Every day a sea of potentially hormone-disturbing toxins surrounds us, in pesticides and herbicides in our soil; in chemicals and additives in the food we eat; in contaminants in the water we drink; in pollutants from car exhausts and cigarette smoke; in chemicals in solvents, plastics and adhesives; as well as all the toxins we absorb through our skin in make up, hair dyes and household cleaning products along with possible radiation from visual display units, mobiles or VDUs. These everyday toxins have been linked to birth defects and hormonal disruption so great that some of them are now called EDCs or endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals.

It is thought that EDCs could interfere with fertility due to the damage they can cause to your ovulation cycle and possibly your eggs, as well as to a man’s sperm production. Experts aren’t entirely sure how they threaten fertility but it appears that they have the potential to interfere with the natural process of your hormones, preventing them from producing the natural responses in much the same way that a car parked across an exit prevents other cars from getting in and out. They create hormonal havoc by mimicking our own natural hormones and tricking your body into a fertility inhibition condition of hormonal imbalance known as oestrogen excess or oestrogen dominance. EDCs are stored in body fat and found in everything from plastics to pesticides and even though the government tells us EDCs are perfectly safe there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that they are not and that they have potentially damaging effects to hormonal health and health in general.

 

Although there are ways to limit your exposure, it’s virtually impossible to completely avoid exposure to toxins in today’s busy, industrialised world so what you need to do is fortify yourself and your partner against the effects of unavoidable exposure. And the best way to do this is to keep your body’s own detoxifying organs – your liver, kidneys and adrenals – in good working order by cleansing both your diet and your lifestyle so that EDCs and other toxins are successfully eliminated from your system.

 

Cleanse your diet

 

A nutrient rich, healthy, balanced diet that excludes alcohol, smoking and caffeine – all of which can have a toxic effect on your body – is the best way to protect yourself and your fertility from toxic damage. It is especially important to make sure you are getting enough antioxidants in your diet, and the best way to do this is to eat lots of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables. Research has shown how powerful antioxidants such as Vitamins E, and C can be. Another beneficial nutrient for your liver is sulphur.  Garlic, cruciferous vegetables and eggs are good sources of nutritional sulphur.

 

If you are trying to get pregnant I highly recommended that you and your partner eat organic food, wherever possible. Organic food often contains higher levels of nutrients and is free from chemical pesticides, herbicides and artificial fertilisers. To cut the cost of going organic you could either join an organic food box scheme, where fruits and vegetables are delivered to your door from local producers, or you could visit your local farmers’ market to get a better deal. If going organic isn’t practical for you there are ways you can protect yourself against toxins.

 

•           If you can’t eat just organic fruits and vegetables at least always wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

•           Drink at least six glasses of water a day – add fruit juice if this gets boring and filter your water. Either drink mineral water or use a water filter at home.

•           Reduce your intake of fatty animal products (meat and dairy) as EDCs accumulate in fat.

•           Never heat food in plastic containers and don’t wrap food in plastic – the plastic contains toxins that can be absorbed in your food.

•           Think brown – go for unrefined complex carbohydrates (brown rice, wholemeal pasta, brown bread). Avoid white bread, pasta, biscuits, cakes and refined foods.

•           Eat a leafy, green vegetable a day. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage can boost the liver’s ability to detoxify harmful chemicals.

 

Cleanse your life

 

Manage your weight

EDCs make their home in fat so losing excess body fat will help as that’s where we store toxins. If you are trying to lose weight this can be another great motivator.

 

Avoid aluminium

Avoid aluminium kitchenware, foil and foods and indigestion tablets containing aluminium. 

 

Avoid lead

Check if your water supply has lead pipes, as lead can leach into the water just by standing in lead pipes overnight. If you have lead pipes, allow your tap to run for a minute first thing in the morning. Use water from the cold, not the hot tap because lead dissolves more easily into hot water.  Also use a water filter for all your water, including cooking, hot drinks, and so on.

 

Check labels of toiletries and cosmetics

Be especially wary of the aluminium in deodorants and antiperspirants. Use natural cosmetic products and deodorants.  (see the Natural Lifestyle Products at www.naturalhealthpractice.com).

 

Refuse mercury fillings

Refuse and, when possible, replace mercury-containing dental fillings. Have mercury fillings replaced with white fillings. (Also watch out for high levels of mercury in canned tuna fish).

 

Check what chemicals and toxins you may be exposed to at work

Carbon disulphide, used in several manufacturing processes, such as the production of plastics, has been linked to sexual dysfunction in both women and men. Many pesticides and herbicides are known reproductive toxins. People working in gardens, parks, plant nurseries and farms are at risk. Exposure to anesthetics for health workers such as nurses and vets, to heavy metals (old paint), to solvents (dry cleaning and lab staff), and to glycol ethers used by electronics manufacturing firms has been linked to fertility problems in both men and women.

 

Check what toxins you may be exposed to in your own home and garden

Try not to use pesticides in your garden and have your house treated for woodworm when you aren’t living there. Treat your pets or your house for bugs with natural herbal sprays or garlic. Be careful if you are decorating your home and avoid solvent-based paints and white spirits. Buy solvent-free paints instead and minimise the amount of chemicals you use in your home such as polish, bleach, detergents, and air fresheners. Try to buy natural products or use tried and tested cleaners like vinegar, baking soda or borax.

 

Check for electromagnetic radiation

Devices that emit electromagnetic radiation, such as laptops, televisions, mobile phones and microwave ovens, should also be used in moderaation and as far away from your bedroom as possible.

