7 easy ways to cut your exposure

Source: google.fr via Tristana on Pinterest

I received another great email from Fresh this morning, and wanted to pass this information along. 

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a hormone-disrupting chemical that lurks in food can linings, plastic food and beverage containers, and a slate of other consumer products.

It has been linked with serious effects on human health, from recurrent miscarriages in women and neurological changes in children to erectile dysfunction and hormonal changes in men. Chemical industry lobbying has kept regulators from banning the use of BPA, but there is good news. A 2010 study* found that BPA levels in five families dropped dramatically (by 60% on average) after just three days of not eating canned goods and food in plastic packaging.

Here are 7 more steps you can take to reduce your exposure to BPA:

Avoid drinking out of plastic bottles. Use unlined stainless steel ones instead.
Avoid canned foods and those that are sold in plastic containers. Buy products in glass or cardboard “brick-packaging” for a BPA-free alternative.
Choose dried beans instead of canned ones, and stick with fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. If you can’t avoid canned fruits, vegetables, or beans, rinse the contents well before serving.
Store leftovers in glass containers instead of plastic ones. Never microwave food in plastic containers or while covered in plastic wrap. Use glass or ceramic containers instead.
Don’t take receipts or wash your hands after touching one. The thermal paper used by many retailers for receipts contains high concentrations of BPA.
Check recycling numbers on plastics. Types 3 and 7 are likely to contain BPA, so avoid these.
For Parents with Young Children: Unfortunately, many BPA alternatives are still being tested for safety and it is difficult to determine what products are truly better. For developing brains and bodies, cut to the chase and avoid plastics altogether.
If you feed your infant formula, choose the powdered version instead of the liquid kind.
Use glass or stainless steel containers for bottles and sippy cups.
Avoid plastic toys, especially items that will be put into mouths.
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Natural and Nontoxic Wooden Toys

Okay, I know, I'm an Etsy addict. But, I just love the selection of personally crafted, carefully handmade, wonderfully creative items for children that Etsy provides!!! My latest love is the natural and non-toxic wooden toys that you can find on there. I just think that the feel of wood over plastic makes the work so much more "important" feeling, you know? Not that my house is plastic free- it isn't!!! But, if I have the choice, I go with natural, hands down.

One of my favorite Early Childhood activities is sorting. There are endless ways you can sort things- by colors, textures, smells, materials, size, shape, and on! I just love giving my children a group of objects and observing them as they come up with their own ways to sort. I'm always pleasantly surprised when they think of a way to sort that hadn't crossed my mind.

This is also one of my favorite activites because it is easily completed cooperatively or alone, and it is simple, inexpensive, and easy to prepare.
Gather together a group of objects, easily customizable to any theme, holiday, season, or lesson, and a place to sort! The place to sort can be mats, bowls, a muffin pan, circular hoops laid on the floor, boxes, or even just under header cards in columns. Oriental Trading is a wonderful place to purchase inexpensive sorting materials. They have just about any theme you can think of, and you can purchase in quantities that allow you to sort and resort without abandon! :) We have their Mini Insect Erasers, and these are a favorite for my children to sort.

I love using sorting as a great activity to keep them occupied at the table while you fix a meal- just hand them a bag and some bowls, and let them sort away! Another one of my favorites is button sorting! I love vintage buttons, and if you don't have a collection of your own, you can purchase collections of them many places, including Ebay. Or, you can go to Walmart and purchase a lovely package of assorted buttons in many colors, shapes, and sizes in their sewing and crafts department for just a few dollars. As always, monitor your children during this activity and choose age appropriate materials.

So now you can see why I just love this product from Wee Wood! It combines my enthusiasm for sorting activities with my passion for handmade, natural toys. :)
This Large set of 5 bowls, includes 1 bowl (and 1 scoop in each bowl) of each: hearts, mushrooms,spools, stars and apples. Each bowl painted in 5 primary colors with nontoxic paint and sealed with a nontoxic and hypoallergenic sealant.
How much fun would your little one have with these? It is one of those toys where they are having too much fun playing to realize they are learning!! And as a bonus, they are also great for scooping and pouring, counting, whatever you (and your little one!) can imagine.
Please visit the rest of their store, too, as they have many other lovely products for your child. Happy shopping!