You’ve probably heard about estrogen in regards to the hormone that is produced in women’s bodies, but fewer people know that the environment around you contains excess estrogen that can lead to harmful effects on the body. Obviously, estrogen is not a bad thing on its own, but adding more of it to your body unintentionally can lead to a lot of problems.
Foreign estrogen has the ability to cause estrogen dominance in both men and women, and that can lead to infertility, breast cancer, endometriosis, accelerated aging, fibromyalgia and many other pathologic issues. So how can you avoid foreign estrogen from contaminating your body? Here are a few of the easiest things you can do in your daily life to mitigate the risks.
Plastics
Plastic is used almost everywhere these days in place of metal, wood, or glass. Whether it’s the windows on your home or the bottle you drink your water from, plastic has become a versatile and valuable compound for making things durably and inexpensively. However, the vast majority of plastics release chemicals and toxins over time, not the least of which is estrogen. You can’t eliminate all plastics from your life, but you can certainly eliminate the ones that touch your food. Use glass storage containers instead of plastic whenever possible. Drink water from a glass rather than a plastic water bottle. And, if you absolutely must use a plastic container for food or water, make sure you buy food grade containers that are BPH free.
Soaps and Detergents
The soaps and detergents used in your home are also a huge source of foreign estrogen. Manufacturers are more concerned about the effectiveness of their products than the health ramifications, so be aware of what you’re buying. Detergents for your dishwasher and laundry machine are probably the worst, but since you don’t usually touch them directly they play a smaller role. Things like all-purpose cleaner, shampoos, and bars of soap are the real problems in your home. Consider buying cold process soap made from organic ingredients instead of commercial brands, and try to make your own cleaners using vinegar. They work better according to some, cost far less, and won’t add estrogen into your home environment.
Pesticides, Insecticides, and Herbicides
The twentieth century brought many innovations to farming that allowed farmers to increase their yields and grow larger crops. However, many of these advances came with the use of pesticides to control pests, insecticides to control insect populations, and herbicides to eliminate weeds and invasive plants from dominating their fields. All of these add foreign estrogen to your food, so what can you do? At the very least, you need to wash and scrub your fruits and vegetables thoroughly. If possible, discard the peel, skin, or rind because that’s where the majority of these toxins end up residing. And, if at all possible, buy organic fruits and vegetables that aren’t cultivated with these chemicals to eliminate that hazard all together.
It’s almost impossible to eliminate all foreign estrogen from your life, but targeting the sources that impact you the most can make a dramatic difference. Just remember that anything that contacts your skin directly or goes into your body are the most important to monitor and you can easily make adjustments to lead a happier and healthier life.
