M3.1 Biomonitoring

In watching the Anderson Cooper segment on "Body Burdens" it was quite interesting to hear how we have so many chemicals in our body and have no idea they exist until we get tested. The short segment on the family with the two children was quite startling. To hear the children have double the amount of toxins compared to the families is scary. As we know plenty of chemicals are put into children's toys, household products such as plates and cups and even on clothing. I am assuming to get a test done like that is expensive and as we saw Anderson Cooper waited a few months to hear his results; a lengthy period of waiting. As for hearing results such as the one's posted on the table, I would be startled, confused and question what comes next. To receive news that high chemicals such as DDT, Lead, PCB's, etc. are found in my body would lead to where did exposure happen? As someone who is in the reproductive stage in life , I would like to have more children in the future; but to know that chemicals such as those have been found and possibly can inhibit me from having children would be detrimental. Further tests would be needed to know the extent of damage these chemicals have caused inside of my body.

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 11, 2018 at 7:58 PM

    Hi Christina,
    I felt similarly when watching these two videos. It speaks to what Sandra Steingraber talks about - the biomagnification of chemicals in children's' bodies. It's so scary that the levels are magnified to much higher levels than adults. I also agree about how this makes me consider what might be in my own body as a woman of reproductive age. If my insurance would cover a Body Burden test I would definitely do it. I wonder if the doctors can give any specific recommendations on how to lower the levels though. It would be frustrating to get the results and not be able to do anything about them.
    Malena

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  2. Douglas Fuller IIISeptember 14, 2018 at 10:28 AM

    I agree, Christina. It's interesting to think that the children, both under five years old, have double the levels of toxins that the parents have. I wonder if they have had the exact same exposures? I suppose if you're looking at an entire family living in the same home you'd expect their levels to be similar. What have the kids been exposed to that the parents haven't?

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