Have you experienced unexplained fatigue, stress, or difficulty maintaining balance without any obvious reason? These could be indicators of certain ailments, but the root cause may be in the environment, too! Every day, you get exposed to air and water laced with chemicals and compounds that disrupt and affect the hormonal functions in your body. These chemicals, called endocrine disruptors, may lead to hormonal imbalances. That, in turn, can hamper your metabolism, energy levels, mood, and overall health.
If environmental toxins are wreaking havoc with your hormone levels and functionality, hormone replacement therapy (HRT)could be the right solution. However, you have to learn about its nuances before seeking the therapy.
What are endocrine disruptors?
You can think of endocrine disruptors as chemicals that mess up your body’s hormonal system. They can either mimic the functionalities of natural hormones or block them. These chemicals are found mostly in:
- Plastics– Low-quality plastic bottles and containers often contain BPA, which may lead to hormonal and other health issues.
- Pesticides– Random usage of pesticides in farms has led to such harsh chemicals getting into the produce. They are mostly found in fruits and veggies grown in non-organic procedures.
- FMCG products—Various FMCG products, including cleaners, shampoos, and lotions, contain parabens and synthetic compounds. These compounds enter the body through topical application.
- Air pollution—The air you breathe contains various types of industrial pollutants and traces of heavy metals. These substances can also disrupt hormonal functions.
How can environmental toxins affect hormonal functions?
It can be scary to know how exposure to environmental toxins can disrupt the hormonal functions in your body.
- Estrogen disruption- Several environmental toxins mimic the functionality of estrogen in the body. This may lead to a surge in estrogen, causing weight gain, anxiety, and menstrual cycle anomalies. This also affects men, who experience low testosterone levels.
- Thyroid issues—Certain toxins, including bromine, fluoride, and heavy metals, can hamper iodine absorption, a mineral that your body needs for optimal thyroid hormone production. This can cause fatigue, brain fog, a slower metabolism, etc.
- Stress- Exposure to toxins can stimulate your adrenal glands, leading to a spike in cortisol production. The symptoms are- a weakened immune system, sleeping woes, and anxiety.
The role of HRT
Hormone replacement therapy is often used to treat people coping with environmental toxin-caused hormonal imbalances. It is useful for regulating the levels of key hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormone. To obtain the desired results, you will have to find the right clinic offeringhormone replacement therapy Carlsbad.
Lifestyle changes to complement HRT
Going for HRT can help you cope better with toxin-related hormonal imbalances. However, you can make some key lifestyle changes to augment the effect of the treatment.
Using organic produce and dairy products can help you avoid such toxins. Similarly, you can stop using skincare and FMCG products containing parabens and chemical compounds. Consider using air purifiers with quality HEPA filters to improve indoor air quality. Additionally, you can resort to effective stress-busting methods like yoga to cope better with surging cortisol levels.
