Source :Katolen Yardley, Medical Herbalist
| www.katolenyardley.com
Member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists
Xenoestrogens and Your Health
For many years scientists have been studying
the impact that enviro ... read full comment
Source :Katolen Yardley, Medical Herbalist
| www.katolenyardley.com
Member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists
Xenoestrogens and Your Health
For many years scientists have been studying
the impact that environmental chemicals and
toxins have on reproductive he
alth. Many chemicals currently in use throughout the world have
potent effects on reproductive health, in addi
tion to long term toxic and cancer promoting
effects. Humans are never exposed to only one ch
emical; in contrast, every time we come into
contact with toxins and chemicals they are ab
sorbed into our bodies and are never fully
eliminated. Sadly safety analysis conducted on th
ese chemicals are typically done on one single
chemical at a time and do not investigate th
e cumulative impact numerous chemicals have in
our bodies over many years. Chemicals found in
our workplace, foods vehicles and homes can
have a cumulative impact on reproductive health in both men and women.
Another result of our industrialized society is
the over abundance of toxic chemicals being used
in daily use in our food and environment. The Au
gust 1990 edition of the Alive Magazine states
that in the last 30 years food additives have increased 1000%. New chemicals, preservatives
and toxic substances are being produced in atte
mpt to further benefit our instant society. Our
attempt to over control nature has created pe
sticides and herbicides, the desire to have
perfect looking (non bug bitten, and not wilting
produce) longer lasting food and byproducts
from the plastic industry...Xenoestrogens.
Xenoestrogens. Xeno literally means
foreign
, so xenoestrogens refers
to ‘foreign estrogens,’
concentrated
endocrine disrupting chemicals, which are found in our food, soil and air.
Xenoestrogens are capable of mimicking our body
’s estrogen hormone, attaching to estrogen
receptors in our bodies. These estrogen mimickers interfere with our bodies’ natural
circulating estrogens; disrupt
hormone balance and menstrual cycles, affect prostate health,
contribute to problems with fibroids, endome
triosis, uterine cysts, and polycystic ovary
syndrome and can damage ova and sperm. Many
Xenoestrogens activate the CYP-lBl enzyme,
which convert our bodies naturally
occurring estrogens to 4 catechols, a toxic estrogen that can
damage the bodies DNA and increase the risk of
developing cancer, inc
luding breast cancer.
Dioxins, PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls),
and DDT (dichlordopheny
ltrichloroethane), all
chlorinated products, chemicals present in pesticides, fertilizers, plastics, electrical
equipment, waste incineration, bleach and clea
ning solutions are all
known xenoestrogens.
These products are not biodegradable and remain
in our environment for long periods of time,
over time moving their way up the food chain;
eventually many are consumed by larger animals
and humans. Animals have been suffering reproductive problems for years, and problems are
the worst in areas where pollution is the highest.
Individuals in certain occupations are more likely to come into contact with and absorb heavy
metals and toxins: carpenters, auto mechanics,
photographers, staff in the clothing and textile
industry, workers involved in manufacturing
synthetic hormones, labo
ratory technicians,
commercial fisherman, painters, furniture workers, dentists, farmers administering hormones
to livestock, electrical workers, potters and radi
ologists may be more at risk than individuals in
other occupations. As much as possible minimiz
e your contact with environmental chemicals.
Common chemicals linked to sperm abnormalitie
s and low sperm count, irregular menstrual
cycles, abnormal ovulation, decreased size of ovaries and increased risk of miscarriage
include:
•
Organophosphates: frequently found in our environment.
•
Aluminum and formaldehydes
•
Benzene: a petroleum byproduct, found in
rubber, lubricants, detergents, pesticides, plastics, nylon, synthetic fibers
, resins, car exhaust, and dyes.
High levels of Benzene have
been found in the air surrounding gas stations and hazardous waste stations.
•
Synthetic estrogen: found in birth
control and fertility medication
•
Chlorine found in chemically treated water in
pools, showers, drinking water and hot tubs.
