Back to: Advice about Breastfeeding

there are several things you can do to reduce the amount of
dioxin:  

1) reduce your intake of beef and pork, they contain
the largest concentrations of dioxin of all food sources
(high on the food chain).  chicken doesn't contain as much
so you don't have to be a complete vegetarian.
2) do not eat ocean or freshwater fish.
3) drink skim milk.  dioxin is carried in fat.  
(studies have show that contamnation amount non-dairy
vegetarians is much lower).  cows ingest dioxin through
contaminated grass and grains.
4) dioxin can be passed to the baby through the placenta so
several years of a low-fat diet before conceiving before
having a baby is a good idea (something i could do before
my first, but unfortunately not my second :( )

most of what i read on the subject is that the amounts
in breastmilk is small, but stored dioxins ARE released
to the child to some degree.  obviously a woman eating
fish from a contaminated river is going to pass more
on to her child and those who follow some sort of a vegetarian 
diet tend not to contain much of this compound in their system 
(and yes you CAN get enough protein). 

5) Don't burn trash or buy plastics that contain chlorine.
(perhaps someone can pipe in on how we can learn more about
this type of plastic)

6) Join a local environmental organization, it appears that
the next few political years the environment is going to need a lot
of grassroots help:
http://www.volunteermatch.org/scorecard/

        carrie 

One can order or read parts of their new report on the effects of toxic chemicals on children: In Harm's Way.

The Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility http://www.igc.org/psr/index.htm

What About Breastfeeding---article with extensive bibleography http://www.igc.org/psr/breastfeeding.htm

Sherry Reinhardt, RN,MPH,MOM