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As a Cardiac Care nurse, this info from the EPA is extremely relevant to my practice.  I'm going to start incorporating this education in my discharge teaching. 

(From EPA) Heart disease is the number one killer for women, as well as for men. Unfortunately many women think of a heart attack as a problem for men, not them. Each year, approximately 400,000 American women die from Heart disease and more than 42 million women are currently living with some form of cardiovascular disease (heart disease). As a matter of fact, heart disease kills more women than the next seven causes of death combined.

You probably already know about healthy behaviors for the heart, such as, not smoking, being active, maintaining a healthy weight and diet.

Other important factors are your cholesterol levels, blood pressure and glucose levels. But are you familiar with the risk factor of unhealthy air and the invisible particle pollution that can harm your heart? Do you know where to find information about out the air quality in your community or zip code?

The EPA has great online resources to help you teach your patients and community members about the links between environmental pollutants and heart disease.  These resources are available in multiple languages and include how to find your Air Quality Index, get your drinking water tested, and reduce environmental exposures both indoors and outdoors. 

Go to the EPA's page on heart disease and environmental health

This fantastic article from Organic Gardening on greening hospitals highlights much of the work that Dr. Barbara Sattler and Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment have done to promote sustainable healthcare in Maryland. 


Green Health Care
Hospitals are becoming healthier places due to new efforts to protect the environment.
By Sharon Tregaskis

Last year, the Baltimore Medical System's new Highlandtown Healthy Living Center served nearly 15,000 patients—many of them uninsured immigrants for whom English is a second language—in a sparkling new $11.5 million clinical facility in East Baltimore. Sunlight stands in for fluorescent bulbs in patient-care spaces. Formaldehyde-free, low-VOC building materials reduce toxic exposures for staff and patients. Even the cleaning products are environmentally friendly, while the art on the walls—made from found and reused materials—explores the relationship between human health and that of the planet. A fourth-floor terrace garden promotes reflection and contemplation in the bustling inner-city neighborhood, and a rain garden along the sidewalk diverts stormwater from flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

"We want to reduce the disparities and other causes that lead to poor health outcomes, such as asthma, diabetes, and obesity," says BMS President and CEO Jay Wolvovsky. "By designing a facility that focuses on health through environmental awareness, we hope to bring about another level of change in promoting a healthier Baltimore."

The United States' $2.6 trillion health-care industry generates more than 4 billion pounds of trash annually. Inpatient health-care facilities rank second only to food-processing facilities in energy consumption. A growing number of healthcare professionals see a fundamental conflict between their Hippocratic oath to "do no harm" and the environmental consequences of the industry's by-products, including discarded chemotherapy drugs, expired pharmaceuticals, caustic cleaning supplies, and dioxin generated by medical-waste incinerators, as well as the climate effects of intensive energy consumption. As a result, they're taking steps to transform the way they do business—reducing waste, improving indoor air quality, boosting energy efficiency, and promoting health through on-site farmers' markets and healthier cafeteria offerings.

"Hospitals operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They're resource-intensive, and they're subject to really strict regulations and fire codes," says architect Robin Guenther, a principal at Perkins+Will and author of Green Guide for Health Care.

"As a result, they tend to be buildings that contain a lot of petrochemical-based plastic materials laden with chemical flame retardants. They're beginning to discover that there are ways to both do good for patient care and do good for the environment at the same time."

Article continues here.

 

From New York Daily News on December 5:

 

Toxins in beauty products, plastics, meats can harm child health, Mt. Sinai experts claim
Avoid plastics and scented products, docs say

BY Jennifer H. Cunningham
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

 Exposure to toxins found in everyday items can wreak havoc on children’s hormonal systems and set them up for a lifetime of poor health, child health experts from Mount Sinai Medical Center said Monday.

Some beauty products, fatty meats, pesticides, plastics and cigarettes can contain dangerous chemicals including PCBs, pthtalates and parabens, the experts from Mount Sinai Hospital said at a symposium at the New York Academy of Medicine.

Contact with these toxins from pregnancy through adolescence can increase the risk of neurological problems, learning disabilities and chronic diseases such as breast cancer and diabetes, the panel of child health experts said.

“These are molecular events that have real world consequences that spread over a lifetime,” said Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, director of Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center. “They have an effect to produce profound and lasting effects on the human body.”

A 2010 Mount Sinai study found children aged 4 to 9 who were exposed to phthlates in the womb showed an increase in depression, agression and conduct disorders.

EPA Region II Administrator Judith Enck told the audience that the Toxic Substances Control Act, which governs chemicals, doesn’t have the teeth to regulate the roughly 80,000 chemicals used in commerce.

