June 21, 2009
Several years ago, I spoke as the representative patient voice at an environmental conference for fertility at San Francisco University. I remember looking out into the audience - a group of doctors, scientists and researchers that studied the environmental effects of the world around us on our health.
I remember being stunned by the grey hair - the lack of nail polish and make up! These folks did not use many of the every day products that most of use without thinking - because they knew the health effects of those products - and they didn't want them!
Yet very little is still written about the environmental effect of the every day products that we use on our fertility. Many of us use all kinds of lotions, cremes and expose ourselves to countless concoctions every day which contain an incredible of synthetic chemicals. We do this often without a thought about how these chemicals could be adversely affecting our overall health and our fertility.
The fact is that most of us would be horrified to learn that many of the products that we apply directly to our skin are made from the same harsh chemicals used in industry, and are known hormone disruptor's for both men and women.
For example, I recently learned that a product called propylene glycol is a solvent used in hair care products, make up and deodorants. It is also the main ingredient in antifreeze and certain types of brake fluid!! Now, if that does not get your attention - I don't know what will!
How could this be?
Well, in our current state of affairs, only new chemicals by law have to be assessed for their effect on our health, which amounts to no more than 3% of those in everyday use. There are activists here in the United States and around the world that are working to change the laws - but that means going up against industry and lobbyists - so it may take a good long time before all the chemicals in the products that we use on a daily basis will be completed evaluated for use on human bodies!
And the fact is that daily exposures to harmful chemicals add up! And it is this daily tank up on harmful chemicals that could really be impacting us. Like most things - only doing something once in a while won't impact our health. But it is the constant used of these products that come to us in so many different every day forms, that can accumulate in the body and ultimately effect our over all health, including our fertility and the pre conception health of our children.
No one can under estimate the importance of pre conception health. Whether it is our body weight, our diet, our habits such as smoking and drug use. And for those people who are in the fertility trenches trying to conceive - this constant vigilance can feel so painfully extended. I get that - I really do.
But pre conception health is something that you can do something about and it is something that you can be in control of! So use your pre conception time wisely! Consider undertaking a detox program to assist your body in getting rid of our everyday accumulated toxins. Studies have shown that detoxing can help our bodies regain our natural hormonal balance - and for men who have been adversely effected by industrial toxins and see an improvement in sperm levels.
So, how do you do this? Some of this is common sense. Check out the basic products that you put in your mouth and on your skin on a daily basis. Think about such common items as tooth paste, mouth wash, soap, deodorant, body lotions, make up, nail polish and hair products. Have you ever read the ingredients? Can you understand them?
So I have been reading around - and here are a few of the tidbits that I have found when it comes to the kind of chemicals that are we exposing ourselves to, that can especially effect our fertility and the health of our unborn children.
In 1989 the Australian Occupational Safety and Health Administration analysed nearly 3,000 chemicals used in personal care products. 884 of the ingredients were found to be toxic with 218 of these products found to cause reproductive problems and 314 found to have some effect birth defects in humans!
It is amazing that more information is not out there in Reproductive Endocrinologist's waiting rooms about this! But who would fund it? Is not a wonder that more people don't know about this?
Here is a list that I found of the most common offenders - check out the products that you use on a daily basis. If they contain these chemicals - I would ditch them. I did.
Parabens are mostly likely found in body care products. Parabens have been found hanging out in human breast tissue and evidence suggests they can act as oestrogen making them a hormone disrupting chemical in both men and woman. Propyl parabenhas been shown to adversely affect male reproductive functions. At the daily intake level currently acceptable by our govenment it was found to decrease sperm production.
Phthalates are hormone disruptors and apparently they do not have to be listed on labels. They are most often found in perfumes, musks and fragrances. Phthalates have been shown to have a relationship with low sperm counts and some studies have shown that they can also cause sexual abnormalities and deformities. According to a survey by the CDC, women with the highest levels of Phthalates were also women of reproductive age. Phthalates can also be found in hair spray, make up, nail polish, shampoo and soap! In high levels they are linked to reproductive and fertility problems in women.
Triclosan is another endocrine disruptor which can be found in soaps, toothpastes, body washes and those instant antibacterial hand washes. You may be clean.....
Talc is found which is found in baby, face and body powders as well as the dusting on condoms! Which means that it can put directly applied to women's reproductive organs! Talc is a known carcinogen, and has been link with ovarian cancer when used in the genital area. So why is it still found on condoms?
This is still a partial list. If you are interested in learning more - please check out Our Stolen Future.
Remember, that environmental toxins such as manicures, hair dye, and what we can find in certain brands of toothpaste - can truly impact our over all health and our reproductive potential. There are replacement products available! We just have to learn how to be educated consumers - we have to get the information so that we can make informed choices.
We live in an age where there is natural body care products available almost every where!
Many couples are diagnosed every day with unexplained infertility. Yet we know that stress, diet, lifestyle and environmental toxins can have an effect on fertility. Who knows if changes in these areas in a couple's life can be the difference between infertility and fertility?
