This may sound blunt but certain foods can wreak total havoc on your hormonal balance.
These foods can put your health at risk. One of them, you might even think of as health food.
These are called endocrine disruptors or in simple words hormone hijackers.
Hormone disruption can lead to a series of health problems.
It's the cause of everything from auto-immune conditions to chronic inflammation to migraines.
Many health problems are preventable by simply avoiding these hormone disruptors.
What happens when your hormones are hijacked
- It can increase the levels of certain hormones
- It can hinder the production of specific hormones
- It can duplicate the action of other hormones
- It can interfere with nutrient absorption
- Weakens the immune system
Here is a list of things that you should be aware of:
1. Soy and its products:
Processed soy and its products are well known to ruin your body's normal hormone rhythm.
Phytoestrogens from soy interact with thyroid hormones and disrupt the body's ability make iodine.
Studies show that:
Asian populations consume unprocessed and fermented soy ( about 10 grams /day) and don't show changes in hormone function.
The problem is that soy available in the US is processed and genetically modified. This adds another dimension to this issue.
Worse, soy lurks in almost every packaged food. Of course, this makes the consumption rate skyrocket.
It's just one more reason to avoid soy and processed foods altogether.
2. Processed food & Refined sugar:
Refined sugar and processed foods cause inflammation in your body.
The problem: Inflammation then affects the conversion of the thyroid hormones T4 to T3. When T3 conversion is inhibited the result is hypothyroidism and conditions like Hashimoto's.
Use natural sweeteners like raw honey or coconut sugar instead.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record…Avoid processed foods.
3. Flouridated water:
Flouride is another hormone health disruptor. This was confirmed by a 2006 report from the U.S. National Research Council of the National Academies (NRC).
The problem: Flouride wrecks the function of thyroid hormones. It was also found to cause goiter in some people.
Always use a quality water filter.
4. Medications:
Using certain medications (long-term) can lead to problems with the activity of thryoid hormones.
For example, beta-blockers (blood pressure meds) alter hormone function by affecting the
- activity of thyroid
- parathyroid hormones
- insulin
- reproductive hormones.
Work to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Over time, many have been able to improve health and to stop taking meds.
These are only a couple of examples but should serve as good motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle. After all, good hormonal balance will reap endless rewards. Being in a better mood and having more energy are just the beginning.
Your in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and I welcome your comments below.
