Detoxification

Endocrine disruptors — tipping the hormonal scales

For your community...

9. For Mother’s Day this spring, don’t just Think Green. Act Green and Be Green by using safer, greener household products. Newer products have undergone substantial improvements, are more attractive and more affordable, and perform just as well if not better than many conventional name-brand products. Some may be a bit more expensive, but one can compensate by using more baking soda and vinegar for cleaning. Check out the many great websites — including Annie B. Bond’s Home Enlightenment and Debra Dadd’s List. Both women have been called the Queen of Green and also have books on the subject. Open your windows to air the house out instead of spraying air freshener. Avoid unnecessary uses and exposures while gardening, swimming, cleaning, and removing rubbish. Remember that all your trash, fertilizer, and wastewater goes back into the ground — there simply is no flushing it away when it comes to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Look for “green” lawn products and garden services. If you swim or own a hot tub, pick a facility or service that uses non-chlorine based disinfectants.

10. Avoid using certain plastics. The safest plastics are marked with the recycling codes 2 ,4 and 5. Never let infants chew on soft plastic toys and never microwave food in a plastic bowl or covered in plastic wrap. A good rule of thumb is that the softer the plastic, the more chemicals. Buy in bulk and store foods in glass jars. Reuse hard plastic tubs. Limit use of plastic bags and wrap to absolute necessity. Assess the amount of plastic in your life and try to reduce it by five. For example: Bring a reusable mug to your local coffee stop. Buy a refillable glass or earthenware water jug. Invest in glass food storage containers that can be washed and reused for a lifetime. Hand-wash your sweaters instead of dry-cleaning. Use reusable cloth totes for groceries.

For the future...

11. Exercise your rights as a consumer — never doubt the power of consumer demand. Ask for green products when you don’t see them in your neighborhood stores. If you have a talent for organizing and recruiting people, use it to develop community ordinances regarding the use of chemicals in public places. It took us a while to legislate no-smoking areas; hopefully “chemical-free” will not be far away. Encourage our youth to learn more about environmental issues and to pursue research into redesigning our future. My 18-year old son, who is right-brain dominant (artistic), admits that his AP Environmental Science class — which he took because he had to — is quite fascinating. In looking over his review materials, however, I didn’t find much on endocrine disruptors, and when I quizzed him on this he replied that I am just obsessed with hormones!

12. Get politically active. Support local and federal clean air and water initiatives. Write to your local and state representatives and encourage them to vote for a healthy future. Support elected officials who make a clean environment their priority. The National Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group are two public watchdogs that can help you get informed about upcoming debates and legislation.

A healthy future for all

We are not advocating living in a bubble or regressing to a pre-WWII lifestyle, but we are posing a general challenge to redesign the future. The full effects of endocrine disruptors are still a long way from being understood; they have only been around a short time. During this span, however, there can be no denying that we seem to be witnessing a spike in infertility rates, autism, chronic disease, childhood cancers, chemical sensitivities, allergies and ADHD. While it may be too simplistic — or early — to view endocrine disruptors as the primary source of this increase, the evidence points to a clear connection. Most experts agree that the experiment is still in play. No one knows how long it will take for us to finish making our hypothesis — or come to our conclusion.

This is actually a good thing. It means that the game isn’t over yet — we can influence the outcome. We need to find better, safer, more clever ways to continue to progress and advance — ways that work with nature, not against it. Time will tell whether or not changes made in reaction to Rachel Carson’s predictions will prevent much of the “silent spring” she envisioned. Humans are an amazing species; we can socially adapt and learn at a breathtaking pace — it just takes knowledge, leadership, and commitment. And the best way to begin is by implementing changes in your own life. Not only will you feel better, but your actions may have a ripple effect throughout your community. Never underestimate the power of one!

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References & further reading on endocrine disruptors

 

Last Modified Date: 04/18/2011
Principal Author: Dixie Mills, MD