A Sweeter and Safer Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day from Protect Our Breasts! Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to expressing how much we care about our loved ones. We want to show you how much we care by protecting you from harmful chemicals that can contribute to breast cancer in some of our favorite Valentine’s Day treats. Here are some tips for avoiding toxins in flowers, chocolates, and fragrances:

Choose organically and sustainably grown flowers to avoid exposure to toxic pesticides linked to cancer and other negative health impacts.

Look out for labels that ensure organic and/or sustainable growing practices:

• USDA Organic ensures that flowers are grown according to a set of organic farming standards developed by the USDA.
• VeriFlora certified flowers must be grown in accordance with a set of sustainable agricultural, environmental and labor standards, as verified by independent auditors. If a farm is not organic, it must develop plans to transfer to organic over time.
• Demeter Biodynamic certifies that flowers are grown according to biodynamic principles, which include organic growing techniques, wildlife diversity, crop rotation, treating the farm as a complete ecosystem and finding farm-based solutions to pest, disease and fertility problems.

Organic chocolate is a safer alternative to conventional chocolate which can contain glyphosate, a popular pesticide used to farm cacao, and also an endocrine disruptor that contributes to adverse human health effects, namely breast cancer.

Non-organic “milk chocolate” is made with milk from cows that may be exposed to Zeranol, which is a very popular growth promoter linked to breast cancer. Chocolate made with milk from cows fed with GMO grain is also non-organic and an unsafe choice.

When picking out a fragrance for a loved one, try to choose organic essential oils. Companies do not have to reveal what ingredients they use for “fragrance” because it is protected under trade laws. This means that there could be anywhere from tens to hundreds of synthetic chemicals used to create that fruity smell that is used in our favorite perfumes.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals commonly used in fragrance and are known endocrine disruptors. Even “unscented” products can contain fragrance to mask the smells of other chemicals used to make them. To avoid fragrance in these products, check the label on the back instead of relying on the “unscented” label on the front.

When considering what to give your friends, partners, and secret admirers this Valentine’s Day, we hope you will find these tips helpful. Together, we can make safer choices, and prevent breast cancer before it starts!

http://www.organicbouquet.com/i_504/msnbc-article-roses.html
http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/In-flowers-too-green-is-the-new-red-For-2651321.php
http://www.safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=643
http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=222