•
Lead: found in lead based paints, leaded gaso
line, hair colors, tap water and batteries
•
Mercury: found in batteries, dental amalgam fillings and fish such as northern pike, trout
and walleye can be suspect for high levels of mercury.
•
Nitrous oxide gas, a common anesthetic freq
uently used in surgery and dentistry.
•
Xylene, a petroleum by product, commonly used
as a solvent in printing, rubber, paints and
paint thinners and varnishes.
•
Pesticides: have been a health concern for deca
des; present in the air, our food and water
supply, pesticides have been implicated in re
productive damage and fetal damage in both
animals and humans.
•
Nonylphenols: found in the breakdown of
surfactants in dishwashing detergent and
spermicides in condoms, diaphr
agm jellies and vaginal gels.
•
Organochlorines, a family of organic chemical
s which have chlorine atoms within their
molecular structure, used throughout the world
as insecticides, such as DDT and industrial
chemicals like PCB’s and found in PVC and
spermicidal contracept
ives and lubricants.
Organichlorines do no
t break down once they are released into the environment and
eventually make their way up the food chain
to be found in both human and animal fats;
they are extremely toxic and potentially carc
inogenic. Organichlorines are also estrogen
mimickers, attaching to estrogen receptors in the body; they are implicated in
endometriosis, estrogen dependent health diso
rders, lowered sperm counts, ovarian failure
and affect the function of the liver. Liver da
mage can also increase estrogen levels by
inhibiting excess hormones from being eliminated from the body.
Ways to decrease the impact of environmenta
l estrogens, xenoestrogens, on your health:
•
Whenever possible store leftovers in glass
or ceramic containers instead of plastic.
Avoid the use of the microwave to reheat food and especially do not microwave foods
after being stored in Tupperware or covered with saran wrap, instead reheat in a pot
on the stove.
•
Choose biodegradable cleaning and laundry de
tergents or pick up a book on making
your own non-toxic cleaning products at home
. Do not use products
containing chlorine
bleach in cleaning.
•
Avoid the use of fabric softeners, which place petrochemicals directly in contact with
the skin.
•
Buy hormone free/ non-medicated meats or wild game (which is not treated with
chemicals or antibiotics).
Do not eat farmed fish.
•
Purchase "organic" locally grown produce, free from pesticides, herbicides, chemical
sprays or synthetic fertilizers or soak pr
oduce in a biodegradable vegetable wash for
10-15 minutes before consuming which may remove small amounts of chemicals from
the produce.
•
Educate yourself about forms of natural pest
control; remove all pe
sticides, herbicides,
fungicides from your home, including insect
repellants and weed killers for the lawn.
•
Select unbleached recycled paper to use at the office or in your home.
•
Purchase unbleached tampons
and menstrual pads made with organic cotton and
ensure they are free from surfactants, rayo
n and fragrance. (The FDA detected dioxins
and dozens of other substances in conventional tampons.
•
Use essential oils and citronella lamps as insect repellants instead of toxic pesticides.
•
Avoid condoms that contain
the spermicide nonoxyl-9 that breaks down into nonylphenol, a xenoestrogen.
•
Avoid drinking tap water containing chlorine and other chemicals. Instead drink reverse
osmosis bottled water. Consider investing in a filter for the shower to remove the
chlorine, which is readily
absorbed through the skin.
•
Don’t let your child chew on plastic toys.
•
Choose non-bleached paper products including:
coffee filters, paper, napkins and toilet
tissue. The EPA has determined that using bl
eached coffee filters alone can result in a
lifetime exposure to dioxins that exc
eed acceptable risk
Ekow Samuel - Paris. 9 years ago
You have to to clean your house, but very careful for not harm anyone, and it is good.
You have to to clean your house, but very careful for not harm anyone, and it is good.
Source :Katolen Yardley, Medical Herbalist
| www.katolenyardley.com
Member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists
Xenoestrogens and Your Health
For many years scientists have been studying
the impact that enviro ...
read full comment
You have to to clean your house, but very careful for not harm anyone, and it is good.