Top 3 Hormone Disruptors that Cause Weight Gain, Brain Fog and Fatigue

Top 3 Hormone Disruptors that Cause Weight Gain, Brain Fog and Fatigue

I know talking about hormone disruptors isn’t exactly thrilling, but trust me, as the hormone harmonizer and detoxifier, this really matters. These sneaky chemicals are everywhere, silently messing with your body’s natural hormone balance. And – when your hormones are out of whack, everything feels off. Tired, moody, gaining weight, mental fog could be toxins from chemicals that your body is not designed to deal with. From PMS, perimenopause, menopause, andropause symptoms, your immune, hormone and nervous system all takes a hit.

1. BPA: The Hormone Havoc-Wreaker

First up is BPA, and it’s a real troublemaker. You might be thinking, “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard about BPA-free water bottles,” but here’s the thing – it’s way more widespread than that.

Where it’s lurking:

• Those leftover containers you love? Yep.
• Canned foods (even your healthy soups!)
• Receipt paper (seriously, it absorbs right through your skin)
• The lining of canned drinks

What it’s doing to your body:

• Throwing your metabolism into chaos (hello, stubborn weight gain)
• Messing with your fertility (major problem if you’re trying to conceive)
• Triggering mood swings (thought it was just you? Nope!)
• Increasing your risk of certain cancers

Here’s what you can actually do:

• Ditch the plastic food containers. Yes, all of them. Glass containers are way better anyway – they don’t get those weird stains or smells
• Get yourself a good stainless steel water bottle
• Decline receipts unless you really need them
• Never, ever heat food in plastic containers (that includes the microwave!)

2. Phthalates: The Fertility Foe

Phthalates are everywhere, and they’re particularly nasty when it comes to reproductive health. If you’re planning on having kids (now or ever), listen up.

The damage they’re doing:

• Tanking fertility levels in both men and women
• Messing with kids’ development
• Disrupting your thyroid (hello, unexplained fatigue and weight issues)
• Linked to diabetes and insulin resistance

Where they’re hiding:

• Anything with “fragrance” (your favorite perfume included)
• Flexible plastics (like your shower curtain)
• Vinyl flooring
• Most mainstream beauty products

Getting them out of your life:

• Switch to fragrance-free products (your skin will thank you too)
• Check those beauty product labels – if you can’t pronounce it, google it
• Use glass or stainless steel food containers
• Open windows daily (phthalates love to hang out in house dust)

3. Pesticides: The Silent System Crasher

Here’s the frustrating part – pesticides are all over our food, and they’re seriously powerful hormone disruptors. They’re designed to kill pests, but guess what? They’re not too friendly to our systems either.

What they’re doing to your health:

• Destroying thyroid function (weight issues, anyone?)
• Increasing cancer risk
• Affecting brain development in kids
• Contributing to fertility problems
• Messing with your immune system

How to dodge them:

• Look, organic everything isn’t realistic for most of us. But focus on the “Dirty Dozen” – these foods really need to be organic: 
  • Strawberries (conventional ones are the worst offenders)
  • Spinach and kale (yes, even your healthy greens)
  • Apples (an organic apple a day…)
  • Plus the other usual suspects on the list

Real talk – What you can do right now:

1. Start small – replace one toxic item each week
2. Clean out your beauty cabinet (this is huge for reducing exposure)
3. Invest in good food storage containers
4. Get a decent water filter
5. Buy organic for the foods you eat most often

Remember, you don’t have to be perfect. Even small changes make a big difference in your hormone health. Your body is dealing with enough stress already – let’s not add toxic chemicals to the mix. Your hormones control you and you can control your hormones.  If you want to learn more about balancing your hormones check out The Ultimate Hormone Reset to look feel and get slim, sharp, sexy and supercharged at any age. You will get the courage and confidence to evaluate your hormone status and implements strategies to achieve balance and empower you to live healthier. 

References:

1. Gore AC, et al. (2015). EDC-2: The Endocrine Society’s Second Scientific Statement on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Endocrine Reviews, 36(6), E1-E150.
2. Vandenberg LN, et al. (2012). Hormones and Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Low-Dose Effects and Nonmonotonic Dose Responses. Endocrine Reviews, 33(3), 378-455.
3. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (2021). Endocrine Disruptors.