What are the causes of early puberty? What is the cause of estrogen dominance?
Endocrine disruptors (ED) are ubiquitous, we see them in our food, water, clothes and even the air we breathe. ED’s can wreak havoc on our health, and they have been linked to a lot of hormonal disorders and sexual development in children during puberty, infertility and cycle dysregulation (such a PMS, PMDD and PCOS) in the adult population. Structurally, ED’s simulate our natural hormones (mainly estrogen, hint: you probably heard of the term Estrogen Dominance? Yes, it’s linked!) and therefore they bind to our hormone receptors invoking similar responses in our bodies at improper times, and with improper signaling. The list below will help you identify ED’s in your environment and hopefully will help you eliminate as much exposure within your capacity today!
Sources of Endocrine Disruptors (ED):
Household cleaners: common sources of endocrine disruptors, choose homemade cleaners, or utilize resources to find clean products in your region such as the Environmental Working Group Website, or apps such as Think Dirty
Cosmetics are loaded with ED’s! this includes shampoos, soaps, make up, perfumes, and lotions. Be suspicious with everything you put on your body. Use companies like Credo and Skin Deep to source clean and organic cosmetic products
Clothes are full of flame retardants, what?! You heard it right! And those are considered a hazard for our hormones as well. Choose untreated and cotton clothing to avoid this problem.
Furniture and furnishings are also a source of flame retardants and other fumes, that includes sofa, mattresses, carpeting, and bedding
Food is possibly the most challenging problem when it comes to avoiding chemicals, but all we can do is try our best! Whenever possible choose organic. Meat and dairy products should always be organic, hormone-free, and free-range. For plants, always avoid The Dirty Dozen (per EWG). For fish, avoid all farmed fish and choose wild-caught.
Plastic is a major hormone disruptor and it’s in our food, in our water, and even in our cattle and soil! We do our part by avoiding plastic items starting in the kitchen and water bottles. Never heat up plastic items (microwave, dishwasher… etc), and avoid purchasing foods covered with plastic.
Water contaminants are ubiquitous, from plastic to pesticides, to heavy metals! Installing a water filter is possibly one of the best things you can do for your health, and one of the best investments
Smoking and smoke fumes have chemicals that disrupt hormones in them, such as cadmium! Avoid smoking and vaping, and always avoid secondhand smoking. Encourage smokers who share the house with you to smoke outside or quit.
Cookware, especially non-stick pots leach high amounts of toxic endocrine-disrupting chemicals and metals, as a replacement use stainless steel and cast-iron cookware.
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