How Environmental Toxins Can Cause Hormonal Imbalance

For the majority of my clients, many of their perimenopause and menopause symptoms are caused by a hormonal imbalances.  Unfortunately what they don't realize is that there are many environmental toxins that are hormone disruptors and they are lurking in the products and on foods that we use on a daily basis. These chemicals imitate the structure and properties of our hormones, fooling our body by binding to the same hormonal receptors and thereby changing, magnifying or blocking the functions of our natural hormones.

For the longest time, I didn't realize that the smell of clean, really doesn't have a smell at all.  I thought that there had to be a lemon scent, or a 'fresh' scent to signify that I had cleaned my house.    I also didn't realize how many pesticides, hormones and antibiotics were used on our food.   I was very fortunate in that none of my family had obvious signs of sensitivity to the chemicals we were using on our bodies, and in our home.   However, since changing to all natural products, throwing away the plastic containers and using glass, and using more organics, we have realized that we actually did have sensitivities, but had ignored them because we thought it was normal, as everyone else we knew had the same symptoms.

Here are some of the sources of hormone disruptors and ways to avoid environmental toxins that can interfere with our hormonal balance:

• Pesticides:
  • Shop organic as much as possible. If budget or availability is an issue, familiarize yourself with the Dirty Dozen list  - you can drastically reduce your exposure even if you just choose organic when purchasing these 12 produce.
  • Explore pesticide alternatives for your own gardening/lawn-use.  Better yet, learn about companion planting for natural protection.
• Plastics:
  • Avoid PVC – such as that found in shower curtains.
  • Avoid using plastic wrap, or at least minimize its contact with food.
  • Reduce exposure to BPA by avoiding plastic containers marked with recycle #7.
  • Reduce exposure to phthalates by avoiding soft plastics.
  • Never heat food in microwave using plastic containers. Use ceramic or glass containers instead.
  • Reduce the use of plastic toys.
• Personal care products:
  • The “fragrance” in some personal care products can contain phthalates. Read the ingredients list carefully, and choose either fragrance-free products or ones scented with essential oils. (Note: “fragrance-free” is different from “unscented” – chemicals can be added to products to neutralize the scent, rendering them “scent-less”)
• Heavy metal:
  • Reduce lead exposure by checking for lead paint in your home, heating up cold tap water instead of using hot tap water when cooking, and getting the soil tested if you have a garden or a yard.
  • Reduce mercury exposure by avoiding fish that have high mercury level, and requesting porcelain, gold, or composite fillings instead of mercury amalgams from your dentist.

If you are worried about toxins in your body, and are looking for a safe, natural and effective way to clear these from your body and eliminate many of your hormone imbalance symptoms, I can help.

Click here to contact me and arrange your complimentary 30 minute Health Discovery session today!

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