There has been a lot of talk about oestrogen dominance lately in the health and wellness space – and for good reason – it's time to start balancing our hormones!
Oestrogen dominance is becoming more and more common in the modern world. Ooestrogen dominance occurs when the body is producing too much oestrogen or is low in progesterone which means oestrogen levels are high in comparison – and the body struggles to clear all of this excess oestrogen.
What does Oestrogen Dominance look like:
In men, this condition displays itself with symptoms of:
- "Man boobs” - softer tissue or inflammation around your chest and armpits which give the appearance of breasts.
- Increased body fat in the upper chest and obliques.
- Longterm associated risk of prostate cancer. If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is likely you are also Oestrogen dominant.
While for females, you'll experience:
- Weight gain, especially around the hips and stomach
- Early or heavy menses
- Increased pain and premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Irregular cycles
- Polycystic ovary syndrome*
- Infertilityndometriosis*
- Endometriosis*
- Early menopause... among others.
Oestrogen dominance may arise due to environmental toxins, increased stresses, the oral contraceptive pill, menopause and numerous other lifestyle factors.
Our exposure to everyday environmental toxins and chemicals is now higher than ever. Why is this? One reason is, unbeknown to many, these toxins are hiding in many of our household cleaners, body care products and other regular use items, which are then absorbed by our body.
And while our liver is an incredible detoxifier, it requires adequate nutrients to do this! Because of the pace of modern living, liver loading substances such as caffeine and alcohol, and the sheer amount of toxins we’re now exposed to, our liver struggles to keep up.
What can we do about an oestrogen dominance imbalance?
On top of ensuring our nutrient levels are optimal, we can start with simply reducing our exposure to everyday toxins where we can.
In this blog I’m going to look at some unlikely environmental toxins and chemicals we’re getting exposed to every day in our very own homes, talk about how they impact your hormone balance and finish up with 10 simple tips to support you in low-toxing your life!
What do we mean by environmental toxins?
The term environmental toxins refers to the total amount of toxic chemicals in your body at a given time, or the amount of a single chemical, for example, arsenic, lead, mercury, or heavy metals to name just a few. They are called this because we are exposed to these chemicals through our personal environment.
These toxins come from the way we live our day-to-day lives. What we eat, our water, our air, our cleaning products, our makeup, sunscreen, plastic containers, building materials, and about a million other places.
Our immune systems is also impacted by toxins, which helps to explain rampant increases in autoimmune conditions, inflammatory diseases, skin problems, and even cardiovascular disease.
Our exposure to environmental toxins is one of the biggest challenges we face in the modern world. The good news is there are some simple and easy swaps you can make to improve your health.
1. Toothpaste
Why is it toxic?
We probably don’t think very much about the toothpaste we use. After all it’s a tiny dollop twice a day that leaves us with minty fresh breath. However, our mouths are actually one of the most absorbent places on our body. This is why lots of medicines are administered under the tongue!
Conventional toothpaste contains chemicals such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), which gives toothpaste its foaming properties. However, this substance has been proven to be carcinogenic, and it can interfere with your taste buds. Toothpaste also contains Propylene - the same chemical used in deodorant - fluoride and artificial sweeteners.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
The same as deodorant, you can make your own toothpaste. This recipe from Dr. Mercola contains only natural ingredients. However, you can also buy fluoride, artificial sweetener and SLS- free toothpaste from your local health food store. We love local NZ brands Red Seal and Grin Toothpaste.
2. Fresh produce
Why is it toxic?
There is some controversy over whether organic foods are more nutritious than conventional foods. However, from a toxic load point of view, there is no doubt conventional sprays, pesticides and conventional farming methods expose us to chemicals, herbicides, antibiotics and hormones from fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
The simple swap is to replace your conventional produce, meat and dairy items to organic options. We understand that budgets prohibit a lot of us from eating the gold standard. However, there is a scale of improvements you can still make.
An easy place to start with selecting which produce to purchase organic when you’re on a budget is the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen, which is a list of the most contaminated foods, as determined by the Environmental Working Group.
If you can’t afford to buy all your meat, dairy and produce organic prioritise meat and dairy as conventionally raised animals store their own toxins in fat which we then ingest. If organic is out of reach, opt for free range, hormone free suppliers.
With regards to produce, organic is definitely best. However, spending your money on spray-free produce at a local farmer’s market will still reduce your exposure to these toxins and is a great starting point! It will also ensure you are eating seasonal produce, which is always more nutrient dense and reduces the carbon footprint of produce traveling to us for purchase. A double win.
3. Deodorant
Why is it toxic?
Deodorant is the one that surprises most clients. We don’t really think to give it much thought other than to ensure we’re wearing it for our comfort and those around us. But, deodorant contains many chemicals which can adversely affect our health. The main problem lies with aluminium, parabens and propylene.
High levels of aluminium in the blood have been linked to increased rates of breast cancer, decreased bone density and Alzheimer's.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
The solution is to switch to a natural deodorant free from these chemicals. You can have a go at making your own using this recipe from nourishingsimplicity.org or you can purchase natural, effective chemical and aluminium free deodorant – Commonsense Organics has a great range!
4. Sunscreen
Why is it toxic?
Our skin is our largest organ. It’s also the only barrier we have between us and the outside world. What we put on it is crucial. I have a saying I use with clients. “If it’s on your skin, it’s in your bloodstream”.
Conventional sunscreens work by using chemicals to block the sun’s rays. These chemicals might work on the sun, but they have an adverse effect on your hormones and endocrine system.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
We recommend a natural, chemical free sunscreen. We use Oasis Organic Sunscreen because it is organic, paraben-free and made using naturopathic principles without preservatives and chemical UV absorbers.
5. Skin care products
Why is it toxic?
