Household Toxicity:

Environmental Estrogens can be divided into two catagories:  Man Made and Naturally Occurring:

Phytoestrogens – are weak estrogenic compounds found in naturally occurring plants such as soy and black cohosh.  Virtually all plant based foods we eat; grains, seed oils, berries, fruits, vegetables and roots – contain phytoestrogens

Xenoestrogens – are Man Made chemical compounds that mimic the effect of estrogen on the human body.  These estrogen mimickers interfere with our bodies’ natural circulating estrogens and disrupt hormone balance and menstrual cycles, affect prostate and breast health, contribute to problems with endometriosis, fibroid tumors, uterine cysts and polycystic ovarian syndrome.  They also interfere with sperm and ova, thus affecting fertility.

So instead of feeling overtaken by the enormity and pervasiveness of the problem, start making choices to  make changes to things you can control right now.  That would include switching to non-toxic and natural soaps, lotions, cleansers, and all things you use on your body, around your home and in the yard

1. Stop using insecticides, pesticides and chemical lawn-care products. You can find natural, non-xenoestrogenic replacements for these products. Most insecticides and pesticides have xenoestrogenic effects.
2. Stop eating any product that contains BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole). This is a common food preservative found in processed foods and it is a xenoestrogen.
3. Consider switching to organic meats. Many of the hormones used to help turkeys, pigs, chickens and cows grow bigger and faster (and produce more meat) include xenoestrogens. Organic meat does not. This can be a difficult step, as organic meat is extremely expensive compared to meat at traditional, mainstream grocery stores.
4. Don’t heat any food in the microwave in a plastic bowl or with plastic wrap on it. Softer plastics leach xenoestrogens into the food. Use a glass bowl or container, or consider heating food in a stainless-steel pot on the stove top.
5. Avoid PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in paints and oils.
6. Avoid sunscreen that contains 4-MBC, a xenoestrogen.
7. Remove paraben-containing lotion from your routine.