Avoid Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens are "FAKE" estrogens that can enter the body and cause sever hormone imbalance. We can't avoid them all... but we can do our best!
HOW CAN MY FAMILY AND I AVOID XENOESTROGENS?
I'm so glad you asked! This is something we all should be thinking of.
We should fall into a groove where it is second nature to us: No xenoestrogens welcome in my house!
As we have discussed "Xeno" means foreign. So xenoestrogens are made from something other than the body. Many are petrochemically-based or are byproducts of petrochemical production.
These substances have an estrogenic effect when they enter the human body.
How do they disrupt hormone balance? These synthetic chemicals bind directly to hormone receptor sites in our body, activating the sites and blocking normal hormonal activity. These substances accumulate in the tissues and wreak havoc on our ability to metabolize and eliminate toxins in addition to creating a state of too much estrogen in the body.
Xenoestrogens are found in:
Paints
Textiles
Pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables
Herbicides - used on lawns and plants
Paper products
Nearly all plastics
Plastic wraps (which can leak into food)
Car exhausts (gasoline fumes)
Food supply via growth hormone fed to cows and chickens
Tobacco smoke
Solvents
Some city water supplies
Some commercial household cleaning products
Insect repellants
Industrial waste such as PCBs & Dioxins
Look for these ingredients and try to purchase products that do NOT contain them:
Dioxins
PCB's (Polychlorinated biphenyls)
Bisphenol A
Phthalates
As discussed, too much exposure to estrogen can cause numerous problems in women ranging from PMS to uterine fibroids to breast cancer. In men, these can range from gynecomastia (development of breast tissue) to prostate cancer.
Scientists studying a high rate of breast cancer in Long Island found that women with breast cancer had higher levels of pesticides such as DDT in their breasts than women with normal breasts.
HOW TO PROTECT AGAINST XENOESTROGENS:
Whenever possible, purchase organically grown fruits and vegetables. I know it can be expensive, but at least if you use something in abundance, for example lettuce, choose to buy organic lettuce.
Buy meat and dairy products that are hormone-free
Purchase foods not packaged in plastic wrap whenever possible
Remove plastic wraps as soon as you get home, because the longer it is in contact with food the more the xenoestrogens may leach into the food. Store food in; butcher paper, wax paper, freezer paper, foil, or glass when possible.
Do not microwave food in plastic or Styrofoam containers. Use a glass or ceramic dish instead. If you need a lid, use a flat dish or a piece of freezer paper or paper towel. When plastic is heated, it diffuses rapidly into food.
A Dartmouth University study showed that plastic wrap heated in a microwave in vegetable oil had 500,000 times the minimum amount of xenoestrogens needed to stimulate breast cancer cells in a test tube to grow.
Invest in a water filter or drink bottle water. In some areas, Xenoestrogens are prevalent in drinking water due to massive amounts of detergents used by industry that make their way to ground water.
Avoid baby formula sold in polycarbonate (clear plastic) bottles. If possible, use only glass baby bottles. If you use polycarbonate bottles, do not heat or microwave them.
Use organic pesticides. Avoid having your home sprayed by an exterminator
Avoid herbicides; you can use a cup of salt in a gallon of vinegar
Avoid parabens found in skin lotions and creams
Do not give plastic toys to babies or toddlers who will put them in their mouths
Another really important thing you can do is to inform others about the dangers of xenoestrogens.
Consider this for our future generations (our children and grandchildren, nieces, nephews and children of our friends): Ovaries and testes are formed during a very early stage of embryonic development. Exposure to xenoestrogens during this early stage can cause damage to the ovarian follicles of the unborn female. Later in life, her damaged follicles may not be able to yield an egg or produce sufficient quantities of progesterone. She may have difficulty with miscarriages.
The male testes develop at about day 20 of embryonic life. Exposure to xenoestrogens can lead to deficiency in sperm production and even prostate cancer in men.
WOW! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! Read this!
Hand Sanitizer and receipts don't mix.
In a new University of Missouri study, people who cleaned their hands with hand sanitizer then touch a cash register receipt were exposed to higher levels of BPA than those who didn't use the sanitizer. And those who munched greasy French fries also had higher BPA exposure if they used sanitizer first.
Researchers say some hand sanitizers contain penetration enhancers that increase the product's ability to get into the uppermost layer of the skin. It's these compounds that seem to increase the absorption of BPA.
If you have used a Hand Sanitizer in the market or on your own, have the salesperson or cashier tuck the receipt in your grocery bag and remove it with a napkin or tissue when you get home! At least wait 10 minutes before touching that receipt!
We must take preventative action to protect our families.
It is SO important.
Please join me as we cast the net of care around our loved ones!
Love,
Barbara