The Problem of Precocious Puberty

[Guest guest]

The Problem of Precocious Puberty

 

Early sexual development, or precocious puberty, is a growing problem around the

world; and while endocrine disruptors and oestrogen mimics are implicated, the

medical profession generally regards this trend as perfectly normal.

 

 

---------http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/puberty.html---------------------\

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Extracted from Nexus Magazine, Volume 11, Number 3 (April-May 2004)

PO Box 30, Mapleton Qld 4560 Australia. editor

Telephone: +61 (0)7 5442 9280; Fax: +61 (0)7 5442 9381

From our web page at: www.nexusmagazine.com

 

by Sherrill Sellman © 2004

GetWell International

PO Box 690416

Tulsa, OK 74169-0416, USA

Email: golight

Website: http://www.ssellman.com

 

 

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CHILDREN BECOMING TEENS BEFORE THEIR TIME

Julianne is a devoted mother to her beautiful and healthy-looking five-year-old

daughter. But all was not as it seemed: something strange was stirring in

Sarah's body. One night, while putting Sarah to bed, Julianne pulled her pyjama

top over her daughter's head when Sarah suddenly exclaimed, " Ouch! That hurt

when you touched my nipple. " Julianne was totally surprised by her daughter's

response. Upon taking a closer look, she noticed that her nipples did appear to

be different from what she had remembered. In fact, they looked bigger.

Julianne immediately called her paediatrician to schedule tests. The results

confirmed that Sarah was going through puberty. The small lumps were, in fact,

breast buds. Sarah's breasts were actually developing. But she was only five

years old! How could this possibly be?

The doctor explained that Sarah had a condition called " precocious puberty " .

Julianne sat there in shock as the specialist informed her that the medical

community now considers eight years of age to be the normal age for the

beginning of puberty!

" While I always believed that little girls go through puberty at around eleven,

twelve or thirteen years of age, something very strange was now happening to our

daughters. I was now being told that little girls are considered 'normal' if

they start menstruating at the delicate age of eight! "

But there is certainly nothing normal about an eight-year-old hormonally

fast-forwarding into puberty.

 

THINKING THE UNTHINKABLE

It's hard enough trying to keep little girls as little girls these days. The

teeny-bopper fascination with such sex symbols as Britney Spears has little

girls trying to act much older than they are. If bearing the belly button in

sexy midriff tops isn't enough to cause great consternation to parents, then the

growing phenomenon of budding breasts and pubic hair certainly does. Discovering

that their little girl has breast buds or pubic hair is a tragic shock to

parents.

Early sexual development—precocious puberty—seems to be happening everywhere.

It's a common sight these days to see nine- and ten-year-old girls with

developing breasts playing in the school playground. Something is seriously

amiss.

Presently, one girl out of six eight-year-olds in the USA, Australia and Britain

is racing into puberty. In fact, it is a pattern emerging in young girls all

over the world. Reports of early puberty have come from many diverse countries

and climates including Canada, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. This compares

with one in 100 a generation ago.

Precocious puberty is a phenomenon not only occurring in girls; boys are also

experiencing their version of precocious puberty. Research published in the

journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that American boys

appear to be beginning puberty earlier than in past decades. A significant

number of boys as young as eight had signs of genital development some three

years earlier than previous estimates.1 In the UK, it is estimated that one in

14 eight-year-old British boys had pubic hair, in contrast to one in 150 boys of

the previous generation.2

The onset of menstruation has been steadily getting earlier and earlier in

Western countries. It wasn't very long ago when a teenage girl's first

menstruation would arrive between the ages of fourteen and sixteen. Today, the

average age of the first menstruation is under twelve years of age. For many

girls, however, it is happening much earlier. In Britain, 50 per cent of

ten-year-old girls are now menstruating.

