As a woman and mother, the term “endocrine disruptor” was a term I knew nothing about until just a few years ago when I was first introduced to Beautycounter. It was then that I became aware of how many harmful chemicals are allowed in our daily products we all wear on our skin. Endocrine disruptors were one of the things Beautycounter screened for and avoided in their products. So, I figured it was something important.

Since then, I feel like I am constantly learning more about this topic. And just overall amazed and frustrated how much this is not talked about when it comes to a woman’s health. Especially when health issues in women are on the rise!

I sat down on Instagram with my long-time good friend, dietitian and women’s health expert, Kayli Anderson, last week. And it again opened my eyes to a subject that is SO important and we don’t talk enough about. You can watch our discussion on Instagram, here.

As Kayli explained and as she mentions in her own blog post about the topic, endocrine disruptors are hormone-disrupting chemicals that interfere with the body’s endocrine system, or hormone system. They’re found in everything from plastics, to cosmetics and skin care, to furniture and clothing fabrics. Endocrine disruptors are especially dangerous for women. They’ve been linked to menstrual cycle disruption, premature puberty, early onset menopause, endometriosis, infertility, PCOS, and thyroid issues in women. Sooooo ….WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS!!!!

This all feels very heavy and overwhelming, but the good news is that some simple swaps can lower your body’s toxic burden and exposure to these hormone disrupting chemicals!

Here are the three important ways to help lower your exposure:

1. Swap your plastic for glass in the kitchen. As Kayli explains, plastics contain hormone-disrupting chemicals like BPA and phthalates which are linked to breast cancer, fertility issues, and premature puberty. Luckily you can find a lot of great glass storage containers, and if you are a parent, you can find lots of bamboo plates and cup options for your kids. Here are some plates and cups we love for my kids. We haven’t completely cut out plastic, but the small swaps we have done add up. Try to never microwave plastic, either.

2. Switch your skin care, body and makeup products for a safer option. This one can take some time, but every swap counts! It is estimated that a women wears about 12 products a day on her body and that totals around 168 chemicals!! Think - shampoo, body wash, soap, lotion, makeup, deodorant, lip products, sunscreen… it adds up! Only 30 ingredients are banned in our personal care products in the US, with over 2,000 chemicals being introduced into commerce each year - over 90% of which have NOT been tested for human safety before going in our products. When switching to safer, a good thing to do is check out the products on the EWG Skin Deep Database.

   This is also a main reason why I wear and share about Beautycounter, it is leading the industry in clean products and we are working to change the law so that all companies have to make their products safer for our health! If you need help finding safer products or knowing where to start, I can send samples to try and we can work together to find what products you need! I recommend starting with the products you wear the most - like deodorant, body lotion, lip products and a face lotion.

3. Use safer cleaning supplies in your home. I love and use the brand called Branch Basics, and code URBANAPRON can save you 15%. This is what we use in our kitchen and bathroom. We also use the fragrance-free items from Seventh Generation for the dishwasher, laundry and dish soap. If you want to try making your own all-purpose cleaner, check out Kayli’s recipe, below!!!

Here is Kayli’s recipe for a good and simple cleaner for around the house and in the kitchen!! Buy a glass spray bottle and you just need water, vinegar and a lemon!! You soak the lemon rind in a jar with the vinegar and water for at least a week, and then remove the lemon and put the mixture into a spray bottle.

Kayli’s Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

• 1 part white vinegar

• 1 part water

• Citrus Peel

Instructions:

1. Combine vinegar, water, and citrus peel in a jar. Leave to infuse for at least 1 week.

2. Remove peels from the jar and transfer the mixture to a glass spray bottle.

And remember… it can feel very overwhelming to avoid harmful chemicals, because they are in so much of what is around us on the daily basis. But even small swaps and changes add up. It takes time, so start with one thing at a time!

We got this!!!

xx,

Anna