Ten Ways To Reduce Health Risks

1. Avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides in your house or garden, especially if you are pregnant or have a small baby or toddler.

2. Keep chemicals in plastics and cans out of your food and water. Use plastic wraps made of polyethylene, not PVC. Don't microwave in plastic or put hot food in plastic containers. Store food in glass or lead-free ceramic containers. Avoid polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and food cans with white linings, which contain bisphenol-A. See "Bottled Water" and "Plastics for Kitchen Use" product reports.

3. Eat a varied diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and grains. When possible, buy organic and local produce.

• Limit consumption of meat and dairy products. The Institute of Medicine, a non-profit advisory body, recommends that the government educate women and girls about limiting dioxin exposure well before childbearing years. Researchers at Ohio State University are studying whether zeranol, a growth hormone given to cattle that causes breast-cancer cells to proliferate in the lab, is found in significant levels in breast-cancer patients. Choose organic, hormone-free meat.
• Avoid fish high in mercury (tuna, swordfish) or PCBs (some fresh-water fish, farmed salmon). See fish pocket guide at thegreen guide.com.

4. Find out what's in your drinking water and filter it if necessary. See "3 Steps to Ensuring Clean Tap Water" at thegreenguide.com.

5. Minimize the use of beauty products, especially those using synthetic fragrances and nail polish, which contain phthalates. See "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly" GG #94.

6. Control Your Weight. Obesity in postmenopausal women is a risk factor for breast cancer. "Women who are heavier and gain weight have higher levels of estrogen," says Rachel Ballard-Barbash, M.D., M.P.H., associate director of NCI's Applied Research Program at the National Cancer Institute.

7. Steer clear of polluted outdoor air and cigarette smoke. Check Air Quality Index (AQI) (epa.gov/airnow) for daily information on particle pollution and smog levels in 149 cities. The Long Island Breast Cancer Study, published in August 2002 (see "Women's Health: Searching For Clues" GG # 95) reported a 50 % increased risk from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke and smoked or grilled foods.

8. Exercise. A study of 47,000 women published in the September 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the risk of breast cancer was reduced in postmenopausal women who participated in increased physical activity.

9. Use least-toxic household cleaners and home reno/ deco products such as paints, pressed woods, upholstered furniture. See "Eco-Renovation" and "Paint" (GG #95) and Household Cleaning Supplies product report at thegreenguide.com.

10. Be politically active. "The best thing is for parents and pediatricians to be advocates and push the EPA to do testing to find out what is safe and unsafe," says Michael Shannon, M.D., chairman of the Committee on Environmental Health for the American Academy of Pediatrics. (See "Take Action")