Your hormones are influenced by more than your cycle. The containers your food is stored in, the bottle you drink from, the pan you cook in, and the water coming out of your tap can all be sources of endocrine disrupting chemicals. Those exposures can affect hormone levels and contribute to inflammation, which is why the everyday products in your home are worth paying attention to.
The good news is that this does not require an all or nothing approach. Dr. Natalie Crawford, a double board certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, shares 8 swaps you can make at home that are low stress and realistic to start with today, along with the reasoning behind each one
IN THIS VIDEO:
00:00 8 swaps to balance your hormones at home
00:57 What are endocrine disrupting chemicals?
01:44 Where are endocrine disruptors found?
02:52 How do endocrine disruptors affect your hormones?
03:50 Is it safe to reheat food in plastic?
04:50 Are plastic water bottles bad for you?
05:43 Is nonstick cookware toxic?
06:41 Are takeout containers a problem?
07:48 How do you wash pesticides off produce?
08:28 Does unscented mean fragrance free?
09:08 Can laundry detergent affect your hormones?
09:41 Is your tap water safe to drink?
10:21 How to start without replacing everything
11:03 Final thoughts on hormone healthy swaps
What are endocrine disrupting chemicals?
Endocrine disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, are chemicals from the environment or from our exposures that interfere with hormone production, hormone transport, hormone metabolism, or receptor signaling and the action of a hormone at its receptor. They do not all work the same way, and a single chemical can have different effects across multiple hormones. Some mimic hormones, some block hormone receptors, and some upregulate those receptors.
Common groups include phthalates, PFCs or perfluorinated chemicals such as PFAS, certain pesticides, certain bisphenols like BPA, and some flame retardants. Exposure can come from the foods you eat, the air you breathe, products in your household, your drinking water, and exposures from your job or the wider environment.
How endocrine disruptors affect your hormones
Your endocrine system is your hormone production and communication system. Dr. Crawford describes the brain and the ovaries as best friends in different states. It feels intuitive to think the brain knows what is happening in the ovary at all times, but it is actually waiting for signals from the ovary before it responds.
Estrogen is a simple example. The brain waits to hear the estrogen signal so it knows whether to send more FSH to grow an egg, LH to trigger ovulation, or to make progesterone. If an endocrine disrupting chemical binds the estrogen receptor, the brain cannot properly interpret your estrogen level, and that signal gets lost.
Human studies have shown associations between certain chemical types and reproductive hormone outcomes, including thyroid health, insulin resistance and metabolism, ovulation, and hormone production. The strength of the evidence varies by chemical and by amount of exposure.
Why this does not mean you have to avoid everything
Most of this research is observational. Researchers observe a group of people and compare those with the highest exposure to those with the lowest. Something can be clinically significant between high and low exposure without meaning that complete avoidance is necessary to get a health benefit.
What that means practically is that lowering your exposure category can still make a clinically significant difference. You do not have to get to zero. You have to pay attention to what you are exposed to most.
8 swaps to reduce endocrine disruptors at home
1. Store and reheat your food in glass
Plastic food storage is one of the first places to start. The concern is bisphenols such as BPA, along with other chemicals that have replaced BPA in many plastics. These can migrate from the plastic into your food, and the concern is highest when the plastic is heated, whether that is hot food going in or a container going into the microwave.
Glass is the safer overall option for storing food and especially for reheating it. Do not heat food in plastic. You do not have to replace everything at once, and you probably need less than you think.
2. Choose stainless steel or glass for everyday drinks
Endocrine disruptors can migrate from a plastic water bottle into the water, especially if the bottle gets warm. This matters most for the bottles and to go cups you use every single day, and particularly when you put something hot inside them. Use stainless steel or glass for your daily water and warm beverages.
A plastic bottle you use once while traveling, at an airport, or at a hotel is not the thing to stress about. Make the best decision you can in the moment. The everyday items are the ones worth changing.
