9 COMMON HORMONE DISRUPTORS
maybe you're aware of all the different ways that the world around us is quite literally ruining our hormones, or maybe this is new information to you. either way I've broken down this vast subject and have curated a small list of 9 common hormone disruptors that each of us are probably being exposed to quite frequently, if not every day.
this information may be a bit overwhelming at first, but is meant to serve as information that allows you to be an advocate for own your health! so let this be a tool for you to use that allows you to make more informed decisions moving forward :-)
DIVING IN //
refined sugar
effects insulin levels & known to stress your adrenal glands which regulates cortisol, your stress hormone
ex. white sugar, brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup
SWAP FOR // organic raw honey, raw sugar, naturally occurring sugars found in fruit
conventional dairy products
the added growth hormones & antibiotics significantly disrupt our hormones and promote inflammation in our body.
ex. these are dairy products that come from cows raised on huge factory farms, so more than likely the majority of brands at your grocery store
SWAP FOR // raw dairy OR organic, pasture-raised dairy products
highly processed foods
have huge effects on our hormones and overall health. known to affect cortisol and estrogen levels
ex. packaged foods, foods not in their natural state and containing large amounts of sodium, fat, sugar. there are varying levels of processed foods, as pre-cut veggies are significantly less altered than a bag of potato chips. both are considered to be processed, but only one is considered highly processed.
SWAP FOR // lesser processed foods with minimal, REAL ingredients
ex. tostitos tortilla chips for siete tortilla chips
environmental toxins
causes hormone disruption at a cellular level, from the production of hormones to the communication of them within your body
ex. chemicals in cleaning products, fragrances, heavy metals exposure, etc
SWAP FOR // non-toxic cleaning products, swap air fresheners for essential oil diffusers
toxic personal care products
wreck havoc on our hormones & have been shown to increase risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer & ovarian cancer
ex. phthalates, parabens, toxic metals, etc
SWAP FOR // non-toxic personal care products
ex. ilia beauty, dime beauty, osea malibu(use code chezvous10 for 10% off)
plastic
contains and leaches hazardous chemicals that disrupt our hormones. also mimics estrogen in our bodies
ex. plastic bottles, plastic containers, plastic packaging that you buy food in
SWAP FOR // glass bottles, glass containers, and purchase food not in plastic when possible
stress
disrupts your body's natural hormone balance by the frequent release of cortisol, and can cause irregular menstrual cycles
MANAGE STRESS // mindfulness, deep breathing, improving sleep, getting daily movement in, eating balanced meals, etc
pesticides
have been found to bind and alter the function of hormone receptors. also found to significantly disrupt female reproductive systems
ex. fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides, etc
AVOIDING PESTICIDES // purchase organic when possible, wash your produce
unfiltered water
contains contaminants such as arsenic, lead, micro plastics, pesticides, residue from birth control, etc; which as you read above all happen to have quite the impact on our hormones
ex. tap water, shower water, faucet water, etc
AVOIDING UNFILTERED WATER // look into getting some sort of water filtration system for your home
ex. berkey water filter for drinking water, CQ-1000 shower filter