What We CarryToxic chemicals and our body's burden

What is Body Burden?

The total amount of chemicals present in the human body at a given point in time. 

Every person alive today carries an average of at least 700 contaminants in his/her body.

What is Biomonitoring?

Biomonitoring is the direct measurement of people’s exposure to environmental contaminants by measuring substances or their metabolites in blood, urine, or other specimens.

Biomonitoring has become the standard for assessing people’s exposure to toxic substances and for responding to serious environmental public health problems.

Who does the testing?

Centers for Disease ControlVarious Nonprofit organizations

(Environmental Working Group, Commonweal, and others)

California passed SB 1379 in 2006

What’s in us?

Pesticides Solvents PerchloratePlasticizersFlame retardantsHeavy metals

(lead, mercury)

How are we exposed?

Example: Brominated Tris Flame RetardantTris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate

Used to treat children’s sleepwear from 1975 to 1977 in the US

Up to 10% of the weight of fabric

Padded on to fabric, not attached

Absorbed in children’s bodies; metabolite found in their urine

Science paper, January 1977Tris banned April 1977

Courtesy Green Science Policy Institutewww.greensciencepolicy.org

Potential Negative Health Impacts

Halogenated chemicals are often persistent, bioaccumulative and have been shown to cause a range of health impacts in animal studies, including:Reproductive: Abnormal gonadal development,

reduced number of ovarian follicles, reduced sperm count

Neurological: Decreased memory, learning deficits, altered motor behavior, hyperactivity

Interference with thyroid hormone actionObesity and diabetes

Babies are born with such chemicals in their bodies and receive an additional dose from their mothers’ milk

Multiplying the effects

BIOACCUMULATION occurs when a compound is absorbed, or taken into the body and stored at a faster rate than it is metabolized (broken down) or excreted.

BIOMAGNIFICATION occurs when chemicals that persist in the environment become more concentrated as they move up the food chain and concentrate in tissues or internal organs. Each step in a typical food chain results in increased bioaccumulation, and therefore, biomagnification.

Who’s Most at risk?

Children are especially vulnerable.

Over 200 chemicals found in cord blood.

Exposure can result in changes to DNA that affect future generations.

Family Portrait

In 2004, the Hollands became the first intact nuclear family in the United States to undergo body burden testing. Rowan, at just 1½ years old, became the youngest child in the U.S. to be tested for chemical exposure.

The Cost to Our Health

Miscarriage and infertility are on the rise.

Girls are maturing earlier.

Disease and birth defects on the rise.

Reducing our burden

Some chemicals are long-lived, where others are more transient.

Protect against future exposures. Support body’s natural defenses to

eliminate built-up toxins.

What’s being done about it?

Recent bans on chemicals, in Canada, CA, and other states.

KSCA reform

What about breast milk?

Many chemicals are lipophilic (fat loving) and settle into the fat on our bodies and in our breast milk.

Nursing babies can be exposed to chemicals through breast milk.

Is Breast Still Best?

Absolutely! Despite the presence of toxic chemicals in breast milk, it is still the best milk for babies.

Studies show that breast milk can work to reverse damage from exposure to contaminants in the womb.

Breast milk is a natural resource, like our air, food, and water, that needs to be protected.

Minimizing babies’ exposure

Don’t fret about past exposure. You can’t undo what’s done.

Breastfeed your baby to provide a strong immune system that will help protect him/her from future exposures.

Eliminate sources of continued exposure in moms & baby’s environment.

Lose weight slowly. Chemicals stored in body fat can be “dumped” into breast milk and increase exposure in nurslings.

Increase your body’s ability to detoxify naturally by supporting your liver, kidneys, and elimination systems.

What YOU can do

Be aware of hazards in your home and your community.

Identify solutions to exposures and make changes in behavior.

Use the power of your pocketbook to support companies using safer chemicals.

Raise your voice to demand legislation for regulating chemicals to ensure safety.

About MOMS

Founded in 2005 by four nursing mothers in the Bay Area.

Has members in 50 states and 4 Canadian provinces.

Breast milk is the best milk—let’s keep it that way!

What We Do

Educate consumersSupport

Progressive Legislation

Change Corporate Behavior

Recommended Reading

Having Faith, by Sandra Steingraber Not Just a Pretty Face, by Stacy MalkanThe Body Toxic, by Nena Baker - The Complete Organic Pregnancy, by

Deidre Dolan and Alexandra ZissuThe New Breastfeeding Diet Plan, by

Dr. Robert RoundtreeOur Stolen Future, by Theo Colborn,

Diane Dumanski, and John Peterson Myers

How to get involved

Visit WWW.SafeMilk.ORG – We’re the nonprofit, not the company selling filters for breast pumps!!

Take action online, or in the street!Donate time/resources – we can use

all the help we can get!

Helpful Resources

GoodGuide (http://www.goodguide.com – Provides information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of products and companies.

SkinDeep (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) – Rates personal care products based on their level of toxicity.

LactMed (http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT) – Database of substances and their effects on lactation.

Healthytoys.org (http://www.healthytoys.org) – Database of children’s toys rated for safety.

Scorecard (http://www.scorecard.org ) – Identify sources of pollution in your community.

Resources Cont’d

Our Water Our World (ourwaterourworld.org ) – Offers advice on how to treat pests without the use of harmful pesticides.

Pots, Pans, and Plastics (http://www.ewg.org/node/27686) - A Shopper's Guide to Food Safety.

Local Water Quality (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html) - Find out what contaminants might be in your local water supply.

Seafood Watch (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_WestCoastGuide.pdf) - Pocket guide of highest and lowest contaminant fish.

Pesticides in Produce (http://www.foodnews.org/) – Pocket guide to the best and worst fruits & veggies in terms of pesticide contamination.