Avoid Harmful Chemicals and Endocrine Disruptors To Keep Hormones Healthy

We want to use this opportunity to emphasize the importance of removing toxins from your life.  This substance really disturbs our hormonal balance. 

Now, think for a moment the various ways poisons enter our lives.  Not always in a visible way. Pest repellent in the yard, chlorine bleach in the washing machine, paint thinners in our garage.  These chemicals that interfere with endocrine are in everything that touches our body and finally enters the mouth.  Here is one small example, only a small part of the tip of the iceberg. 

Do you know of the non-stick skillet that we use for cooking for more than 50 years?  A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives recently linked perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) used to make non-stick coatings with thyroid disease. 

People who have the highest concentration of PFOA (25th percentile from above) in their blood are twice as likely to get treatment for thyroid disease compared to people who have the lowest PFOA concentration (50th percentile from below).

Although this is the first human study, animal studies have shown that the same compound can interfere with thyroid hormones in the blood or change the way these hormones metabolize in the liver.

Other studies have also found that PFOA causes birth defects, increases the likelihood of cancer;  and cause changes in the immune system, liver function, and blood fat levels in animals - will we soon know its effects on humans soon?  Then, imagine how PFOA was also found in pouches for microwaves, carpets, waterproof clothing, house dust, and industrial waste - even our drinking water - even though we continue to make concerted efforts to limit its use.

Fortunately, the EPA has stated that PFOA should no longer be used to make frying pans starting in 2015. However, these chemicals take ten years or more to leave our bodies.  and with so many PFOAs around us, we might still be exposed to these substances for the next few decades.

Well, here's the really scary part: Multiply the potential impact with thousands of chemicals in our environment, sometimes even the Environmental Protection Agency starts to get overwhelmed: "It's very difficult to generalize the effects and uses of chemicals, not just  because there are thousands of chemicals, but also because each chemical has a unique way of being absorbed and handled by living organisms. " 

We must begin to protect ourselves from chemicals that come from all directions.  This effort will not only maintain hormonal balance, but also improve every aspect of our lives.  We can make a big difference in the future of our family just by taking a few small steps.  Try the following efforts that are recommended by the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org).

• Avoid buying clothing that is promoted as stain-proof clothing.
• Avoid using plastic containers to heat food with a microwave. 
• Avoid drain cleaner, use plumber's snake instead to clear the blockage on the pipe.  Avoid nail care products that contain dibutyl phthalates. 
• Avoid products that contain "fragrances" in their contents, because they usually contain diethyl phthalates. 
• Buy a polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) shower curtain that can be destroyed or made with fabric. 
• Look for where you can find a list of cleaning product ingredients (www.cleaning101.com/ingredientcentral). 
• Do not choose products that have anti-stain coatings, such as furniture and carpets. 
• Don't let children put plastic toys in their mouths. 
• Eat less packaged food that is high in quantity, usually sold in a box coated with PFC (per-fluorinated chemicals). 
• Avoid Teflon and other nonstick pans.  Use paint and other products that vapor in areas where the air is good. 
• Use vinegar, baking soda, and lemons - and a little effort! - to clean your house. 

These things may only be the highest tip of the iceberg, but it is still a beginning.  Every little thing we can do to protect our bodies and families from exposure to poisons can mean a lot.  And, as we begin to demand products with fewer chemical contents, the industry - cleaning products, cosmetics.  even interior design companies will be forced to fulfill it.  Or they will be left behind! 

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