Xenoestrogens are a modern phenomenon from the plastics we use so often. Useful products like plastic containers (yes, even polystyrene has recently been discovered to be a problem), zip lock bags and many other petroleum based products outgas a bit of the petroleum they are made from. The fumes and airborne particles get in to our bodies and cause us to sort of produce more estrogen, thus increasing our chances of breast cancer and other estrogen related problems. Other reports indicate that the increase in estrogen may decrease the male sex drive by throwing off the testosterone/estrogen balance.

A few things you can avoid to reduce your exposure to these xenoestrogens are: household candles, plastic bags and containers, new carpet and upholstery, pesticides, perfumes, air fresheners, soaps and lotions with fragrances, that new car smell, etc. Do you see the pattern? It's basically anything that makes you breathe in deep and say, "ooh! that smells so good!" Products that are applied directly to your skin cause more bodily damage than those ingested, as the skin absorbes directly to your blood stream without being washed through your liver.

We don't need to get worried about everything in our environment, we just need to be aware so we can keep our exposure to the xenoestrogens to a minimum. I try to reuse glass containers like spaghetti and peanut butter jars rather than plastic cups or containers. I have been washing and saving the glass jars other people use from SoBe and ice tea drinks and using those for water bottles. The glass is thick and doesn't break as easily as I thought it would. We use glass and ceramic bowls and put stainless lids over them for food storage in the fridge. We try not to use skin products with fragrances or parabens. I don't burn my pretty candles, just the ones from the health stores. We open the doors and windows to keep the house smelling fresh rather than use plug-ins and don't use scented cleaners. I also try to avoid fleece clothing and blankets. However, I have yet to find a good substitute for zip lock baggies for my kids lunches.

Using fewer petroleum products will help help our health, be better for the earth and may make a tiny dent in our oil consumption (at least it won't hurt!). If you have any clever ideas for using fewer plastic products, I'd love to hear them!