Early puberty, medically known as
precocious puberty is the appearance of secondary sex characteristics like
breast development, and pubic hair before the age of 8. It is also the
cause of early onset of menstruation before 9 years old. During the 19th century
the onset of monthly periods began at the age of 15. Today the average
onset of menstruation is 12 years old but statistics show that more girls are
getting them at the alarming age of 7- 9 years of age.
“The proportion of girls who had breast development at ages 7 and 8
years, particularly among white girls, is greater than that reported from of
girls who were born 10 to 30 years earlier.” reveals one study
in the field of Pediatrics.
We do know that this was not the norm 10 years ago and research has linked several factors to the cause of early puberty. Maturing too early can cause several problems like emotional issues, self- esteem problems, depression, excessive alcohol use and early loss of virginity. Some studies even suggest that this can cause cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes when these children get older. Educating ourselves on the causes and empowering ourselves to make changes in our family’s lifestyle can prevent this from happening to your children.
What Contributes to Early Puberty?
Endocrine
disruptors– These
are substances found in food and products like pesticide, metal and personal
care products that mimic estrogen. They are also known as “gender-
bending” chemicals.
The World Health Organization says this about endocrine disrupting chemicals,
” EDCs have been suspected to be associated with altered reproductive
function in males and females; increased incidence of breast cancer, abnormal
growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children, as well as changes
in immune function.”
Products that are considered to be Endocrine Disruptors:
1. Bisphenol A- More commonly known as BPA, this is an industrial chemical that is considered a synthetic estrogen. It is found in most plastic containers, dental sealants, cash register receipts and canned food containers.
2. Phthalates- An industrial chemical found in processed food packaging, laundry detergent and softeners, shampoo, soap, nail polish and other personal care products.
3.Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)- a harmful product found in non- stick cookware like Teflon.
4. Paraben esters- These are chemicals with estrogen- like properties and have been linked to breast cancer. They are found in most personal care products like deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, makeup, body lotion and even pharmaceutical medicine.
5. Heavy metals- aluminum, copper, antimony, lead, arsenite, mercury, barium, nickel, cadmium, selenite, chromium, tin, cobalt and vanadate.
6. Non
fermented soy products- These hide under the names
yeast extract, soy protein, soybean oil, soy lecithin and soy flour.
Doing this research has been alarming for me and I was once again reminded of the importance to be selective about the personal care and house cleaning products I use. I surely want to protect my family from these harmful substances that can cause early puberty and worse, even life threatening disease.
Here are helpful tips on how we can make things safer for our children:
1. Buy organic produce and free range organic eggs, beef and chicken as much as possible. Commercial chicken and beef are injected with estrogen which disrupts our hormones.
2. Try to consume mostly raw fresh food. Avoid pre- packed food with containers high in BPA and Phthalates.
3. Refrain from using aluminum foil and plastic wrap.
4. Use glass for drinking and food containers instead of plastic or go for high grade stainless steel or certified BPA free plastic.
5. Avoid canned goods as much as you can or search for those labeled BPA and phthalate free.
6. Replace non- stick pans with ceramic or glass cookware.
7. Make sure your baby’s feeding utensils, pacifiers and toys are BPA free.
8. Look for natural and organic personal care products and makeup. This includes shampoo, soap, deodorant, baby wash, sunscreen and even toothpaste.
9. Use natural cleaning products and avoid phthalates. Refrain from using air spray fresheners, laundry softeners, fertilizers, insect sprays as much as possible.
10. Avoid non fermented soy. Avoid soy milk, soy burgers, veggie meat,
11. Use fabric shower curtains instead of plastic and vinyl.
This writeup was written by Marilen Faustino Montenegro and published for Hipp Organic Milk in a previous promotion
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