When you were applying your lipstick in the morning I bet you didn’t think you were wiping lead on your mouth? Did you know approximately 60% of lipsticks contain lead? Scary isn’t it? But the truth is, most commercial cosmetics are laden with heavy metals and other toxic ingredients.
Similarly, other personal care products contain parabens and other toxic ingredients.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
When choosing makeup, choose a mineral foundation powder or research some natural beauty care product brands. The female members of the BePure team love Karen Murrell a New Zealand makeup artist for her range natural, lead-free lipsticks!
For moisturisers, toners and cleansers we also love Tailor Skincare and Herb Farm.
Learn to read labels and avoid ingredients known to be especially harmful. For more information and resources, including companies with clean ingredients and eco-friendly policies – and those to avoid check out SafeComestics.org.
6. Pots and pans
Why is it toxic?
Non-stick cookware has become increasingly popular as our lives have gotten busier. The logic is if we can save time on washing up, it can help us in other areas of our lives. Except that we are exposing ourselves to toxic chemicals each time we use these everyday kitchen items.
The problem is compounded because we are often in such a rush we don’t use non-stick cookware properly. They were never designed to be used over high heat. Robert L. Wolke, Ph.D., a professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained, says when they are used at high heats, the coating may begin to break down (at the molecular level, so you wouldn't necessarily see it), and toxic particles and gases, some of them carcinogenic, can be released.
Wolke is quoted in Good Housekeeping magazine as saying "there's a whole chemistry set of compounds that will come off when Teflon is heated high enough to decompose. Many of these are fluorine-containing compounds, which as a class are generally toxic." But fluoropolymers, the chemicals from which these toxic compounds come, are a big part of the coating formula — and the very reason that foods don't stick to nonstick.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
Switch to cast iron cookware and stainless steel pots.
Cast iron when looked after well (no detergent or washing liquid) and are seasoned with salt and oil are largely non-stick, can be used at any heat and create delicious textures on the outside of meats and vegetables.
You can also use your BBQ hot plate - especially handy in summer. There are a huge number of cast iron skillets and frying pans available, including in chain homeware stores.
7. Drink bottles
Why is it toxic?
The problem with drinking from plastic bottles is that the plastic leaches chemicals like pcb’s dioxins, which are xeno-estrogenic and mimic oestrogen in your body.
When your body’s oestrogen levels are too high it blocks the oestrogen receptor sites, which then means your body essentially becomes insulin resistant, making it very difficult for your body to lose fat. When this happens you become oestrogen dominant.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
The simple swap is to drink water out or glass or stainless steel bottles. There are lots of great brands making eco-friendly water bottles but you can also re-use glass jars or glass water bottles from the supermarket. It doesn’t have to be expensive!
8. Food containers, cling wraps and tupperware
Why is it toxic?
The way we store our food has the same problems as water bottles. Plastic containers and food wraps contain BPA, PCB dioxins and chemicals that leech from the plastic over time, especially when heated. But all of us put plastic containers in hot cars, bags and the dishwasher, right?!
Avoiding plastics can be harder than you think. Here are several sources of plastic you might not have thought about
- Tinned food - Most tins these days are lined with plastic.
- Teflon - This is a plastic, so think about your non-stick frying pans.
- Boxed wine - The plastic bladder breaks down from the acidity of wine.
- Kettles - When the hot water boils plastic particles seep into your water
... and the list could go on
How to remove these toxins from your life?
Swap your plastic containers for glass or stainless steel. For a cheap alternative, you can reuse glass jars or mason jars for storage or you can purchase specialty lunchboxes from eco-friendly brands such as Planet Box or Lunchbots.
9. Water
Why is it toxic?
Most of our diets and lifestyles are slightly more acidic, which can contribute whole bunch of different functions within the body dysfunction, like the digestive system and kidney function for example, so the best water to drink is pure, mineralised and slightly alkaline.
For most people, we do not recommend drinking tap water as most tap water is going to have chlorine and fluoride, and both of these can be problematic.
Chlorine is basically a mild bleach that has a bad taste and has been put in water to kill any bad bacteria. When you start drinking a lot of it, it starts killing the bacteria in your mouth and gut.
Fluoride blocks iodine in the body. We have 72 pathways of iodine in the body that are vital to our health, therefore anywhere fluoride is blocking iodine will be causing you some serious issues.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
For most people, we recommend a water filter that removes the chlorine and reduces the fluoride, adds minerals and slightly alkalises your water. Ionza have some great options for water filters.
10. Household cleaners
Why is it toxic?
What we clean our homes with leaves residues on all our surfaces. These particles also get into our clothes and bedding meaning we ingest, breathe, and absorb them. Using conventional cleaners such as spray'n'wipe, mr. muscle or other products with parabens and carcinogens expose us to some very harsh chemicals and toxins.
The easiest way to resolve this is to switch to chemical-free, natural brands of household cleaners. Even large supermarket chains are carrying eco-friendly cleaning products by companies such as Ecostore.
How to remove these toxins from your life?
For a thrifty tip, you can also use pantry-staple items such as vinegar, baking soda and lemon to clean your dishes and surfaces.
Plain baking soda works well in your dishwasher and adding vinegar to hot water will clean your benches without streaks. Who knew?!
Our Low-Tox Challenge
As you can see, it’s easy to make simple swaps to slowly improve your toxic load. As a challenge we want you to choose one item from the list above to swap out for a low-tox option.
Maybe you buy a glass water bottle and stop using plastic. Maybe you want to try using a natural cleaning alternative or eco brand. Or maybe you could switch the sunscreen you’re using while the days are hot outside.
Whatever it is know that every small change you make adds up. Not just for your own personal health equation, but for those around you and the environment.
