The Endocrine System is comprised of the glands within the body: thyroid, adrenal, pineal, pituitary, pancreas, testes, ovaries, parathyroid, hypothalamus. This is a very delicate part of our bodies that is intimately involved with growth, metabolism, how we handle stress, puberty, hormones, energy, sleep, sexual functioning, balance, feelings, moods, cleansing toxins, well being, third eye, intuition, memory…

What are endocrine disruptors and how do they affect our health?

Endocrine Disruptors are chemicals and substances that interfere with the endocrine system (glands listed above as well as the hormones they produce). Endocrine disruptors upset the natural functioning of the glandular system, they mimic hormones, they can cause early puberty, excess weight, overall inner disruption and disease. Their effects can be subtle or more often, over time lead to changes in our health. Some are so extreme that they cause radical changes as in the case with atrazine, which turns male frogs into female frogs.  If you don’t think endocrine disruptors are playing games with your body, think again.

Although I didn’t have the opportunity to meet her, Dr. Theo Colborn devoted her life to spreading the word about endocrine disruptors. She started an international nonprofit, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange that remains perhaps the best resource available anywhere. See for yourself: http://endocrinedisruption.org/

For those who like a scary movie, here’s a must see about Endocrine Disruptors:

How to help your endocrine system recover so you can function at full capacity:

Reduce your contact with these things (this is by no means an exhaustive list): 

• Avoid plastics, go for natural materials
• don’t microwave food in plastic dishes or especially, plastic wrap, nor microwave in take out food containers. Overtime plastic tupperware and cups break down leaching endocrine disruptors. If you must use plastic, replace them often and recycle what you can.
• Store food in ceramic, glass or stainless steel
• Do not use styrofoam cups or bowls, especially not with hot beverages or soups
• Avoid canned goods unless cans are BPA-free
• Avoid BPA and BPS (bisphenol-A)
• Avoid using pesticides & herbicides especially any containing glyphosate or atrazine
• Avoid rodenticides, fungicides in or near your home
• Avoid using fertilizer especially the “weed and feed” varieties
• Avoid personal and skin care products that contain heavy metals, antimicrobial ingredients, triclosan, parabens, ethylene, bromine, toulene, glycol ethers, pretty much avoid anything whose ingredient list contains long words you can’t pronouce nor recognize.
• Avoid phthalates, PVC, vinyl, soft plastic especially in products you hold
• Avoid Heavy metals: Mercury, Lead, Arsenic…
• Beware of and limit contact with Goretex and Teflon (PFOA)
• Avoid as much as possible products containing flame retardants
• Avoid MSG, soy sauce, GMOs, and artificial colors, artificial flavors,
• Be wary of over using sunscreen and chemical fragrances, air fresheners Check to see if yours is safe: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep
• Cell phones and laptops, as well as keyboard and our little mouses are all wrapped in plastic and probably flame retardants and underneath those shiny plastics are lots of heavy metals and some other stuff that could certainly be classified as endocrine disruptors
• Wash your hands with soap and water, toss the hand sanitizer.

If you want to give your adrenal system a rest and help it renew (this will in turn give you great energy and less fatigue):

For at least one week avoid:

• Caffeine, Coffee
• Sugar, that includes all refined or artificial sugar
• Soda Pop
• High fructose corn syrup
• Alcohol
• Cigarettes or drugs
• White flour, bread, processed and junk food
• Cookies, candy, sweets

Instead indulge in:

1. Fresh organic veges and fruits
2. Fresh vege and fruit juice (pressed or run through juicer)–note fresh juice more than a few hours old loses natural enzymes and goodies. You want more enzymes so the fresher the better!
3. Organic brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, and millet
4. Lots of fresh water (not tap unless you have reverse osmosis at your faucet)
5. Organic herbal teas (made also with good water).
6. Get new fresh organic herbs and braggs liquid aminos to spice up your organic whole grain rice
7. Lots of fresh organic herbs, the greener the better, they help cleanse heavy metals and gook out
8. Fresh homemade vegetable soups and bone broths
9. Wholesome cooking using meats and eggs that are free of hormones, antibiotics and steroid free– in other words, not from factory farms.
10. NonrBGH yogurt
11. Kombucha and sauerkraut (these things help purge the chemicals and GMOs out of your body)

A votre santé