How Is Our Lifestyle Affecting Our Endocrine System

FEMALE Hormonal imbalances

There seems to be an increase in the percentages of hormonal imbalances in the American culture. It would appear that this is causing a shift in what our culture deems as “normal” towards disorders of the endocrine system. There is almost a saturation effect of what our body is being exposed to that function as endocrine disruptors. According to The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, “Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and animals. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides. The NIEHS supports studies to determine whether exposure to endocrine disruptors may result in human health effects including lowered fertility and an increased incidence of endometriosis and some cancers. Research shows that endocrine disruptors may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and nervous systems are forming.”

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO HORMONE IMBALANCE?

The very nature of the hormonal system that occurs within the endocrine system can be disrupted in many ways. Being exposed to extended periods of emotional upset, stress, lack of sleep, aging, all play a part. As we naturally age, hormone levels will decline in production. However, if they decline too fast, this can trigger early menopause and contribute to other hormone imbalances associated with the transition. Lifestyle habits can prove to be a heavy hitter in setting the pace for hormonal decline and aging prematurely.

Nutrition, exercise, detoxification capabilities, being over-weight and living a high stressed life, all play their part in the symphony of hormone balance. So if you are rolling into mid-life overstressed, adrenal glands have to take over much of the hormone production that was being handled by the ovaries. Dealing with extended chronic stress causes the body to be flooded with excess amounts of cortisol and the hormone production in the endocrine system becomes disrupted. The body will then begin to use progesterone to make even more cortisol in response to the chronic stress. Progesterone helps keep estrogen in balance, so if there is a depletion in progesterone it allows a woman’s body to begin to be estrogen dominant.

When our cortisol levels have been on over-load it causes muscle wasting, memory issues, sleep cycle disturbances and deteriorates our bones because our blood calcium levels will be off, our energy levels tank, it can lower sexual drive, and weaken our immune system. This is why we see many women struggling through almost debilitating menopausal cycles. A normal changing of seasons that should delicately flow from one to the other ends up needing a medical diagnosis. (Sat Dharam Kaur, Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women's Health n.d.)

HORMONAL IMBALANCES CAN BE BROUGHT ON BY:

·        Stress overload

·        Hectic lifestyle schedule /lack of downtime and sleep

·        Shallow breathing

·        Diet high in saturated or hydrogenated fats, sugar, refined carbohydrates, meats, dairy

·        Nutritional imbalances in vitamins and minerals; vitamins B5, B6, zinc, selenium, magnesium, tryptophan, essential fatty acids

·        Imbalance in intestinal flora

·        Yeast overload

·        Toxic liver

·        Smoking

·        Excess alcohol

·        Exposure to electromagnetic chemicals, including PCB’s, dioxin, pesticides, phthalates, Bisphenol A, PVD, fire retardants, parabens in cosmetics

·        Exposed to hormone disrupting chemicals or hormone excess in utero

·        Birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy

·        Heavy metal exposure (i.e. lead, mercury, cadmium)

·        Sedimentary lifestyle

·        Insomnia

·        Obesity

·        Negative thought patterns

·        Having lights on at night

ESTROGEN IMPOSTERS

There are foreign or false estrogens that are man-made imposters that will mimic the effects of the real estrogen but will over stimulate cellular activity to an uncontrollable extent.  Xenoestrogens accumulate in the fat tissues of our bodies and have the capability of locking into our own estrogen’s receptor sites. They are highly toxic and detrimental to our hormonal environment. These man-made toxins or estrogen imposters are present in our soil, water, air food supply, personal care and household products.

WHERE ARE THESE MAN-MADE ESTROGEN IMPOSTERS HIDING IN OUR HOMES?

The pantry:

Start with your food shelves. Most processed food contains some kind of undesirable material, says Blumberg, either in the packaging itself or the ingredients. Canned foods are usually packed in cans lined with plastic coating that contains Bisphenol-A (BPA), is a Xenoestrogenic. According to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study, chicken soup, infant formula, and ravioli had BPA levels so high that just one to three servings could expose a woman or child to BPA at levels that caused serious adverse effects in animal tests. Cut back on processed and packaged foods in general, and choose packaged goods in glass or paper containers. Buy grains, nuts, dried fruits, and beans in bulk, and store in glass or stainless steel containers.

The refrigerator:

 Are your milk and burgers organic? If not, they may contain synthetic estrogens, which are used to make cattle grow bigger faster and to increase their milk production. Pesticides on the food the animal eats may also contain Xenoestrogens, which can be concentrated in the animal's fat, flesh, and milk. Produce should also be organically grown; anything that's not may contain insecticide or pesticide residues, which can have estrogenic effects, says Blumberg. Buy only organic meat, dairy, and produce, locally whenever possible. If you can't buy all your produce organic, check the EWG's Dirty Dozen list of the most contaminated varieties of fruits and vegetables at foodnews.org and choose low-fat meat and dairy products. HDPE and LDPE (high- and low-density polyethylene) plastics, Nos. 2 and 4 respectively, are hard plastics that are used to make milk jugs and some water bottles. These plastics are generally safe and do not react with the contents of the container.

Cooking and plastics:

 You may already know not to heat food in a plastic container, since heating some plastics can cause Xenoestrogens to leach out of the container and into the food. But did you know Styrofoam containers contain BPA and that drinking coffee out of a Styrofoam cup causes the BPA to leach out? The moral: never microwave food in anything other than a glass container or on a paper towel. Another source of Xenoestrogens comes from Teflon-coated nonstick pans, which if overheated can release endocrine-disrupting perfluoroalkyl compounds, says Blumberg.

