Endocrine disruptors are harmful substances that are found in our food, water, produce and in other products. These chemicals have the ability to disrupt our endogenous hormones and can potentially be detrimental to our health.

They have the ability to:

– Increase or decrease production of certain hormones

– Imitate other hormones

– Convert one hormone into another

– Interfere with hormone signaling

– Command other cells to die prematurely

– Accumulate and take over in organs that produce hormones

As you can see, their effect can be detrimental to health! The good news is, avoiding them is possible if we shop smarter for cleaner produce and chemical free products.

According to the EWG, the following are the worst endocrine disruptors

 BPA (Bisphenol A)

→ this chemical has been linked to breast cancer and other cancers, infertility , early puberty, and          heart disease

How to avoid it?

• By opting for fresh products instead of canned as many cans are lined with BPA
• Avoid plastics labelled with a “PC” (polycarbonate)
• Avoid plastics that are marked with a recycling label #7
• Choose e-mail receipts instead of paper receipts as thermal paper is coated with BPA

 Dioxin

→ They are formed during many industrial processes. They can permanently affect sperm quality and sperm count in men, they’re carcinogenic and can affect the reproductive system.

How to avoid it?

• Difficult to avoid since we have no control over the industrial release into our food supply
• Products most likely contaminated include meat, fish, milk, eggs and butter. We can reduce our exposure by eating fewer animal products

Atrazine

→ toxic herbicide, widely used on corn crops and a common contaminant in our drinking water. It has been linked to breast tumors, delayed puberty, and prostate inflammation and possibly prostate cancer.

How to avoid it?

• Buy organic produce
• Use a drinking water filter certified to remove atrazine. To find the right filter, check EWG’s buying  guide: www.ewg.org/report/ewgs-water-filter-buying-guide/

Perchlorate

→ A component of rocket fuel, contaminates much of our produce and milk. It also causes dysfunction of the thyroid gland

How to avoid it?

• Use a reverse osmosis filter for your drinking water
• Difficult to avoid in food but make sure you’re consuming enough iodine in your diet. One way to do this is by eating iodized salt

Fire Retardants

→ Chemicals known as PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers). They can imitate thyroid hormones in our bodies, and lead to lower IQ, among other things.

How to avoid it?

• Almost impossible but we can minimize exposure by using a vacuum with a HEPA filter
• Avoid reupholstering foam furniture
• Use caution when replacing old carpet, the padding underneath may contain PBDEs

Lead

→ Toxic heavy metal, especially to children. Effects almost every part of the body and has been linked to permanent brain damage, lower IQ, miscarriage, premature birth, kidney issues, elevated blood pressure, and so much more !

How to avoid ?

• Keep your home well-maintained, get rid of crumbling old paint
• Use a good water filter that filters lead

Arsenic

→ Found in food and drinking water. Can cause skin, bladder and lung cancer and can disrupt our hormones.

How to avoid?

• Invest in a good water filter that removes arsenic

Mercury

→ Toxic metal that gets into the air and oceans through burning coal. Pregnant women need to use caution as this can accumulate in the fetal brain and interfere with brain development. It can also cause irregularities in the female menstrual cycle and ovulation. May be linked to diabetes as it can cause damage to cells in the pancreas.

How to avoid?

• If you’re a seafood lover, choose wild salmon (instead of farmed) and farmed trout

PFCs (perfluorinated chemicals)

→ Chemicals often used for non-stick cookware. Can reduce sperm quality, cause low birth weight, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol.

How to avoid?

• Avoid non-stick pans and stain and water-resistant coatings on clothes, furniture and carpets

Organophosphate Pesticides

→ Neurotoxic compounds, most commonly used pesticides today. They have been linked with lowering testosterone, altering thyroid, altering brain development, behavior and fertility.

How to avoid them?

• Buy organic produce. Use the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. It’s available at: www.ewg.org/foodnews/

Glycol Ethers

→ Chemical solvents commonly found in paint, cleaning products, brake fluid and cosmetics. They can cause fertility issues, blood abnormalities, and lower sperm count. Kids exposed to these chemicals from paint in their rooms are at higher risk of developing asthma and allergies.

How to avoid?

• Avoid products with ingredients like 2-butoxyethaniol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME)