SafetyNESTScience.org

On Mother's Day....New Frontiers for SafetyNEST Science and mySafetyNEST.com

Thu, 11 May 2023 16:20:13 -0700

by Alexandra Destler, Founder and Director, SafetyNEST Science + mySafetyNEST

I started SafetyNEST with the deep conviction that every pregnant woman and family deserves clear, credible, and actionable guidance to safeguard their pregnancy and family. While it is widely accepted that toxic chemical exposure contributes to reproductive, child, and adult disease, addressing these exposures has been largely absent from professional healthcare practice.

Despite women being highly motivated to avoid chemical exposure and safeguard their health and that of their children, a lack of training, tools, and expertise among most reproductive health professionals has meant that not many advisors counsel pregnant women about these exposure risks.

Fold into the mix environmental racism and health inequity.

Many toxic chemicals disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and are subsumed in issues of environmental racism, environmental justice, and health inequity. Underserved women and families are left more susceptible to adverse health impacts and less likely to have access to evidence-based educational materials to guide them in reducing their exposures. The impacts of chemical exposure are exacerbated by other factors, including stress, nutritional status, housing quality, hazardous workplace environments and poverty.

Happy Mother's Day: Why SafetyNEST Today?

Sun, 08 May 2022 15:24:39 -0700

I started SafetyNEST with the "big idea" to modernize prenatal care for healthier, toxic free babies. Today on this Mother's Day, the need continues and I believe this "mission" is more important than ever.

My journey to SafetyNEST Science started many years ago. The first “seed” planted on my path was when I was in graduate school, working on a final paper focused on understanding the incentives and deterrents to “greening the chemical industry” for a class at Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School. I stumbled upon the alarming statistic that more than 85,000 chemicals surround us daily, in everything from our mattresses to frying pans and shampoo bottles. Hundreds of new chemicals are introduced into consumer products every year. And here’s the catch: The EPA has only tested +/- 200 for health and safety. Seriously?!

Fast forward to a few years later, working on environmental health issues after leaving Harvard. I hadn’t fully awakened to the 85,000 gorilla in the room until I became a mom. I recall staring at the vinyl bathmat I’d put down to give my then tiny daughter a bath. I wondered whether the chemicals in vinyl leech over time in warm water, and whether this could be a bad thing for my child, or even for me. I searched the web and got lost down many rabbit holes, frustrated at how hard it was to find clear, credible and concise information about vinyl and other common toxic chemicals found in the home. The simple guidance and safer options I was looking for didn’t exist. As time progressed, I had the same experience wondering about sippy cups, nap mats, lunch boxes, and a myriad of personal care products.

I did more research and learned that toxic...Read More

Summer Safety Tips in the Time of COVID-19

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 10:06:11 -0700

We’re all concerned about staying healthy and safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. As an expectant mother, we know you’re especially focused on your personal health and your baby’s well-being. By staying informed, maintaining safe social practices and being careful at home you’re doing a lot to assure the best possible outcome for you and your baby.

Let’s focus on the most important things you can be doing each day. . .

You and everyone in your home can become comfortable with essential safe practices for COVID-19 awareness. Staying healthy and aware is easier when you keep these basic rules in mind:

Together, Apart. Practice social distancing, keeping a minimum of 6 feet between you and others when you’re out in public. This includes grocery stores, laundromats, the post office and clinic waiting rooms. Not sure what 6 feet looks like? Hold your arms out in a T - It’s generally the distance between your fingertips.

Even outdoors, in parks or along the street, distance is important. Carry an open umbrella if you’re unsure how to avoid other people who may get too close when you’re out for some fresh air.

Wash those hands! Soap and water are very effective in fighting COVID and other viruses. If you’re not near soap and running water, then carry hand sanitizer. See our recipe, below, for a homemade hand sanitizer you can carry with you.

Put a good face on it! Avoid touching your face whenever possible, especially in public. Masks are the best way for anyone over the age of 2 to stay safe. Remember to put your mask on and take it off by your ears, not the part that touches your nose or mouth. Reusable fabric masks should be cleaned every day.

Check in with check-ups. Your check-up and healthy mom appointments are essential. Don’t skip an appointment to avoid being out in public. Talk with your doctor’s office about what they are doing to keep...Read More

Happy Mother’s Day and International Nurses Day

Sat, 09 May 2020 16:06:20 -0700

When I was asked to write this blog post in honor of Mother’s Day and International Nurses Day, the world was a different place. The pandemic wasn’t yet turning our lives upside down and radically changing our day-to day lives.

It seems fitting that this year International Nurses Day falls on the 200^th Anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday, May 12. She is the mother of modern nursing and over 150 years ago recognized that clean air, clean water, and a clean environment improved health. As we acknowledge the amazing work of nurses around the world on the 12^th, lets also think about how we can play our part in supporting healthier environments for all.

As the executive director of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, I’ve been connecting with nurses, moms, and moms-to-be around the country in support of one another during these uncertain times. It’s been so inspiring to hear about their dedication to their patients and communities AND how they’re juggling work and homeschooling.

As more of us are staying close to home, it’s an opportunity to look at the products we’re using, or considering buying, and switch to safer alternatives. For this post I’m going to focus on cleaning products as I’ve been receiving so many questions about what products to use.

This may be a time to experiment with making your own DIY cleaning products – these can be less toxic and more inexpensive than many of those you can buy in the store – and the ingredients can be easy to find (unlike some of the name brand products that have been flying off the shelves. Women’s Voices for the Earth has a great set of recipes for DIY cleaners with ingredients like white vinegar and baking soda. I’ve used the all-purpose cleaner and the drain opener with great success!

