How Toxins Affect Your Hormones

Today’s blog post explores the connection between toxins and your hormonal health plus what you can do about it.

What’s the connection between cleaning supplies, spinach and makeup?

It’s more than you might think.

Studies show that It’s not only what we eat BUT, but what we are exposed to daily that can impact our health.

Why?

It’s the chemicals in these products which can have a negative impact on our health, they can cause – weight gain, acne, digestive issues, cancer, thyroid issues, fatigue, depression, fertility issues and much more.

Right now about 80% of women suffer from some kind of hormonal imbalance according to toxins expert Lara Adler, who was part of our Happy Healthy Hormones interview series last month.

The average woman puts 515 synthetic chemicals on her body every single day without even knowing it. And 60% of what we put onto our skin is absorbed into our bodies. The European Union has banned over 1,300 chemicals found in cosmetics. The FDA has only banned eight and restricted three here in the United States.

Also, regulations have not changed since 1938. In 1938, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was put into action and does not guarantee the safety of the products.

I’m sharing this information with you to help you feel educated, not to scare you. I feel like it’s very important to be transparent with you as to what I’m doing for my overall health, not just with my diet. So today I’m sharing how I’ve made some changes in my life to reduce my exposure to toxins.

I have been making these changes for years, but after I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and discovered the connection between the thyroid and chemicals I have been even more diligent in order to restore my thyroid.

• I switched out all of the plastic containers in my house for glass! This was actually the first thing I did after relearning how the BPA from the container can leak into my food, especially when we put in hot food and then put the plastic container into the fridge
• I started using a glass water bottle and no longer use plastic water bottles unless I’m traveling and there is no other option. BUT, I never leave plastic water bottles in the car anymore, because the plastic can leak into the water when heated
• I’ve always disliked bleach and am allergic to it so I was using less harsh chemicals, but I now only use PureHaven laundry detergent, soap, cleaning sprays, etc. This was the only company I found that makes cleaning supples that don’t contain any artificial fragrances and is 100% toxin free. Plus it’s only a few more dollars than the products you can find at Target!
• The hardest part for me was finding face lotions, shampoos and mascara. I had a little bit of a love affair with my Cover Girl mascara. I also now use the Pure Haven beauty products and after trying tons of different shampoos this one actually makes my hair look amazing!
• I only use coconut oil as my lotion
• I try really hard to wear layers when I go to the beach instead of caking on the sunscreen, like I used to

I realize that I can’t eliminate toxins completely from my life and as my friend Lara Adler shares, the most important part of all of this is to reduce our exposure. We don’t need to do any special detoxes, but start with reducing how often and how much we are exposed to.

My next steps are to change out my sheets, pillows and eventually mattress and towels. We just bought a new duvet that is made from 100% organic materials.

What you can do:

1. Start replacing your plastics and don’t be tricked into the BPA free plastics, we don’t know their long term effects yet. Glass is best! You can get a pack of twelve mason jars at Target for less than $12
2. Get a glass water bottle, it’s also good for the environment. I love my Life Factory one but you can pick one up at Target too
3. BPA is often in canned foods as well, try getting fresh or frozen veggies and or get BPA free lined cans. Eden Brands and Whole Foods makes them.
4. Avoid non-stick pots and pans. Use glass, stainless steal or ceramic cookware
5. Take a look at what’s hiding underneath your kitchen sink. Make a list of all of your cleaning supplies and beauty products. We can find a better alternative for every product

Just like our diet, it’s the small things you can do every day that make a big difference in the way that we feel. Let’s start here and then we can continue to make even more adjustments. If you’d like to schedule a cabinet makeover you can email me to schedule. I offer these via facetime/skpe and help you eliminate toxins and get toxin free products into your home.

Not sure if your hormones are out of balance?

Take my free quiz and get suggestions on how you can support your hormonal health.