Twenty-One Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Persistent Organic Chemicals, Endocrine Disrupting Compounds and Heavy Metals:
1. Eat as little animal fat as possible.
2. Choose lean meats, removing the fat and skin from all animal products including fish.
3. Choose skim and low-fat dairy products.
4. Choose smaller seafood species fish (trout, tilapia, shrimp) instead of large predatory fish (tuna, shark, swordfish).
5. Eat up to 12 oz. (375 g) of fish per week of those considered safe choices.
6. Avoid eating oysters, clams and mussels unless you know that they came from a safe area.
7. If you live near an industrial area (or where one used to be), have your soil tested before you plant a vegetable garden.
8. Avoid storing food in crystal and use caution when using handcrafted pottery from other countries, especially those painted with bright colors.
9. Take a close look at your hobbies—they might expose you to paint, adhesives, and metals that contain POPs.
10. If you or someone in your family is a sports or recreational fisherman, pay close attention to consumption guidelines posted at fishing sites and at fishadvisoryonline.epa.gov/General.aspx.
11. If you drink water from a well, have the water tested for nitrates, heavy metals and bacteria when you confirm your pregnancy.
12. Make sure you have a good source of iron, calcium, vitamin D, copper and zinc in your diet to decrease absorption of heavy metals.
13. Be very careful about the type of plastic that comes into contact with your food—avoid the #3 and some #7 recycling codes.
14. Choose organic food when possible, especially those highest in pesticide residues.
15. Avoid exposure to pesticides and herbicides around the house.
16. Wash all fruits and vegetables well before eating—even organic, home grown.
17. Limit canned foods or choose brands that are labeled BPA-free or are in alternative packaging.
18. Limit rice products to once or twice a week and avoid rice milk.
19. Avoid hijiki, a type of seaweed.
20. Avoid or limit exposure to EDCs in the workplace (by both mom and dad).
21. Carefully read the labels of products that come into contact with skin, hair and lungs avoiding those that contain fragrance, phthalates and other questionable substances.
For more information:
¨ Agency for Toxic Substances Registry: www.atsdr.cdc.gov
¨ Persistent Organic Pollutants: A Global Issue, A Global Response: www.epa.gov/oia/toxics/pop.html
¨ Priority Chemicals in the Waste Minimization Program: www.epa.gov/wastes/hazard/wastemin/priority.htm