Clean Foods by Rebecca

Most people have no clue that endocrine disruptors are in most of their everyday products such as sunscreen, plastic water bottles and food containers, skincare, food dyes and food preservatives. However, you may want to think twice about letting your daughter get into the highly scented body scrub or bath bomb they are dying to try out. This is especially important information if you suffer from an autoimmune disease or a thyroid condition. Don’t panic…I will walk you through where these chemicals are hidden and after time, you will know how to easily distinguish between safe and harmful products.

Our endocrine glands produce hormones that control many of our body’s processes such as normal growth, fertility, and reproduction. Endocrine or hormone disruptors have the ability to mimic, block or interfere with the body’s natural hormones. Xenoestrogens are a type of endocrine disruptor that mimic estrogen in our body. As these chemicals build up in the body they have been linked to many conditions such as breast, prostate and testicular cancer, obesity, infertility, endometriosis, early onset puberty, miscarriages and diabetes. As a mother, I feel it is worth the effort to learn where these chemicals are hiding and how I can eliminate most from our lives. The more consumers are aware of these dangerous products the better our purchasing power will demand companies use safer ingredients. I know all the information below can be overwhelming, so you can do what I do and simply scan products on the Switch Natural App. The app tells you which ingredients are harmful and why you want to avoid them. But I’ll run through the basics on the most widely used and most harmful endocrine disruptors.

The biggest offenders are:

1. Parabens – found in face and body lotions, washes, perfume, hair care, makeup and shaving products. Parabens are found under many different names, so make sure you avoid any ingredient ending with paraben. They have properties that mimic estrogen and are linked to hormonal imbalance and an increased risk of breast cancer.
2. Phthalates – found in cosmetics, plastics (which may then leach into our food), skincare, nail polishes, shampoos & conditioners, and perfumes. Phthalates can lead to reproductive issues in men and women, early breast development, as well as an increased risk of breast cancer.
3. Fragrance – anytime a product lists fragrance or parfum, even if it says natural fragrance you definitely want to run the other way. These carcinogenic chemicals are linked to health problems all throughout the body and most commonly cause or worsen allergies and asthma. Fragrance is also found in air fresheners, dryer sheets, candles, skincare, cosmetics, etc.
4. Formaldehyde – found in nail polishes and strengtheners, eyelash glues, hair products, soap, makeup, and deodorants, as well as furniture and construction materials. This carcinogen is linked to asthma, neurotoxicity and immunosuppression.
5. Polyethlene Glycol (PEGs) – found in many cosmetics, skincare, baby wipes, cleaners and sunscreen. You will see PEG or PPG listed in the ingredient list. Polyethylene glycol compounds are used as thickeners, softeners, penetration enhancers, and surfactants. PEGs are produced using a process called ethoxylation. This process can cause contamination with ethylene oxide, a chemical associated with various cancers. Additionally, ethoxylated ingredients can also be contaminated with 1,4- dioxane, which is also a carcinogen. When buying sunscreen stick to non-nano zinc oxide only!
6. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) – found in most of our skincare, haircare and dental products giving it a foaming effect. They can trigger allergies and cause skin, lung and eye irritation, and when mixed with other chemicals can become carcinogenic.
7. Aluminum – used in makeup as well as antiperspirant deodorants to minimize sweat. Applying aluminum in the sensitive armpit area after shaving has been linked to early diagnosis of breast cancer. There are great deodorant alternatives such as Primally Pure, Agent Nateur and Humble.
8. BPA (or their similarly named alternatives) – xenoestrogen chemical that is found in many plastic products, canned goods and receipts. Linked to breast and other cancers, reproductive problems, obesity, early puberty and heart disease. Many know that they need to switch over to glass storage containers and never microwave their food on plastic, but we also need to opt for an emailed receipt at the store in order to avoid BPA receipt coatings getting into our bloodstream.
9. Pesticides & Herbicides – Atrazine is a big one that is sprayed on our corn crops and then gets into our water system (please filter your water!). Researchers have found that exposure to low levels of atrazine can turn male frogs into female frogs! Exposure to these harmful chemicals can be avoided or drastically reduced by purchasing organic fruits and vegetables. I also highly recommend terminating your home insect spraying contract and opt for natural pest control. Branch Basics has a thorough guide on removing these harmful toxins and replacing with safe alternatives. Misting systems installed around the perimeter of the home to kill insects should not be used. These systems use pyrethrins and pyrethroids and piperonyl butoxide – all have been implicated in chemical injury to infants, children, people with weakened immune systems and the elderly.
10. Dyes – found in foods (appears on ingredient list as FD&C followed by a color) or in cosmetics (appears as D&C followed by a color). These are skin irritants, suspected to be carcinogenic, and directly linked to ADHD in children.
11. Triclosan – found in cosmetics, soaps, deodorants and toothpaste. This endocrine disruptor is a skin irritant and can be detrimental to the thyroid and reproductive hormones, cause gut inflammation, and causes antimicrobial resistance. Stick to natural soaps that do not contain antimicrobial chemicals and let the 20 seconds of scrubbing do the real work of keeping your hands clean. I use Branch Basics foaming soap in all of our bathrooms, and not only does it work, but it has helped to eliminate eczema on our hands!
12. Glycol Ethers – ingredients appear as 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME). These chemicals are found in cleaning products, paints, brake fluid and cosmetics. The EU states these substances may damage fertility or the unborn child. They have also been directly linked to blood abnormalities and lower sperm counts, asthma and allergies.
13. Ethinyl Estradiol (EE) – this chemical is found in birth control pills and is designed to mimic estrogen, tricking your body into producing or blocking its natural hormones. Altering estrogen levels can be detrimental to heart health, mitochondrial health, long-term fertility, gut microbiomes, increase the risk of hormonal cancers, and the list goes on.

Unfortunately, this is not a complete list and there are even more harmful chemicals out there that we need to be aware of. Teenagers are especially at risk of endocrine disruptors due to their sensitive development stage and the fact that most teens use many more skincare products in order to clear acne and hide other hormonal skin changes. Again, I recommend using the Switch Natural app when choosing cosmetics and skincare, and do your research on products you bring into the home (the EWG also has a useful guide). I also have my recommendations on cleaner products throughout my website. With a little education and safer purchases over time, you can transform your home into a safe, thriving environment.