“It’s outdated, and frankly, doesn't protect us from chemicals,” she said.

Earlier this year, Sen. Frank Lautenberg introduced the Safe Chemicals Act, which would reform the toxic substances act and mandate stronger regulations for chemicals.

"Because America's chemical safety laws are broken, we are exposed to untested chemicals in products every day," Lautenberg said in a statement. "The Safe Chemicals Act is a common-sense public health measure that would put the burden on chemical companies to prove their products are safe before they end up in our homes and our bodies."

The experts urged people to limit contact with these chemicals by stopping smoking, replacing plastics with glass and stainless steel, limiting meat consumption, using alternatives to pesticides and avoiding products with “fragrance” in their ingredient list.

jcunningham@nydailynews.com

(From Breast Cancer Action) Pinkwashing has reached a new low this year.

In the past, we’ve worked to demand accountability from companies who pinkwash in the name of breast cancer. We’ve seen pink alcohol. Pink buckets of fried chicken. Pink hormone-laden yogurt.

But we’re genuinely shocked to see a breast cancer organization marketing a product containing multiple chemicals categorized as toxic or hazardous.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure commissioned and is now selling a perfume called Promise Me. This perfume contains chemicals that are categorized as toxic and hazardous, have not been adequately evaluated for human safety, and have demonstrated negative health effects. Please join us in demanding that Komen take every precaution when it comes to our health. When in doubt, leave it out!

Chemicals in Promise Me of primary concern include:

      Galaxolide, a synthetic musk that works as a hormone disruptor and is detected in blood, breast milk, and even newborns.

      Toluene, a potent neurotoxicant known widely as one of the toxic trio, has demonstrated a variety of negative health effects and is banned by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA).

When women’s lives are at stake we must adopt the highest standards of accountability. Komen is taking initial steps to reformulate the perfume “to remove any doubt about the ingredients.” But we’re still deeply concerned that while Komen reformulates, a product that is potentially harmful to our health is still in stores and in our homes. We urge Komen to immediately recall Promise Me.

We're looking for 10,000 people who will stand up for women's health with us. Will you be one of them?

"Blood, rain and tears: meditation on the destruction of water"

This powerful piece by Sandra Steingraber illustrates the destructive power of fracking .  Humans have never had the power to destroy water before now.  Now that we can, what will happen to us and our environment?

(From the American Public Health Association) Adopting comprehensive state-by-state smoke-free laws in the 27 states that do not already have them will save more than $1.3 billion over five years, according to a report from the American Cancer Society.

Read the full story. 

Did you know? Your child’s innocent-looking lunch box or backpack could contain chemicals linked to learning disabilities, obesity, and asthma. That’s because many school supplies are manufactured using polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the most hazardous plastic for our health and environment. PVC is unique among plastics because it contains dangerous chemical additives including phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be released from the plastic and expose your child to dangerous chemicals.

Good news!  The Center for Health, Environment & Justice is releasing the fourth annual Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to empower you to make smarter, healthier shopping choices for a toxic-free future.   This guide lists the most common back-to-school supplies made out of this toxic plastic and suggests safer and affordable PVC-free alternatives in over 35 product categories, from lunchboxes and laptops to 3-ring binders and backpacks.  You can download the 2011 guide here to find safer products for your children for this back to school shopping season.  You can also download this wallet-sized guide for shopping tips on the go. 

Our friends at the Environmental Working Group have just released The Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change + Health.  This fantastic guide will help you understand the environmental impact of the food choices you make every day.  Bottom line = all meat is not created equal!  Read this message from the Environmental Working Group and get started making more sustainable food choices for your family. 

(From the Environmental Working Group)

What's for dinner?

It's a question I hear a lot from my kids. When we sit down to dinner, I want to know that -- no matter what we're eating -- the food on our table is healthy for them and for the environment.

I want you and your family to feel just as good about the food on your dinner tables. That's why we created the Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change + Health -- so you'll have key information to help you make smart choices about food.

Click here to check out EWG's easy-to-use shopper's guide.

As I read the final report, I was reminded that our daily decisions about the food we eat have a significant impact on the environment. Most American children consume three to four times more protein, primarily from meat, than is recommended. I hope you'll join my family in pledging to use EWG's guide to make less of an impact on the environment by making healthier choices.

At EWG, we're dedicated to empowering you with the information you need to help your family eat healthier and greener -- and we want to make it as easy as possible. So we have pulled together great resources such as quick tips to pick greener proteins, a meat and dairy product label decoder and some great books and recipes.

