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 used to store food for brown paper bags. If you are looking for something to use to cover bowls then beeswax wraps are another great option! You can DIY or buy pre-made ones, 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

Did you know that some of the hormones found in birth control pills can be mimicked by the chemicals in cleaning products! 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, perfumes, and deodorants 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 perfumes and deodorant products on the market.

The endocrine disruptors can be found in a huge number of items in the ‘modern home’. This list is a short introduction to some of the common sources you can begin to eliminate.

When you are ready for the next step you can look into the diet, cookware, and cosmetics. You might also be interested in our Total Toxin Load Questionnaire! I’d love to know what you decide to start with!