microwave popcornVaccines are an issue that incite plenty of debate and make me nervous as hell. I want to believe all the reassurances and studies that they're safe, but all of the contrary studies and information have led me to struggle and stress over every one my children have received. New information about microwave popcorn's power over vaccines makes me even more nervous.

What's microwave popcorn got to do with the whole debate? Well, a lot apparently, and it's terrifying.

A new study found that some items we use in our daily lives actually lower the effectiveness of some vaccines like diphtheria and tetanus. The culprit is thought to be perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are found in things like the popcorn, stain-repellants, and water-proof clothing.

Said researcher Dr. Philippe Grandjean of the Harvard School of Public Health:

When we take our kids to the doctor's office to get their shots, we expect that the vaccines are going to work. What we found was that there was an increasing risk that they didn’t work if the kids had been exposed to the PFCs.

What the hell?

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It's not that my kids eat much microwave popcorn and it's too hot for much rain gear in Florida, it's just that ... shouldn't someone have known this?! I mean the medical community asks us to trust them and inject these substance into our children's bodies because they need them to be healthy. They say they're safe ... but yeah, they don't work so well if you nosh on some popcorn?

I know medicine isn't always an exact science, and I don't want to be alarmist, but this just freaks me out. It makes me wonder what else they don't know, and how else might those vaccines coursing their bodies be altered by other environmental factors. Not to mention what other effects PFCs could have on us all, regardless of vaccines.

Vaccines have done wonders in saving lives and stopping the spread of some diseases, and for that I'm thankful. But given things like this latest news, doctors also can't blame parents for being nervous and hesitant about them. Will it change the fact that I do vaccinate my children? No. Will it make me even more fearful and reluctant to do so? Absolutely.

Are you shocked to hear that microwave popcorn could affect a vaccine's effectiveness?


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