Your Hormone Balance, Xenoestrogens & Phytoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are foreign 'oestrogen-like' chemicals occurring in plastics and pesticides that have been linked to health problems.
The increasing number of xenoestrogens in our environment have been linked to early onset of puberty(1) and breast cancer(2).

These compounds are also known as Endocrine Disruptor Chemicals (EDC's) because of their impact on our endocrine (hormone) systems.

Typical xenoestrogens include: bisphenol A (plastic bottles), nonylphenols (industrial surfactants and pesticides), atrazine (weedkiller), DDT (insecticide) and parabens (personal care products).

(1) Boyce, N, 'Growing up too soon', New Scientist (2 August 1997). p5

(2) Fernandez and Russo, Estrogen and Xenoestrogen in Breast Cancer, Toxicol Pathol 2010: 38(1); 110-122

(3) Turner JV, Agatonovic-Kustrin S, Glass BD (August 2007). "Molecular aspects of phytoestrogen selective binding at estrogen receptors."

J Pharm Sci 96 (8): 1879–1885.doi:10.1002/jps.20987.

(4) Johnston, I (2003). Phytochem Functional Foods. CRC Press Inc. pp. 66–68

Thousands of insecticides, herbicides & fungicides are approved for use in the UK. Many fruits & vegetables are sprayed as many as TEN times before products reach the supermarkets. Where possible eating organic non-GM produce eases your toxic load. For more information on UK organic classification please visit the Soil Association website

Wrapping food in plastics should be avoided where possible. Fatty foods (such as meat, cheese or butter) more easily absorb xenoestrogens from plastic.
It is always best to remove plastic packaging as soon as possible after purchase.

Increase fibre intake as this helps prevent absorption of oestrogenic chemicals into your bloodstream. It is important to eat both soluble fibre (fruits, oats and beans) and insoluble fibre (wholegrains and vegetables)

Buy natural cleaning, personal care products and garden fertilisers to minimise exposure to xenoestrogenic chemicals

Eat Organic

Avoid Plastics

Increase Fibre

Buy Natural

Phytoestrogens & Balancing Hormones

www.soilassociation.org/certification

Soy is the most well known phytoestrogen. As soy is goitrogenic WH360 has compiled a list of alternatives and our Endocrine Meal Plan incorporates many phytoestrogenic foods.

Phytoestrogenic Foods

Phytoestrogens are oestrogen-like chemicals found in plant foods such as beans, seeds, and grains.

There are three main chemical classes of phytoestrogen found in food - isoflavanoids, lignans and coumestans.
Phytoestrogens bind to oestrogen receptors(3) and may modulate the amount of oestrogen made in the body by binding or inactivating some enzymes.
They may also affect the bioavailability of sex hormones by depressing or stimulating synthesis of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)(4)
As a result phytoestrogens may have a role in balancing hormones and helping to control oestrogen dominance.

Goitrogenic Foods

Find out which foods are goitrogenic and are thought to potentially affect thyroid function