Food-storage containers:

 Trash your Tupperware and replace it with glass or stainless steel food-storage containers. Or stash food in small glass or metal bowls covered with a saucer. Some plastic cling wrap is made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which contains several types of Xenoestrogens and other endocrine disruptors, says Blumberg; PVC can leach out, and should never touch food. If possible, buy your (organic) cheese cut to order from the deli, and have it wrapped in plain, uncoated paper; most butcher's paper has a shiny, waterproof PVC coating. Otherwise, shave off any parts that have touched cling wrap, and store the cheese in a glass container or wrapped in paper.

 

 

The kitchen sink:

Tap water can contain Xenoestrogens from medications and agricultural and chemical pollution. Bottled water isn't always a good solution, since it's usually packaged in flexible plastic that contains phthalates, known endocrine disruptors. Most bottled water is sold in No. 1, (PET or polyethylene terephthalate) plastic containers. However, HDPE and LDPE plastics are safe for drinking water. If you're refilling your hard plastic water bottles at the grocery store, they're probably made of polycarbonate (No. 7), which contains BPA, says Blumberg. Best solution: buy a high-quality activated-carbon water filter, and if you must store your water, use glass bottles.

The bathroom cabinets:

 Sadly, one of the most effective ways to absorb Xenoestrogens is via the skin. Lotions, creams, makeup foundations, nail polish, deodorants, and other personal care products may contain Xenoestrogens in the form of parabens, phthalates, and other compounds. Use only personal care products and nail polishes that are clearly marked “paraben free.” And if you're using nonoxynol-9 spermicide as your birth control method, find a more natural method; nonoxynol-9 breaks down in the body into xenoestrogenic nonpolyphenols.

 

The bathroom sink:

Your toothbrush and bathroom cup are probably made of plastic. As long as you're not eating the toothbrush handle, you're OK. But ditch the cup unless it is No. 2 or 4 plastic, and use a glass or stainless steel one instead. As for toothpaste, it may contain parabens and other Xenoestrogens. And the soap or gel you're using to wash your hands and face? You guessed it. Buy chemical-free versions of both.

The shower:

 Guess what? Your shower curtain is probably lined with flexible vinyl that contains phthalates, and may contain mercury, dioxins, and lead. Shampoos and conditioners usually contain parabens and other Xenoestrogens; a few are made with added estrogen. Use cloth shower curtains or a sliding glass door, and check ingredients on hair care products.

The baby's room:

 Children are the most sensitive to Xenoestrogens and other endocrine disruptors; sadly, any room belonging to children may be filled with Xenoestrogens. Baby bottles can be made of rigid No. 7 plastic that contains Bisphenol-A. Flexible plastic bottle liners should be made from No. 4 LDPE plastic. Many plastic toys contain phthalates, and flame retardants used in children's clothing are Xenoestrogens, says Blumberg. If you do not know what type of plastic it is, don't give it to a child who may put it in her mouth. Consider buying wooden, fabric, paper, and metal games and toys.

The laundry room:

 Dryer sheets are loaded with Xenoestrogens that permeate clothing and come into direct, prolonged contact with the skin. Same goes for laundry detergent. Buy only the chemical-free varieties. Skip the dryer sheets altogether, and use natural liquid fabric softener in the rinse cycle. Or try adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle for softer laundry.

The backyard:

 Home lawn care products such as pesticides and weed killers may act as Xenoestrogens. In one study, atrazine, a commonly used weed killer, affected animals at doses as small as 0.1 parts per billion. Use the natural versions, or learn to live with weeds.

So where does a person begin to protect themselves from the damaging effects that these “chemical impostors” are causing?

Fight Back with Nutrition

No matter how diligent you are in removing Xenoestrogens from your home, you'll still encounter them in the outside world. Meanwhile, you've certainly been exposed to Xenoestrogens sometime in your life. The task, then, is to protect the body from their harmful effects. Certain foods and herbs can shield estrogen receptor sites so Xenoestrogens cannot attach, help the body metabolize and excrete harmful estrogen, and protect the body from Xenoestrogens damage, says Jillian Michaels, a trainer for television's The Biggest Loser and author of Master Your Metabolism.

Broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and other crucifers are rich in indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which the body converts to diindolylmethane (DIM), says Shari Lieberman, PhD, CNS. DIM then induces certain enzymes in the liver to block the production of the toxic estrogens and step up the production of the beneficial forms. The best way to eat them is lightly steamed to protect I3C levels or, better yet, pickled: some studies have attributed the low rates of breast cancer in Polish women to their high daily consumption of sauerkraut. Crucifers are also high in sulforaphane, a powerful breast-cancer inhibitor. Best protection: add steamed broccoli to salads; roast cauliflower and Brussels sprouts in olive oil; try sauerkraut or kimchee, a spicy fermented cabbage. Supplements of I3C are available at health food stores; a typical dosage is 150–300 mg per day.

Flax is the richest source of secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG), a compound that the body converts into lignans, says Michaels. Lignans are phytoestrogens and help balance the body's estrogen levels by binding to the same estrogen receptor sites that Xenoestrogens do. When a receptor site is already occupied by a phytoestrogen, Xenoestrogens can't attach to it. However, phytoestrogens may not stimulate the receptor causing a lower estrogenic effect. Lignans appear to be especially protective against breast cancer. One study found that women with the highest amount of dietary lignans had a 17 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer. Best protection: sprinkle ground flaxseeds over yogurt, add them to smoothies, stir them into cooked whole grains.

Lentils are high in soluble fiber, which works as an estrogen-disposal system, says Michaels. Estrogen and Xenoestrogens are normally pulled from the bloodstream by the liver and moved to the intestines. In the intestines, fiber soaks up estrogen like a sponge and removes it from the body with other waste. Other foods high in soluble fiber include apples, barley, beans, psyllium, and oat bran. Best protection: eat lentils with curry (it contains extra-protective curcumin), sprinkle oat bran over cereal, serve barley with cooked beans.

