Endocrine disruptors have been in the news a lot in recent years. And for good reason, they are responsible for many dysfunctions. Discover in the following lines, what are xenoestrogens, these chemical molecules present everywhere in your environment and which can cause you many problems...
Xenoestrogens: origin of the word
Xenoestrogens come from xeno, which means foreign, and estrogens, which are female sex hormones. The xenoesgtrogens are therefore female hormones coming from outside the organism. They can come from plants qualified as phytoestrogens or of synthetic origin. It is these (with the exception of the contraceptive pill) that we will refer to throughout this article.
Xenoestrogens, where are they found?
Everyone is affected by xenoestrogens. Absolutely everyone: men, women and children as long as you consume "conventional", use cosmetics not labeled organic, plastic containers to store your food and / or household products and unnatural perfumes.
Xenoestrogens are everywhere in your environment
Indeed, food from so-called conventional agriculture and livestock farming whose crops are sprayed with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other phytosanitary products as well as animal products and by-products from livestock systematically treated with antibiotics and fed GMO grains, themselves contaminated by these same aforementioned substances, expose you to the risk of ingesting this xenohormone.
It is the same when you apply creams or deodorant not labeled ecocert or organic quality: the molecules from petrochemicals (parabens for the most known) cross the skin barrier to spread throughout the body and cause the effects that we will expose below.
Concerning the plastic of food containers such as baby bottles, meal boxes, bottles, etc., the molecules present on the walls migrate into the food, especially when in contact with heat. You ingest them without even realizing it...
Finally, not only can the chemical compounds in household products pass the skin barrier, but the fumes are also inhaled. "It smells clean" sure, but at what cost to your health and that of your family?
Synthetic xenoestrogens: fearsome endocrine disruptors on the reproductive system
The endocrine disruptors are molecules that, as the name suggests, disrupt hormone function. There are several of them but the ones we are interested in in this article are the xenoestrogens. The input of estrogen amplifies the effects of those already naturally present in the body that can be responsible for a malformation of the reproductive system in utero, early puberty in young girls, risks of declaring hormone-dependent cancer and in men, this can result in a decrease in fertility with an alteration of spermatogenesis.
Water contamination
A few years ago, a report had pointed out that some rivers were contaminated by thepresence of estrogens provided either by phytosanitary products or the contraceptive pill, which, for information, is evacuated through urine and can not be filtered or treated by treatment plants ... The result was that the vast majority of fish became female. An ecological catastrophe was announced...
But then, how do you do it?
Despite the alarmist tone of this article, I want you to realize that you have the power as consumers and especially as individuals to make things happen.
There are small strategies you can implement on a daily basis that are simple and some are inexpensive. Your efforts will pay off in the short, medium and long term. Your health will thank you, as will the environment.
To do this:
- limit your meat consumption
- give preference to local and quality organic food, or even better, from the garden
- make your own cosmetics and household products: "How to make your own dishwasher tablets, "my organic household, "DIY: natural recipes to make your own household products) or go back to the noise product (Marseille soap, black soap, white vinegar, sodium bicarbonate etc...)
- prefer glass containers
- choose another contraceptive if you can afford it
By choosing to consume "organic" and local, to use "homemade" cosmetics or household products etc... not only are you limiting your exposure to xenoestrogens but you are also sending the message that you refuse synthetic molecules in your environment. Beyond the individualistic act, it is an eco-citizen act.
The French government has taken the decision some time ago to ban Bisphenol A for all food containers. However, at the time of publishing this article, it seems that his replacement is not better... To be continued...
The body's fabulous ability to heal itself
The body is a wonderful machine that, when helped to maintain its homeostasis (internal balance), is capable of many miracles. By adopting the above-mentioned advice, by taking care to do a regular "detox" (twice a year ideally) led and accompanied by a naturopath, you give yourself every chance to have a healthy and serene life.