A groundbreaking study in 1997 of 17,000 girls sent shock waves through the

medical community. The study found that the initial signs of puberty were

occurring earlier than previously recorded. The study found that 27 per cent of

African-American and almost seven per cent of Caucasian girls had the onset of

secondary sexual characteristics, i.e., either breast development or pubic hair

development by age seven. By the time girls turn eight years old, one in seven

white girls and one out of two Afro-American girls will be starting puberty!

Even more startling was the finding that one per cent of Caucasian and three per

cent of African-American girls show these characteristic by three years of age!3

How common is this trend? " Young girls in the five- to ten- year-old range with

breasts and pubic hair—we encounter this every day in our clinic, " says Michael

Feemark, chief of paediatric endocrinology at Duke University Medical Center in

the USA.4 Similar findings were also reported from a study of 14,000 children

from Bristol University's Institute of Child Health in the UK.5

The development of secondary sexual characteristics in girls is a significant

event, signalling the onset of physiological and psychological changes of

profound importance. Many scientists and doctors are very concerned. This is not

only a worrying trend but a very serious public health problem. Before they have

outgrown doll's houses, many young girls are being faced with the confusing mood

swings, hormonal changes and sexual attention that accompany physical

maturation.

The ramifications for public health are dramatic. Studies have found that girls

who reach puberty earlier tend to have sex earlier, have an increased risk of

pregnancy, experience more psychological stress, poor mental health, more

behavioural problems, and are more likely to drink, smoke, have a lower IQ and

commit suicide. For boys, it can mean more aggressive, violent behaviour,

learning disabilities and more drug and alcohol abuse.

But the most disturbing consequence of early puberty in females is the

well-established risk for pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer as well as

ovarian cancer. According to a study published in Nature (1989), the risk

associated with having an early menstruation—for instance, one that takes place

at the age of ten—is approximately twice that associated with a menstruation

occurring at the age of sixteen.6 In addition, girls showing early signs of

puberty have increased risks of polycystic ovarian syndrome, menstrual

irregularities, acne, excessive facial hair and infertility.

Early puberty in males can increase their incidence of testicular cancer, lower

fertility and impaired growth leading to shorter stature. A researcher into

precocious puberty, Dr Marcia Herman-Giddens, adjunct professor of maternal and

child health at the University of North Carolina, said, " It's probably not

healthy, since earlier studies have shown that the sooner a boy starts puberty,

the higher his risk is of developing testicular cancer, just as early-maturing

girls are at greater risk of developing breast cancer " .7

 

 

THE SILENT INVASION

Since early puberty is a well-established risk for breast cancer, the earlier a

woman reaches puberty, the longer her breast tissues will be exposed to

potentially harmful agents (chemicals, radiation and oestrogen).8 Even though a

girl may begin menstruating, it is unusual for her to be ovulating every month.

Since ovulation is necessary for the production of progesterone, early puberty

is often a condition that results in oestrogen production without the protective

effects of progesterone. This hormonal imbalance adds to a girl's body-burden of

oestrogen excess, putting her at increased risk of oestrogen-dependent cancers

and other hormonal problems.

It has been known for some time that the younger a woman is when she starts her

periods, the higher her risk of developing breast cancer later in life. The

younger a woman is, the longer her overall exposure to high levels of

oestrogens.

Dr Carlos Sonnenschein of the Tufts University School of Medicine warns that

" …the length and amount of exposure to oestrogen is one of the most significant

risk factors in breast carcinogenesis. Unless you are exposed to oestrogens, you

don't get breast cancer. The longer the exposure is, the higher the incidence.

Therefore, if you decrease the age of the first menstruation, you are at higher

risk " .9

The experts are confused. It is absurd to think that early puberty is the result

of better nutrition, as many scientists assert. One connection is that it seems

to be linked with obesity. An increase in obesity in children and lack of

exercise has a direct relationship to this problem. Since the 1960s, the number

of overweight kids and adolescents in the United States has nearly doubled.

