Plastics are being shunned for environmental reasons, but they should be top of the agenda when it comes to your health, too. Many of the chemicals in plastics that we see in everyday products, including skin care, food packaging and household items, contain chemicals that have been shown to be harmful to our cells, causing hormonal disturbances.
The chemicals – endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) – are so-called because exposure to them can have a significant impact on your endocrine system, and in turn affecting every process within your body. “The endocrine system is a network of glands that produce, release and regulate hormones in the body,” explains Dr Channa Jayasena, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Reproductive Endocrinology at Imperial College London. “Certain EDCs are disruptive because they mimic natural hormones in appearance, tricking your body into thinking you have a higher level of them than you actually do, which can cause issues with the normal functioning of your body.”
EDCs can have far reaching effects: because of their ability to mimic the hormone oestrogen, they have been shown to affect fertility,are linked with breast cancer, obesity and diabetes, as well as the potential to worsen IBS.
It’s a problem we’re only just waking up to, especially considering the dominance of EDCs in everyday items from plastic water bottles to fragrance and cleaning products. Our exposure to them is widespread: a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in America found detectable levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) in more than 90% of 2,517 people tested who were aged six years and older.
But the good news is that it is possible to rid the body of these disrupting chemicals by avoiding the common culprits and making some easy switches.
The hormone disruptor: plastic bottles
The offender:
BPA is one of the world’s best-selling chemicals – globally we produce four million tonnes of it each year – and is found in plastic bottles, baby bottles, storage containers and plastic tableware, the lining of cans and cosmetics bottles amongst others. The concern is that BPA can leach into food, via its containers, and into our bodies, where it can disrupt our hormonal balance.
The switch:
Swap plastic containers for reusable metal or glass ones to immediately lower your BPA exposure. Not only will your body thank you, but the environment will too. What’s more, the impact could be be pretty immediate. Research shows that BPA levels in urine decrease by 66% within three days of avoiding packaged foods.
Good to know:
Avoid heating food in plastic containers. “Plastic tends to melt, exposing the food that you’re heating to leaking chemicals,” says Dr Jayasena. “So heat it using microwave-safe crockery instead to avoid this.”
The hormone disruptor: Pollution
The offender:
EDCs are present in the air in the form of pollution, meaning that we’re inhaling them every day. Think the air is pretty clean where you live? According to the World Health Organisation, 91% of the planet’s population lives in an area that exceeds air pollution guidelines, causing an estimated seven million premature deaths each year.
The switch:
Modify your commute. Start by finding out just how polluted your postcode is here to know what you’re up against, then remap your route so that you are walking or cycling primarily along back streets. According to research from King’s College London, taking quieter roads rather than main thoroughfares could cut your exposure to pollution by half.
Good to know:
Your modified route will be even better if you can head through a park, as studies have shown that trees in the capital can improve air quality by filtering out pollution. Pollution shouldn’t put you off exercising outdoors – the health benefits of alfresco exercise still outweigh the cons in people under 60, according to Imperial College London.
The hormone disruptor: Perfume
The offender:
Many fragrances, or cosmetics containing perfume, contain endocrine disrupting parabens as a preservative.
The switch:
Look out for synthetic products with ingredients including methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and ethylparaben and try to opt for natural, organic instead. “Without the preservatives they may not last as long, but they won’t contain harmful chemicals like their synthetic counterparts,” advises Dr Jayasena.
The hormone disruptor: household detergents
The offender:
Your cleaning products are full of toxic EDCs.
The switch:
Replace anti-bacterial cleaning products with old-fashioned natural remedies instead. Try baking soda on stains, eucalyptus oil for disinfecting, lemons for odour neutralisation and white vinegar for grime-busting. Meanwhile for floors and surfaces, e-cloths are machine washable and remove 99% of bacteria using nothing more than water.
Good to know:
Unfortunately you can’t use EDCs as an excuse to slack off on the cleaning front. Last year, a study by Duke University found that household dust is capable of carrying those hormone-altering EDCs14 as well.
The hormone disruptor: Pesticides on your fruit and veg
The offender:
Many of the pesticides used to grow your fruit and vegetables are made up of endocrine disrupting chemicals, and researchers have found that diet is the primary cause of your body’s exposure to BPA.
The Switch:
Always wash fresh produce and try to choose organic where possible. “Eating organic produce will help limit your exposure to EDCs from pesticides,” says Dr Jayasena. “However, many pesticides will get washed into our water systems through rain, so it’s very hard to cut these chemicals out altogether.”
A word of caution to conclude:
“Because many EDCs are environmental, it’s hard to single them out in studies to ascertain their impact,” says Dr Jayasena. “Research so far is therefore not conclusive, which means that while it’s worth having EDCs on your radar and trying to reduce them, don’t obsess over them until we have the full story.”
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