By Rosana Fernandez, Consultant and Co-Founder, The FlipSide Plan
Perhaps is an “age-related” situation, but these days conversations about “hormonal imbalances” seem to be everywhere: TV, social media, and conversation among friends in

their 40s and 50s as they are faced with the normal issues that occur during the perimenopause and menopause stages of every woman.
Hormonal imbalance is not a disease. However, there is no doubt that hormonal imbalances (for both men and women) can trigger many health issues.
But what triggers a hormonal imbalance exactly? This is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Diet, stress, poor sleep, and lack of exercise, are some of the factors that can have an enormous impact on our hormones. Toxins, in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we consume, and the products we use in our house and put on our bodies are also as important. These last ones are usually forgotten. We are so obsessed with diet and nutrition that sometimes we overlook other things that we come in contact with daily that play a role that is as important as food. Eating the “right” foods, reducing our stress levels, getting quality sleep and adequate exercise (in type and duration) are fantastic ways to regain hormonal balance. But we can’t ignore our constant exposure to toxins. This might be, perhaps, the extra “mile” that we need to walk to achieve that balance.
As mentioned before, toxins are everywhere, and aiming to live a “toxic-free” life, is a great idea but one that might be hard to achieve. Instead, we would invite you to start reducing your exposure to toxins, one day at a time and one product at a time.
So, let’s identify the most common toxins and give you some options to substitute them one at a time. Let’s begin with common toxins that we find in our food supply.
Toxins in our food – Pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides are some chemicals used regularly by conventional farmers. These chemicals are used to help crops grow faster and larger and resist the attack of foreign bugs and weeds. However, most of these synthetic pesticides may land on our plates and inside our bodies.
What can you do about it?
Avoiding toxic chemicals in your food is a fantastic way to start making progress toward a toxin-reduced lifestyle. However, we are very aware that the price of organic produce is particularly high when compared to conventional produce, but you do not need to buy everything organic. That is unsustainable for most families. If you want to begin somewhere, the Environmental Working Group, also known as the EWG releases every year a list of 12 fruits and vegetables that you should buy organic (the “Dirty Dozen”) as well as a list of 15 fruits and vegetables that you can buy conventional (the “Clean Fifteen”). You can find the updated lists here and here.
Buying in season and as local as possible will certainly have an impact, not only on the environment but also on the number of pesticides used by the farmers. Therefore, farmer’s markets during spring and summer are fantastic options.
Toxins in the air – We cannot stop breathing and unless you live on farmland, you will likely be exposed to some level of air pollution. That is fine. However, sometimes we invite air pollutants to our homes without even noticing with the promise of nice scents. Welcome: candles and air purifiers! Most of these products are made with toxic ingredients that may have an impact on your health in the long run. But you still want (likeI do) to live in a house that smells nice and cozy, right?
What can you do about it? If you like candles in your home, start by switching to soy candles or beeswax candles. Commercial candles are made up of multiple chemicals that stay in your home, you end up breathing and absorbing them through your skin. For example, most candles are made of paraffin wax, a petroleum-based, non-degradable substance known to release toxic chemicals to humans (and animals) that can build up indoors as well as in your lungs. Also, chemical fragrances and perfumes (which may smell delicious), are associated with endocrine disruption. Nothing you would want around!. There are many options these days and in various price ranges. Start with one!
Toxins in personal care products – This one is tricky. We are so used to using certain products around the house and for our personal care that we tend to forget that what we put on our body goes in our body.
Chemicals hide in the most unlikely places, and safe doesn’t equal nontoxic. Toxins can be absorbed orally, through the skin, and the lungs. The skin is a good reflection of what’s going on inside the microbiome: It is our largest organ and it is also a detox organ – it's involved in elimination and can let toxins in.
One way to reduce the load on detoxification organs – including the skin – is by choosing personal care products free of chemicals and artificial dyes. The skincare industry is unregulated, and many ingredients in personal care products haven’t been tested for safety outside the company.
Many personal care products contain colorants, fragrances, and preservatives derived from crude oil or compounds that interfere with normal hormone and endocrine function.
Some common chemicals that we should be aware of are parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, and Sodium lauryl sulfate (emulsifier and foaming agent). Choosing products that do not contain these chemicals requires attention and of course, knowledge and sometimes it can feel extremely overwhelming.
What can you do about it? One initial step in the right direction is to choose personal care products that do not have scents. This will eliminate synthetic fragrances. If you prefer products with a nice smell, check the ingredients and look for scents derived from essential oils. Products that use the word “organic” and/or “natural” are not necessarily the best option. Again, it is all about the ingredients they use, not about the claims they make in their packaging.
Locally made skincare products that are made in small batches and with the use of few ingredients are your best bet. Finally, we can’t finish this article without mentioning perhaps the biggest transgressors: Home Cleaning Products! It is impossible to escape them and we use them all the time: the dishwasher soap, the glass cleaners, the washing machine soap and of course, who couldn’t forget: the dryer sheets! Chemicals that we use daily and which can interfere with the proper functioning of our hormones!
What can you do about it? Similar to personal care products, if there is only one change you can do, then start by buying unscented products! You will go a long way with this small change! If you want to go one step further, then rather than falling for the claims of “natural” in the packaging, search for products that are produced in small batches and, if you like having a nice smell around your house, make sure they use essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances. There are amazing options these days and you don’t need to look too hard.
Rather than trying to change all at once, start with one product at a time. Do your research or connect with us and we will do the research for you (that is our job). Look local, buy products made in small batches, meet the makers and ask questions. You are the client and you should know what you are buying. It is your health and you are the only person who can advocate for it.
Share this article with your friends and family. You never know who needs to read this!
Stay well and healthy.
For more information about The FlipSide Plan or Rosana Fernandez, please see: https://www.theflipsideplan.com, or contact: rosana@theflipsideplan.com
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