"Aye there's the rub...!" (recommended #DrMercola) Archived Message Posted by Gerard on February 27, 2020, 12:52 pm, in reply to "Pretty?" "Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are similar in structure to natural sex hormones such as estrogen. By mimicking natural hormones, they have a number of adverse effects on both humans and wildlife, including developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune system damage. One of the most talked about endocrine disrupters is bisphenol-A (BPA), a pervasive chemical used in plastics and the lining of canned goods. These are thought to be the two primary routes of exposure, but research is uncovering another route that has received little attention: thermal receipt paper. Cash-Register Receipts Are an Overlooked Source of BPA Exposure You probably don't think twice about handling a cash-register receipt on your way out of the grocery store (or replacing that paper in the register if you work there). But you should. Thermal paper has a coating that turns black when heat is applied (the printer in a cash register applies heat to the paper, allowing it to print numbers and letters). It also contains BPA, and research shows that handling this type of paper is enough to increase your bodily levels. Though the amount of BPA transferred from a receipt may be small, think about how many times you handle receipts in any given week. It's these frequent, small exposures that add up over time, significantly contributing to your body's toxic load. And for those who are most vulnerable to BPA's toxic effects – pregnant women, infants, and children – handling receipts may pose an unnecessary risk that few are aware of. Handling Receipts Increases Your Levels of BPA Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health recruited 24 students and staff members to take part in the study. Considering the toxic nature of BPA on development, it was required that the participants were not pregnant. They were then asked to handle receipts for two hours with their bare hands. Before this, 20 of the 24 participants had measurable levels of BPA in their urine. Afterward, BPA was found in all of the participants' urine. The concentration of BPA in the urine samples increased as well.1 One week later, for the second part of the study, the participants handled receipts with gloves on, which led to no significant increase in BPA levels. The findings were clear enough that the researchers suggested cashiers and bank tellers may want to wear gloves if they handle receipts frequently. This is especially important if they're pregnant or of child-bearing age (nitrile gloves were used in the study; it's not yet known if latex or other gloves will prevent BPA exposure). BPA May Transfer to Your Skin After Holding a Receipt for Just 5 Seconds" Go to: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/12/receipt-endocrine-disruptor.aspx for full article. Message Thread: Covid19 - Mary February 26, 2020, 10:22 pm Re: Covid19 - Mary February 26, 2020, 10:26 pm Re: Covid19 - Gerard February 27, 2020, 10:51 am Pretty? - Gerard February 27, 2020, 10:53 am "Aye there's the rub...!" (recommended #DrMercola) - Gerard February 27, 2020, 12:52 pm   Searching