Unraveling the Breast Cancer Link: Chemicals, Cosmetics, Hormonal Therapies, and Household Products
The research shows that only to five to ten percent of breast cancers when diagnosed are related to genetics and family history. This means that there are other sources that can create susceptibility, introducing toxins into the body, causing breast cancer in both females and males. What many of us are not aware, is that carcinogen agents are located in our households. Do you really know what you are purchasing when you shop at the grocery store weekly? Many of us are not aware of what that new shade of lipstick, fragrance, or body wash contains. We can't understand why we can no longer enjoy a cold glass of milk with a nice chocolate chip cookie. Well, it's probably been injected with the recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) that is not altered by pasteurization to increase milk production. We wash our clothing, use dish soap, deodorant, and other chemicals not knowing what the product contains. The chemical explosion strongly means that it time to read the labels, prepare a journal, and start household cleaning. Let's do a fun exercise, write down the ingredients of one product in your house, and in the technologically savvy computer age, GOOGLE the product to find out if there is a link to any type of cancer. Then find a cleaner alternative, if there is potentially a carcinogen (cancer agent) identified in the product.
The research is clear, the industrialization of the current world that we live in has contributed to the high prevalence of breast cancer. In 2010, there were 85,000 chemicals registered in the United States, of which 216 have been implicated in breast cancer causation (Gray, 2010). In 2019, there are nearly 4 million survivors of breast cancer. The United States of America and the European countries have a higher rate of breast cancer than any other country, include the undeveloped countries. Globally, the country of Belgium has the highest in breast cancer prevalence in the global world. The research clearly shows that non-industrialized countries have lower breast cancer rates than industrialized countries. Additionally, it has been shown that those who move to industrialized countries from countries with lower rates develop the same breast cancer rates of the industrialized country (BCA, 2019).
An interesting publication by Dr. Janet Gray, entitled "State of the Evidence, The Connection Between Breast Cancer and The Environment" breaks down the links between the products we use on a daily basis. The publication has been updated to confirm the founding studies related to the evidence linking breast cancer to environmental carcinogens (cancer causing agents). Dr. Gray makes a prolific discovery in her first publication, finding that people who are born prior to the1940s would have lower rates of cancer because the environment was not as industrialized (Gray, 2010). During this era, most individuals lived in environments free of contaminants. The foods and vegetables were free of chemicals and preservatives. The air and water were healthier. Today, over 225 research studies find that certain chemicals are link to carcinogens that we commonly use. There are seven categories examined longitudinally which show risk for developing breast cancer, (1) Hormones: Pharmaceutical agents & personal care products; (2) Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs); (3) Hormones in food: Natural and additives; (4) Non-EDC industrial chemicals; (5) Tobacco smoking: Active and passive; (6) Shift work, light-at-night and melatonin; and (7) Radiation (Gray, 2018).
There are several classifications that you need to further research:
Hormones: Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Oral contraceptives
Infertility treatment drugs
Diethylstilbestro
Personal care products- placental extracts hair
Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds (EDCs)
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Phthalates
Parabens
Pesticides and herbicides
Alkylphenols- detergents
Triclsoan and triclocarban- hand sanitizers
Sunscreens
Aromatic amines
Hormones in Foods: Natural and Additive
Phytoestrogens
Mycoestrogens
Zeranol (Rlagro)
Bovine growth hormone (rBGH)- injection in cows to stimulate hormones
Non-Endocrine-Disrupting Industrial Carcinogens
Benzene
Vinyl chloride
1, 3-butadiene
Ethylene oxide
Tobacco
Shift work
light-at-night
melatonin
Radiation
Ionizing radiation
Occupational exposures
The best strategy is to start with a journal, then read labels, and do the research to eliminate toxic chemicals found in household products, cosmetics, bath products, foods, and in your environment. Learning how to read labels and asking question can save lives in the long run. Ask your doctor about hormonal treatments, learn about hormones injected into meats and milk to stimulate growth. What are the long-term effects? How can you begin to move towards non-industrializing your environment? It's not hype, it's focusing on improving your life-long health. Stay Active, Stay Motivated, and Keep Fighting for the Cure!
To read further:
Cosmetics and certain fragrances have also been link to cancer, read up on the the ten most toxic fragrances https://d124kohvtzl951.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/26092837/BCPP_Right-To-Know-Report_Secret-Toxic-Fragrance-Ingredients_9_26_2018.pdf
Read State of the Evidence download the publication by clicking this link
