These are the five most common hormone disruptors affecting your weight, sex drive and health:
#1 BPA (BPS and BPF)
BPA has been around for a long time, and one of its properties is that it mimics estrogen. For that reason it was even researched at one time for use as an artificial estrogen replacement, though wasn’t found suitable. The main concerns around BPA are the increased risk of certain cancers (estrogen linked), it negatively impacts thyroid and cognitive function, creates an increased risk of obesity and has even been shown to inhibit testosterone production (and more). BPS and BPF are sister molecules to BPA and have very similar impacts on disrupting hormones.
#2 Dioxins
Dioxins are a class of hormone disrupting toxin we are commonly exposed to. They are a by-product of many industrial processes, they last a long time and bio-accumulate in the food chain and in our body. Food products with high dioxins levels are dairy products like milk and butter, and animal sources like meat, eggs and fish.
#3 PCBs
PCB stands for polychlorinate biphenyls, which is a mouthful for a chemical that is carcinogenic and known to disrupt immune function, hormones, the nervous system and more. PCBs are a persistent pollutant that were banned for production in the US back in the 1970s. They are commonly found in electrical devices as a coolant – things like transformers, they were also used in hydraulics and carbonless copy paper among other applications. The problem being that the persistence of PCBs means it is found commonly everywhere as it has invaded the ecosystem, including food products – particularly animals and dairy.
#4 Lead
What’s a list of toxins without lead? This list is no different, though there are many negative health effects of lead like decreased brain function and cardiovascular health, it’s also a hormone disruptor. It’s been linked with miscarriages, premature birth, decreased levels of sex hormones and signaling problems between hormones and the brain.
#5 Organophosphates
Organophosphates are one of the more commonly used pesticides with roots from World War II. They kill insects through disrupting the nervous system and for this reason negatively affect our brain function, too. They also disrupt hormones through lowering testosterone, disrupting its normal function and interfere with thyroid hormone levels. It’s most common in non-organic produce, though if you live near any agriculture you may have local exposure anytime it’s sprayed nearby.
You can make a big difference in your hormones and your health by reducing your exposure to these five toxins. Don’t worry, it’s not about being 100% clean, because you’ll drive yourself crazy trying. Instead, focus on taking any current potential exposures and lowering them by 5-10% (or more) when and where you can.
Once you master that small change, then choose another and do it again. Every little bit counts! A detox lifestyle means both avoidance and elimination.
If you are worried about your exposure to hormone disrupting toxins, call us at 916-351-9355 today to see how we can help.