When patients come to me for help in taking charge of their health, one of the essential changes I encourage each of them to make is to reduce their toxic load—specifically to rid themselves of as many endocrine disruptors (EDs) as possible.
But why the fuss over endocrine disruptors? It’s pretty simple: EDs are chemicals that can increase the production of some hormones and decrease the production of others. They can imitate your hormones, interfere with hormone signaling, and generally wreak havoc on your endocrine system, making hormones do things they shouldn’t.
We’re talking about things like stimulating cancer development and triggering immunity, fertility, metabolic, developmental and cognitive problems just to name a few. Additionally, endocrine disruptors stop hormones them from doing what they should be doing—namely protecting you from the aforementioned maladies and keeping your body’s natural hormones balanced.
With such a massive downside, it’s a no-brainer to want to give EDs, such as BPA (bisphenol-A), parabens, phthalates, PBDE’s (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), mercury, lead and organophosphate pesticides, a wide berth. Problem is, it’s easier said than done.
EDs are virtually everywhere, tucked inside thousands of everyday items, such as food, personal care products, sunscreen, perfume, antibacterial washes, household cleaners, laundry products, vinyl shower curtains, plastic toys, electronics, household dust, bug sprays—the list goes on and on!
In short, there’s virtually no escaping them completely, but you can significantly cut your exposure, starting with these easy-to-implement 15 tips:
1. In the kitchen, store food in glass containers, for both pantry storage and in the fridge.