Chemicals, Plastics and Lunchables, Oh Boy!

I'll admit it.

I love Sanjay Gupta.

I couldn't wait for his Toxic America special.

The first night was Toxic Towns.

It talked about a town in Louisiana surrounded by chemical plants.

Townspeople were suddenly being sickened with horrible, unspeakable diseases.

Watching that reminded me of home.

See, I grew up about 15 minutes from Love Canal.

I swam in the Niagara River as a child.

All of my friends did the same.

I'm 33 years old.

At 33, I have seen more friends I went to high school with be diagnosed with cancers of all types than I can count.  Breast cancer, testicular cancer, leukemia, skin cancer are just a small sample.  Add in rheumatoid arthritis, among other things and it starts to seem too common for such a small group of people.

Our kids... sadly, too many of them are sick as well.  ADHD, Autism, Down's Syndrome.

We'll probably never be able to prove that Love Canal is still affecting us and our kids.  But if you ask me... it is.

The second night of Sanjay's special was Toxic Childhood.  It focused on the chemicals that are currently being found in our children and the types of effects that they're having. 

As a mother of a child with ADHD, I find this especially interesting. 

Prior to starting Michael on medication, we attempted to remove all food dyes from his diet, thinking this might be the cause of the hyperactivity. 

I can tell you this... it is hard, really hard, to remove food dyes from the diet of a picky child.  They're everywhere. 

I recently found this article as well.  It's a recent study done showing that a certain pesticide could also be a cause of childhood ADHD.  The study shows that it's probably not affecting adults, but children are so much more sensitive to this type of thing.  It recommends switching to organic  fruits and veggies for kids.  But even then, you're not totally safe.  It's virtually impossible to figure out where the strawberries on your counter travelled from, let alone what they were treated with while growing.

One of the things that Sanjay focused on in his investigation was plastics. 

Plastics are everywhere.

We are surrounded by them.

He talked about the different types of plastic and the recycling numbers found on certain plastic containers.

Most importantly, he warns to avoid plastic with the number 7. 

If the recycling number on a container is a 7, assume the container contains BPA unless it says otherwise.

BPA is an Environmental Protection Agency "chemical of concern," one of five substances the agency has targeted for increased scrutiny and potential new regulation.

Why does the FDA allow these plastics to be used by consumers?

I haven't the slightest clue.

But I can tell you that I searched my entire plastic storage cabinet looking for the number 7.  That turned into searching medicine cabinets and anything that crossed my path that was made of plastic.

Thankfully, I didn't find it.

That is, until I opened the fridge and looked at my son's Lunchables.

Every day, Michael insists on a Lunchable in his lunch.

It's the only thing he'll eat. 

I looked on the bottom of the plastic packaging.

An effing number 7!

Are you serious???

I mean, this is a product that is specifically marketed to kids!

How irresponsible can a company be?

Here's the google search info when you type in Lunchables...

Try wholesome & nutritious lunches for kids. | Lunchables

Kids love Lunchables! Try the new, more wholesome Lunchables that Moms can feel good about. brands.kraftfoods.com/lunchables/ - Cached - Similar

Lunchables that Mom's can feel good about?

Seriously?

Brilliant marketing Kraft.

Michael won't be getting Lunchables in his lunches next year. 

It is a small choice that I can make, not to support a product that could potentially harm my child.

I can only hope that Jamie Oliver might decide to visit Las Vegas next year and fix up the school lunch program out here.

As for Sanjay's investigative reporting.

I feel like he's a Doctor, father, human who really cares.

I can't wait to see what he investigates next.

I'm hooked.