Today, 10 per cent of two-to five-year-olds and more than 15 per cent of

children between the ages of six and nineteen are overweight.10 Childhood

obesity is also a major public health concern throughout the world including in

Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy and Canada.11

One explanation looks at a protein called leptin that encourages early breast

development. Leptin is produced from fat cells and is necessary for the

progression of puberty. So, the more fat cells, the more leptin is produced by

the body. In addition, overweight girls have more insulin circulating in their

blood. High levels of insulin stimulate the production of sex hormones such as

oestrogen, adding to an oestrogen excess.

Is it just the fast foods and sedentary lifestyle that are piling up the

leptin-producing fat? Perhaps not.

A 20-year study found that the greater the prenatal level of the hormone

disruptor polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), the heavier the girls were at age

fourteen and their puberty was statistically earlier.12

Could prenatal exposure to hormone disruptors play a role in obesity? A study

based on this idea was conducted by Dr Walter Rogan, an epidemiologist at the

National Institute of Environmental Heath Sciences. He chose 600 pregnant women

and measured the levels of chemicals in their bodies; then, when their babies

were born, the researchers measured the chemicals in the mothers' breast milk,

and finally, the children were monitored as they grew into puberty. What was

found was that boys exposed to DDE and girls exposed to PCBs were heavier than

their unexposed peers were. The study also found that girls with high prenatal

PCB exposure tended to hit the first stages of puberty a bit earlier.13

In fact, the most significant guilty party is looking more and more like

endocrine disruptors. Circulating around the world are thousands of these

endocrine-disrupting chemicals which are now found everywhere—in our food, water

and the air we breathe.

Events occurring in Puerto Rico have helped unravel this puzzling trend. For the

past two decades, Puerto Rico has recorded the highest known incidence of

premature breast development. It was discovered that girls as young as two years

of age were developing breasts. Several reasons have been cited for this

situation. First of all, most of these children were fed soy infant formulas. A

1997 Lancet study showed that soy has plant-based chemicals that mimic

oestrogen, displaying a wide range of hormonal activities. The daily exposure in

infants who consumed soy formulas was 6 to 11 times higher than in adults who

consumed soy foods. In fact, the blood concentrations of these hormones in the

children were 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than oestrogen levels normally found

in the blood!14

Clues have also emerged, implicating endocrine disruptors. In a significant

study, the early breast development of the Puerto Rican children was linked to

exposure to phthalates, a ubiquitous chemical plasticiser. The researchers

measured the presence of certain phthalates in the blood of 41 girls

experiencing early breast development and made comparisons with a control group.

The average age was 31 months. They found that 68 per cent of the precocious

puberty girls had high levels of phthalates in their blood.15

Phthalates have infiltrated our world. They are in common industrial chemicals

that make plastics flexible without sacrificing strength or durability. They are

found in building materials, food packaging and food wrap, toys and other

children's products, medical devices, garden hoses, shoe soles, automobile

undercoating, wires and cables, carpet backing, carpet tiles, vinyl tiles,

swimming pool liners, artificial leather, canvas tarpaulins, notebook covers,

tool handles, dishwasher baskets, flea collars, insect repellents, skin

emollients, hairsprays, nail polish and perfumes.

John Peterson " Pete " Myers, co-author of Our Stolen Future, agrees.

" Contamination in the womb can speed or retard sexual development, " Myers said.

" These compounds interfere with hormones that control the pace and pattern of

development. " 16

Chemicals that are suspected of having effects on sexual development include

bisphenol-A and polybrominated biphenyls, chemicals found in plastic, and

phthalates, which are found in cosmetics.17

Hormone disruptors, like silent saboteurs, have invaded the highly sensitive

endocrine systems of our children. Whether from toxins in the environment, or

hormone-laden meat and dairy products or chemical-laced foods and household

products, exposure to dangerous chemicals has reached a level unprecedented in

the entire history of human civilisation. Is there any wonder why precocious

puberty is a worldwide phenomenon?

The fact that early puberty is a known risk factor for breast cancer should be

of great concern to all parents, and all possible precautions must be taken to

safeguard children from unnecessary exposure. No one really knows the long-term

consequences of early sexual development. This is an unprecedented experiment on

our children.

