Are Endocrine Disruptors Ruining Your Fertility?

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Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are pervasive; they’re in our food, water, air, and even the beauty and cleaning products we use daily. Everyday items like furniture and curtains can also harbour these sneaky substances.

EDCs are notorious for throwing our hormonal balance off-kilter, affecting both male and female reproductive systems. They can mimic or block crucial sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, leading to changes in hormone levels, compromised sperm and egg quality, damaged sperm DNA, prolonged menstrual cycles, difficulty conceiving, increased risk of miscarriage, and premature menopause.

With an onslaught of thousands of chemicals in countless combinations, the true extent of the damage they cause to our fertility and overall health is largely unknown. However, we do know that minimising exposure to these harmful substances is paramount for maintaining reproductive health and overall well-being

Woman holding her abdomen with a sign saying help.

In a world where endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are just everywhere, it’s crucial to adopt practices that reduce exposure to these hazardous substances. The topic is extensive, but here are 10 things you can start doing today:

  1. Clean Up Your Diet – Opt for organic, locally sourced foods to minimise pesticide exposure. Reduce consumption of processed foods, opting for fresh, whole ingredients instead. Eating organically can be expensive, but making sure to prioritise swapping out the most harmful items is a good place to start. Check out the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen from EWG to learn about what fruit & veg to avoid.
  2. Choose Safer Personal Care Products – Read labels and avoid products containing ingredients like parabens, phthalates, fragrances, glycol ethers and triclosan (to name just a few). Look for products with natural, non-toxic ingredients.
  3. Be Mindful of Household Items – Opt for natural cleaning products or make your own using simple ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon.
  4. Buy Second Hand – Brand new furniture and household items are typically coated with flame retardants and harsh chemicals. Choose furniture and textiles made with natural materials to avoid chemical coatings, or opt for second hand items where the majority of these chemicals have diminished.
  5. Filter Your Water – Use a high-quality water filter to remove contaminants like chlorine, Fluoride, lead, and pesticide residues from your drinking water.
  6. Minimise Plastic Use – Avoid heating food in plastic containers, as this can leach harmful chemicals into your food. Choose glass, stainless steel, or silicone containers for food storage.
  7. Throw Your Teflon & Non Stick Pans in the Trash – Their coatings are filled with nasty chemicals that leech straight into your foods when heated. Opt for cast iron or stainless steel.
  8. Air Out Your Home – Open windows regularly to allow fresh air to circulate and reduce indoor air pollution. Fresh plants also help to reduce airborne toxins (aim for 1 plant in each room).
  9. Say NO to receipts – Receipts contain high levels of BPA. Always opt for an electronic receipt where you can.
  10. Stop spraying your weeds – Harmful pesticides like Roundup are proven to be highly harmful to fertility.

Ever come across a product that flaunts its ‘chemical-free’ status or sports an earthy, eco-friendly appearance? These are the brands to keep an eye on! Many cleverly designed packaging and catchy buzzwords might not always translate to genuinely eco-conscious practices.

Here’s a fun fact: In Australia, the term ‘organic’ is not legally regulated. That means, anyone can slap the ‘organic’ label on their product, as long as they throw in one or two natural ingredients or use ‘natural methods’. It’s a bit of a wild west out there, folks!

So, next time you’re shopping for ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly’ products, be sure to do your homework. Look beyond the flashy packaging and dig into the ingredients list.

I rely on a combination of apps and databases to quickly cut through the marketing fluff and get to the core of what’s in my products. These tools allow me to run product ingredients through a database and assess their safety and potential health effects.

Once I’ve found a brand I trust and a product I like, I’m all set! No more agonising over labels or second-guessing my purchases. I simply continue to buy from brands I know and love. Check out the 3 apps below, trust me, it’ll make navigating the world of product labels a breeze!

Think Dirty App

4 Screenshots of the think dirty app.  An app designed to identify endocrine disruptors.

EWG’s Healthy Living

4 screenshots of the EWG healthy living app. An app designed to identify endocrine disruptors.

Chemical Maze

4 Screen shots of the Chemical maze app. An app designed to identify endocrine disruptors.

I’ve included a link here for you to download a FREE copy of my Endocrine Disruptors Checklist ❤️

Picture of The Body Bluprint's Free Endocrine Disrupting Checklist loaded onto an ipad sitting on a table.

Wishing you balanced hormones & baby dust


Helpful resources

Download my FREE Preconception guide here 👉 Download the Guide

Join my exclusive TTC Community here 👉 Join the community

Book a free 30-minute Fertility Chat here 👉 Book a free chat

Download my FREE Endocrine Disruptors Checklist 👉 Download the Checklist

Connect with Hannah

Instagram 📱- @Thebodybluprint_

Facebook 🥳 @TheBodyBluprint

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any questions about fertility tracking, the blog, or just want to share your own experiences, please don’t hesitate to reach out below ❤️

Email ✉️ Hannah@thebodybluprint.com.au

If you’d like to learn more about achieving pregnancy with FAM, check out my signature program Transform Your Cycle here, or head to the programs page for an overview of all the supports available.

Hannah, sitting at a table, looking at a program that shows women how to identify their fertile days and get pregnant naturally.
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