Pomegranate can help block estrogenic activity by as much as 80 percent, says Michaels, and help prevent several types of breast cancer cells from multiplying; another study found similar effects on prostate cancer cells. Best protection: add pomegranate juice to green tea, scatter pomegranate seeds over salads, or add them to yogurt. Soy contains phytoestrogens called isoflavones, compounds that mimic estrogen, but in a weaker form. These weaker estrogens then block the receptor sites so Xenoestrogens can't attach, says Michaels. They don't accumulate in the body like Xenoestrogens, and they're metabolized more quickly.

Soy is a double-edged sword, however, says Gittleman. Some studies have suggested that high concentrations of soy isoflavones contribute to breast cancer. In addition, soy isoflavones can disrupt normal thyroid hormone function. Eat soy in moderation, avoid concentrated soy products, such as protein powders, bars, and soymilk, and check with your doctor about soy consumption if you're at high risk for prostate, breast, or uterine cancer. Best protection: add edamame to salads, crumble cooked tempeh over brown rice, stir miso into soups. (Turner 2009)

These foreign estrogens have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, so going the extra mile to do your best to eliminate as many as you can from your living quarters, your food choices, even clothing choices, then adding the beneficial foods to help your body combat the over-load and flush the estrogen imposters out.

KEY NUTRIENTS FOR SAFE HORMONE BALANCING

Excerpt from Sexy Hormones, by Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe, MS

“Every woman from the age of menstruation until death should be taking the following nutrients every day to protect her cervix, breasts, ovaries, and uterus, and for menstruating women, to make periods effortless.”

These nutrients:

·        d-glucarate

·        green tea extract

·        curcumin

·        milk thistle

·        sulforaphane (found in broccoli, Brussel sprouts and cabbage)

·        chaste tree berry

·        evening primrose or borage oil

·         indole-3-carbinol (discussed above)—do not contain any estrogenic compounds

D-Glucarate: is found in all fruits and vegetables, with the highest concentrations found in apples, grapefruit, and broccoli. It is a very important nutrient that helps detoxify excess estrogens and protects from the toxic estrogens made by the liver. This nutrient is especially important if you are taking hormones of any type. Recommended dosage: 150–300 mg per day.

Green tea extract: is a powerful antioxidant containing polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids, which have been shown to be protective against estrogen-dominant conditions and related cancers, especially breast and ovarian. Green tea extract helps eliminate Xenoestrogens and supports the liver in metabolizing fats and hormones. Recommended dosage: 100–200 mg per day (look for products with 60 percent polyphenols) or drink green tea throughout the day. Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric, one of the chief ingredients in curry.

Curcumin: is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and it also helps eliminate cancer-causing estrogens and environmental estrogens via the liver. Curcumin increases detoxification. Recommended dosage: 50–100 mg per day. Use the spice turmeric in cooking too.

Milk thistle: called the protector of the liver, is extremely important for proper estrogen balance in the cells of the body. It detoxifies a wide range of hormones, drugs, and toxins, among other things. Recommended dosage: 50–100 mg per day (ensure that your milk thistle contains at least 80 percent silymarin, an active ingredient in the herb).

Sulforaphane: from broccoli sprout extract has been shown to stimulate the body's production of detoxification enzymes that eliminate toxic estrogens and balance estrogens in the body. Recommended dosage: 200–400 mcg per day.

Vitex (chaste tree berry): also called the progesterone-enhancing herb, contains no hormones, has no direct hormonal activity, and is not phytoestrogenic. Its main active ingredients work on the pituitary gland to stimulate the production of luteinizing hormone, which in turn increases progesterone and helps regulate the menstrual cycle. It is recommended for irregular or heavy periods, cramps, polycystic ovary syndrome, PMS, breast tenderness, bloating, depression and mood swings, reduction of ovarian cysts, acne related to hormonal imbalance, infertility, endometriosis, and many other female-related symptoms. Recommended dosage: 2–4 capsules per day with food.

Evening primrose, borage, and black current seed oil: are classified as “good” omega-6 oils and have been shown in clinical studies to be breast-cancer protective. GLA is known to ease cramps and breast pain, and reduce PMS, depression, and bloating. Recommended dosage: 4,000 mg of borage oil or 8,000 mg of evening primrose oil, every day with food”. (Turner 2009)

RECOGNIZE WHERE THESE TOXINS ARE HIDING AND WHAT PHYSICAL EFFECTS THEY ARE CAUSING.

·        Exposure in Utero: When symptoms of progesterone deficiency are noted in puberty, one can link Xenoestrogens in utero to be a factor. 400,000 follicles are created in the embryo, each enclosing an immature ovum when a female embryo begins to develop in utero.

·        Outward changes to the pregnant mother may not stand out when exposed to these toxic estrogen-like chemicals. The fetus is therefore increasingly affected by the toxins that may damage its ovarian follicles.

·        Petrochemicals: We find these petrochemicals in products such as creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, perfumes, hair sprays and room fresheners. These have estrogen like chemical structures and may have estrogen mimicking effects. Other sources of Xenoestrogens include car exhaust, petrochemically derived pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides; solvents and adhesives like nail polish, paint removers, and glues; dry-cleaning chemicals; just about all plastics, industrial waste (i.e. PCBs and dioxins). Synthetic estrogens from the urine of women that are taking HRT and birth control pills are flushed down the toilet and eventually find their way into the food chain and back into the body. They are fat soluble and non-biodegradable. (Michael Lam n.d.)