3. Rethink your nonstick cookware
Nonstick cookware can be a source of PFAS, often called forever chemicals. While researching PFAS and its impact on thyroid function, ovarian reserve, and pregnancy outcomes, Dr. Crawford was surprised to find nonstick cookware and Teflon among the sources. Stainless steel, cast iron, or a PFAS free alternative are the safer choices.
Not every nonstick pan is absolutely bad, and you do not have to replace every pot. Start with one piece that can serve multiple purposes.
4. Cook at home more, and get takeout out of the container
Food packaging is an exposure source for phthalates, PFCs, and bisphenols. That includes the wrapping, the plastic to go container, and even the cardboard containers that look greener, which often have a grease resistant coating on the inside that can leach into your food.
Preparing more food at home reduces your reliance on all of it and lets you control what goes into your meals. When you do order out, take the food out of the to go container and put it on a plate so the exposure is not prolonged. Never put that container in the oven, and do not store food in it.
5. Wash your produce thoroughly
Produce can be a source of pesticide exposure, but avoiding fruits and vegetables is not the answer. They are high in vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. Wash them under running water, and rub them or use a dry brush depending on the type.
Dr. Crawford likes to put produce in a large bowl, let the water run over it, and then dry it with a towel to remove residue. Do not cut out fruits and vegetables because of fear of pesticides.
6. Go fragrance free for everyday personal care
Unscented and fragrance free are not the same thing. Unscented means there is no scent, and a chemical can be used to mask the scent of another chemical. Fragrance free means free of added fragrance, and the chemical of concern here is phthalates.
A favorite perfume worn occasionally is much less of a concern than the products you use every day. You do not have to replace every skincare product or throw anything away. When you run out of something like shampoo, take the time to research an option that is at least fragrance free.
7. Switch your laundry detergent when you run out
Your clothes are a source that can leach into your body. When you run out of detergent, choose a fragrance free option. If you can, also look for less synthetic options and prioritize 100% cotton and linen.
Expect to see greenwashing on the shelf. Unscented is not the same as fragrance free, and it is an easy label to fall for.
8. Filter your drinking water
Every water source contains some contaminants, which can include heavy metals and PFCs, and what is in your water depends on where you live. The Environmental Working Group water database at ewg.org/tapwater lets you enter your zip code to see which chemicals are in your tap water and what type of filter to look for.
That makes it much easier to choose a filter that actually addresses what is in your water instead of guessing.
How to start without replacing everything
You do not need to throw away every single thing in your home, and you do not need to replace everything. The point is not to add stress. The point is to create an environment you are not stressed about, because you have taken the time to do the research and make the best decisions you can with the information available.
Start with what you are exposed to most. The items you use every day, and the ones that involve heat, are where your effort goes furthest.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to throw out all of my plastic?
No. You do not have to get rid of everything at once, and you probably need less than you think. Start with the plastic that touches hot food and the items you use every day.
Is unscented the same as fragrance free?
No. Unscented means there is no scent, and a masking chemical can be used to hide the smell of another chemical. Fragrance free means there are no added fragrances.
Is all nonstick cookware bad?
Not every nonstick pan is absolutely bad, but stainless steel, cast iron, or a PFAS free option is the safer choice, and stainless steel is an easier alternative for everyday use.
Should I avoid fruits and vegetables because of pesticides?
No. Wash them thoroughly under running water instead. Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber and belong in your diet.
How much do I need to change for it to matter?
You do not need complete avoidance to get a health benefit. Moving down an exposure category can make a clinically significant difference to your health.
The bottom line
Toxins in the environment, both behavioral and environmental exposures, can influence hormone health, and that affects fertility as well as day to day functioning and longevity. It is worth taking the time to make the place you spend most of your time, your home, a safer environment.
Small, sustainable changes can make more of a difference to your long term health than a perfect overhaul you cannot maintain. Protecting your hormone health is about informed decision making, and these 8 swaps are a starting point.
Want to understand your hormones, fertility, and reproductive health more clearly? The Fertility Formula includes an entire chapter on hormone and toxic exposures. Grab your copy at nataliecrawfordmd.com/book.