What is The Endocrine System?
The endocrine system is a network of glands that produces all the hormones the body uses. In addition to well-known sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, it also secretes essential hormones like insulin and adrenaline.
What Are Endocrine Disruptors?
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with this system. They are also known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals or EDCs. Scientists are interested in the effects of endocrine disruptors on human health, and you can take advantage of their research to improve your health.
Endocrine Disruptors Can Impact The Body in Several Ways, Including:
- They may block the pathway between a natural hormone and a receptor.
- They may act directly on a gland, causing it to make too much or too little of a hormone.
- They may mimic a hormone, causing the body to overreact or to react at the wrong time.
There are so many things that can impact our endocrine system. From the foods we eat, items in our house, chemical and environmental exposures, and many more. We use many things every day, like plastic water bottles or Tupperware, cosmetic products, liners of metal food cans, detergents, toys, certain candles, and fragrances. The list goes on and on!
If Unaddressed, These Endocrine Disruptors May Lead To:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Reproductive problems
- Breast cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Thyroid problems
- Problems with the prostate
Now, this doesn’t mean that your endocrine system is being disrupted because you used a plastic water bottle. Everyone has a different threshold of how much exposure their bodies can take before it disrupts body systems. If you are hoping to prevent or heal from endocrine disruptors, having a trusted professional in your corner will allow these lifestyle changes to be made easily.
You do not need to make these changes overnight. It could look like small, simple changes like:
• Going through your Tupperware cabinet, pulling out old plastic containers, and purchasing glass containers
• Looking into the Environmental Working Group’s app or website for toxin-free body and facial care products
• Swapping your candles out for a beeswax candle or essential oils
Over time, these changes will add up!
At Tree of Life Wellness Center, we offer many supplements that can aid you in your quest for optimal hormone health.