A recent by Anna Magee for the Daily Mail discuessed how xenoestrogens, mimic the hormone oestrogen and can cause oestrogen dominance, that are found in plastics, cosmetics, sanitary products, till receipts and even tap water can lead to hot sweats, grumpiness or dreaded fat around the tummy, sabotaging our efforts to to eat, exercise and de-stress, and lead to unbalanced hormones in middle age.

As the article points out, these toxins can lead to middle-aged spread, reproductive issues and cancer.

In the lead-up to menopause, most women have oestrogen dominance because they are beginning to run low on ripe eggs. So the brain sends signals to the ovaries to step up oestrogen production…

Difficulty losing weight is the most common symptom of oestrogen dominance. The condition promotes insulin resistance, which is when your cells become unresponsive to insulin [a hormone that processes glucose from food]. So you store fat no matter what, especially around the waist…

– Dr Sara Gottfried, author of books The Hormone Cure and new book ‘Younger’.

So, what can you do?

The Daily Mail article says identify the sources of fake oestrogen in your life and take simple steps to detox from them . . .

WATER BOTTLES & OTHER PLASTICS

‘Chemicals in plastics behave like oestrogen in our systems when they reach our bloodstream,’ says Dr Channa Jayasena, a consultant in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London.

The chief offender is something called BPA, found in plastic containers, water bottles and linings for tinned foods and drinks; a 2016 study found that two out of three canned foods tested positive for the substance.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says there are laws in place that limit levels of BPA. But as more information emerges about the danger, European authorities are re-evaluating the situation.

And, while you might have seen plastic products marketed as ‘BPA-free’, alarmingly the chemicals that are replacing BPA, known as BPS and BPF, may be just as dangerous.

One study found exposure to BPS could increase the aggressiveness of breast cancer, while another paper that reviewed 32 studies on the subject discovered that all three chemicals were hormone disruptors, linked to problems such as weight gain and reproductive issues.

How To Detox: ‘Heat, microwave use, dishwasher use or leaving a plastic water bottle in the sun can all release these chemicals,’ says Dr Gottfried, so avoid microwaving your food with cling film over it or while it’s in plastic containers.

‘Use stainless steel water bottles where you can, cook and store food in glass, ceramic or stainless steel and use glass or microwave-safe ceramics for microwaving.’

If you must use plastic containers, don’t heat them up. Try to avoid tinned food, or first rinse the food you do eat from them.

UNFILTERED TAP WATER, FRUIT & VEG

You may think that glugging water and eating fruit and vegetables is the surefire route to health. But, according to Dr Jayasena, thanks to chemicals used in farming, even these can be sources of fake oestrogens.

And avoiding them is a bit like a game of whack-a-mole: just as one is banned, another pops up.

So while DDT, a pesticide with proven hormone-disrupting effects, is illegal, glyphosate, found in common garden fertilisers, is still commonly available in garden centres and supermarkets, even though it has similar effects and has been linked to breast cancer and obesity.

And glyphosate is just one of many pesticides still used in Britain that are made from chemicals with endocrine-disrupting effects, the residue of which remain on the skin of fruit and veg and leech into our tap water and rivers. In fact, shocking new research shows that thanks to this, one in five male fish in our fresh water rivers now shows ‘feminised traits’, and some are even producing eggs.

How To Detox: Drink filtered water, suggests Dr Gottfried. Carbon filters such as Brita use carbon to absorb impurities and contaminants and they are cheap — its Fill & Go bottle (£15.99, argos.co.uk) is also free of BPA, BPS and BPF.

Reverse osmosis filters can remove more chemicals but must be fitted to your taps and can be expensive (about £200 from uk-water-filters.co.uk).

Nutritional therapist, Daniel O’Shaughnessy, director of Bodhimaya Health Centre (bodhimaya.com), says you can help remove pesticides from the skin of fruit and vegetables by soaking them in water and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or using a product such as Veggie Wash (from health food stores) before cooking.