Hardly a minute goes by without our being exposed to some chemical. It may be

from car exhaust, room freshener, artificial fragrances, a McDonald's hamburger

and Coke, baby shampoo, dry cleaning, coloured popcorn, furniture polish, the

fire retardant on new school clothes, plastic water bottles, dry cleaning, fly

spray, and on and on it goes. Beginning in utero, our children are accumulating

chemicals in their bodies little by little, day in and day out, for years and

years. For some children, the effects may become evident quickly; for others, it

may take many years or decades before the real harm—the cancers, the multiple

sensitivities, the behavioural problems, the learning disabilities and the

infertility—becomes apparent.

 

HORMONES IN THE FOOD SUPPLY

Commercial beef and pasteurised dairy products consistently have the highest

levels of persistent hormone disruptors. As of 1995, the US Food and Drug

Administration allowed the use of implanted hormonal agents for raising beef

cattle. These include the female hormones oestradiol and progesterone, the

synthetic progesterone norgestomet, the male hormone testosterone and the

synthetic anabolic steroids trenbolene and Zeranol. Growth agents that do not

have to be implanted include a progestin that can be added to the animals' feed.

Animals given these hormonal agents are not required to go through a withdrawal

period prior to slaughter. Indeed, the FDA does not require mandatory recording

of medication or treatment of animals destined for our plates.

Three natural hormones (oestradiol-17ß, testosterone and progesterone) and two

synthetic substances (trenbolone and Zeranol) are also approved for use in many

other countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Hormones in beef have serious oestrogenic and carcinogenic effects—effects which

the cancer establishment, the FDA and the cattle industry have been well aware

of for decades. Yet the real dangers they pose, especially when it comes to

women and breast cancer, have remained in the shadows until only recently.18

(Non-organic meats like pork, veal, lamb and poultry, although uncontaminated by

sex hormones, contain pesticides and a wide range of veterinary drugs.)

Not surprisingly, a random survey in 1986 found that up to half of all cattle

sampled in feedlots in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma had

hormone pellets illegally implanted in muscle tissue rather than under the ear.

This practice led to higher absorption of hormones from the implants and very

much higher residues that even the FDA admitted could have " adverse effects " .19

According to Dr Samuel Epstein, Professor of Occupational and Environmental

Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health: " Records of

hormone levels in beef, obtained under the Federal Freedom of Information Act

from the FDA, show that even when ranchers implant single hormone pellets

beneath the ear skin under ideal laboratory conditions, levels of oestradiol and

other hormones in meat and organs are more than triple the levels found in

non-implanted controls. Much higher levels, up to three-hundred-fold, result

from the common practice of illegal intramuscular implants… " 20

Cattle today are receiving a lot more hormones than ever before. In 1990, the

FDA ruled in favour of doubling the dose of hormones allowed in cattle. As a

result of this new ruling, some feedlots now put implants in each ear for more

bulk at a faster rate. This is because feedlots are paid by weight for their

product.21

The FDA's reports in hormonal implants give us cause to worry. In 1983, the FDA

found that Synovex-S, a product containing oestradiol and progestin, increased

oestradiol concentrations in cattle muscle by twelvefold, in liver by sixfold,

in kidneys by ninefold and in fat by twenty-three-fold. When cattle are

slaughtered following implantation, levels are even higher. With multiple

implants, they are higher still; with intramuscular implants, yet even higher.

Some hormones are fed to cattle in feedlots.22

The extent to which hormonal meat contributes to increased rates of breast

cancer, apart from cancer of the uterus, prostate and testes, has been virtually

ignored. Hormonal beef may also have another endocrine-disruptive side effect:

early puberty.

It comes as no surprise that the European Union has banned the importation of

hormone-treated US beef. Americans, unfortunately, are getting a pharmacopoeia

of steroid drugs every time they chow down a hamburger or hot dog. For children,

eating hormone-laced meat on a regular basis seriously increases their oestrogen

exposure.

