Hormonal Harmony and the Hidden Nightmare of Xenoestrogens
By Dr. Janine Lex
The purpose of this article is to define terms used in discussing hormones and give some direction for understanding the nature of hormone toxicity in our immediate environment allowing the reader to make healthier choices.
DEFINITIONS
Hormones are a chemical substance produced in the endocrine glands and certain other cells of our body, animals and plants that exert a regulatory or stimulatory effect on physiological processes, such as metabolism and reproduction.
Phytoestrogen is a naturally occurring estrogen-like compound found in plants. Our adult bodies have the enzymes to metabolize, use or discard these substances. (Examples are soy, wild yam, and black cohosh.) Infants and children may suffer adverse affects from too much of a phytoestrogen.
Natural progesterone is a plant based progesterone-like hormone which our body has enzymes to break down and metabolize.
Glandular supplements are animal hormone producing glands which have been extracted from the animal, washed and desiccated to create a supplement of biologically available hormone. These usually come from cows and the quality and purity of the extract and the livestock is very important as this determines it’s level
of xenohormones and other toxic substances.
Xenohormones are substances that are man made and mimic hormone activity or bind to receptors sites that are for naturally occurring hormones. Our bodies do not have enzymes to breakdown these chemicals. Because they do bind to our hormone receptor sites they can cause a toxic imbalance.
Xenoestrogens are xenohormones which specifically mimic estrogen. These are found in pesticides (DDE, DDT), Dioxins, organochlorines, and commercial animal products. They may also be in some personal hygiene products, plastics, cosmetics, industrial products, pharmaceuticals, and household cleaners.
FACTS PERTAINING TO XENOHORMONES
There as been an overwhelming amount of these alien substances introduced into our environment in the last fifty years. They enter our body through the food we eat, the water we drink and bathe in, and the air we breathe. They are not subject to the same physiological check systems our natural hormones are guided by. They have disrupt our bodies by mimicking natural hormones at receptor sites, and block natural hormones from doing there important work. They also alter the way the hormonal feedback system conveys production needs for innate hormones causing hormonal imbalance and depletion of vital resources for optimum health. These environmental contaminants in combination produce significant effects as estrogen mimics at very
low levels of concentration.
Related Disorders:
- Increase in reproductive-site cancers in women and
men (breast, ovarian, prostate, testicular)
- Decreased fertility in both sexes
- Decreased sperm count in males
- Low testosterone levels, abnormally small penis size
- Lack of libido
- Increased incidence of un-descended testicles
- Increase PMS symptoms
- Earlier onset of menses in young women
- Estrogen dominance epidemic causing uterine fibroids,
ovarian and cervical cysts, cystic breast disease, an
previously mentioned cancers.
HOPEFUL HELP FROM THE PLANT KINGDOM
To offset this nightmarish environmental contamination of our bodies most precious messengers, research has found certain compounds naturally occurring in the foods we eat to be helpful for offsetting this pollution. These would be good to include in a daily diet but are also very helpful in more concentrated doses found in nutriceuticals for correcting functional disorders. Below is a list of foods particularly helpful in clearing xenohormones from the body:
■ Green Tea
■ Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage)
■ Apples, oranges, and grapefruit
■ Tumeric
■ Rosemary
■ Garlic
Supplements:
■ Calcium D-glucarate
■ Selenium
■ Curcumin
■ Silymarin
■ NAC
Interested in learning more about hormone toxicity? Our 2-day Equinox Detox seminar covers this topic in detail. |
