Recipes by Request

Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are estrogen mimics. They are in our everyday life - everywhere we turn. I believe it is whats responsible for our little girls having their periods so early in life and why some of our little boys develop small breasts. It is also thought that too much estrogen could be a major factor in cellulite which would explain why "skinny women" suffer from it too. Estrogen is also a natural contraceptive, therefore too much of it in our bodies could render us infertile.

I remember a particular episode of Greys Anatomy where Izzy referred to some shampoos as "A placenta in a bottle". It was a very apt way to describe the amount of hormones that could possibly be lurking in your favourite hair product. A scary thought indeed!

If you believe you may be "oestrogen dominant" you may want to do the research yourself, and draw your own conclusions, in the mean time, here is a list of common zenoestrogens that you can choose to avoid if you wish.

Foods that are naturally occuring estrogens:
Camomile, Cloves, coffee and caffeine, cumin, alfalfa sprouts, sunflower seeds and sunflower oil, Pomegranate, Dates, fennel, Licorice, yucca, hops, motherwort,oregano,nutmeg, tumeric, thyme, goldenseal, sage, rosemary, soy,safflower oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, unfiltered water, commercially raised non-organic beef, chicken, pork, milk, butter, cheese and icecream, ground flaxseed

Around the home:
Anything that contains parabens, pthalates, and phenoxyethanol.
Now this can include air fresheners, shampoos, lotions, cosmetics, soap, sunscreens, some progesterone creams, Laundry Powders, fabric softeners, toothpaste

In the Garden:
Atrazine, dieldrin, DDT, endosulfan, heptachlor, lindane, methoxychlor. You will find these products in weedkillers, insecticides, herbicides and the like.

In General:
Plastic water bottles and plastic or styrofoam storage containers, particularly if you heat food or drink up in them. Take away coffee cups, you are drinking hot liquid in which is leaching chemicals into your drink, not too mention that coffee in a naturally occuring estrogen - hot cup of estrogen anyone? (How many do you drink a day?) Also avoid lavender oil, and tea tree oil.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it gives you a starting point, and highlights just how many products in our modern day world effect our hormones and in turn our endocrine system. Do yourself a favour and try to replace any plastic containers in your home with glass or ceramic. If you absolutely must store your food in plastic, at least move it to a ceramic plate or glass bowl before you heat it in the microwave. Use bi-carbonate soda instead of washing powder (works a treat), buy organic hormone free meat if you can and organic produce. Instead of sunscreen, stay out of the hottest part of the day and cover up the old fashioned way.

There is a reason we have the diseases our ancestors didn't, so try to go back to basics and work with what they had. Even removing just some things could have a dramatic effect.

What may Help dump excess oestrogen
Try DIM a natural substance derived from cruciferous vegetables.
Avoid all xenoestrogens.
Consider looking into Natural Progesterone to balance it.