Exposure to environmental chemicals and pollutants can affect your hormones in a number of ways. From disrupting your endocrine system to causing cancer, these pollutants are everywhere including in the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air that we breathe.
While you may not be able to completely avoid exposure to these toxins, there are steps you can take to minimize your exposure while still enjoying life and enjoying the benefits of balanced hormone levels.
Hormone Disruptors
Hormone disruptors are a type of chemical that mimic hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. They can be found in plastics, food packaging, and pesticides. They can cause a range of problems including obesity, infertility, and cancer. These chemicals are found in both food and water, so it is important to avoid them as much as possible.
You can do this by eating foods not wrapped in plastics, avoiding plastic water bottles, and enjoying organically grown foods as much as possible. When your hormones are out of balance you can experience weight gain, acne, and mood swings. Some people try using a hormonal acne supplement product to help as well and get great success. While using supplements for detoxification and hormone balance can help, it’s important to also avoid these toxins at the source.
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is a huge problem in modern society. The average person sleeps less than they need, and many adults struggle to get even six hours of sleep on a regular basis. Your sleep can be interrupted by caffeine intake, dehydration, too much screen time, and not enough time in the sun. Sleep deprivation can cause hormone imbalances, which leads to symptoms like high cortisol levels, low testosterone levels, high estrogen levels, and more. Sleep is vital to balancing your hormones.
Inadequate Light Exposure
Light is the most important environmental factor affecting hormones, and the most obvious way to mitigate its impact is to get enough sunlight. The human body needs light exposure because it helps regulate our circadian rhythm and cortisol levels. Light also boosts serotonin production—which can have an impact on mood, sleep quality, appetite control, and more.
But too much or too little light exposure can cause problems as well. Early morning light has been shown to be some of the most important for setting circadian rhythms and getting healthy hormones. Not enough light will keep you from being able to balance hormones effectively.
Your Medicine Cabinet
Medications can also be hormone disruptors. A study found that up to half of the women in their 50s who were taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant had menstrual problems, compared with only 8% of those not taking an SSRI. These drugs are known to cause hormone imbalance and may persist after you stop taking them. It’s important to discuss any hormonal issues you experience with your doctor when you are taking medications.
Plastics from BPA
One of the best reasons to clean up our dependence on plastics is that it is harmful to human health. Plastics made with BPA, or bisphenol A, are found in many household items — including water bottles and food containers — and they’re known to leach into the foods and beverages they hold. Residues of BPA have also been found in human urine.
BPA is not only estrogenic but it has been linked to a number of health problems, including reproductive issues like endometriosis and early menopause in women who had high levels of exposure during pregnancy. You can avoid BPA by avoiding plastic bottles or containers and switching them out for lead-free glass.
Phthalates
Phthalates are chemicals found in many products, including shampoo, soap and lotion. They’re also used to make plastics more flexible. Phthalates have been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and have been associated with reproductive problems in both men and women. Some studies reveal that phthalate exposure was linked to depression among children. It’s important to educate yourself about the different products that are harmful and try to avoid them when possible.
Persistent Organic Pollutants
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a group of chemicals that can be harmful to human health and the environment. They include pesticides, industrial chemicals such as PCBs—polychlorinated biphenyls, flame retardants, dioxins, and furans. These POPs can affect hormones in the body by mimicking or blocking hormones that regulate growth and development.
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