·        Industrial Solvents: Solvents are a family of chemicals that are often overlooked as a source of Xenoestrogens. These enter the body through the skin, and accumulate in the lipid-rich tissues such as myelin (nerve sheath) and adipose(fat). Some common organic solvents include:

1.      Methanol

2.     Aldehydes

3.     Ethylene glycol

4.     Acetone

These are found in cosmetics, nail polish, and nail polish remover, glues, paints, varnishes, cleaning products, carpets, fiberboards and other processed woods. Pesticides and herbicides like lawn and garden sprays and indoor insect sprays are also sources of small amounts of Xenoestrogens. The amount may be small in each, the cumulative effect after years of exposure through use of these products can lead to estrogen dominance. (Michael Lam n.d.)

·        Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): These are man-made hormone chemicals that are different in structure to hormones that are produced in the human body. This differing structure is processed in a lab in order to patent the medication and make an economic profit. One of the better known HRT prescription is Premarin and this has been the main choice of Doctors when prescribing HRT. Premarin contains 48% estrone and only a very small amount of progesterone which is insignificant to have enough of an opposing effect. The excessive estrogen from HRT can lead to an increased risk of DNA damage and can result in endometrial and breast cancer. (John P. Cunha.Do n.d.)

·        Commercial Cattle and Poultry: In 2010 farmers around the world used more than 63,000 tons of antibiotics to raise livestock. By 2030, the researchers expect that number to rise to 105,00 tons. (Kaufman 2015) These antibiotics in our food supple result in hormone disruptions as we eat them as meat. The antibiotics serve a two-fold purpose, #1 it fattens up the animal faster, #2 it keeps the animals alive due to the deplorable living conditions. The feed these animals are eating are a combination of pesticides, antibiotics and drugs used to combat disease.

·        Fruits and vegetables containing pesticides: According to Dr. Michael Lam “over the past 100 years, several billion pounds of pesticides have been released into the environment. These pesticides are similar in structure to estrogen and therefore can disrupt our hormonal system. Pesticides that have been previously banned make their way back to our food supply illegally. Approximately 5 billion pounds of chemicals have been added to the world each year in the form of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and other biocides. It is estimated that the average person eats 75 pounds of illegal pesticides per year just by following the guidelines of eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day if purchasing them from non-organic sources”. (Michael Lam n.d.)

Doctor Peter Eckhart M.D, wrote an article talking about the connection between Xenoestrogens and cystic breast issues. Exerps from his article follows:

“Xenoestrogens May Be the Cause of Breast Cysts

Alternative medicine treatment for breast cysts believes that Xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens are the cause. If these are eliminated, then the breast cysts in most cases are completely gone and stay away permanently. Topical progesterone cream may also be used.

So alternative medicine believes that breast cysts are provoked by Xenoestrogens are found in everyday synthetic artificial chemicals and also plants and herbs that mimic or pretend estrogen. These synthetic chemicals were previously thought to be inert and are called Xenoestrogens. Xeno means "foreign." Phytoestrogens are plant estrogens.

Xenoestrogens are thought to cause endometriosis, endometrial cancer, premenstrual syndrome, precious puberty (premature puberty), breast cancer, ovarian cancer, menstrual migraines and breast cysts.

The human body's hormones communicate at levels of parts per trillion. This is about the same concentration of you spitting into an Olympic sized pool. Many of the chemicals that affect the hormone systems are routinely found in blood samples after sauna at parts per billion. (Sauna helps to free the chemicals from the body fat and then go into the blood.) Simply, chemical hormone disrupters that affect the hormone systems of the human body are found at 100 to 1000 times greater concentration than that of the normal human hormones. So, even if these Xenoestrogens are "weak" they are in the body at a 100 times more than the body's hormones.

One scientist demonstrated that two "weak" estrogens act together synergistically to give a strong estrogen response. It is not just an additive response; it may be a multiplicative response. So not only do we have to test for individual Xenoestrogens effect, it may be necessary to test for a combinatory effect. This becomes nearly impossible.

Some information below credit given to “Our Stolen Future” by Theo Colborn:

Plastics with Bisphenol-A and Nonlyphenol

At Tufts Medical School in Boston in 1987, Soto and Sonnenschein researchers stumbled on the discovery. Plastic test tubes (thought to be inert) contained embedded in the plastic, a chemical estrogen that made breast cancer cells to replicate and proliferate. Soto and Sonnenschein experimented with malignant breast cancer cells sensitive to estrogen. The breast cancer cells would replicate when exposed to estrogen. The breast cancer cells without estrogen would stop multiplying.

During their experiments, the test tube manufacturer changed the plastic test tubes composition. The manufacturer switched to p-Nonlyphenol one of the family of synthetic chemicals called alkyl phenols to make these plastics making the test tubes less breakable. Manufacturers usually create their plastics with p-Nonlyphenol with polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The new plastic test tubes caused the estrogen sensitive breast cancer cells to grow. Thus, Soto and Sonnenschein concluded that p-Nonlyphenol pretended to be like an estrogen.

One scientist demonstrated that the food processing industry and packaging industry used PVC's that contained Nonlyphenol. Another reported contamination of water that had passed through PVC tubing. Even compounds found in contraceptive creams nonoxynol-9 breaks down inside the animal's body to produce Nonlyphenol. Breakdown of chemicals such as those found in industrial detergents, pesticides, and personal care products give rise to Nonlyphenol. Global production of alkyl phenols polyethoxylate was 600 million pounds in 1990. Although the products purchased by the consumer are not themselves estrogenic; studies have found that bacteria in the animal's bodies, in the environment, or in sewage treatment plants degrade these alkyl phenol polyethoxylate, creating Nonlyphenol and other Xenoestrogens.

