Plastics, Pesticides and Your Hormones

Did you know that your body is like a sponge? It soaks in everything around it... there has been research that from the things found in your body, it can be known what you have in your house?

Now this might not seem scary initially but when you think of things such as flame retardants in your mattress, furniture, curtains, carpet and then glues and solvents used in your carpet/flooring and furniture and in the structure of your home as an example,  pesticides used outside your windows, vinyl emissions from any vinyl flooring, every plastic thing in your home offgassing pthalates... and if you're not chemical free there will be lots of chemicals from cleaners and bleaches etc. Hormones and chemicals in food you eat, mercury fillings offgassing their neurotoxic gasses...the list goes on.

All of this plus much more I haven't listed is creating a toxic soup inside your body absorbed on a daily basis in huge amounts. Our bodies were not created to eliminate or know what to do with these man made toxins.  One of the areas I want to look into with you today to bring to your attention is how these things affect your hormones and in particular introduce you to Xenoestrogens which are a big deal in our systems.

Xenoestrogens are the result of pthalates from plastics and other offgassing chemicals in your home and environment that absorb into your body.  The body sees them as estrogen in both men and women.  Now this is a problem because our hormones are a delicate balance as it is, so introduce more of one hormone in huge amounts and you get a problem.

Xenoestrogens are a problem that causes so many problems to list a few:

* undersized penises and or undescended testes in boys born to women exposed to this
* increased incidence of testicular and prostate cancer
* a stimulating effect in breast cancer
* a stimulating effect in endometriosis
* endometrial cancer
* cervical cancer in women
* PMS
* Fibrocystic breasts
* Postmenopausal osteoporosis
* change in sexual orientation
* estrogen dominance syndrome

Estrogen Dominance Syndrome causes SO many problems just to name a few and believe me the list is really long:
* acceleration of aging process
*Allergy symptoms including asthma, hives, rashes, sinus congestion
* Autoimmune disorders such as lupus erythematosis and thryroiditis
* headaches
* irregular menstrual periods
* infertility
* Fat gain especially around the abdomen, hips and thighs,
* Fibrocystic breasts
* Hair Loss
* Depression
* Cold hands and feet
* Uterine Cancer
* Uterine Fibroids
* Polycystic Ovaries
* Prostate Cancer
* Thyroid Disfunction
etc etc

I am getting all this information through the research of Dr John Lee. He has written some books that I HIGHLY recommend to you if you can relate to any of the above or even if you can't, you need to know this information.

His most well known book is called 'What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause'.  Don't disregard it if you are younger because though the title mentions menopause it is actually applicable for females of all ages and I believe men too to some degree as they too are effected by the estrogen dominance syndrome - however for them they need to balance their testosterone and the progesterone.

For women the solution is simple - bio identical progesterone cream.  That sorts it! So simple.  Progesterone is needed to balance the estrogen and bring the levels down.  Symptoms of estrogen dominance have been reported to just disappear as it brings it all back into balance again.

This book and information has revolutionized my life so I'm just wanting to get this info out there for every one to read because the Drs really don't know much about this at all and Dr John Lee is a reputable Dr with lots of research to back this all up.

Make sure you go pick up the book and find out more about this. There is SO much more - this blog is just to whet your appetite!

Here's some links to his books on Amazon:
What Your Dr May Not Tell You About Menopause
Hormone Balance Made Simple
What Your Dr May Not Tell You About Premenopause


Again just one more reason to live chemical free as much as possible!!!

Enjoy your week!

Steps from Nena Bakers book 'Body Toxic'

She recommends these steps:
1. Buy and eat organic
2. Get rid of microwave popcorn
3. Ditch all plastic food containers
4. No bug control
5. Decline stain protection in furniture and flooring
6. Use low VOC paint
7. Use stainless steel drink bottle
8. Clean and dust house weekly
9. Buy stainless steel or cast iron cookware
10. Read labels and ask questions before you buy
11. Get water filter that removes atrazine
12. Remove shoes to prevent pesticides inside
13. Buy PBDE free electronics and furniture
14. Limit canned food unless you know it's BPA free
15. Avoid all stain resistant products: Teflon etc and fast food packaging.

A Non Chemical Way To Color My Hair?

This has been weighing on my mind for a while.  As one who loves to color my hair regularly and expresses my creativity often through it, this whole non toxic lifestyle has crept up into my hair routines.  Okay so I already ditched all the hair product I used to have (and I had a lot, I loved all the smells and was always looking for the perfect product),  I am using only safe non toxic hair shampoos  (Desert Essence is my favorite right now of all the brands I've tried - with fine hair, their apple one makes my hair so nice and doesn't weigh it down like other brands ie Hugo Naturals Volume weighs my hair down) so now I have to think seriously about color.

On researching I came across some great websites that I thought I'd share with you. They are full of ideas and as I try any I will let you know how they go.  The first is from Wellness Mama (whom I believe is linked with the reputable Vintage Remedies - professional herbalists - they know their stuff.

I particularly like this post by Wellness Mama because there are options for different colors of hair and different intensities of color and all just using herbs.  Henna is discussed also.  I have already purchased the cheesecloth and the walnut shells as I want to try for a dark color, which is what I usually go for underneath.  I haven't yet decided what I will do about the blonde highlights I have at the front and love.

Here are some other links that I found while searching on google for non chemical ways to dye your tresses: (some may just be for dark as that's what I was initially searching for)

http://www.wikihow.com/Dye-Your-Hair-Dark-with-Natural-Ingredients

http://www.outofstress.com/dye-hair-naturally/

http://www.mehandi.com/hair/indigohair.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5059816_dye-hair-naturally.html

http://what.a.mess.tribe.net/thread/6c4635ca-d18e-4db6-8f5d-fcc8281234c8

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=2

This video is a review on Aveda salons and how safe they it.  It shows that though Aveda salons are not yet 100% non toxic/safe they are getting very close and striving to be non toxic and safe in their treatments.   So they are a much better option than a normal salon with regards to exposure to chemicals.  I thought that's worth keeping up my sleeve too in case I can't get the results I love and am so used to through my own efforts...maybe they can?

For those of you that aren't aware of what coloring your hair with chemicals does to you -  here are a couple of links just as a start but in no means comprehensive, that will get you started.

http://www.squidoo.com/hairdyedangers

http://www.naturalnews.com/022575.html

This blog is in no means comprehensive as I've just started my research on this so please feel free to comment below if you've found anything safe that works! I'd love to know and I'm sure others would too.

Happy coloring!