Cleaning products — Commercial solutions used to clean your floors, toilets, oven, windows and more typically contain industrial chemicals that may throw your hormones out of whack. May attack some plastics, rubber and coatings (NTP, 1992). They’re produced most often as a result of industrial activities. Heated storage is not normally required. Namely, lead disrupts the hormone signaling that regulates your body’s major stress system (also called the HPA axis). Because he was trained under the conventional medical model, he treated patients using prescription drugs during his first years of private practice and was actually a paid speaker for drug companies. Humans are typically exposed through direct contact and general environmental contamination. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to which chemicals are disrupting your endocrine system. They have been linked to a number of diseases and disorders, such as lower sperm count in men and low psychomotor scores in babies in utero.[2]. It would also be wise to wash your hands after handling receipts and currency, and avoid handling them particularly if you've just put on lotion or have any other greasy substance on your hands, as this may increase your exposure. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are similar in structure to natural hormones such as the female sex hormone estrogen, the male sex hormone androgen and thyroid hormones, which allow them to interfere with development,1 reproduction, neurological functioning, metabolism, satiety and your immune system function, and much more.2, For example, they may block certain hormonal signals, alter your hormone levels, or change the way your natural hormones travel through your body. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the ubiquity of EDCs. Also, like other organic solvents, glycol ethers can dissolve your skin's natural protective oils, causing dryness, redness, flaking, cracking, and dermatitis (skin rash). Methoxyethanol is an E-series glycol ether derived from methanol and ethylene oxide. BPA can trick the body into thinking it’s estrogen, an important sex hormone. 10 Common Routes of EDC Exposure and How to Avoid Them. Project Panel on Glycol Ethers, J. P Lyon (ICI Americas) described the Toxicology Research Task Group'stestingprogram. The modern world is full of toxic compounds. BPA is a chemical that’s added to many commercial products. You can also check out his Facebook page for more timely natural health updates. They are so widespread that they’re used in everything from TVs to mattresses. A diagnosis of cancer can trigger intense emotions and leave us paralyzed with fear. Finally, because receipts are often stored next to paper currency in people's wallets, paper currency may also be contaminated with BPA. It’s important to remember, though, that not all plastics contain BPA. In short, the evidence is only getting stronger, showing that exposure to EDCs in the environment can have significant health effects for both children and adults, and that these effects can be further transmitted to future generations. But arsenic is a toxin sometimes found in food and drinking water. EDCs can throw off your endocrine system in a number of ways. Avoid by: Buying and eating organic produce and grass fed animal products to minimize exposure to endocrine-disrupting pesticides, herbicides and veterinary drugs. Hazards. Most glycol ethers are easily absorbed through your skin; thus, skin contact can be the major route of exposure. Disruption in the glucocorticoid system has been linked to weight fluctuations, immunosuppression, insulin resistance, and osteoporosis. May be incompatible with strong acids and with strong bases. It is a component in rocket fuel, explosives, fireworks, and road flares. How to avoid glycol ethers: Since glycol ethers are so prevalent, it’s hard to avoid them completely. Dr. Mercola authored two New York Times Bestsellers, The Great Bird Flu Hoax and The No-Grain Diet. PFOA in particular has been linked to decreased sperm quality, low birth weight, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and cancers.[10]. Any other Mattress alternatives due to Latex allergy? Farmed fish (the "CAFOS of the sea") also tend to be higher in contaminants and are better off avoided. A 2015 article in Investigate West also addressed this issue, and includes a guide to how many meals per week you can safely eat based on any given seafood’s contamination level. As useful as glycol ethers are, a tremendous amount of effort goes into the safe production and handling of these chemicals. Particles are easily inhaled through crumbling old paint, so wear a mask if you’re doing home renovation. As with many other solvents, appropriate precautions should be employed to minimize dermal and eye contact and to avoid prolonged or repeated exposures to high vapor concentrations. Below, you’ll learn more about the endocrine system and why endocrine disruptors pose significant risk to your health and wellness. He founded the website Mercola.com to share his own health experiences and spread the word about natural ways to achieve optimal health. They have relatively low vapor pressures. Crops are sprayed with man-made pesticides to keep pests away. In 1997, Dr. Mercola integrated his passion for natural health with modern technology via the Internet. BPA is found in plastic baby bottles and epoxy resins which are used as inner linings in canned foods to ensure the metal can doesn’t corrode. It has been linked to the proliferation of breast cancer cells and is often associated with obesity, heart disease, and early puberty onset.[1]. She is no longer seeing clients directly. Dioxins disrupt the delicate ways that both male and female sex hormones communicate in the body. When you think of hormones, you might think about a bad outbreak of acne when you were a teenager. Modify the body’s sensitivity to hormones. ", What’s more, since hormones operate at parts per million and parts per billion concentrations, the Endocrine Society warns there may be no safe level of exposure for many EDCs,5 and that the health effects are so great everyone needs to take proactive steps to avoid them — especially those seeking to get pregnant, pregnant women and young children.6, Strong Evidence Supports Warnings to Avoid EDCs, Commenting on the publication of its first scientific statement7,8 on EDCs in 2009, the Endocrine Society noted that:9. These effects include dizziness, headache, confusion, fatigue, disorientation, slurred speech and (if severe enough) respiratory depression and loss of consciousness. When lead affects your body’s ability to deal with stress, you’re more susceptible to immune function impairment, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression. The safest way to avoid exposure is to avoid products with ingredients such as 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME). Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used to create nonstick, stain-resistant and water-repellant surfaces are also toxic and highly persistent, both in your body and in the environment. Avoid by: Handling such products with care and minimize your exposure as much as possible. Glycol ethers are found in cleaning sprays and liquid soaps. They’re in our air and our soil. Cash register receipts — Thermal paper typically contains BPA, and research shows handling this type of paper is enough to increase the BPA level in your body. The major endocrine gland include your: Each gland is responsible for producing different hormones. 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