How to avoid exposure to chemicals in your daily life
Chemicals in the environment can disrupt the normal activity of thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in women and men. These chemicals are known as “endocrine disrupting compounds”. They can also deplete vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and neurotransmitters causing health problems. We are exposed to endocrine disrupting compounds every day, often without knowing it. The exposure to chemicals is coming from numerous sources including:
Pesticides on found on fruits and vegetables
Non-organic meat and dairy products tainted with dioxins
Fish that have high levels of mercury and pesticides
Bisphenol-A and phthalates in plastic beverage bottles, tablecloths, shower curtains, and plastic food wrappings, and plastic food storage containers
Unfiltered well water and city water
Household cleaning products, cosmetics, perfumes, dry cleaning, carpet, and vinyl floors
Furniture air fresheners, mattresses, and shampoos
Personal care products
Hobbies and jobs
Studies have shown that low-dose daily exposure to these chemicals can affect our health. These chemicals affect the hormonal system leading to such conditions as hypertension, cancer, prostate conditions, infertility, fibroids, endometriosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson, fibromyalgia, thyroid disease, PCOS and more. For many they cause vague symptoms of fatigue, muscle aches, brain fog, numbness, abdominal pain, and poor digestion.
Testing for these chemicals in the body is done through blood and urine tests. It is important to know what is currently circulating in the body along with tests for vitamins, minerals and hormones which can all altered contributing to health problems.
Chemicals that build up in the body will start to affect health if they are not removed. Dr. Marchese is an expert in environmental medicine, heavy metal chelation and detoxification. She can provide testing and treatment designed to support the metabolism and elimination of the chemicals. Also, it is important to educate people on how to avoid re-exposure to chemicals in the environment.
How to avoid toxicants in your daily life:
Buy only organic fruits and vegetables that are free of pesticide residues.
Buy hormone and antibiotic free meats and dairy products.
Buy fresh or frozen foods and avoid canned foods lined with plastic.
Eat wild fish low in mercury, such as wild Alaskan salmon, flounder, haddock, and pollack
Do not store or heat food in plastic containers; use glass.
Buy in bulk to decrease plastic packaging.
Store food in glass jars when you get it home.
Drink water out of glass containers rather than plastic.
Filter your own water.
Use a home air filter.
Use earth-friendly, detergent, cleaners and soaps.
Try to rework your conception of what looks beautiful, and avoid herbicides and pesticides.
Use natural pest control instead of insecticides.
Replace vinyl mini blinds, shower curtains, and placemats with fabric.
If you’re building a home or remodeling, use earth-friendly, non-toxic materials.
Use a non-toxic drycleaner, or air out dry-cleaning before bringing it into the home.
Use natural, organic, non-bleached tampons without a plastic applicator.
Avoid the use of fragrances, and remember that unscented is not fragrance free.
Use only non-toxic cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, deodorant and other products.
Remove your shoes when you enter the home.
Even though we all are exposed to chemicals at a low level on a daily basis, not everyone health if effected. Genetics play a role and treatments need to be specific for each person’s genetic make-up, exposure history, current health status and symptoms.