Check out EWG's Meat Eater's Guide to Climate Change + Health!

With the right information at your fingertips, it's a lot easier to do something great for the health of your family and the planet. I hope you find these tips and the guide as useful as I do!

Sincerely,

Jane Houlihan
Senior Vice President for Research, EWG

GOVERNMENT/NONPROFIT/INDUSTRY PLAN OUTLINED TO REMEDY LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE U.S. SYSTEM TO PROTECT PUBLIC FROM HARMFUL CHEMICAL EXPOSURES

 

“Action Agenda” Arising From Broad-Based “National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures” Outlines 48 Recommendations to Ensure Chemical Safety for Americans

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.//June 9, 2011//Even though Americans are exposed every day to potentially harmful chemicals, the U.S. government currently does not have in place a comprehensive system to protect the public in such situations. That is expected to change as a result of a new “action agenda” emerging from a two-year national conversation led by government, nonprofit and industry organizations.  

 

The National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures is a collaboration of RESOLVE, a nonprofit consensus-building organization; the American Public Health Association; the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; the National Association of County and City Health Officials; and others. As part of their mission to advance the public’s health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) supported the National Conversation. Dozens of government agency, nonprofit and industry experts and thousands of members of the public were involved in developing the recommendations.

 

Available online at http://www.nationalconversation.us, “Addressing Public Health and Chemical Exposures: An Action Agenda” explains that “the United States lacks a comprehensive system that fully protects the public’s health from harmful chemical exposures. The recommendations described in this Action Agenda illustrate how we can enhance and continue to build such a system in the United States. … [The] Action Agenda calls for an increased emphasis on preventing harmful chemical exposures, reforming outdated and ineffective policies, promoting the health of children and other vulnerable populations, and improving our ability to make or engage in difficult decisions, often in the face of uncertainty. The Action Agenda also recommends improving data access and management, expanding systems for monitoring chemical exposures and health outcomes, and building scientific knowledge on many fronts, such as through faster evaluation of chemical hazards.”

 

Dr.Christopher Portier, director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry at CDC, said: “The National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures was grounded in the vision of a nation that uses and manages chemicals in ways that are safe and healthy for all people. This vision grows out of the nation’s rising awareness that human health and the environment are deeply intertwined. Many Americans have important questions about chemicals and health that have not yet been answered adequately. Are the products I use every day safe? Are they safe for my children? Where can I go for clear information? What accounts for the health problems I see in my community? These and other similar questions are legitimate and deserve our nation’s attention. I look forward to carefully reviewing the Action Agenda and considering ways that it can help NCEH/ATSDR better protect the public from harmful chemical exposures.”

 

Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, executive director of the Children's Environmental Health Network, said: “Imagine a nation where families with children and other members of a community know their water, soil, air, homes, schools and places of work and recreation are healthy for everyone and free from chemical hazards. The National Conversation was born out of this vision, and out of a widely shared desire to consider past successes, identify current challenges and highlight solutions that would promote a health-protective chemical safety system. The National Conversation Action Agenda includes steps that each of us can take to bring us closer to the vision of a nation that uses and manages chemicals in ways that are safe and healthy for all people.”

 

Gail Shibley, administrator of the public health division, office of environmental public health, at the Oregon Department of Human Services/Oregon Health Authority, said: “States play an important role in setting and enforcing protective policies and conducting surveillance, and take seriously their responsibility to protect their citizens. The recommendations in the Action Agenda reflect the input of many state and local public health and environmental health practitioners, and include several concrete actions that would significantly improve state and local efforts to protect the public's health from harmful chemical exposure.”

 

Dr. Daniel Goldstein, lead, Medical Sciences and Outreach at Monsanto, said: “The National Conversation was a collaborative process, and the Action Agenda reflects the input of thousands of individuals who bring a wide array of experience and perspectives. I served as one of the voices of industry involved in this process. While we in the chemical industry have made important progress in better protecting the public's health, there are clearly areas in which industry can and should collaborate, and sometimes even take the lead, in doing a better job. The Action Agenda contains specific recommendations that will fairly, effectively and collaboratively promote public health, and includes suggestions for ways industry can work with government agencies and other partners to that end.”

