3 Health Risks that Aren’t Worth Taking

Research has shown that some common household items and ordinary activities could be doing you harm.

1. Holding your cell phone up to your ear. Scientists say people who have spent the past decade or more frequently talking on their cell phones in the traditional way are more likely to develop brain tumors. Also, texting or talking while driving, also boosts your chances of having a car wreck

2. Microwaving in plastic. Heat releases some of the chemical building blocks in plastic, sending them into whatever food or drink you’re warming up. One such chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), “can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body, potentially leading to issues like premature puberty and breast or testicular cancer,” so it’s best to avoid microwaving in any plastic container. So it is best to heat food or drink in glass or ceramic.

3. Certain antibacterial soaps and toothpastes.

Triclosan is a germ killer found in a lot of antibacterial hand soaps, body washes, and even some brand-name cavity-control toothpastes. But the American Medical Association recommends against the use of triclosan in our homes, because it may encourage the development of scary bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. “Studies have shown that these triclosan products don’t work any better than regular cleansers or toothpastes, but they damage the environment and potentially place our long-term health at risk,” says Susan Shaw, Ph.D., an environmental scientist at the State University of New York, Albany. Not sure whether triclosan lurks in your favorite products? Just check the labels.