When weโre in the process of trying to get pregnant, many women will go to every length to make sure that weโre ready for this next big step. ย Weโll prep our homes with a new nursery. ย Weโll read every book. ย Weโll eat healthy and work out. ย Weโll check our calendars, take all the nutritional supplements, try every relevant superstition out thereโฆ you get the idea!
But, while weโre busy analyzing everything we do, see, or eat, there is a hidden danger that can profoundly affect our fertility health that many of us are completely unaware of. Underlying toxins in our environment affect how well our hormones function, the quality of the sperm and egg, and so much more. And because theyโre mostly hidden to the naked eye, they can easily be overlooked or ignored. ย It is entirely possible that these toxins are impacting your ability to get or stay pregnant, and you may not even know it.
There are three very significant facts that you should be aware of going into this conversation:
This especially matters when weโre trying to get pregnant because most toxins in our environment are estrogen-based, or at least mimic estrogen in our bodies (aka xenoestrogens). ย This means that they directly impact your ability to conceive.
Your body’s production of estrogen is responsible for stimulating cell division in hormone responsive tissue like your uterus, breast tissue, and ovaries. ย When youโre exposed to estrogen-based toxins, these xenoestrogens can create an overload of estrogen, over-stimulating tissue growth and causing ovarian cysts, endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disease, and even cancer. ย In addition, in men, these toxins are believed to contribute to decreased sperm count, as well as prostate and testicular cancers.
Realistically, you canโt avoid ALL the toxins in your environment. But you can absolutely minimize your exposure by paying attention to what you eat, how you live, and the products you bring into your home.
Some common endocrine-disrupting substances to be aware of include:
Even if you try to avoid these products all together, human-made chemical toxins impact us all. ย They pass through our water, air, soil, and food system, making them extremely difficult to avoid.
As I mentioned, itโs pretty much impossible to completely rid your environment of dangerous human-made toxins. ย However, here are my favorite tips that will help you significantly decrease your exposure.
Pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides are wizards when it comes to mimicking estrogen. They also impair thyroid function and increase fat cell growth, which is rarely something we want no matter our phase of life.
Whenever possible, eat organic foods that have not been treated with chemicals. ย This includes always choosing organic, grass-fed and pasture-raised when buying your meats. ย Animal products are hands down the most important food to purchase organic, because animals accumulate toxicity much more readily than plants do.
Speaking of plants โ I highlight recommend purchasing the โDirty Dozenโ fruits and vegetables organic whenever available. ย This will help to decrease 90% of your pesticide exposure. ย (If youโre not familiar with the โDirty Dozenโ – the twelve most heavily sprayed fruits and vegetables, you can learn more here.)
Everything that goes on your skin enters your body through your pores. By choosing personal care products that have 100% natural ingredients, you can ensure you’re not being exposed to potent endocrine disruptors like parabens, sodium lauryl sulfates, phthalates, propylene glycol, and triclosan (found in antibacterial products).
There are two simple rules of thumb that I choose to abide by when purchasing my beauty products:
To help you out, Iโve created a list of all of my favorite beauty care products, cleaning supplies, and more. This is the stuff I use personally on my body and in my home. ย Check out the Shop My Home section of my website to learn more.
There are several studies that link exposure to air pollution with autism-spectrum disorders. ย One study even found that autism risk DOUBLED for children born to women exposed to high levels of pollution.
There is still quite a bit of research that needs to be completed regarding which chemicals in air pollution negatively impact us, but one thing is for certainโwe should do everything we can to limit our exposure to air pollution, especially when weโre pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
The American Lung Association has provided us with several ways that we can limit our exposure to air pollution here. ย Some methods that I highly recommend include:
This is a tough one for several of my clients to make the switch but I promise itโs worth it!
The non-stick coating materialโPFOAโis a powerful hormone disruptor that can leach into foods when heated. Helen Sanders over at Health Ambition wrote a great article highlighting the recent studiesย showing significant evidence that PFOA contains carcinogenic propertiesโaka causes cancer!
While more studies are still being conducted, I definitely recommend opting for ceramic, stainless steel, glass or cast-iron cookware. ย Never cook in non-stick or aluminum pans.
As more and more chemicals are being used by humans, our water supply is becoming increasingly contaminated with hormone-disrupting elements.
Be sure to use a high quality water filter to remove toxins, heavy metals, fluoride, herbicides, disinfectants, and other municipal “additives” from your drinking water. Alternatively, you can choose spring or mineral water that is bottled at the source in glass bottles. ย These options will go a long way in reducing your exposure to unnecessary chemicals.
Similar to the reasons why I recommend natural beauty-care products, I also recommend installing a shower filter. ย Think about how much of our lives are spent submerged in water from our showers and baths. Installing a shower filter is one of the easiest things you can do!
Are you conscious of trying to reduce toxins in your environment?
What are some of your favorite โcleanโ products you purchase?
Which products are hardest for you to switch over?
Spread some detoxin lovinโ! Sharing is caring, and I bet you have some friends who would love to read this too :).
If you want to maximize your fertility, adding chia seeds to your diet is just one of the many ways to do so. For help devising a comprehensive plan to increase your fertility health and improve your chances of getting pregnant, join my 12-week fertility course. This essential fertility course is for anyone who is struggling to get pregnant, or thinking about getting pregnant soon. The course covers allllll the fertility topics: egg quality, ovarian reserve, miscarriage, ovulation, cycle tracking, low progesterone, IVF, prepping for egg retrieval + embryo transfer, thyroid health, toxins, and much more. The Fertility Code is an evidence-based, on-demand, fertility course that will prepare your body for easy conception and a healthy pregnancy. It has helped hundreds of women get pregnant, and stay pregnant, and it can help you too.
And if you want to get a baseline of your fertility health before getting started, take my quiz! After you complete it, youโll receive a detailed report from me explaining your results. Or, if you want to have a more in-depth conversation about your specific concerns, feel free to reach out on my website and schedule a consultation. I canโt wait to chat!
Sarah Jane Sandy is a certified nutrition therapist, and a fertility and womenโs health expert. She has helped hundreds of women increase their fertility naturally and go on to have healthy full-term pregnancies. Learn more about her own fertility journey here. To send Sarah a message, complete her Contact Form.
Curious about your fertility health? Take this simple quiz to find out what factors may be harming your fertility, and learn what you can do about it!
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