The Hormonal Imbalance Epidemic
As a nation, we currently have quite the SHOCKING epidemic of hormonal imbalance.
We have men with low sperm count, high depression levels, decreased libido and while andropause (male menopause from a lack of testosterone) was non-existent fifty years ago, it has become quite common in men today.
More and more women are struggling with infertility and hormonal imbalances. We have either extremely high estrogen in our girls and boys, or on the flip side, increasing testosterone in our males and outrageously high accounts of imbalance in the Autistic community. This is having devastating effects on our children, robbing them of their childhood and causing precocious puberty.
Here are the main causes of early puberty (and hormone imbalance in general!)
Pharmaceuticals in tap water: millions of women take birth control and hormone replacement and all that extra estrogen is excreted into the sewage system, cannot be filtered by water treatment, and ends up in our water supply
Estrogen-like endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDC) – are EVERYWHERE
Plastics: BPA, phthalates
PUFAs (polyunsaturated fats) are in everything and will wreck your health! PUFAS in your bloodstream drive estrogen higher, and are also easily oxidized. Oxidation leads to free radicals, which leads to cellular damage in your body.
Flame retardants
Pesticides
Parabens in personal products
Fluoride in city water~Bromide in baked goods~ Chlorine in our water (Remember that Iodine is CRUCIAL for your body and used by the thyroid. When other halogens are consumed like fluoride, bromide or chlorine, the thyroid thinks they are iodine and absorbs them instead! This is part of the thyroid epidemic we are seeing!)
Aluminum, mercury and so many other endocrine distributors in vaccines. (There have been some interesting studies that link heavy metals in vaccines to precocious puberty!)
A known side-effect of high testosterone is also precocious puberty! One study showed found it in approximately 80% of their autistic patients! Testosterone binds with mercury and aluminum, which renders it invulnerable to chelators. Other studies showed shockingly that aluminum in the brain tissue was CONSISTENTLY high in Autism!
SOY SOY SOY is in everything!!!! (Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women. Soy phytoestrogens are potent anti-thyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease)
Fat accumulation/obesity: One theory is that because hormones collect in fatty tissue, additional fat may cause higher levels of hormones that spark the onset of puberty earlier.
Not enough exercise: Getting exercise is one of the few actions research-proven to help avoid early puberty
Stress, especially severe and early in life.
Sleep patterns being interrupted: Poor quality of sleep
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Here are 12 tips to Prevent Hormone Imbalance in Your Kiddos:
Ditch plastic!!! Store your food and beverages in glass, and avoid using plastic wrap and canned foods (which are often lined with BPA-containing liners). Use glass baby bottles and BPA-free sippy cups for your little ones. Also make sure your baby’s toys are BPA-free, such as pacifiers, teething rings and anything your child may be prone to suck on!
Avoid ALL soy and PUFAs (read the labels – they’re seriously everywhere!) ESPECIALLY when pregnant and definitely not in infant formula!
Seek out natural personal products. We did this years ago in our home! no scary chemicals, parabens or toxins in our house! (This is everything from feminine products, nail polish, and toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics to household cleaners and plastic shower curtains!) PLEASE STOP using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners and all other synthetic fragrances!! These can also disrupt your hormone balance!
Tampons and pads are affecting women as they contain xenoestrogens, and can change a female's hormonal profile! Read more about this from my blog post on Feminine Hygiene Products here.
Buy Grass fed and organic meats to reduce your exposure to added hormones. Also avoid milk and other dairy products that contain the genetically engineered recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST)
Choose organic and non GMO foods to avoid pesticides and fertilizers.
God made vs man made-- count chemicals and not calories is an amazing mantra to have! All processed and packaged foods are a huge source of soy, PUFAs and chemicals such as BPA and phthalates.
Replace your nonstick pans and cookware! So many people don’t realize this is a huge source of daily endocrine disrupters!
Help your children get sufficient and quality sleep. Limit screens especially at night.
Take high quality supplements
Try and reduce stress for everyone in your family!
Check your pyjamas! all pyjamas except tight-fitting ones are treated with flame retardants. Look into safe mattress alternatives as well.
Exercise. It’s one of the few interventions known to help prevent early puberty.