05/20/2025
Endocrine disruption: an issue surrounding us!
The Endocrine system is the human body's method for creating and delivering messages. It regulates hormones that help us grow and develop, mood regulation, hunger/satiety cues, fertility (both male & female), and SO. MUCH. MORE!
An Endocrine disruptor does exactly what the name implies. It's a natural or man-made chemical that interrupts the body's natural process for creating these hormones that regulate us.
Where do we encounter them? These days. The answer is... everywhere!
Fragrance/perfumes that are in cosmetics, cleaning supplies, air freshers, and even scented garbage bags.
BPAs are in plastics, the lining of some canned foods, food plastics in general, toys, and more.
Other plastic processing chemicals beyond BPA are used too. They leach into food and drinks, and then enter our bodies.
Common pesticides and herbicides used to manage food crops are difficult to remove from food. Likely ingesting those, too.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (aka: forever chemicals) are used in nonstick pans, paper, and other textile coatings like carpet tiles.
Phalates are used in plastic products and fragrances. They drive the fragrance in deep! Anything that smells for hours or days later likely has a phalate (even if your product is "phalate-free", they can still be hiding in the unregulated fragrance used in your products!)
There are others in soy, flame retardant, furniture foam, heat transfer fluids, lubricants, some antimicrobial soaps, children's toys, nail polish, etc...
The more we're exposed, the more we experience endocrine disruption.
Insulin resistance, brain fog, infertility, weight gain & difficulty losing weight, fatigue, difficulty with stress regulation, anxiety & depression, and a host of other symptoms can relate back to a hirmone imbalance.
What can you do?
Decrease and limit your exposure so your body has an easier time handling the toxins you CAN'T avoid (like for your job.)
Choose products with ingredients that aren't harming you or your family.
Stop wearing perfume and change your cosmetics products and no more fabric softener!! (Use vinegar instead!)
Wear real fabrics: quit buying plastic disguised as clothes.
Buy organic foods when you can, grow your food, or buy from local farmers who are practicing permaculture rather than using -cides for crop management. Also, watch for canned foods that say BPA-free.
Quit buying coffee/drinks with added syrups.
You don't have to do it all at once. Pick some area and start there. Read what you're buying. Question the "normal" narrative.
And start to feel better!!