 

Limit your time spent at VDU screens

One study showed that women who spend more than 20 hours a week in front of a VDU screen, like a television or computer monitor, have twice as many miscarriages as non-VDU workers. Research on impact of VDUs on reproductive health is still ongoing and no conclusions have been drawn, but if you do work at a screen the computer protection tips below can help to reduce the impact.

 

Take regular breaks from the screen, at least five minutes every half hour

Switch the VDU off, rather than using the screensaver, when you are not using it.

Sit as far away from the computer as you can, while still being able to sit comfortably and see properly.

According to the Institute de Recherches en Geobiologie at Chardonne in Switzerland, which has investigated the effects of radiation with a variety of plants, a cactus called Cereus peruvianus will help absorb some of the VDU’s electromagnetic radiation.

 

 

My latest book Getting Pregnant faster has more detailed information on avoiding fertility inhibiting toxins as well as detailed advice on other natural ways to boost your fertility.

Infertility has been on the increase in the last 20 years and although infertility can be caused by many things, including a poor diet, environmental toxins, stress, nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances and general poor health, a growing number of experts, myself included, are beginning to suspect that everyday bodycare products may also play a role.

Many of us are unaware that the products we use everyday on our bodies or in our homes could be adversely affecting our fertility. This is because many of the toiletries we use on our bodies are made from the same chemicals used in industrial processes and many of those have been shown to be hormone disruptors in both men and women. Take propylene glycol, for example, a solvent used in hair care products, deodorant and make up. Did you know that it is also the main ingredient in antifreeze?

 

Studies show that many of the chemicals found in beauty products may be linked to health problems, including hormone disruption and even birth defects and what makes these even more alarming is that your exposure to these everyday products can build up unnoticed over the years because it is only when these synthetic substances are used frequently that they start to accumulate in the body.

 

The main culprits include parabens, phthalates, talc, triclosan and surfactants. Parabens are found in most body care products and have been shown to affect natural levels of oestrogen, making them a hormone disrupting chemical. Phthalates are one of many ingredients found in fragrances, hair spray, make up nail polish and shampoo and they have also been shown to be hormone disruptors in both men and women. Talc is found in body and face powders and is a known carcinogen. Triclosan is found in toothpaste, soap and body wash and is another hormone disruptor and surfactants, which are found in personal care products that foam can pose serious health risks including adversely affecting reproductive health.

 

To reduce the toxic load on your body I suggest that you and your partner look at the products you normally use on your body every day and check the labels to see how many synthetic ingredients they contain. Throw out products that you are suspicious of and look for healthy alternatives.  Also have a look through other household products, such as air fresheners, bathroom cleaners and bleach etc. Think about how toxic they are and look for natural alternatives in health shops and supermarkets. Finally, you may also want to consider a gentle detox programme to rid yourself and your partner of any accumulated toxic load. This is especially important when you are planning for pregnancy and in my latest book Getting Pregnant Faster you’ll find plenty of advice on how to detox your diet and lifestyle in the preconception period.

We drink from plastic bottles and use plastic food wraps all the time but a growing number of scientists are getting concerned about the safety of these products, along with tin cans and dental sealants. This is because some substances in certain plastics used to make various products have been shown to have substances such as nonylphenol and octylphenol, biphenolic compounds and phthalates which can have a negative effect on reproductive hormones and fertility.

One such chemical is bisphenol-A, a synthetic oestrogen used in the manufacture of many food containers, cans and baby bottles and dental sealants. To illustrate the power of this chemical, some male workers developed breasts after inhaling dust containing bisphenol-A and one study showed that women with a history of miscarriage can have as much as three times the chemical bisphenol-A in their blood compared to women who have never miscarried.

 

Other research has raised questions about the safety of cling film made of a type of plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which contains plasticisers. Some animal studies suggest that PVC may be an endocrine or hormone disruptor. Other research on phthalates – chemicals which are used in commercial products as softeners of plastics, solvents in perfumes and additives to hair sprays, lubricants and insect repellents – has shown that they have the potential to be reproductive toxins. Until we know more about the effects of common plastics on our reproductive health use the simple strategies below to protect yourself:

 

–          Use plastic wraps and cookware made of polyethylene which doesn’t contain plasticisers. If the product doesn’t make this clear, don’t buy it.

–          When you reheat or cook food don’t let plastic wrap touch it

–          Don’t wrap food in cling film; use paper instead. Immediately remove cling film wrap from food you buy and transfer them to a bag or container. Better yet ask the person on the deli to wrap your food in paper.

–          Don’t store fatty food in plastic wrap. Xenoestrogens are lipophilic (fat loving) and will tend to leach into foods with a high fat content.

–          If you buy hard cheese wrapped in plastic use a knife to shave off the surface layer

–          Avoid food that needs to be microwaved in a plastic container. Better still avoid microwaving food altogether.

–          Use glass bottles. Cans and plastic bottles of fizzy drink contain six times the amount of aluminium compared to the same beverages in glass bottles. There is always a small amount of residue that dissolves into drinks from the lining of a can or from a plastic bottle. Glass bottles are much better than plastic.

–          Refill your own non-plastic water bottle instead of using toxic plastic water bottles. While it’s good for your health to carry your own water and drink it throughout the day, if it’s in a clear polycarbonate plastic bottle, it can be leaching a toxic substance into your water-even if the bottle is sitting on table at room temperature.