Plastic Drinking Receptacles and Plastics Food Containers

In 1993, at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dave Feldman, professor of medicine ran an experiment with a yeast estrogen protein that sticks to estrogen. Feldman discovered that polycarbonate bottles used for drinking water contained Bisphenol-A. (See the article here Canada bans Polycarbonate drinking bottles because of BPA). The polycarbonate lab flasks used to sterilize the water used in their experiments contained Bisphenol-A. Bisphenol-A nicely bound to the estrogen protein found in the yeast. The same polycarbonate plastic is routinely used for the giant jugs used to ship water.

The manufacturer knew that the bottles would leach particularly when exposed to high temperatures and caustic cleaners. The manufacturer designed a washing procedure that they thought would solve BPA leeching. However, the Stanford researchers discovered that the manufacturer could not detect Bisphenol-A samples sent from their lab. Those particular samples that were responsible for replication of estrogen responsive breast cancer cells. Why? There was a detection lower limit in the manufacturer's lab equipment. The Stanford research group discovered 2-5 parts per billion of Bisphenol-A was strong enough to help the breast cancer cells to replicate and multiply.

Professor Feldman has agreed that Bisphenol-A is two thousand times (2000X) less strong than estrogen, "it still has activity in the parts per billion range."

"Bisphenol-A is 2000X less potent than estrogen, but still has activity in the parts per billion range." Professor Feldman

One Dartmouth University Study showed that plastic wrap warmed in a microwave oven with vegetable oil had 500,000 times the minimum amount of chemical estrogens (Xenoestrogens) required to make breast cancer cells to grow in a test tube.

Detergent Breakdown Chemicals

John Sumpter a biologist in Uxbridge, Brunel University, found male fish that looked like females as told by fisherman in English rivers. Fish angled from the pools downstream from the discharge of sewage plants looked unusual. Experienced fisherman could not tell if a fish was male or female. The fish demonstrated both male and female characteristics simultaneously. They were quintessential examples of hermaphrodite fish where an individual fish appears to be between both sexes.

Sumpter used a marker that could testify that a fish was female. Normally, in females a special egg protein is created called vitellogenin. Vitellogenin is reactive to estrogen from the ovaries. Estrogen from the ovaries signals the liver to make vitellogenin. The protein vitellogenin is put into the eggs. Because this action is dependent on estrogen, vitellogenin levels found in male fish would be a good indicator of estrogen exposure.

Caged fish kept in captivity were then transferred to the contaminated pools. These contaminated fish produced 1000X to 100,000X more vitellogenin than control trout kept in clean water.

15 sites were sampled that showed huge vitellogenin levels showing a national English problem. Alkyl phenol levels from detergent breakdown products are highly suspect. Yet, Sumpter believes that the synergistic action of several Xenoestrogens acting together is causing the half male and half female fish.

In 2004, 42% of male bass living in the Potomac river near Washington DC are producing eggs. Researchers believe hormone disrupting chemicals in the water are causing male bass to be female.

A similar study that found feminized male White Sucker fish below a sewage treatment plant swimming in the Colorado Platte River. As of 2004, little is done to test for these chemicals -- either in river water or in drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not set standards. The EPA claims more research is needed to determine which contaminants are harmful and what levels are unsafe.

 

 

Canned Foods

Two Spanish Scientists at the University of Granada studied the plastic coatings that sprayed into metal cans. The coating stops the taste of metal in the food from the cans. 85% of the cans have these plastic coatings. Fatima Olea and Nicolas Olea an M.D. specializing in endocrine cancers worked with Soto and Sonnenschein. In a study with twenty brands of canned foods purchased in the United States and in Spain, they discovered Bisphenol-A. Bisphenol-A is the same chemical that the Stanford researchers found. Bisphenol-A was in about half of the canned food up to levels of 80 parts per billion. The concentration is 27 times greater concentration of Bisphenol-A needed to cause the breast cancer cells to replicate in the Stanford Study.

Alternative breast cysts treatment believes that these same chemicals that cause breast cancer to grow also cause breast cysts to grow. Avoiding these chemicals is key to curing breast cysts.

Commercially raised Beef and Sheep

Cattle are farmed in the United States by using synthetic estrogens to fatten them up and make them to retain water. This creates bigger profits for the rancher. It is a cheap and fast method to fatten them up. In the 1970's and 1980's there was a large population in Puerto Rico of early puberty in girls as young as a year old and even young boys that developed breasts caused by meat and dairy products containing high levels of estrogen. In the United States, the use of estrogen compounds is now slightly better regulated, but it is still very much used and abused. Now, federal regulations allow these hormones to be used on growing cattle and sheep, but not on poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks) or hogs (pigs).

DES (diethylstilbestrol), a type of synthetic estrogen, was the first hormone to be used by the meat industry to fatten up livestock until it was found that it causes cancer even in extremely minute amounts. Birth defects such as misshapen uteri are common in women whose mothers were exposed to DES during pregnancy.

Birth Control Pills

Birth Control Pills has a synthetic estrogen and a synthetic progesterone to require the body to cycle in a normal manner even though conception may have occurred. Some research pharmacists claim that birth control pills may act as an abortifacient. Different hormones levels are supposed to occur. Adding extra estrogen to a women's body may exacerbate breast cysts.

Preservative Parabens - butyl paraben, propyl paraben, methyl paraben, ethyl paraben in Skin Lotions and Gels

For many years, Parabens were considered to be one of those preservatives with low systemic toxicity. Previously, it was thought that the only drawback to Parabens were allergic reactions. However, parabens pretend to be and mimic the female hormone estrogen. Hormone disruption was never considered, only toxicity, carcinogenicity, and allergenic reactions. Now, John Sumpter from the Department of Biology & Biochemistry, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, has found that alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (namely methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butyl paraben) are weakly estrogenic. In an estrogen receptor-binding assay, butyl paraben was able to compete with the female hormone estradiol for binding to estrogen receptors with an affinity approximately 5 orders of magnitude lower than that of diethylstilbestrol (a highly carcinogenic synthetic estrogen), and between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude less than Nonlyphenol (an estrogenic synthetic industrial chemical).

