by
Shanelle Butler
PT2
In last month’s issue, we shared information about the various ways our hormones are harmed, and promised to provide five tips for getting started on the path back to hormone balance and better health. Here are two of my five favourite ways:
STEP NO. 1: CHANGE YOUR DIET.
If you do one thing, make it this: eat whole/unprocessed, seasonal foods… mostly organic.
The Environmental Working Group evaluates produce every year and creates a list they call “The Dirty Dozen”– and another called “The Clean Fifteen.” Use these lists as a guide and focus your money on choosing organics for anything on the current dirty dozen list. Here’s a link to that list for reference: https:// www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php Eating organic can be expensive, but at least during your detox, try your best to buy as organic as you can. Pesticides are known to be endocrine disruptors, and many are estrogenic, meaning they increase levels of estrogen in the body. Since we’re striving for balance, pesticides need to go!
Experts recommend that you consume at least three to six cups of vegetables (especially the green ones) in your daily diet. Garlic, kale, ginger, carrots, beets, broccoli, asparagus and onions are highly recommended.
Processed foods can contain harmful substances either naturally or as additives. Nitrates found in deli meats and hot dogs help stabilise and flavour the product while wreaking havoc on your hormones. Hormones in meat, chicken, cheese and dairy (both naturally occurring and added in feed) will add to the hormone load in your body and can easily tip the balance out of favour.
Let go of gluten! Even if you’re not having gastrointestinal effects from gluten, try letting it go to give your body a break. There are studies that show gluten hinders thyroid function… that is enough to trigger hormone imbalance. There’s no way to know if gluten is a factor for you without expensive testing – or using this elimination technique and some journalling to record how your body responds!
STEP NO. 2: CUT OUT THE TOXINS.
In the same way that pesticides and additives in processed foods add burden to your liver and act as hormone disruptors, so do other toxins. The unfortunate thing is that toxins are found in most everything, so you need to take a good look at what you’re using on your body, in your body and in your environment and then change what you can.
Common offenders are household products and makeup. Water bottles and food storage containers are also things to look at.
• Synthetic fragrances (in personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, perfume, soap, and even tampons and sanitary pads.)
• Formaldehyde (in nail polish, personal care products, keratin treatments)
• Parabens in beauty products are very harmful
• Toxic chemicals in household cleaners Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) and while there is currently no direct link between formaldehyde and endocrine disruption, formaldehyde has been shown to have long-term effects on ovarian function, is damaging to sperm, can cross the placenta and cause widespread changes to how cells are able to use hormones! Interestingly, there is no guideline or restriction on the amount of formaldehyde that can be present in cosmetics sold in the United States! Wild, right?
You should also avoid any scented products and using plastic containers.
There’s a whole list of things to avoid and more information here if you’re interested in digging deeper: https://www.niehs. nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/ index.cfm Eliminating or, at the very least, reducing, toxins is critical for hormone detoxification. Your liver, while an amazing and exceptional organ, simply cannot process the incredible load of chemicals and toxins that most of us are exposed to on a daily basis. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for our bodies (and therefore, our livers) to be bombarded by hundreds of different environmental toxins that disrupt the hormonal balance which keeps us healthy and happy.
Next month, I’ll share the remaining three of my favourite tips for getting started on the path back to hormone balance and better health Good luck for your journey towards a new and healthy body!
Shanelle Butler is a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach and Certified Massage Therapist.
