How Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Could Be Impacting Your Health

Are endocrine disrupting chemicals impacting your health? We live in a day and age where chronic health issues are rampant, from obesity, infertility, hormone imbalance, diabetes, cancer, learning disabilities, autoimmunity, and more. But what most people don’t realize is that toxins in our everyday environment can be a massive player when it comes to many of these health issues. The reality is that there are thousands of chemicals added to everyday household products and even into our food. Most of these chemicals have never been tested for their impact on human health. And what research is finding is that they may be having a much greater impact on our health than most people realize. Many of these chemicals are classified as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals because of their impact on the human Endocrine System.

The endocrine system is a network of glands that produces all of the hormones used by the body, including sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, as well as thyroid hormones, insulin, and more. These hormones are the chemical messengers responsible for regulating hundreds of bodily processes, including reproduction, metabolism, blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep, mood, and more.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals interfere with our endocrine systems in multiple ways. They can decrease or increase normal hormone production, mimic the body’s natural hormones, or change the natural production of hormones by binding to hormone receptors, therefore throwing off the bodies natural hormone production and overall balance. Since the body’s endocrine system responds to very small changes in hormone levels, even low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals can be disruptive to our health. They are associated with numerous health conditions including infertility, cancers, early puberty, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and even neurological and learning disabilities. Exposure to EDCs in utero and early childhood can also change the epigenome, increasing the risk of disease later in life.

So you may be wondering how we are exposed to these chemicals. EDCs can enter the body through air, water, food, and even skin contact. They are ubiquitous in household products such as cleaning products, makeup, perfume, air fresheners, non-stick cookware, plastics including kids toys. They are also common in our food system and are found in the lining of cans, cups, and plastic food containers.

Common Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
While there are about 1000 known chemicals that are in the EDC category, below are the most common chemicals and where they are found. This list is taken directly from Rupa Health. You can go to their website to learn more. 

• Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make certain plastics. It is found in many plastic products, such as food storage containers and plastic water bottles.  

• Dioxins are chemicals used in paper bleaching and are also the byproduct of herbicide production.

• Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals known as forever chemicals, used in various everyday products such as non-stick pans, paper, and clothing/textiles.

• Phthalates are chemicals that are used to make plastics more flexible. They are commonly found in everyday products such as cosmetics and other personal care products, children’s toys, food packaging, and some medical devices.

• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) are chemicals that are commonly used to make flame retardants and other household products such as furniture foam and carpets.

• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are chemicals used in industrial applications such as plasticizers in paints, pigments, dyes, plastics, and rubber products.

• Triclosan is a chemical commonly found in personal care products, specifically body wash, and certain antimicrobial products, such as hand sanitizers.

How To Avoid Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
You can’t eliminate all contact with endocrine disruptors, but you can reduce your exposure. Here are some tips on how to avoid EDCs.

1.  Buy organic produce. If organic produce is not available or you can’t afford it, make sure to wash your produce well.

2. Avoid ultra-processed foods. Food packaging is often loaded with EDCs.  So always opting to eat as fresh as possible can make a dramatic difference in your exposure.

3. Avoid products that contain fragrances. This includes perfume, air-fresheners, scented household cleaners, and scented personal hygiene products.

4. Avoid plastics. This includes plastic food storage, plastic food packaging, plastic cutting boards, plastic kids toys, etc.

5. Avoid using non-stick pans. Always opt for stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic.

6. Choose non-toxic cleaners. One of my favorite toxic free brands for household cleaners is Branch Basics. You can also use basic cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. 

I’ve created a free resource full of all of my favorite clean brand recommendations that you can use to help motivate you on your clean living journey. You can download that at this link. Or for more on my own story of going toxic free, check out this blog post.

The reality is, we live in a toxic world. So while it’s impossible to completely avoid Endocrine Disrupting chemicals, you can greatly reduce your exposure through diet and lifestyle changes. And these changes could quite literally transform your health and the health of your family. Let me know if you are going to implement any of these changes in the comments below.