Silent Disruptors of Metabolism and Health
You’ve heard is a zillion times – just exercise and eat less.
If it were JUST that simple life would be easy in terms of weight and health.
This last week I heard an amazing talk called “Health and the Environment” by Tieraona Low Dog, MD, who is the Director of Fellowship for the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona on and you can hear it on this link.
What were the take home messages that everyone should know about?
If you can change just a few things in your environment it can add up to huge health rewards.
What exactly does that mean? She discussed BPA and Phthalates, which are chemicals in plastics, know as endocrine disruptors.
What exactly do endocrine disruptors do?
They change the metabolism of natural hormones in your body like estrogen and testosterone, but also neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.
That means they can silently be contributing to or causing health issues like insulin resistance or inability to lose weight, ADD/ADHD, early puberty, and infertility.
What are some 2 easy things to do to help yourself and your family?
1. Avoid plastics and plastic containers as much as possible.
This principle is challenging but start small. Avoid any plastic container with the number 7 on it or PC (polycarbonate).
We know that it is dangerous to microwave things in plastic but if you have old plastic containers or ones with scratches throw them away as they can be leaking BPA or Phthalates and read this summary for further information.
2. Store things in glass containers and drink out of glass versus plastic bottles. I’ve been doing this for some time and I did notice a difference in how I felt and my weight after making the switch. It may take a little time to transition but it will not only be beneficial for your health but the environment as well.
I still remember the milkman bringing our milk on Saturday morning and the delight I had opening the door to find it on our front doorstep.
Sometimes things we consider old school are healthier than new school conveniences – hormones and neurotransmitters don’t adapt to modern modalities. We may not have the milkman anymore but buying milk in glass is fortunately still an option.