It should be obvious by now that organically raised meat is the only safe meat

to eat. Free of chemicals, sprayed feed, antibiotics and hormone-injected growth

stimulators, organic, grass-fed beef is by far healthier and more nutritious

than the commercial kind.

What about poultry and fish? With the use of growth promoters and antibiotics in

the poultry industry, organic chickens and turkeys are, without doubt, the safer

option.

Fish has always been considered a healthy alternative to meat. Unfortunately, it

is getting harder and harder to find clean fish, either freshwater or ocean.

Freshwater fish appear to be among the most heavily contaminated of foods. Top

predator fish, like pike and walleye, are likely to be contaminated with heavy

metals like mercury—a hormone disruptor. Farmed salmon are raised on various

drugs, chemicals and hormones, and shellfish often concentrate cadmium—another

endocrine-disrupting heavy metal. (Diets high in adequate calcium, protein, iron

and zinc help protect against cadmium absorption). The very best fish to eat are

deep-sea fish such as halibut, non–fish farm salmon, sardines, cod and mackerel.

 

WHAT CAN BE DONE

With the red flags waving, you would think that the medical profession would be

leading the charge against contamination and exposure to hormone-disrupting

chemicals. After all, they are in the trenches, daily witnessing the rising

number of children with precocious puberty. Surely they should be the ones

jumping up and down and yelling and screaming the loudest for something to be

done.

It is therefore rather shocking that a report by a nationwide network of

physicians headquartered in California suggested that it is perfectly normal for

Caucasian girls as young as seven and black girls as young as six to start

developing breasts!23 Perfectly normal?

Instead of facing up to the implications of what is contributing to this

aberration and leading the charge for immediate investigation into the causes

and solutions, the medical community prefers to ignore a looming tragedy. They

have redefined what is considered normal to reflect current trends.

By claiming that nothing is wrong, no fingers are pointed, no accusations are

laid and no one is held accountable. Industries and corporations can merrily

continue going about their business of contaminating and polluting.

Presently, the only treatment for precocious puberty available from traditional

medical doctors is the dangerous drug, Lupron. According to the Physicians' Desk

Reference, Lupron has 265 possible risks and side-effects, including cancer.

Lupron can cause severe problems such as tremors, seizures and memory loss.

The FDA has received a wide range of reports of serious side-effects, including

death, suspected to be associated with the use of Lupron.

However, the agency asserts that the drug's benefits outweigh the risks, and

does not believe there is sufficient proof to blame Lupron. (For more

information, visit the National Lupron Victims Network at the website

http://www.lupronvictims.com/.)

There are ways to help children either slow the development of precocious

puberty or even possibly reverse this condition.

Holistic healing modalities such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM),

naturopathy, homoeopathy, chiropractic and other holistic medical approaches

have been able to help children get their hormonal health back on track, thus

reducing some of the physiological dysfunctions contributing to early

development.

In addition to having a high body-burden of endocrine-disrupting chemicals,

children with precocious puberty tend to have compromised digestive systems,

candida from overuse of antibiotics, food allergies, nutritional deficiencies,

over-burdened livers and heavy metal toxicity.

The earlier this problem is identified, the greater the success of reversing the

signs of puberty. Unfortunately, orthodox medicine has no answers nor solutions

and can only address the problem by prescribing powerful, toxic drugs that turn

off the endocrine system.

In addition, all external sources of hormones and hormone-mimicking chemicals

should be avoided. These include non-organic meat, pasteurised dairy products,

sugar and refined carbohydrates, junk food, agricultural and industrial

chemicals, and all commercial household cleaning products and personal care

products (suntan lotion, shampoos, bubble baths, moisturisers, etc.). Our

bodies, our homes, our gardens and our schools should be made chemical-free

zones.

