Xenoestrogens: Fake, Toxic, Hormone-Disruptors
Have you heard the term “xenoestrogens” before? If they haven’t been on your radar yet, they will be now. Xenoestrogens (pronounced “zenoestrogens”), are synthetic forms of estrogen we encounter on a daily basis, that increase estrogen and replace our natural, healthy estrogens in the body.
They contribute to estrogen dominance, which is a main player in weight gain, PMS, menopausal symptoms, mood issues, infertility, thyroid problems, estrogen-related cancers and more. Xenoestrogens have even been termed “obesegenic chemicals”, linked to obesity and weight gain.
Where Are Xenoestrogens Found?
Xenoestrogens are found in some surprising places, including plastics, like water bottles and tupperware containers, skin care products, tap water, the lining of cans, cash register receipts and microplastics have even been found in salt!
How To Reduce Your Exposure
Reducing your exposure to synthetic estrogens is important if you’re trying to balance your hormones and lose weight.
Here are some great places to start:
Stop drinking from plastic water bottles and invest in a water filter and a good quality stainless steel water bottle.
Invest in glass or stainless steel meal prep containers and faze out your plastic tupperware.
Avoid take out containers as much as possible, as they’re lined with BPA.
Switch your make up, which is loaded with hormone-disrupting chemicals, to more natural options.
Throw your perfume out. I’m serious! It’s full of estrogen mimicking, hormone wrecking chemicals. Opt for quality essential oils instead.
Get rid of toxic candles and air fresheners — yesterday!!!
Buy non-toxic cleaners or make your own with lemon and vinegar.
How to Detox From Xenoestrogens
Cleanse Your Liver
Since your liver is your body’s primary filter, it’s able to naturally detoxify your body, but it needs quite a bit of attention to ensure it’s working optimally. The liver is also responsible for thyroid hormone conversion, detoxing harmful estrogens and keeping our skin clear and healthy.
We can support our liver through eating a whole food, nutrient-dense diet, avoiding refined sugars and oils, eating plenty of healthy fats, vegetables and fibre and drinking enough pure water. We can also support it through specific herbs and supplements, such as milk thistle, curcumin, sulfurophanes from broccoli and more. If you’re struggling to lose weight or regulate your hormones, your liver will absolutely need support. Check out this article for more ways to support your liver.
Focus On Improving Digestion
Your gut bacteria help metabolize and breakdown the foods you eat to nourish your body and help move hormones out of your body. If your digestion is too slow (aka you’re not having at least 2 BMs a day), have imbalances in gut bacteria, or reduced gastric juices, your ability to detox is impaired and slowed (especially with hypothyroidism).
This leads to the build up of toxins, including ones that can interfere with our hormones like xenoestrogens, while increasing inflammation and causing our gut microbes to be thrown off balance further. Balancing your gut microbiome with proper diet, supplements and reducing stress can help your body deal with chemical stressors so much easier!
Eat More Detoxifying Foods
Food is truly medicine and it can support - or inhibit - our bodies natural detoxification processes! Foods that can be really beneficial for those working on balancing their hormones and detoxifying excess estrogens include: cooked cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Other foods like beets, dandelion greens and tea, ginger, turmeric, kale, garlic and onions are also great options.
Avoiding fake, toxin-filled foods are just as important. You’ll want to avoid sugars, refined carbohydrates stripped of nutrients, refined oils, processed meats and cheeses, chemical additives and non-organic foods, which contain high levels of hormone disrupting pesticides.
Let’s heal your hormones together! Contact us today to get started.
Asher Kleiber
Registered Holistic Nutritionist™
