Hey guys and gals!! I hope everyone is staying safe during these trying times. It’s a crazy unpredictable situation right now in our lives, but we will eventually overcome this together! I’ve personally been an anxious mess because of how uncertain everything is, things are changing every minute and that really put me into a funk. After a while I had to really recognize all that I could be grateful for, my job, my healthy family, my happy home environment, my access to food and water, this started to bring me out of darkness. Let’s take advantage of this time to bring out the best in ourselves, help wherever you can, provide support to those that are in need. This is a great time to show everyone that the human race is actually a collective consciousness with compassion and empathy, take note toilet paper and hand sanitizer hoarders!!!
So after a month of being in a catatonic panic state I’m back with more health and wellness information so you can use this time to develop a new lifestyle to keep your body and immunity in tip top condition to fight that Covid-19!!
So let me tell you about how many chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis in our internal and external environments that interfere with our body’s hormones. Constant exposure to these chemicals have been linked to developmental, immune, brain, and reproductive disorders and eventually lead to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancer, allergies, and some autoimmune disorders. These chemicals mimic our hormones causing an imbalance in the production of our vital hormones, and hormonal health is so crucial because it’s linked to mental health disorders as well. Hormone disruptors interfere with hormone signaling, they compete with essential nutrients, they bind to essential hormones, they accumulate in the organs that produce hormones and they cause premature cell death. How are we exposed to these? Through cosmetics, plastics, detergents, toys, certain foods and drinks, the environment, and pesticide use on produce, so essentially through our skin, our diets, the air, and our water supply.
Flame retardants (PBDEs) – this chemical imitates thyroid hormones and disrupts thyroid activity. It is found in almost all furniture with foam, mattresses, couches, cabinets, carpets, etc. To avoid this you’ll really have to do research on the furniture that does not contain this, you can also use a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner to reduce exposure.
Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) – are found in non-stick cookware (Teflon), microwave popcorn bags, household cleaners, cosmetics, furniture, packaged food containers, and clothing. PFC breaks down into PFOA which does not biodegrade, it affects thyroid and sex hormone levels and is linked to low birth weight, thyroid and kidney disease, high cholesterol, and sperm quality. Avoid eating microwavable popcorn, avoid using non-stick cookware, and make your own cleaners.
Glycol Ethers – are found in cleaning products, cosmetics, paints, and brake fluid. Exposure is linked lower sperm count, blood abnormalities, asthma and allergies. LOOK OUT FOR THIS WHILE COVID-CLEANING!!! Don’t lose sight of your long term health while cleaning away trying to protect yourself from coronavirus. To avoid this, use cleaners that have more natural ingredients, make your own cleaners using vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils.
Atrazine – is an herbicide used on corn which in turn contaminates the water supply. It has been linked to delayed puberty, prostate cancer, and breast tumors. Eat organic produce and drink filtered water.
Lead – also might know this one, it’s linked to nervous system problems, miscarriages, premature birth, hearing loss, kidney damage, increased blood pressure, and brain damage. It disrupts hormones that regulate the body’s stress system. Lead is found in paint and in drinking water so make sure you filter your water!!
BPA (Bisphenol A) – this is one everyone has heard of because it is found in a lot of plastics, cans, thermal receipt paper, fast food wrappers, and polycarbonate. BPA mimics estrogen and is linked to reproductive issues, and cancers including breast cancer. How can you avoid this? Many companies are now aware of the adverse health effects so some plastics say NO BPA on it, avoid canned foods, and opt for fresh foods or the tetra packs (paper), use glass containers instead of plastic Tupperware.
Organophosphate pesticides – affects behavior, fertility, and brain development and is a commonly used pesticide on our produce. So buy organic produce when you can, search out for the Dirty Dozen list of produce which contain the most pesticides and also check out the Clean 15 list of produce that does not contain pesticides and can be bought non organic.
Mercury – is found in farmed fish so check out my blog on the fish with the least amount of mercury! Bigger fish have more and smaller fish have less, so go for the salmon and the trout. Mercury causes brain development issues in fetuses, so pregnant woman should avoid at all costs! Mercury binds to a hormone that regulates the menstrual cycle and ovulation, this prevents our hormones from working correctly. It also damages cells in the pancreas which may cause diabetes (Lifestyle illness!!)
Perchlorate – alters thyroid balance by competing with iodine which is necessary for the thyroid to make hormones. These hormones regulate metabolism, brain and organ development. It is found in tap water so avoid that by drinking filtered water, you can install a reverse osmosis filter! To counter the effects of this chemical, make sure you are getting plenty of iodine throughout the day.
Dioxin – is a byproduct released during industrial manufacturing and can be found in non-organic meat and dairy. You can avoid this by cutting out or reducing meat and dairy or buying it organic. Dioxin affects the immune and reproductive systems.
Phthalates – are found in toys, shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, cosmetics, lotions, scented candles, air fresheners, nail polish, and laundry detergents. These have been known to cause hormonal changes, birth defects, thyroid irregularities, diabetes, and obesity. Avoid plastic food containers and any cosmetic products that have added fragrance to it, always look at the ingredients of your cosmetics! Most toys have this chemical removed now, thankfully, we do NOT need to be exposing infants to this kind of stuff.
Arsenic – messes with how our body processes sugar and carbohydrates, this disruption leads to weight gain/loss, insulin resistance (leads to diabetes), immunosuppression, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, protein wasting, and growth deficiency. Avoid this once again by filtering your water and avoiding conventional rice and pastas.
Triclosan – is found in anti-microbial and personal care products like body wash, toothpaste, and deodorant. Once again be careful with all that hand sanitizer, it becomes resistant to bacteria after a while and can be harmful to our health in the long run!
I’ve come to realize that our water supply is highly toxic to our overall health, that’s quite ridiculous considering we need water to survive!! Thank you for those that made it to the end ❤ I love and appreciate that you take an interest in what will help us all achieve a more balanced mind, body, and soul!
Health Energy 