I remember being stunned by the grey hair - the lack of nail polish and make up! These folks did not use many of the every day products that most of use without thinking - because they knew the health effects of those products - and they didn't want them!
Yet very little is still written about the environmental effect of the every day products that we use on our fertility. Many of us use all kinds of lotions, cremes and expose ourselves to countless concoctions every day which contain an incredible of synthetic chemicals. We do this often without a thought about how these chemicals could be adversely affecting our overall health and our fertility.
The fact is that most of us would be horrified to learn that many of the products that we apply directly to our skin are made from the same harsh chemicals used in industry, and are known hormone disruptor's for both men and women.
For example, I recently learned that a product called propylene glycol is a solvent used in hair care products, make up and deodorants. It is also the main ingredient in antifreeze and certain types of brake fluid!! Now, if that does not get your attention - I don't know what will!
How could this be?
Well, in our current state of affairs, only new chemicals by law have to be assessed for their effect on our health, which amounts to no more than 3% of those in everyday use. There are activists here in the United States and around the world that are working to change the laws - but that means going up against industry and lobbyists - so it may take a good long time before all the chemicals in the products that we use on a daily basis will be completed evaluated for use on human bodies!
And the fact is that daily exposures to harmful chemicals add up! And it is this daily tank up on harmful chemicals that could really be impacting us. Like most things - only doing something once in a while won't impact our health. But it is the constant used of these products that come to us in so many different every day forms, that can accumulate in the body and ultimately effect our over all health, including our fertility and the pre conception health of our children.
No one can under estimate the importance of pre conception health. Whether it is our body weight, our diet, our habits such as smoking and drug use. And for those people who are in the fertility trenches trying to conceive - this constant vigilance can feel so painfully extended. I get that - I really do.
But pre conception health is something that you can do something about and it is something that you can be in control of! So use your pre conception time wisely! Consider undertaking a detox program to assist your body in getting rid of our everyday accumulated toxins. Studies have shown that detoxing can help our bodies regain our natural hormonal balance - and for men who have been adversely effected by industrial toxins and see an improvement in sperm levels.
So, how do you do this? Some of this is common sense. Check out the basic products that you put in your mouth and on your skin on a daily basis. Think about such common items as tooth paste, mouth wash, soap, deodorant, body lotions, make up, nail polish and hair products. Have you ever read the ingredients? Can you understand them?
So I have been reading around - and here are a few of the tidbits that I have found when it comes to the kind of chemicals that are we exposing ourselves to, that can especially effect our fertility and the health of our unborn children.
In 1989 the Australian Occupational Safety and Health Administration analysed nearly 3,000 chemicals used in personal care products. 884 of the ingredients were found to be toxic with 218 of these products found to cause reproductive problems and 314 found to have some effect birth defects in humans!
It is amazing that more information is not out there in Reproductive Endocrinologist's waiting rooms about this! But who would fund it? Is not a wonder that more people don't know about this?
Here is a list that I found of the most common offenders - check out the products that you use on a daily basis. If they contain these chemicals - I would ditch them. I did.
Parabens are mostly likely found in body care products. Parabens have been found hanging out in human breast tissue and evidence suggests they can act as oestrogen making them a hormone disrupting chemical in both men and woman. Propyl parabenhas been shown to adversely affect male reproductive functions. At the daily intake level currently acceptable by our govenment it was found to decrease sperm production.
Phthalates are hormone disruptors and apparently they do not have to be listed on labels. They are most often found in perfumes, musks and fragrances. Phthalates have been shown to have a relationship with low sperm counts and some studies have shown that they can also cause sexual abnormalities and deformities. According to a survey by the CDC, women with the highest levels of Phthalates were also women of reproductive age. Phthalates can also be found in hair spray, make up, nail polish, shampoo and soap! In high levels they are linked to reproductive and fertility problems in women.
Triclosan is another endocrine disruptor which can be found in soaps, toothpastes, body washes and those instant antibacterial hand washes. You may be clean.....
Talc is found which is found in baby, face and body powders as well as the dusting on condoms! Which means that it can put directly applied to women's reproductive organs! Talc is a known carcinogen, and has been link with ovarian cancer when used in the genital area. So why is it still found on condoms?
This is still a partial list. If you are interested in learning more - please check out Our Stolen Future.
Remember, that environmental toxins such as manicures, hair dye, and what we can find in certain brands of toothpaste - can truly impact our over all health and our reproductive potential. There are replacement products available! We just have to learn how to be educated consumers - we have to get the information so that we can make informed choices.
We live in an age where there is natural body care products available almost every where!
Many couples are diagnosed every day with unexplained infertility. Yet we know that stress, diet, lifestyle and environmental toxins can have an effect on fertility. Who knows if changes in these areas in a couple's life can be the difference between infertility and fertility?
June 21, 2009