Endocrine Disrupters: How They are Affecting Your Daughters Hormonal Health
PARABENS, BPA, DDT, TOLUENVE, 4-DIOXANE AND OH MY!
Thousands of chemicals are released into the market each and every year and very few of those are actually tested for their health effects on humans or the environment (crazy isn’t it)! Current research is undeniably pointing out that contact with many of these chemicals at crucial points of development, create various problems: for developing fetuses, kids going through puberty and other transitional points of life. The long term effects of the overall health of humans it still unknown and being studied, as we are all used as lab rats. Research does point to a definite impact on our endocrine system by way of our hormones.
What’s an endocrine disruptor?
Endocrine disruptors also known as hormone disruptors are simply chemicals found in our environment (air and water), soil, food, food containers and some of our consumer products that directly alter our hormones in various ways. Hormone disruptors can affect your immune system, neurological system and reproductive health. (If you are really interested to get into the nitty gritty science on the how’s and why’s the chemicals do this see the links at the bottom of this article to do further research).
Endocrine disruptors come into our bodies through our nose, pores on our skin or our mouth. They interact with various hormones in our body in various ways. Some can block while other imposters enter our bodies and masquerade as our own hormones but on speed! One of the most common ways is by mimicking the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is one of the main female hormones and is responsible for regulating the presence of our uterine lining each cycle, developing breasts and our bone mass, just to name a few. When the hormones disruptors enter our bodies and confuse our system, our body thinks we have an ABUNDANCE of estrogen and estrogen dominance is one of the results.
Estrogen dominance is when there is an excess of the hormone estrogen in our system causing an imbalance to occur. An overabundance of estrogen has been linked to a MAJOR increase in the likelihood of PMS symptoms, fibroids, infertility, weight gain (especially around the middle or omentum), headaches, and estrogen dependent cancers like breast, uterine and ovarian.
The statics on gynecological and endocrine dysfunction are astounding and rising all the time. These hidden chemicals that are literally wreaking havoc on our bodies and if you aren’t seeing any impact now it is likely that at some point in your life you will.
Good news! There are simple changes that we can make in our everyday life that will greatly reduce the chemical load on our bodies.
5 Ways to reduce your toxic load on a daily basis.
1. Clean up your cleaning supplies: We all clean our dishes, or some part of our house/office and even our bodies on a daily basis. The VAST majority of products that you will find on the market contain hormonal disruptors. More than that the marketing world has caught on and uses the word natural and green to describe products that contain chemicals that we don’t want to put in or on our bodies. Knowledge is power! To find a complete list of chemicals and alternatives check out the Dirty Secrets Report.
2. Beauty & Personal Care Products: Beauty is no longer just skin deep! The personal care products that you use on a daily basis maybe harming your hormones! I know it’s hard enough for many of us to find products that work with our skin or that we enjoy and it can be hard to want to change those but one study done showed that simply by changing makeup from a chemical filled brand to a chemical free brand the measurable toxic load in the urine sample within 3 days was GREATLY reduced. Don’t worry there are organizations that have done the research for you, you can check out The Never List for ingredients you want to avoid, as well as Skin Deep to find lists of products that are safe to us.
3. Food: I know that going organic has been “a trend” for a while now. I also know that organic can be more expensive. When possible pass on the “filler” food (you know those oh so tasty cookies, chips, cereal) to save money and buy these foods organic. Another huge plus for hormonal health, when possible make sure you buy foods that are not stored in plastics!
4. Know what's your cooking with: We all love the non stick pans but most of them are literally cooking chemicals into your food! Switch to stainless steal or cast iron to avoid the extra chemicals!
5. Plastic, Plastic, Plastic: It seems that we live in a world made out of plastic! Try buying a glass water bottle. For a super cheap solution get yourself a mason jar and some yarn to tie around for a handle. When reheating and storing food make sure you are doing it on a plate or in a glass container. This is a HUGE way to reduce chemicals leaching into your food.
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Your Free Menstrual Care Guidebook
How to support your daughter’s hormones before she even begins her cycle.
How to support her cycle with natural tools for her over all health and wellness.
What you can specifically do to help her cycle not suck and to be in greater balance.
PLUS a bonus tip on WHAT maybe contributing to the imbalances and symptoms!