Plastics and Hormonal Damage

Plastic is pretty much the villain in every conversation we have today. But mostly, when we think of plastic, we think of the damage it is doing to our planet. But what about the damage to ourselves and our health? Here, we’re looking at the health concerns caused by plastic, or more specifically - how plastic can disrupt hormones.

How does plastic harm my health?

Plastic can disrupt your hormones. That’s because certain types of plastic contain hormone-disrupting chemicals known as endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors interfere with the normal function of the hormone system and can cause a variety of damaging effects. Studies show that they can disrupt hormones, harm reproductive organs, affect fertility and pregnancy, and increase the risk of cancer.

These endocrine disruptors are also known as “obesogens”, because they are linked to causing obesity, which is closely linked to conditions like PCOS and PCOD.

That’s everything! So what changes can I make?

You can’t eliminate all plastic, but you can take some easy steps to reduce your plastic use.

• Swap plastic food storage containers with glass or stainless steel. If you do keep plastic ones, don’t use them to store fatty foods, and never microwave them.
• Replace plastic bags with reusable ones, and plastic cling wrap with beeswax-coated cloth. Say no to cans - they’re lined with plastic containing BPA.
• Many brands of menstrual care products, including pads, panty liners and tampons were recently found to contain harmful components including phthalates, parabens, bisphenols and triclocarban. So try switching to cotton-based, organic products.
• Fertilizers and pesticides sprayed on produce is also a source of endocrine disruptors, so you can minimize exposure by washing your fruits and vegetables with a veggie wash (try this homemade one) or avoid them altogether by eating as much organic produce as possible.

When should I be extra careful?

Research shows that women trying to get pregnant, pregnant women and young children are most at risk of harmful effects from plastics and other endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Women with PCOS should be particularly concerned about exposure to these chemicals, as they are linked to increasing estrogen and testosterone, weight gain, and even glucose metabolism.

What else can I do to stay healthy?

New research is constantly released, to tell us what to stay away from, and what we can do to improve our health. It can be quite a hard task to keep up with all the information, filter out the truth, and incorporate them into our lifestyle! Femcy makes it easy for you - with expert-backed guidance that works based on your goals and symptoms, to improve your menstrual cycle naturally.

Ready to try it? Download the Femcy app now!