We hear a LOT about environmental toxins and endocrine disrupting chemicals in the news and social media these days. And honestly, it can be a little overwhelming and tricky to differentiate what is credible and what is fear mongering.
The truth is, these chemicals DO have a negative impact on our health. Phthalates specifically have been proven to be a factor in the onset of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and reproductive harm (PMID: 34948652). Environmental toxins are far from the first thing I address with clients, but they are important to address in the course of a healing journey. if you’ve been struggling for a while and tried everything, it may be a good place to look to move the needle forward.
There are many ways our environment affects our health. Here are three things we can do about it:
1. Consider the impact of every day products on our health.
The majority of plastics (even BPA free ones!), cleaning products, and cookware contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). And while it is impossible to eliminate all of these in our day to day, the amount we are exposed to adds up over time and can have a significant effect on our health. ‘Endocrine disrupting’ means they literally disrupt the normal endocrine processes in our body. Our endocrine system is our hormones!
Also, things like hand sanitizer and disinfecting soap does more harm than good because they completely wipe out ALL bacteria, good and bad. This sterile environment isn’t good for our gut microbiome, which relies on good bacteria to help fend off pathogens. Using regular old soap and water that REMOVES bacteria instead of killing it will be significantly helpful to your body’s immune system and ability to detoxify naturally.
Solution: Swap paper receipts for electronic ones, plastic bags for silicone or beeswax wraps, plastic water bottles and storage containers (even BPA free ones!) for stainless steel or glass, non stick pans for cast iron or stainless steel, and conventional cleaning products for non toxic ones (I LOVE Branch Basics for absolutely ALL my home cleaning needs, soap and laundry included. Please note that this is an affiliate link and will get you $10 off your order!)
2. Reduce toxins from the environment come into the home.
The air we breathe is going to have pollutants in it, the water we drink is going to have chemicals, anything with fragrance in it is going to be problematic, and engaging with the outside environment is going to bring toxins in with the dirt and dust on our shoes and clothing. This is a part of life. But there are things we can do to reduce what comes into our home and to eliminate what does get in.
Solution: Take your shoes off when you come inside, vacuum regularly, open windows to let in natural air and release stale inside air, get some air purifying plants, and stop using scented candles and air fresheners!
Fragrance is considered the new secondhand smoke. Fragrance is one of the things to consider if you suffer from migraines, asthma, histamine responses, skin irritation, or eye irritation. This is the result of an immune system reaction to the chemicals in the fragrance. And if you have any sort of autoimmunity, your body is going to have a more challenging time processing these chemicals out of the body. For more on this, PLEASE check out this podcast.
Water filters are also an important but can be tricky to find the right one for you. I usually tell clients to start with a shower filter and a filter pitcher and to check the level of contaminants in their local water to determine the type of filtering needed. You can check your local water here.
Another “toxin” to the body is clutter in the home. Physical clutter leads to mental clutter, a topic I’ll dive into more in a separate email. But I want to include it here as an easy way to help make space for your body and home to breathe. A great resource on this topic can be found here.
3. Support the body’s ability to remove toxins from the environment.
We are constantly hearing about heavy metals in food products, including protein powders, supplements, and more. Beauty products, skincare products, hair products, materials used to build our homes, our furniture, nail polish, hair dye, processed food products, all have some degree of heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other endocrine disrupting chemicals in them.
The more we know about these, the more we see companies there are popping up offering safer alternatives. And yet, we also don’t know all the affects of all the chemicals and ingredients in products today. We only know what we know now. It can absolutely be overwhelming to try to swap ALL of these products at once or even over time. Sometimes we have to look at how we can support natural detoxification within our body. Because our bodies have this really cool process for removing toxins that it encounters!
If you were with me for the gut series last month, you might remember that this is process involves the liver and gallbladder. The liver produces bile to mix with the toxins it accumulates from the body and pushes them out together into the colon to be excreted from the body. These toxins accumulate in the liver with the help of the good, commensal bacteria in our gut microbiome. Which is why it’s important to support this natural system so it doesn’t get backed up and sludgy, leading to a buildup of toxins and waste in our body that can cause more damage.
Solution: Eat a variety of fiber to feed the good bacteria in our gut and help push things through our GI tract. Consume adequate fluids and minerals to keep everything functioning optimally. Keep detox pathways open – we eliminate things via our bowels, but also through our skin (sweating) and kidneys (urine). The lymphatic system helps move toxins and waste through our entire body from our brain to our toes so daily movement is also important. Consume adequate protein, cruciferous vegetables, and use castor oil packs as needed to support liver health.
Which of these stood out to you the most? Are you feeling more overwhelmed by all the toxins we are exposed to or are you feeling confident with ways to support your environment and your body? Obviously this is an overly simplified summary for the sake of email, so if you have questions on a specific topic covered, feel free to reach out and ask!
If you’re interested in the heavy metal and toxin load in your body, there are ways to test and see! Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) not only assesses mineral status in your cells, it also tests for common heavy metals and how well your body is processing them out of your body. Grab your test and custom protocol here.
