Avoiding Endocrine Disruptors in the Home
The endocrine system is responsible for producing the hormones that regulate metabolism, sleep function, tissue function and sexual function, to name just a few. When your endocrine system is interrupted, it can result in changes from aggression and fatigue, all the way through to weight gain and even developmental disorders. With the endocrine system being in control of more than 20 major hormones, it’s no surprise that upsetting can have some adverse effects on your body and mind – but did you know that there are a lot of household items that could be upsetting yours?
Here are some common items you might be using in your home that contain the chemicals capable of messing around with your endocrine system, and what you can do to limit them.
Plastic
Plastic contains chemicals that can interrupt your endocrine system, especially if you’re using plastic methods for storing food and drink. Replacing your plastic containers, bottles and jars with glass is great way to quickly eliminate these nasty toxins, and it’s a lot better for the environment too. They’re also longer lasting so you’ll save your money along with your health.
Another way to avoid using plastic in food preparation is swapping out cling wrap or sandwich bags for brown paper bags. A great cling wrap for alternative is wax wraps made from cotton – they keep food just as fresh for just as long, and also have multiple uses around the home. As well as being reusable, it’s another combined win for the environment, your health and your budget.
Cleaning Products
Some of the hormones that can be mimicked from the chemicals in cleaning products are also found in birth control pills. Pretty scary, huh? While some places in the world, such as Europe, are implementing bans on reproductive toxins like these, there’s still not a lot of protection for consumers elsewhere with endocrine disruptors not even legally required on the ingredient list. It’s best to use alternative cleaning products, like natural solutions. However, if you’re not quite ready to make the leap to all natural, it’s good to avoid cleaning products that have ‘danger’ on the label as the chemicals in these ones might be a bit stronger.
Fragrances
The endocrine disruptors in air fresheners and perfumes can actually mimic the hormones in the endocrine system. This is a problem as it can limit or increase the natural production of hormones within the body, resulting in an array of issues. You can swap out air fresheners for essential oil humidifiers, and there are a lot of great natural deodorant products on the market.