Precocious puberty is a perilous experiment of 21st-century living, making

children teens before their time. However, with vigilance, education and the

commitment to making healthy changes, our children's endocrine well-being and

their future health can be ensured. #8734;

 

GUIDELINES FOR REDUCING EXPOSURE TO OESTROGEN DISRUPTORS

1. Eliminate any pesticide, herbicide and insecticide use on lawns and gardens.

Even some commercial composts may be contaminated with chemicals. Effective

organic products are available, or learn to make your own pest control formulas.

Make your own organic compost.

2. Lobby in your community to stop the spraying of hormone-disrupting chemicals

in and around schools and city properties.

3. Make as much of your diet organic as possible. This will eliminate the toxic,

hormone-disrupting chemicals that are sprayed on fruits and vegetables. Also,

buy organic meat, poultry, dairy foods and butter that are free of steroid

hormones and antibiotics. Organic foods have been found to contain higher

amounts of vitamins and minerals.24 Be aware that the following commercially

grown fruits and vegetables have been found by the Environmental Working Group

to contain the highest levels of pesticide contamination: spinach, strawberries,

apricots, cantaloupe, green beans, peaches, bell peppers, celery, cucumbers,

cherries and grapes.

Glutamine-rich foods help the liver remove environmental waste and give

protection against pollution: broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous

vegetables, asparagus, spinach, watermelon, pears, squash and potatoes.

Allylsulphide-containing foods like garlic, shallots, onions and chives

stimulate glutathione production. Miso, fermented soybean paste and seaweed

remove pollution and radiation from the body.

4. Thoroughly wash non-organic fruits and vegetables with either a fruit and

vegetable wash available at health food stores, or soak them in an apple cider

vinegar and water bath.

A Clorox bath is most effective and inexpensive for removing bacteria,

parasites, pesticides and other contaminants from food. Add a teaspoon of Clorox

to one gallon (3.785 litres) of water. Soak leafy vegetables and thin-skinned

fruit (berries, plums, peaches, etc.) for 15 minutes; root, thick-skinned or

fibrous vegetables and thick-skinned fruits (oranges, bananas, apples) and

poultry, fish and eggs for 20 minutes.

Frozen meats (not ground meat) can be thawed in a Clorox bath for about 20

minutes for up to five pounds (2.267 kilograms) of frozen meat. Remove the foods

from the Clorox bath, place them in clear water for 10 minutes, and rinse. Dry

all foods thoroughly and store. Warning: use only Clorox, and no other brand of

bleach, since it does not contain any chlorine.

5. Use organic personal care products. Most deodorants, shampoos, sunscreens,

skin care, body care and baby products contain carcinogenic or toxic chemicals.

According to a US General Accounting Office Report: " Cosmetics are being

marketed in the United States which may pose a serious hazard to the public.

Over 2,983 chemicals used in cosmetics…and one-third (884) of these ingredients

have been reported as toxic substances… "

6. Don't let children chew on soft plastic toys. Phthalates are added to soften

PVC plastic toys. These plastic toys also retain any pesticides sprayed in the

house for up to two weeks. Buy unfinished wood or natural fibre toys.

7. Avoid lice and scabies shampoos containing lindane and synthetic pyrethroid.

Lindane has been shown to promote tumour growth the same way oestrogen did.

8. Teach your children to wash their hands frequently and not to lick their

fingers or bite their nails. Since chemicals inevitably get deposited on

surfaces, frequent cleaning with organic cleaning products is a safe, preventive

measure.

9. Whenever possible, avoid buying canned foods or foods wrapped in plastic.

Make sure you remove foods from packaging as soon as possible. Use glassware for

oven cooking. (Note that using microwave ovens is not advised; however, if you

must use one, make sure you use only glass cookware.)

10. Carefully read the labels of foods, personal care products, household

cleaners, cosmetics, lawn and garden supplies and pet supplies. Become familiar

with the dangerous chemicals found in such products and be willing to buy other,

safe brands.

11. Install a water filter. Pesticides, other chemicals, rotting leaves and

other debris combine in drinking water. Heavy metals from household pipes and

plumbing can be an added concern.

