Bisphenol A (BPA) was found to increase the risk of dying by 51% compared to people with lower levels of this toxic chemical in a new study. 

BPA is found in plastic bottles, sports equipment, compact discs, some medical devices, and dental sealants and composites, water pipes, coat the inside of food and beverage cans, and sales receipts.

So, your canned tomato sauce, sardines, or water bottle may contain BPA. BPA enters the body through the liquid or food we consume. For instance, it can leach into the water when a plastic bottle is heated or exposed to prolonged sunlight or stress. BPA naturally leaches into food from cans within time. Once in our body, BPA can disrupt the normal functioning of hormones, like testosterone and estrogen, which can make cancer cells more active.

BPA has been linked to a higher risk of Prostate Cancer 

In my prostate cancer book I wrote about the connection to BPA with prostate cancer – and to avoid this toxic chemical at all costs.

One study showed that even very low BPA concentrations initiated the proliferation of cancer cells in the prostate.

Lower Your Exposure to BPA

Avoiding plastic bottles is the easiest way to protect yourself from BPA. But if you do use them, choose wisely. Plastic bottles have a recycling code at the bottom of the bottle that looks like a triangular arrow around a number. Avoid these numbers: 3, 6, and 7, as they contain the highest amounts of BPA. 

Plastics with numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5 are safer plastics and contain the lowest BPA (and phthalates, another toxic chemical in plastics.)

Also, avoid or at least reduce your intake of canned foods. Instead, opt for frozen choices or whole foods.

Other tips: Use glass containers instead of plastic to store your food. Also, avoid purchasing either canned salmon or canned sardines in vinyl-lined cans, which may contain BPA. 

I recommend contacting the manufacturers of these products to find out which are using BPA-free cans. If you cannot find BPA-free choices, you may want to consider purchasing the fish in another (non-canned) form. Vital Choice offers an excellent assortment of wild BPA-free fish and sardines.

Lastly, wash your hands often, not only for COVID reasons but also to avoid touching food you will consume after touching sales receipts. Better yet, get receipts emailed if you can.