Every week, our Facebook feeds explode with new warnings about toxins in our daily lives. But is that couch with flame retardants or your nonstick skillet really going to kill you? We dug deep into the research to find out which chemicals actually pose a risk and what we all can do about them right now.
"Scientists issue warning over chemicals in carpets, coats, cookware." "chemicals in pizza boxes may be health risk."
Headlines like these make you want to curl up on the sofa and never leave the house—except that couch! Chances are it's loaded with toxic chemicals, too. As a savvy, health-conscious (and, OK, slightly worry-prone) woman, how are you supposed to function in a world where everything from the dust bunnies in your home to your ATM receipt could be poisoning you?
First, some perspective: Yes, chemicals are everywhere, and some are undoubtedly harmful. But linking a health issue, whether it's breast cancer or premature births, to specific substances is difficult. "We're exposed to so many chemicals—some potentially hazardous, some not—and often health problems take months or years to develop. That makes it tricky to identify the culprit," explains Tracey Woodruff, PhD, director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
Moreover, the average person's exposure to any one toxin is relatively low, as is her individual health risk. The potential peril of, say, eating microwave popcorn pales in comparison to smoking, which is directly responsible for 30 percent of cancer deaths, says Margaret Kripke, PhD, professor emerita at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and co-author of the President's Cancer Panel report on environmental cancer risk.
RELATED: 9 Ways to Detox Your Home
That said, developing fetuses, infants and children are more vulnerable to chemicals' effects. In fact, this fall, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics issued a report sounding an alarm about the serious health effects of exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Whether you have little ones or not, it's smart to understand the science behind the most buzzed-about chemicals. We talked to top scientists and analyzed the research to find out what you should really be concerned about and how you can protect yourself and the planet.
