I recently went to Harliquin Fayre festival, on one of the stages a friend of mine was doing a talk on EDC's. I was intrigued and had to listen. Due to her own health problems she started to do her own research and wanted to share her findings with as many people as she can, especially those with young female children as it has a big impact on their health.
She has kindly shared her notes with me, to share with you. Take what you want from it, do your own research, ignore it and carry on as you are. I just felt it was important people were made aware in case they didn't know. These however are only notes and lots more information can be found online, so please do your own homework.
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Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals or (Hormone disrupters)
I have only just discovered them as part of my own personal health journey in balancing my hormones. And when I have spoken to others it became apparent not many people were aware of them.
So to understand how they affect us we need to know a little about the ED system and hormones themselves.
So What’s our endocrine system? – It’s a body system made up of various glands Pituitary gland/Thyroid gland /adrenals/ovaries/testis all of these make hormones the main players being Estrogen/Progesterone/testosterone/ thyroid hormones /cortisol .
How hormones work they fit into the bodies hormone receptors like a key and deliver messages that cause a chain of reactions……so its like a telephone exchange delivering messages for things to happen all over the body.
So, what’s the big deal with these EDCs?
Over the past 100 years there has been an explosion of new agricultural and industrial chemicals. 90% of them have not been tested for there effects on human health! Or the accumulating effect of them.
EDCs are chemicals that mimic, overstimulate or block or our own body’s natural hormones disrupting and playing havoc with our endocrine system confusing the messaging and producing adverse developmental/reproductive/neurological and immune effects.
They are easily absorbed and found in human tissues at much higher concentrations than our body’s own natural hormones, they largely mimic estrogen and thyroid hormones.
They cause ;
Inflammation/weight gain/insulin resistance/stimulate cells to grow where they shouldn’t/cause early puberty/breast cancer/menstrual issues/fertility problems.
Even though they affect everyone and everything, for instance there have been studies on fish and amphibians and the effects of EDCs are showing that the natural balance of males and female fish born is affected and also amphibians becoming intersex so producing eggs in the testis. EDCs are having feminising effects on men, but Women unfortunately bear an unfair burden, because we have more fat cells, and toxins in the body like to bind to fat. Newborn babies are already exposed to 200 different chemicals by the time they are born.
Some of the issues effecting women;
Menstrual issues – exposure to EDCs send Estrogen high = pain heavy bleeding/longer cycles skipped Periods/ endometriosis/PCOS/Fibroids studies show High levels of EDCs found in the endometrium of uterus when hysterectomy has been performed for fibroids. 70% of women over 50 have fibroids- higher in women of colour.
Early Puberty EDCs contribute to excess estrogen- childhood obesity breast development and periods.
Thyroid issues EDCs compete with iodine preventing it getting into the thyroid where it needs to be to produce balanced thyroid hormones.
Toxic Fat- struggling to loose weight cortisol and insulin resistant / diabetes
So where are they and how can we avoid and reduce our exposure to these EDCs?
Food
They are in colouring/preservatives/stabilisers/herbicides/pesticides/Pharmacuticles/Plastics/fragrances
Buy organic where you can- look at the clean fifteen and the dirty dozen as a start.
Organic grass-fed meat and eggs / avoid dairy growth hormones.
Fish – avoid farmed fish and fish high in mercury, smaller fish lower in the food chain tend to be better.
Unprocessed- eat stuff that looks like food!!
Avoid plastic containers/cling film and avoid heating or freezing food in plastic, switch to glass containers, reuse jam jars etc.
Avoid tinned food and cooking with non-stick surfaces.
YUKA App for food and body products. Gives suggestions of clean swaps, not expensive and also not funded by product companies.
Water
Pesticides/pharmaceuticals/lead/metals
Water filter- stainless steal or glass- carbon filter reverse osmosis- avoid drinking out of plastic vessels, even if BPA free often it’s a sister chemical and just as bad.
Cosmetics/Body Products
Parabens and Phthalates/carcinogens sunscreen is partially bad.
Start with things you use daily over large areas, and things you don’t rinse off. Body moisturiser/deodorant/shampoos not only are they harming you, but they are washed off into the water system and the circle of poison begins again.
Avoid fragrances in products and your home- switch to essential oil- try making your own skin products out of natural stuff.
Feminine hygiene
Pesticides/plastics/absorbing chemicals and fragrances and adhesive.
Buy organic products
Household stuff
Cleaning products/fire retardant chemicals furniture sofas beds flooring/ waterproof and stain resistant materials/ anti-bacterial material like in sportswear.
This body burden does go down by making these switches, and the body is always seeking balance and to detox itself. Other things you can do is support your body’s elimination/detox systems, so liver kidney detox, or foods supplements that help eliminate excess estrogen.
Personally I have noticed a huge change and the issues I was experiencing on my own health journey have largely subsided and re balanced.
Further info can be found on UK Breast cancer website they have a free guide you can download.
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