ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS MAKE YOU FAT, SICK AND TIRED…THIS IS HOW YOU AVOID THEM!

Many common household chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors, a number of which are found in plastic products. These chemicals are similar in structure to natural sex hormones such as estrogen, thereby interfering with their normal functions. There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others; imitating hormones; turning one hormone into another; interfering with hormone signaling; telling cells to die prematurely; competing with essential nutrients; binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones. Knowing these risks should jolt us into avoiding EDs, but this isn’t always so easy a task. This group of chemicals includes Bisphenol-A or BPA, organophosphate pesticides, mercury and lead. They may sound scary, but these toxins can be found in a surprising number of products you use everyday including face wash, plastic water bottles, perfume, laundry detergent, cleaning products, make-up, dairy, sunscreen and plastic toys. It may be impossible to live an entirely ED-free life, but here are some tips to reduce your toxic load.

Kitchen Swaps

1.Stop Buying Condiments

Buy products that come in glass bottles rather than plastic or canned, since chemicals can leach out of plastics and into the contents. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a serious concern; make sure plastic containers and canned goods are BPA-free.

2.Ditch Plastic Containers

Keep endocrine disruptors out of your beverages by using glass drinking glasses and stainless steel water bottles. It is especially important that young children do not drink from plastic bottles as they are more susceptible to the effects of EDs.

3.Avoid Canned Beans

Less than 2% of canned foods are inspected by FDA or Home Land security or any other organization (e.g. EPA for environmental monitoring). So I would avoid canned food if at all possible. Instead I would recommend, at the least, try glass jars instead of cans for stored foods.

4.Forget the Packaging

Instead of storing your greens in ziplock bags, wrap your zucchini, cucumber, parsnips, leeks, green beans, carrots and lettuce in clean, damp towels and store them in your crisper. This will keep your veggies crisp and fresh for much longer. Just make sure to use clean towels.

5.Skip the Produce Bag

You can avoid packaging by purchasing beans, grains, nuts, cereals, pastas, spices and even personal-care products from bulk bins. Bring your own reusable cloth bags and jars. When purchasing packaged foods, opt for larger portions. Small food packages typically have more plastic packaging per serving. Avoid individually wrapped foods such as cheese, juice and yogurt. Instead, use your own reusable containers to carry smaller portions with you on the go. When it comes to dried goods, buy in bulk and bring your own glass jars when you go shopping. Just have the clerk pre-weigh your containers and carry them in a wine bottle bag or box with compartments, which you can buy at your local liquor store.

Personal Care

The connection between endocrine disrupting chemicals and cancer is of particular concern, especially when it comes to children, whose exposure to these chemicals from a young age may predispose them to cancer at increasingly earlier ages. This is precisely what we’re seeing, as record numbers of women under the age of 50 are now being diagnosed with breast cancer. Dr. Christine Horner, a board certified general and plastic surgeon specializing in breast reconstructive surgery due to mastectomy, has also discussed how her patients kept getting increasingly younger… Could exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals be to blame?

Stop Buying Shampoo

It may sound surprising that your shampoo could make you fat, but it’s now very clear that exposing yourself to questionable chemicals over the course of years and decades can have a dramatic impact on your health. Just as exposure to seemingly innocuous environmental chemicals can cause cancer, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in shampoo and countless other personal care and household products can wreak havoc on your weight, and even make you fat. Remember, you can replace many different products with coconut oil and baking soda, for example.

 Avoid Microbeads

Microbeads are tiny plastic balls used in toothpaste, exfoliating cleansers and acne products. These beads are washed down the sink and go through water processing before making their way into our lakes and oceans. These beads are too small to be cleared during processing and ends up in major waterways. These are then eaten by fish and pass along the food chain, slowly moving towards humans. Although you probably won’t see beads in your fish filet, you may ingest toxic substances like PCBs, which are attracted to the beads. Instead of contributing to this problem by buying exfoliating products, which read “polyethylene or polypropylene” on the label, make your own toothpaste and exfoliate your skin with natural, biodegradable products like coffee grounds, sea salt, baking soda and sugar.

Housekeeping

Forget Lysol and Mr Clean

Avoid store-bought cleaning products that emit toxic fumes by making your own cleaning spray with diluted vinegar and baking soda.

You can even use it to clean your sink, toilet and bathtub just as effectively as chemical products. Just make sure to store it glass instead of a plastic spray bottle.

Unplug Your Air Freshener

The cleaner your home is, the unhealthier it may be, because of toxic cleaning products made from petroleum-based chemicals.

Many of these commercial cleaning products contain dangerous chemicals that are not listed on the label. A manufacturer can omit any ingredient that is considered a secret formula from its label, and many of these secret ingredients are toxic and carcinogenic.

Beware that many cleaning products are now saying they are “Green” or “Eco Friendly,” and are now on the Green bandwagon. This is called Green Wash, but make sure you read labels and research all product claims.

You can reduce your chemical exposure by eliminating chemicals in your home, and using only natural cleaning products that are plant based.

Change Your Detergent

Anti-bacterial soaps and cleaning products contain many endocrine disruptors. Opt for green versions of these products or stay on the safe side by making your products with non-toxic ingredients such as castile soap, lemon and vinegar.

 

Source : http://dailyhealthpost.com/