12. Use plants for filtering chemicals from the air in your home. Even chemicals

emitted from new carpets or curtains can be filtered by common household plants.

For instance, Boston ferns can detoxify 1,000 micrograms of formaldehyde from

the air in one hour.25

13. Get exercise. Sweating eliminates all kinds of chemicals that would

otherwise be eliminated through the body's other excretory organs (the kidneys

and bowel).

14. Avoid pet products such as flea collars and washes which contain toxic

substances which are dangerous to animals but also get transferred to pet

owners. #8734;

 

 

 

About the Author:

Dr Sherrill Sellman, ND, is the author of the best-selling books Hormone Heresy:

What Women MUST Know About Their Hormones (GetWell International, 1996, 2001,

4th edition) and MOTHERS: Prevent Your Daughters From Getting Breast Cancer, as

well as an international lecturer and women's health advocate. To to

her free monthly newsletter, go to http://www.ssellman.com.

Sherrill will facilitate a Women's Rejuvenation Retreat in Australia in November

2004; call 1800 644 733 in Australia for details.

 

 

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Footnotes:

1. Herman-Giddens, Marcia E., Wang, Lily and Koch, Gary, " Secondary Sexual

Characteristics in Boys: Estimates From the National Health and Nutrition

Examination Survey III, 1988–1994 " , Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, Sep 2001;

155:1022-1028

2. Golding, J., Pembrey, M. and Jones, R., " ALSPAC Study Team " , Paediatr Perinat

Epidemiol 2001 Jan;15(1):74-87

3. Herman-Giddens, M.E., Slora, E.J., Wasserman, R.C., Bourdony, C.J., Bhapkar,

M.V., Koch, G.G. and Hassemeir, C.H. (1997), " Secondary sexual characteristics

and menses in young girls seen in office practice: a study from the Pediatric

Research Office Settings Network " , Pediatrics 99(4):505-512

4. Lemonick, M.D. (2000), " Teens Before Their Time " , Time Magazine, October 30,

2000,

pp. 66-74

5. Golding, Pembrey and Jones, ibid.

6. Environmental News Network, http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001

7. Herman-Giddens, Wang and Koch, ibid.

8. Bueckert, Dennis, " Hormone-treated Beef Thought To Trigger Puberty Sooner " ,

Canadian Press, August 2, 1999, http://www.cp.org

9. Berkson, D. Lindsey, Hormone Deception, Contemporary Books, Chicago,

Illinois, p. 108

10. http://preventdisease.com/news/

articles/overweight_obese_growing_rate_us.shtml

11. Booth, M.L., Wake, M., Armstrong, T., Chey, T., Hesketh, K. and Mathur, S.,

" The epidemiology of overweight and obesity among Australian children and

adolescents, 1995–97 " , Aust NZ J Public Health 2001 Apr;25(2):162-9

12. Lemonick, ibid.

13. Lemonick, ibid.

14. Setchel, K.D., Zimmer-Nechemias, L., Cai, J. and Heubi, J.E., " Exposure in

infants to phyto-oestrogens from soy-based infant formula " , Lancet 1997 Jul;

350(9070):23-27

15. Colón, I., Caro, D., Bourdony, C. J. and Rosario, O. (2000), " Identification

of phthalate esters in the serum of young Puerto Rican girls with premature

breast development " , Environmental Health Perspectives 108:895-900.

16. http://www.mindfully.org/Health/

Early-Onset-Puberty.htm

17. ibid.

18. Epstein, Dr Samuel, The Breast Cancer Prevention Program, Macmillan, New

York, NY, 1997, p. 193

19. ibid., p. 194

20. ibid., p. 196

21. ibid., p. 194

22. Berkson, ibid., p. 209

23. http://www.caresfoundation.org/endosoc.html

24. " Organic food has more healthy compounds " , March 11, 2003,

http://www.planetark.com/

dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20112/story.htm

25. http://www.bsu.edu/web/IEN/archives/

2000/090700.htm

_________________

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DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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