You can also check websites such as the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) for their ‘dirty dozen’ and ‘clean fifteen’ — a list of fruit and vegetables that are most and least contaminated with pesticides, respectively.

TILL RECEIPTS AND NAPKINS

Think again next time you use your credit card. ‘The shiny coating on till receipts is giving you a dose of BPA every time you touch it,’ says Dr Gottfried.

In fact, France is seeking an EU-wide ban on till receipts containing BPA and many there are now marked as BPA-free.

Such insidious sources of synthetic oestrogens contribute to your overall toxic load, increasing your risk of oestrogen dominance, says Dr Gottfried.

Other paper sources of synthetic oestrogens include sanitary towels and tampons, which contain xenoestrogens called dioxins (these have been linked to fertility, immune issues and endometriosis) and table napkins, which may also be coated in BPA.

How To Detox: Try to go receipt-free, suggests Dr Gottfried.

Look for organic or dioxin-free sanitary napkins and tampons that have not been bleached or dyed, such as those from Natracare (from health food stores).

Opt for unbleached, uncoated table napkins such as those by Vegware (vegware.com) or use cloth serviettes instead.

DENTAL FILLINGS

If you’ve been to the dentist for a filling recently, you could have inadvertently been increasing your exposure to fake oestrogen.

That’s because BPA is used in composite fillings — with potentially disastrous results.

One study found that children fitted with fillings made from a substance containing BPA showed more behavioural problems than their peers.

How To Detox: ‘Composite fillings are the least expensive [about £200 a tooth] of all fillings after mercury, and as mercury has so many confirmed dangers, many people opt for composite, which may contain BPA,’ says dentist James Goolnik, of Bow Lane Dental Group.

Alternatives include porcelain, which doesn’t contain toxic chemicals, is tooth‑coloured and more durable than composite, and is about £500 a tooth.

If the filling isn’t visible, the best option is gold, as it can last for ever, is kinder to your teeth and also contains no toxic chemicals. But at about £800 a filling, it’s pricey.

But, says Goolnik, there’s no need to remove existing fillings — and doing so could cause more harm than good.

‘The removal process not only leads to more tooth tissue being damaged but can aggravate the release of more chemicals into the system.’

While BPA-free alternatives exist for composite fillings, it’s worth noting that such alternatives may contain BPS or BPF, so talk to your dentist

COSMETICS

That lipstick you can’t live without could be adding to your oestrogen load.

In the Nineties, preservatives known as parabens (common names include methylparaben and butylparaben) in body creams, lipsticks, scrubs, shampoos and more were identified as xenoestrogens.

Likewise, a family of chemicals known as sulphates, such as sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate — commonly found as lathering agents in shampoos, body washes, detergents and soaps — can also have an oestrogen-like effect on the body.

How To Detox: ‘Ignore labels such as “chemical-free”, “natural” or “for sensitive skin”, as these have no regulated meaning,’ says Dr Gottfried.

Instead, she recommends choosing organic skincare and make-up.

Look to ranges such as Naturisimo, MyPure, Ruby Red and Green People, which have no parabens or sulphates.

Even some mainstream beauty and hair product manufacturers are bringing out products marked sulphate-free or paraben-free.

PERFUMES AND SCENTED CANDLES

‘Many commercial perfumes and scented candles contain phthalates, a class of chemicals found in a surprising number of common household products such as shampoos, deodorants, body washes, hair gels and sprays and nail polishes,’ says Dr Gottfried.

There’s little doubt phthalate chemicals are a key contributor to the inability to lose weight caused by oestrogen dominance, she says.

Research into the effects of phthalate is ongoing but ‘we know they can cause birth defects in male foetuses, are associated with poor egg quality and early menopause in women and may also be linked to breast cancer and type-2 diabetes’.

How To Detox: Look out for phthalate-free cosmetics and unscented candles, ideally made from soya wax.

High-grade essential oils in water used with an oil burner are an alternative to scented candles.

Source:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4828370/Give-oestrogen-detox.html

Enjoy!
Scott

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