So you know your ABCs but are you aware of your EDCs?
Are your hormones out of balance? Are you irritable & moody? Having trouble sleeping? Does your child have behavioural issues? Find out if EDCs are effecting you.
What are Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and what dangerous effects do they have?
EDCs are Chemicals that interfere with our hormones. These chemicals are mostly man-made, found in various materials such as personal care products, pesticides, plastics, metals, additives and GMO foods.
When our hormones are disrupted it causes all sorts of problems. In men, the most obvious disruption is a lowered libido- making you less interested in sex and generally more emotional or ‘softer’ in nature – (Andropause). When hormones are imbalanced, men can also develop ‘Man Boobs’ – (gynecomastia).
For women it can feel like you are suffering an emotional break-down when your hormones are all out of whack, leading to conditions such as PMS, Menopause, PCOS and Endometriosis. Long Term exposure to EDCs can lead to cancerous growths such as Breast cancer, Ovarian Cancer and Prostate cancer.
Children are also effected from EDCs. Does your child have a behavioural condition? EDCs can be transferred from a pregnant woman to the developing foetus or child through the placenta and breast milk. And if you think it may be healthier to use infant soy formula, think again. Most soy products are GMO unless it is stated Certified Organic.
This is really scary stuff which is why it is so important to be aware of what EDCs are AND how you can reduce your long-term exposure.
EDCs also effect the body’s natural ability to detox and can supress the gut bacteria from making tryptophan. Tryptophan is needed to make serotonin and melatonin, which effects our sleep, mood and eating habits. Serotonin is also responsible for telling us when we are full. Obesity levels have tripled in the past few years, maybe this could be due to EDCs?
What daily exposure do I have to EDCs?
Exposure to EDCs occurs from the food we eat, from the water we drink, from the gases and chemicals in the environment that we breathe and through the products we put on our skin.
The average woman puts about 515 synthetic chemicals on her body every day! EDCs are loaded in personal care products. The good news is you can swap all your chemical-laden products for organic alternatives. One of the main EDCs in beauty products and cleaning products are Phalates- anything that has a fragrance contains phalates. Phalates cause miscarriages, poor egg quality, lowers sperm count and hormonal conditions such as endometriosis. Check labels and make sure your products are free from phalates.
Long Term solutions to minimize exposure:
- Fermented vegetables & Coconut kefir have been proven to reduce behavioural conditions such as Autism and ADHD in children. Include 1 tablespoon of fermented foods daily or a glass of coconut kefir to support your gut and to reduce the effects of EDCs.
- Use different containers for storing food rather than plastic-Swap to glass jars or stainless steel.
- Don’t buy food wrapped in plastic- Shop at your local Farmer’s Market and buy fresh.
- Choose Cookware that is either cast-iron, stainless steel, enamel, or glass. Don’t use non-stick coated cookware and avoid aluminium.
- Drink water from a glass or stainless steel reusable bottle.
- Choose Organic house-hold cleaning products and swap all Personal care products like Make-up, Body Lotions, Perfumes and Sanitary products to Chemical-free, Organic & Natural products.
Article written by Lola Taylor – our resident Naturopath and Retreat Host in Bali.
