They’re found in our food, water, and many common products, like your body care products, candles, and cleaners. They’re endocrine disruptors, and these harmful chemicals can wreak havoc on our health.
These chemicals can disrupt our hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, creating potential significant health risks. While we can’t avoid them completely, you can select products that don’t contain these toxic ingredients.
Here are the first 4 Betty discusses in her podcast:
1. Bisphenol A (BPA)
– This chemical mimics estrogen and has been linked to breast cancer and all other cancers, reproductive problems in men and women, obesity, early puberty, and heart disease. Astoundingly, at least 93% of people will have detectable levels of BPA in their body. Plastic water bottles in the past (and some in the present) contain BPA, which makes plastic more malleable, but many manufacturers have removed BPA from them.
How to avoid it: Avoid canned foods, as they contain a rubbery coating inside that may contain BPA. Store receipts also contain a large amount of BPA, and plastic containers do if they have the recycled #7. As all plastics leach chemicals into your food, choose glass or Pyrex® instead, as well as other sustainable products.
2. Dioxins.
These chemicals, made from industrial processes, can disrupt the way male and female hormones work. Dioxins are potent carcinogens and live for a long time. They perpetuate in the environment, build up in the body, in the food chain, and in water and soil. Dioxins affect the immune system and reproductive system. Milk, eggs, meat, butter and fish are likely contaminated due to being in the water and feed given to the animals.
Ways to limit exposure: Trimming fat from meat and choosing low fat dairy products may decrease the exposure to dioxin compounds.
3. Atrazine.
Considered a highly toxic chemical, Atrazine has been found to feminize frogs. When frogs were exposed to low levels of the herbicide, it turned male ones into females. Atrazine is used on corn crops in the U.S., and is pervasive in drinking water, particularly in corn crop areas. The chemical has been linked to breast, prostate, and other types of cancers, and affects puberty and prostate health in animals and humans.
What you can do: Buy organic produce or grow your own food. It’s also a good idea to drink filtered water certified to remove Atrazine. You can also take filtered water and distill it, which removes even more chemicals.
4. Phthalates.
Chemicals like these trigger a death-inducing signal in the body. For example, phthalates can cause testicular cells to die early. Other health issues linked to these chemicals are thyroid irregularities, obesity, and diabetes. Phthalates are commonly found in plastic food containers and plastic wrap. Personal care products, scented cables, and air freshener sprays will all contain large amounts of phthalates.
Products to avoid: You want to avoid products that list fragrance. If you’re wondering if the products you use are safe, Betty recommends the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep® database, where you can check out the products listed to see which are the safest. It’s always advisable to choose organic and chemical free ones.
Check out our second blog in this series to find out the next four endocrine disruptors on Betty’s list. Contact us today to learn more about nutrition or to schedule a consultation.