Endocrine disruptors and me

Once I'd been diagnosed as having Hashimotos, I looked at my family history in a little more detail. Yes, it was all there. A long history of female sufferers, with not just thyroid problems, but diabetes and various liver and kidney complaints too. Lots of Rhematoid arthritus and one Lupus. It depressed me. But was it just my genetic inheritance? Was there nothing I could do to slow my terrible decline? And is it just genes? Would my son get this too?

I started to do a little research. It can't just be genes, i reasoned, although that's a lot to do with it. Maybe certain people have a predisposistion to auto-immune disorders, certainly, but that doesn't explain why their diagnosis has risen alarmingly over the last decades. Certainly people will argue that diagnosis is bound to rise as techniques get more precise, tests improve etc. But alongside this, haven't we all been doing quite awful things to our environment, and ingesting nasty chemicals that do horrible things to our bodies? I am not quite readey to write off the theory that much auto-immune disease is to do with environmental reasons.

I read up on chemicals, in particular endocrine disruptors. Flouride has already been linked quite definitively to thyroid disorders, and it is quite clear to me that EDC's (endocrine disrupting chemicals) are another clear problem. They mimic natural hormones in the body and are ingested by us in quite horrifying quantities, right from conception through the placenta. Present in almost everything, they are quite hard to avoid. But I thought i'd try.

For two months now i've used only natural, EDC free cleaning products. My beauty products are EDC free, and all my baby goods. My skin post thyroid diagnosis was dry, itchy and nasty and all my old cosmetics and products lay on it like oil making me allergic, so they all went. Now I am foundation and make up free apart from a little mascara. All my facial cleansing products are natural. Has it made a difference? I think so. Of course, they thyroxine will be helping, as will the EPO (Evening primrose oil), but the products I use work, and my skin is better than it ever was. Plus I feel as if i'm controlling my body. I'm not disrupting it any more than it already is.

So what to look for in your products? Particularly, avoid parabens and triclosan. They are insiduous and everywhere. A product that says it is "natural" doesn't have to be! Anything with an ingrediant labelled "parfum" is a tricky one. "parfum" can be as many as 200 chemicals, many of them EDC's. The easiest way to do this is to go to a health shop and ask for EDC free stuff. I've put some links in to some various articles that i've used, and shops I use too. the WEN (Women's environmental network) site is great. It doesn't mince words and it shows what mugs we all are for allowing ourselves to be part of this great chemical experiment in the name of beauty. I don't know about you, but i for one don't give a shit about a few wrinkles if my bloody endocrine system stays working. The governments and chemical companies may tell us there's "no direct evidence" but if fish and animals living in water pumped full of industrial EDC's are all getting thyroid cancer and turning from one sex into another, that's enough evidence for me, ta.

Chemical information.

http://www.nomorebreastcancer.org.uk/common_carcinogens.html An article listing commonly used EDC's and what they do to you.
http://www.wen.org.uk/health/resources.htm Great site with tons of info, an excellent report here called "Gender and environmental chemicals" as well as lots else.

Any google for "endocrine disruptors" will turn up lots of horror.

Natural products I use

Weleda stuff is great, i find. I use the Rose facial creams and they are very economical, very rich, and don't react with my skin, leaving it very soft. I also use their shampoos, particularly the Rosemary, which is great for fine hair. They do seem pricey, but no more so than usual "top range" beauty stuff, and they last for ages. My last tube of day cream lasted for 4 months.
http://www.weleda.co.uk/

This Pure Nuff stuff is lovely. The baby soap is beautiful, chamomile smell and totally safe. You can also buy pure body butters here, and the whole ethic of the company pleases me. Again, the stuff seems economical. The baby foamy wash is gorgeous, smells lush and only two squeezes washes a whole baby and their hair.
http://www.purenuffstuff.co.uk/

Cleaning products were very important, as with a baby i'm constantly wiping stuff down or up. I find the Ecover range is good and again, very economical. You loose out on smell in washing, but win on conscience and safety.