Taken orally, the parabens were inactive. But subcutaneous (below the skin) administration of butyl paraben produced a positive estrogenic response on uterine tissues. Although 100,000 times less potent than17 beta-estradiol, more exposure to the parabens may compensate for their lower potency. The researchers conclude, "Given their use in a wide range of commercially available topical preparations, it is suggested that the safety in use of these chemicals should be reassessed . . ."

The European Union asked the European Cosmetics and Toiletry industry about the result of these new studies and the implications for breast cancer. These preservatives are found in most of skin and body lotions, even in natural progesterone creams. Generally, for the steroid hormones, taken orally, the hormones are 90% first pass metabolized inactivated by the liver and this 90% does not reach the body. Taken orally, only 10% reaches the body. In contrast, anything absorbed by the skin is directly absorbed and bypasses the liver. In other words, anything put on and absorbed by the skin may be as high as 10 times the potency of an oral dose.

In my clinical experience, if you can get the endometriosis patients to stop parabens on their skin alone without doing anything else, the endometriosis patients will feel much better after 2 months. The alternative medicine approach for breast cysts is the same, avoid Xenoestrogens. Be VERY careful about what goes on the skin.

Unfortunately, some natural progesterone creams were found to contain methyl and propyl parabens as a preservative. The preservative may masquerade under a different name such as brand name that contains these parabens. A fast web search may reveal this possible charade.

Shampoos that Purposely Contain Very High Amounts of Estrogen

African Americans may prefer to use shampoos with clinically active high doses of estrogen. They also used them on their children. In 1998 Tiwary, now retired, published a study of four girls - including a 14-month-old - who developed breasts or pubic hair months after beginning to use such products fortified with estrogen. The symptoms began to disappear when they finished using estrogen fortified products. The year before, he published a study demonstrating that products patronized by his patients had up to one milligram (1 mg) of estradiol per one ounce of shampoo. By comparison a normal adult topical skin dose for estradiol is 0.02-0.05 mg/day. This means that one ounce of shampoo contains 50 times the daily ADULT dose of estradiol. A small handful of this shampoo on your child every day may give her OR HIM breasts!

Herbicide Atrazine Feminization

Tyrone B. Hayes of the University of California at Berkeley showed that atrazine, the most commonly used weed killer in North America, affected frogs at doses as small as 0.1 part per billion. As the amount of atrazine increased, about 20 percent of frogs exposed to atrazine during their early development produced multiple sex organs or had both male and female organs. Many had small, feminized larynxes.

Plastic IV Bags

The United States FDA warns that prolonged fluid exposure in IV bags may affect testicle development in young boys. The chemical, called DEHP, may leach from the plastic into certain liquids, especially fat-containing ones like blood. Young animal’s studies show the chemical can affect testicle development and production of normal sperm. Some companies already label that their products contain phthalates (DHEP). The FDA soon will issue a recommendation, not a requirement, that more companies label their products that contain phthalates.

"FDA's public health notification falls far short of what is needed to protect patients," said Charlotte Brody of Health Care Without Harm, a group working to reduce the number of phthalates, the family of chemicals that includes DEHP, in a variety of products, from plastic toys to cosmetics.

Estrogenic Sunscreen

Five (5) Out of six (6) chemicals used to block UV in Sunscreen are estrogenic.

Margaret Schlumpf and her colleagues (Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Switzerland) finds that many widely-used sunscreen chemicals pretend and mimic the effects of estrogen and trigger developmental abnormalities in rats. (Schlumpf, Margaret; Beata Cotton, Marianne Conscience, Vreni Haller, Beate Steinmann, Walter Lichtensteiger. In vitro and in vivo estrogenicity of UV screens. Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 109 (March 2001) pp 239-244) Margret's research group studied six common chemicals that are used in sunscreens, lipsticks and facial cosmetics.

Five of the six tested chemicals (benzophenone-3, homosalate, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate and octyl-dimethyl-PABA) behaved like strong estrogen (do NOT stimulate estradiol, they pretend to be estradiol) in lab tests and caused cancer cells to grow more rapidly. Only one chemical - a UVA protector called butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (B-MDM) - showed no activity.

Uterine growth is linked to endometriosis. One very common sunscreen chemical, 4-MBC, was mixed with olive oil and applied to rat skin. 4-MBC caused a doubling of the rate of uterine growth well before puberty. "That was scary, because we used concentrations that are in the range allowed in sunscreens," stated Schlumpf. Three of the six common chemicals in sunscreen caused developmental abnormalities in animals. The major cause of sterility in women in the USA is endometriosis, a condition afflicting 5.5% of American women. Exposure to excessive estrogen is felt to be the primary cause of endometriosis. One source of these Xenoestrogens is sunscreen. Perhaps a sunscreen using zinc oxide is a better choice.

Plastics chemical (Bisphenol A) harms eggs in gestating unborn mice

Female mice with and exposure to Bisphenol A, a common chemical found in plastics, while in the uterus develop abnormal eggs. Based on this study, researchers speculate that the chemical, bisphenol A, may or may not increase the risk of spontaneous abortion and genetic disorders in humans, such as Down's syndrome.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is commonly found in hard plastics and the lining of tin cans. The chemical has come under scrutiny before because it can mimic (pretend to be) the hormone estrogen. BPA can fit imperfectly in the estrogen receptor somewhat mimicking estrogen but having a different effect.

