Switching to less toxic products is getting more and more popular but non-toxic living shouldn’t be all or nothing. Toxic load— how many toxins are in your body at any given time— is cumulative. This means every time you swap something out for a healthier option, you are reducing the burden on your body. Make changes slowly, so you don’t overwhelm yourself (extra stress won’t help your hormones either) and can take your time making true, lasting changes.

Since 1979, the number of chemicals registered has grown by over 30%. There are over 80,000 chemicals that are registered in the US and less than 200 of them have been tested for safety. There are about 1,500 chemicals that have been identified as hormone disruptors and they can work to disrupt hormones in a few different ways:

1. They can mimic estrogen in the body, which would increase levels of estrogen.
2. They can bind to hormone receptors and block the ability of your hormones to do their job.
3. They can interfere or block the way natural hormone receptors are made or controlled, like altering how they are metabolized in the liver.

Main Sources of Hormone Disrupting Chemicals

• Tap water
• Commercially-raised meat and dairy
• Foods sprayed with or containing insecticides/pesticides
• Plastic
• Beauty products
• Personal care products
• Conventional menstrual products
• Cleaning products
• Birth control pills