For washing your hands, plain soap and...Read More

National Safety Month: Can Beauty Products in my Bathroom Be Bad for Baby?

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 10:57:27 -0700

By Chris Stallman, Certified Genetic Counselor at MotherToBaby Arizona and host of
The MotherToBaby Podcast

As a teratogen information specialist, one of the questions I frequently get asked is “can this product be harmful to me or my pregnancy?” What a perfect time to address this question during June’s National Safety Month, which aims to raise awareness about reducing the leading causes of unintentional injury in the home! What is the answer to that common safety question? Usually yes, a product can be harmful to you or your pregnancy. But before you throw out everything in your house and live in a bubble for nine months, let me explain…

Anything can be toxic if too much is ingested or absorbed into the body – even water. What matters is the dose – how much of something you are exposed to. For example, in a healthy person, drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day would not be expected to cause water toxicity. However, drinking 8-10 gallons can be dangerous. Again – all in the dose.

There may be beauty products you use before pregnancy that may not be recommended for use during pregnancy. We’ll look at a few common products below:

Retinoids

When it comes to treating acne outside of pregnancy, there are many options. Vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin A derivatives (such as retinoic acid and isotretinoin) are often referred to as “retinoids”, and can be found in some acne treatment products. It’s well-known that the drug Accutane® (a pill taken by mouth that contains isotretinoin) can cause birth defects in pregnancy, but it’s less clear if topical retinoids (like gels or creams) have the same effects. When applied on the skin, usually much less of the medication makes it into the bloodstream. This means less of the medication would make it across the placenta to the fetus. However, even though the risk with topical use...Read More

Great article in Washington Post highlighting how toxic chemicals are seen as posing risks during pregnancy

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 11:53:34 -0700

SafetyNEST is delighted to be called out as a resource recommended by UCSF to provide doctors and pregnant women easy access to research on prenatal environmental health. We will also provide clear and concise guidance on what to avoid, what to select, and safer alternatives. Our goal is to launch the full platform in the late fall 2018!

Please read the full article in the Washington Post: Environmental toxins are seen as posing risks during pregnancy

This Mother's Day, Thoughts on Food by SafetyNEST Advisor Dr. Nicole Avena

Fri, 11 May 2018 12:12:30 -0700

Organic vs. Nonorganic Foods:

We hear a lot about the dangers of pesticides and hormones in our food supply, leading many to opt for organic foods, which are supposed to be free of such things. But are they really any more nutritious or safer than nonorganic foods?

To meet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards, organic crops must be free from pesticides, GMOs, synthetic fertilizers, irradiation, and sewer sludge. In raising organic livestock, like chickens and cows, antibiotics or growth hormones are not used, and the animals are fed organic feed. Pesticides, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are of particular concern because they can accumulate in our bodies due to their chemical makeup and overall resistance to degradation. The main way in which humans are exposed to POPs in the environment is through our diet.

What are the long-term effects on babies exposed to POPs? Studies suggest that long-term exposure can be detrimental to humans. POPs have been linked to cancer development and neurological problems. Some types of POPs are also endocrine disruptors, which means they can mess with human hormones in ways that can affect baby’s growth and development. POPs start accumulating In our bodies early in life, even in utero. And since they don’t degrade easily, whatever baby picks up along the way he carries with him. The World Health Organization has stated that the potential health effects of POPs, especially among children, warrant global concern.

Hormone injections and antibiotics are often used in conventionally raised livestock to make the animals bigger...Read More

The Doctor Weighs In: Guest Blog

Mon, 07 May 2018 07:51:34 -0700

Delighted to have an article featured by The Doctor Weighs In, a trusted source for cutting-edge, evidence-based stories about innovations in healthcare and health technology. Click on the link below and let us know what you think!

http://sumo.ly/HXHT

Introducing SafetyNEST at HIMSS 2018 Intelligent Health Pavilion in Las Vegas!

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:37:20 -0700

A Mother’s Day Plea: Environmental Etiquette!

Sun, 14 May 2017 10:31:14 -0700

By SafetyNEST Communications Advisor
Holly Finn:

I'm not sure how I survived without An Uncommon History of Common Courtesy, published six years ago by National Geographic. Did you know traditional Tibetan Buddhists believe “When a child is born, foul spirits are too – and they must be flushed out in order that the baby grow properly both mentally and physically”?

This is a blow not just for the baby but the whole family: “Immediately following the birth, other people in the community traditionally avoid the home of the newborn, considering it ‘polluted’.” A few days later, instead of arranging deliveries of sweet Kissy Kissy outfits and so-soft Jelly Cat animals, they hold pang sai – a foulness cleansing ceremony. This may sound primitive, but every tradition has its merits and let's not get too high-horsey. If we’re not careful we may soon need precisely the same kind of party.

The stats are stunning – a whopping 80,000 chemicals are allowed in the US and the EPA requires toxicity testing on just 200. So it shouldn’t be shocking – but of course, it still is - that a full 10% of pre-term births and birth defects are attributable to toxic chemicals. Plus, $340B in healthcare costs and lost wages result from toxins, in the US alone.

That’s just rude. At minimum, it seems very bad manners to give our children problems they can’t fight, before they even hit daylight. A recent UCSF study found that virtually every pregnant woman in the US has at least 43 toxic chemicals in her body.

We mothers spend hours teaching our children to say please and thank you, to keep their elbows off the table and brush their hair before they go out. Endlessly, we train them to be thoughtful of others, polite and kind, aware of the people and world around them as much as themselves. Yet, before they even get here, we allow them to be on the receiving end of a host of environmental insults.

That's the technical...Read More