Patricia Hunt at Washington State University in Pullman, US, and colleagues gave pregnant mice 20 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of their bodyweight each day over a one-week period. During this same period, the reproductive cells of female mice developing inside in the womb begin a process of division known as meiosis.

Phthalates in Air Fresheners Cause Hormone disruption

Studies involving rat and human subjects suggest that high exposures to certain kinds of phthalates may cause cancer, developmental and sex-hormone abnormalities (including decreased testosterone and sperm levels and malformed sex organs) in infants, and can affect fertility. Alternative medicine believes that these phthalates can also cause breast cysts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has no regulations on the use of phthalates. The FDA does not require the labeling of phthalate content on products. The FDA does not consider the quantities to which people are exposed to be harmful. Yet, other countries think not. In 2004, the European Union banned two types of phthalates in cosmetics and also bans the chemical in children's toys, as do 14 other countries. The first state bill to ban phthalates in children's toys in the U.S. is currently sitting on California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk, and he is expected to sign it this week.” (M.D. n.d.)

WHAT STEPS CAN ONE TAKE TO GET THESE CHEMICAL IMPOSTORS OUT OF THE BODY?

The best place to begin to help rid the body of these estrogen impostors of course is to first begin to avoid exposing yourself to them as best as you can. Next course of action would be to heal, harmonize, reduce, detoxify, build and accelerate rejuvenation of the liver since it is responsible for protecting the body from toxic elements.

DIETARY PRINCIPLES FOR HEALING THE LIVER (Pitchford, Dietary principles for healing the liver n.d.)

“Strategies to relieve a stagnant, swollen liver are essential since nearly all liver imbalance, including liver-related heat, blood and yin deficiencies, and wind, originate with stagnancy. The first remedy in every case (except malnutrition) is to eat less. One should also eliminate or greatly reduce certain foods which obstruct and/or damage the liver. These include foods high in saturated fats (lard, mammal meats, cream, cheese, and eggs), hydrogenated and poor-quality fasts (such as shortening, margarine, refined and rancid oils), excesses of nuts and seeds, chemicals in food and water, prescription drugs, all intoxicants, and highly processed, refined foods.

Incorporate foods which will stimulate the liver out of stagnancy; include moderately pungent foods, spices and herbs; watercress, all the members of the onion family, mustard greens, turmeric, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, marjoram, cumin, fennel, dill, ginger, black pepper, horseradish, rosemary, various mints, lemon balm, and prickly ash bark. Too much extremely pungent food, however, such as fiery hot peppers, can damage those with liver stagnation, and especially those with heat signs. Some anti-stagnancy foods are not pungent r only mildly so; beets, sweet rice, strawberry, peach, cherry, chestnut, pine nut, and cabbage, turnip root, kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Alcoholic beverages are pungent and temporarily combat liver stagnancy, but ultimately cause cell destruction and should be avoided.

Incorporating “raw foods” like sprouted grains, beans and seeds, fresh vegetables and fruits also stimulate liver energy flow.

Moving to foods which will harmonize the liver to a smooth flow of emotional/physical energy are necessary. Many of these foods are sweet in nature. Grains, vegetables, legumes, and other complex carbohydrates are ideal sweet foods for long-term liver harmony.

Bitter and sour foods will reduce excesses of the liver. Perhaps the most powerful common remedy for quickly removing liver stagnation and the accompanying depression and indigestion is vinegar. Choose unrefined apple-cider, brown-rice, rice-wine, or other quality vinegars. The flavor of vinegar is both bitter and sour, and has detoxifying and highly activating properties. Its effect is improved by mixing it with honey – one teaspoon of each per cup of water. Vinegar should not be relied on indefinitely: the basic diet must be improved instead. Since vinegar is warming it can worsen the condition of those with heat signs; instead, substitute lemon, lime or grapefruit, which are also bitter/sour but cooling and more gradually acting. Other Bitter foods are rye, romaine lettuce, asparagus, amaranth, quinoa, alfalfa, radish leaves, and citrus peel. The many bitter herbs, particularly dandelion root, chaparral, milk thistle seeds, Oregon grape root and chamomile flowers, offer excellent liver-cleansing effects. Licorice root can be used with bitter herbs to mask their harsh flavor.

Foods that will detoxify and cool the liver are mung beans and their sprouts, celery, seaweeds (kelp is very helpful in liver stagnancy), lettuce, cucumber, watercress, tofu, millet, plum, chlorophyll-rich foods, mushrooms, rhubarb root, radish and daikon radish.

Foods that will build the liver yin and blood are mung beans, mung sprouts, chlorophyll-rich foods, cucumber, tofu, and millet, while seaweed, watercress, and plum improve water metabolism. Fresh cold-pressed flax oil and extracted oils of borage, evening primrose, or black currant seeds significantly improve the yin status of the liver.

Foods that will accelerate liver rejuvenation is chlorophyll-rich foods, including cereal grasses and their juice (such as wheat or barley grass juice powders), and also the micro-algae – spirulina, wild blue-green and chlorella. These foods are very useful in most cases of liver excess, stagnancy.”

THE STRESS EFFECT

In the late 1960’s, noted Canadian researcher Hans Selye, M.D., wrote a book in which he presented his findings on the effect of stress on the human body. Thirty-five years after its publication, The Stress of Life can still be found on the shelves of your favorite bookstore. Selye proved that stress is not a vague or undefinable term used to indicate that we are unloved, overworked and underpaid. Rather, Selye found that the body responds to any kind of stress, be it mechanical, chemical, or emotional, in a very specific and predictable way.

