Phthalates

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and harder to break.  But when you're exposed to phthalates, they can alter hormone levels. 

The Huffington Post article How to Avoid Phthalates (Even Though You Can't Avoid Phthalates) is scary but yet very informative:

"You'll find phthalates in perfume, hair spray, deodorant, almost anything fragranced (from shampoo to air fresheners to laundry detergent), nail polish, insect repellent, carpeting, vinyl flooring, the coating on wires and cables, shower curtains, raincoats, plastic toys, and your car's steering wheel, dashboard, and gearshift. (When you smell a "new car," you're smelling phthalates.) Medical devices are full of phthalates -- they make IV drip bags and tubes soft, but unfortunately, DEHP is being pumped directly into the bloodstream of ailing patients. Phthalates are found in our food and water. They are in dairy products, possibly from the plastic tubing used to milk cows. They are in meats (some phthalates are attracted to fat, so meats and cheeses have high levels, although it's not entirely clear how they are getting in to begin with). You'll find phthalates in tap water that's been tainted by industrial waste, and in the pesticides sprayed on conventional fruits and vegetables."

As scary as this information is (or maybe it doesn't scare you), this article does give some great tips on staying away from phthalates:

• Get a water filter ASAP!  It should filter out those phthalates found in water pipes. 

• Avoid plastics (same as my BPA-free blog post) and NEVER heat your food in plastic. Even if it's BPA-free or phthalate-free, it can still have harmful chemicals that can melt into your food at high temperatures (same with the dishwasher). Sticking with glass is your best bet!

• Recycling Codes - Containers with recycling codes #2, #4 and #5 are best.  Plastics marked with recycle code #3 or #7 may contain phthalates or BPA.

• Go Organic! Phthalates are used in pesticides, and they are also found in sewage sludge that is used in conventional agriculture. Neither is permitted on certified organic produce.

• Stay away from fragrance! This is a hard one ladies!! When it comes to cosmetics, the word "fragrance" or "parfum" on a label almost always means phthalates. What you want to see are claims like: "no synthetic fragrance" or "scented with only essential oils" or "phthalate-free." Unfortunately, you will very rarely see phthalates listed on a product label.

• If you're already a mommy, ditch those hand-me-down plastic toys! Today, phthalates are banned from toys, teethers, bottles and feeding products. However, that didn't take place until 2009!