Environmental estrogen, which consists of xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens also known as endocrine disrupters, is a little known problem among the general public.
It has serious potential consequences for your health, but it can also be a good reason to consider hormone therapy, with bioidentical hormones.
What Are They?
Xenoestrogens are chemicals prevalent in the environment that cause disruption to your body functions in numerous ways. Phytoestrogens are plant based estrogens (mostly from soy products) that can also interfere with our normal hormonal functions.
These chemicals interfere with the synthesis, release, transport, storage, actions, and elimination of hormones in the body. Since your hormones and their actions are all interrelated, this causes estrogen dominance symptoms in your body.
Effects of Environmental Estrogen
- Lower Testosterone Levels
- Increased Estrogen Levels and Estrogen Dominance
- Testicular and Prostate Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Weakened Immune System
- Loss Of Lean Body Mass
- Increase in Fat Tissue
- Negative Effects on the Nervous System
- Learning and Memory Problems
These chemicals can get into the body in various ways.
- Through the food we eat
- Through the things we drink
- Through the skin
Endocrine Disruptors
Once these endocrine disruptors are in the body, often bypassing the liver, they can be stored for years in your fat tissues. This causes further problems when you burn fat during normal metabolic processes, because these chemicals are then released into the bloodstream!
Another problem is that when a number of these chemicals are in your system, their effects are compounded which means the potential problems are increased as these chemicals act “synergistically,” and thus becoming more dangerous to your health!
When levels of estrogen build up in a your body beyond what is normal for your gender and age, this is referred to as being estrogen dominant. When estrogen dominance symptoms begin to show up, it is a sign that endocrine disruptors have built up in the body and are being stored in bodyfat.
A Toxic Environment
The source of this environmental estrogen problem is the chemicals in our environment. Here is a short list of the chemicals that are a problem.
- Pesticides
- Alkylphenolics
- Phthalates
- Bisphenol A
- Brominated Flame Retardants
- PCBs
- Parabens
What You Can Do
- Here are some steps you can take to minimize environmental estrogen and lessen the effects that endocrine disruptors have on your health.
- Buy organic fruits and vegetables, but if you do not use organically grown produce, make sure to wash them thoroughly.
- Do not use perfumes or air fresheners if you can avoid them. If not, then choose ones that do not contain parabens.
- Avoid the use of pesticides, choosing natural alternatives instead
- Do not use plastic containers or plastic wrap when microwaving
- Check toys or teething products for your children are PCV free
- Use water based paints to avoid exposure to alkylphenolics
- Read labels on all personal care products you use to avoid exposure to these endocrine disruptors.
- Do not use large amounts of soy based products as these contain phytoestrogens.
- Use some kind of natural anti-estrogen to protect against xenoestrogens.
Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance symptoms are appearing more and more frequently in males in out society, which further indicates this
is a serious problem. The lack of awareness makes it even more dangerous, because people who do not know about this are unable to avoid exposure to these chemicals.
There is also a lack of awareness in mainstream medical circles about the dangers of endocrine disruptors. As this website unfolds I will be adding information to this topic in the form of links where you can get more information about environmental estrogen and how to protect yourself and your family from it’s affects.
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