Selye called this response by the body “the general adaptation syndrome”. If a stimulus (stress) is applied to it that requires a change on the part of the body to maintain normalcy, then an alarm signal is sent to the brain, which produces a resistance reaction. If the stimulus is removed and was strong enough as to cause tissue damage, then we probably don’t even notice. Many such reactions occur in our bodies every day as we automatically adjust our rates of respiration and heartbeat as well as countless hormonal and autonomic nerve responses to meet changes in our environments, both external and internal.

If the stimulus is continued, then the body’s response must continue to resist its effect and a state of compensation is reached – that is, the parts of the body affected by the stimulus/stress must elicit aid from other tissues, or, in most cases, being using increased amounts of nutrients to maintain its heightened state of function. This situation will continue as long as the stimulus is applied and as long as the flow of nutrition is maintained and the waste products formed by the affected organ’s tissue are not allowed to accumulate.

The body enters a state of exhaustion once the tissue becomes fatigued due to a lack of support from related tissues or organs, nutrition, or waste removal of because the stimulus is simply too strong: At this point we begin to experience symptoms. The affected tissues are not exhausted to the point of tissue damage. Objective findings such as physical examinations, blood tests, and X-rays at this point are still negative, so we have not entered the zone of disease. Yet health has not been maintained, and we have left the zone of nutrition.

Selye’s findings present us with the realization that because the human body has specific functions designed to maintain normal function and therefore health, attempts at healing should be directed toward relieving the stress and providing nutrients for the body to use in its defense. Such efforts would unquestionably fall within the province of nutrition.

Any stimulus that threatens homeostasis has disease-producing potential. Therefore, any treatment designed to suppress unpleasant symptoms diminishes the body’s ability to protect itself.

So we can look at the internal environment and you will see that some cell, tissue, organ is under a considerable amount of stress. It may be mechanical, chemical, or emotional; the source doesn’t matter. The cell is unable to perform its function(s) properly because the stress is either too strong or has been there too long, and the cell either doesn’t have adequate nutrition or has accumulated too much waste. In other words, it’s environment is not adequate. Perhaps it is not doing it’s share to keep the environment normal, and other cells are suffering.

The rest of this society of cells will do what they can to maintain the internal environment. Some may even die trying. The body will rob Peter to pay Paul to keep the whole alive and well. IT might have to destroy some cells to get some nutrient such as protein or sugar, but I will do it as required. You become diseased only when it can no longer maintain the internal environment.” (Howard F. Loomis Jr. D.C. n.d.)

 CONCLUSION:

NUTRITIONAL BATTLEPLAN

Food production and processing has been greatly affected over this past century. Sporadic eating habits in a fast paced lifestyle is compromising the hormonal health of American folks.

The first hurdle in making lifestyle changes with one’s nutritional program needs to start with the understanding that ANY food that is canned, frozen, dehydrated, texturized, softened or that has been chemically laden to increase shelf life falls in the category of “processed food”. Research shows that in North America the diet consists of 60% processed foods, according to Jillian Michaels “Master your Metabolism”. Researchers have discovered that preservatives are altering our biochemistry and can lead to autoimmune conditions, cancer, obesity, insulin resistance and accelerated aging. (Michaels, Master Your Metabolism n.d.)

Being able to understand what “bad” fats are is also imperative to living a healthier life. When a regular fat is blasted with a hydrogen ion and the liquid is changed to a solid at room temperature, hydrogenated fats are created. Hydrogenated fats increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels dramatically. Just a 2% increase of Trans fatty acids increases the chance of heart disease by 23%. A New England Journal of Medicine review of more than 80 studies found that Trans-fat is more dangerous to health than any food contaminant even when it is only 1 to 3% of the total calorie intake. Only 20-60 calories from artificial Trans-fats per day will start damaging health. (Michaels, Master Your Metabolism n.d.)

When we address the over use of sugars in the American diet we cannot help but point out the over use of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), or artificial sweeteners like Aspartame, or Sucralose, which has supporting research to show that not only are these linked to cancer but also increase cravings, cause weight gain and makes the body more insulin resistant. When aspartame is broken down in the body, methanol is produced. Methanol is a neurotoxic alcohol which is hundreds of times more potent that the alcohol in alcoholic beverages. Aspartame has thus been shown to cause neurological diseases and symptoms including headaches, muscles spasm, dizziness, twitching, memory loss, migraines, and even seizures. (George Krucik M.D. 2015)

Then there is the caffeine craze in the United States, between the coffee espresso’s and the energy drinks it sends a pretty big message that Americans are running on empty not the other way around as Dunkin Donut’s commercials would lead you to believe. People are tossing their body’s into “fight or flight” mode. Caffeine feeds into the bloodstream and the adrenals secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine which sets off a chain of hormonal events that brings on weight gain. The liver releases blood sugar and the pancreas subsequently secretes insulin to counteract the sugar and therefore the blood sugar dips due to the release of insulin. Blood vessels are constricted and sugar cravings usually follow. Cortisol levels are elevated, and consistent intake of caffeine contributes to deterioration of the adrenal glands and causes the body to stay in a perpetual state of “stress.”

Realizing that 90% of all hormone disrupting chemicals are found in everyday foods, choosing to eat organic foods will reduce the bodies exposure to toxic exposure. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to consumer health and protection has published a list of the 12 most densely sprayed fruits and vegetables called the “Dirty Dozen” and they include the 15 least sprayed fruits and vegetables called the “Clean Fifteen”.

The widespread infiltration of all these chemical hormonal imposters is a very serious threat to not only the health of adults today, but poses a much higher risk of impaired health issues for the upcoming generations. Recognition and a willingness to make necessary changes in lifestyle and nutrition can only lead to better health. It can feel like a battle in the beginning, but it’s a battle worth fighting.

By: Jodi Barnett N.H.C. QFA Clinician,Orthomolecular Nutritional Coach

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