 

ACTION AGENDA RECOMMENDATIONS

 

The new “Action Agenda” outlines a total of 48 recommendations in seven major chapters:

 

1.     PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH BY PREVENTING HARMFUL CHEMICAL EXPOSURES. A more effective approach to preventing harmful chemical exposures would begin with using inherently safer chemicals, reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and protecting children’s health. Government and industry can and should support the substitution of hazardous chemicals with less toxic alternatives through multiple means, based on the principles of “green chemistry.” Reform of TSCA should incorporate a preventive, partnership-based approach emphasizing alternatives assessment and encouraging industry action to provide essential health and safety information on all chemicals in commerce. The effects of chemical exposures on children and other vulnerable populations need greater policy attention, and interventions must protect such populations.

 

2.     COLLECT AND USE INFORMATION ON CHEMICALS AND POPULATION HEALTH TO ENABLE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTION. To protect public health, the United States needs to enhance information collection in at least four areas: chemical use and release, environmental concentrations, levels within humans and other species, and health outcomes. Priorities for action are to improve health outcome data quality, quantity and availability; expand the use of biomonitoring; and improve reporting of information on chemical source, use, discharge and manufacturing volume. A national state-based biomonitoring network is needed to provide better information on human exposures to chemicals in different parts of the United States. To improve reporting of information on chemical source, use, discharge and manufacturing volume, the Action Agenda calls for enhancing the Toxics Release Inventory and increasing the frequency of the TSCA Inventory Update Reporting Rule.

 

3.     ACHIEVE A MORE COMPLETE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF CHEMICALS AND THEIR HEALTH EFFECTS. Advancements in chemical hazard testing, as suggested in the 2007 National Academy of Sciences’ report Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century, are needed to support preventive decision making. Data gaps must be filled quickly to allow federal agencies to identify chemicals posing the greatest potential hazards. Additional exposure assessment protocols and tools should be developed to understand and predict when and where exposures occur along chemical product and process life cycles and across human life stages.

 

4.     PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL EXPOSURES. To promote health and wellness in communities and populations affected by environmental exposures, government at all levels must implement policies and practices that overcome environmental injustice and improve the resiliency, safety and health of vulnerable communities. Immediate action should be taken to protect the health of disproportionately affected communities. Developing simplified cumulative risk assessment tools that allow for screening-level assessments can help identify disproportionately affected communities and inform the public. To enhance community health protection, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) should broaden the scope of the actions it takes and supports in communities.

 

5.     STRENGTHEN THE PUBLIC’S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE EFFECTIVELY IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DECISION MAKING. Government agencies should develop and implement a multidirectional model for communication efforts concerning chemical exposures and health. Government and industry should improve public access to information on chemicals used or present in products throughout the supply chain. Environmental and occupational health educational opportunities for adults and children should be enhanced to build environmental health literacy. In addition, a comprehensive federal Internet portal should be created through which the public can access information on chemicals and health. Public access to data also can be increased by balancing confidentiality and data quality concerns, providing study participants with the results of tests performed on them and providing access to quality local studies on chemical exposures.   

 

6.     STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROVIDER WORK FORCE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE EXPOSED TO HARM FROM CHEMICALS. The nation needs to endorse and support public health agency accreditation standards related to chemical exposures, develop clinical practice guidelines for diagnosing and addressing harmful chemical exposures, expand environmental health professional training opportunities and support reimbursement for environmental healthcare services.

 

7.     REDUCE HARM FROM CHEMICAL EMERGENCIES THROUGH PREVENTION, PLANNING AND COORDINATION. The federal government should identify an office or program to create consistency and avoid redundancy of information on chemical emergencies. In addition, the government should coordinate chemical emergencies better, assess and improve the healthcare response to hazardous chemical releases, and develop a toxicologic hazard-vulnerability assessment planning tool for local response. 

 

CONTACT:  Leslie Anderson, (703) 276-3256 or landerson@hastingsgroup.com; and David Fouse, (202) 777-2501 or david.fouse@apha.org.

 

EDITOR’S NOTE:  A streaming audio replay of this news event will be available on the Web at http://www.nationalconversation.us as of 3 p.m. EDT on June 9, 2011.

 

This month, Corporate Accountability International has spearheaded the Value [the] Meal Campaign calling on McDonalds to stop marketing unhealthy foods to kids. 

One component of this campaign is an open letter to McDonalds' CEO Jim Skinner asking the fast food giant to stop marketing junk food to children. 

To date, 550 health professionals from all 50 states have signed the letter, including over 1500 cardiologists, pediatricians, nurses, endocrinologists, primary care physicians, community health centers, psychologists, clinics, dietitians, hospital departments, public health experts, and more!

We ask you to join your colleagues in helping prevent the spread of diet-related disease in children by signing on to the open letter and encouraging your colleagues to do the same. 

http://www.lettertomcdonalds.org/