free, and made in the USA. Available online, but at a store near you soon.
Feel bad about all that water you expend taking a shower or washing clothes? Put that water to use again with tips from Mom Goes Green. Water from bathing and dishwashing accounts for 50-80% of residential water waste.

Recent Research

Benzene exposure linked to sperm abnormalities that cause birth defects. Men who are exposed to benzene at levels close to the U.S. permissible limit are more likely to have an abnormal number of chromosomes in their sperm, according to new research. Having the wrong number of chromosomes in sperm or eggs is the largest known source of miscarriage in people.
Study finds that eating fruits and vegetables during pregnancy may lower allergies among infants. Among the test group, Vitamin E was associated with lowering the risk of wheezing while diets rich in beta carotene lowered chances of an infants’ developing eczema. Dr. Yoshihiro Miyake at Fukuoka University in Japan, states this data may be “effective in prevention of allergic disorders in offspring.”

Other News

Keeping harmful chemicals out of water. A House subcommittee will take up preventing endocrine disruptors -- synthetic chemicals found in everyday products -- from reaching our drinking water. Health advocates are linking them to harm in human reproduction.
Search for BPA free containers difficult for US food manufacturers. Bisphenol A (BPA) the chemical used in a variety of consumer goods including the lining of cans, has been found to leach into food products, and linked to health problems. An unnamed food manufacturer spokespeople stated that in their search for replacement lining options, “we don’t have a safe, effective alternative, and that’s an unhappy place to be.” Last month the FDA reversed its position, calling for concern over the chemical’s safety, which has been widely used for over 30 years. Government studies estimate over 90% of the population has traces amounts of BPA in their urine.