Environmental Estrogen – What You Need to Know About
Pollutants, chemical additives, and other foreign substances make their way into the human body every day. One of the lesser-known substances is environmental estrogen, a synthetic hormone-like material that invades the body and mimics the function of natural estrogen. Environmental estrogen is rather difficult to avoid, and is typically found in plastics, pesticides, chemical preservatives, detergents, and as particles in the air. These substances interfere with the normal process of hormones in the body and have been shown to change an individual’s genetic makeup. Environmental estrogens have been linked to premenstrual syndrome, cancer, and reproductive issues in animals; their effects can last generations after initial exposure.
Given the prevalence of environmental estrogens in many of the products consumers use regularly and the serious health complications they can cause, it is imperative that individuals understand how to rid the body of these substances. One of the most effective ways is through deep liver and colon cleansing, which remove significant amounts of toxins from the body. Another way is by making substantial changes in diet.
Vegetables like cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli contain key substances that aid internal cleansing to remove environmental estrogens from the body. These compounds activate the production of detoxification enzymes in the genes which triggers the body’s natural detoxification and cleansing process, helping to improve overall health.
Cruciferous, leafy green vegetables also contain compounds that transform harmful carcinogens derived from environmental estrogen into a harmless form of the hormone that actually helps protect cells. With so much widespread exposure to these toxins, it is absolutely critical that individuals attempt to increase their intake of these beneficial foods.
Research has found that individuals who consume large amounts of cruciferous vegetables have a lower risk of developing certain types of cancer. One study reported that the risk of cancer in individuals who eat these foods regularly had about a fifty percent lower chance of cancer diagnosis than those who eat mainly non-cruciferous vegetables.
In order to reap the most benefit from cruciferous vegetables, they should be consumed raw when possible or only lightly steamed or boiled. One of the best ways to integrate more cruciferous vegetables into the diet is to replace lettuce in salads with cabbage, to add raw broccoli or cauliflower to tossed salads and pasta dishes, or to make homemade sauerkraut to use as a condiment or on its own. A quick Internet search is sure to yield many delicious recipes for healthful vegetable casseroles and side dishes. Four or more servings weekly is optimal as part of a comprehensive health program.
It is also important to make every effort to avoid environmental estrogen in the first place. Consume only organic meat and dairy products, as these foods are produced without the use of artificial livestock growth hormones. Whenever possible, purchase organic whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Organic produce is grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers; consuming them will limit one’s exposure to environmental estrogen and other toxins. Whole foods also tend to be rich in fiber, which helps speed digestion and the body’s natural detoxification process.
By Abdullah Salim