Hormone soup: how are xenoestrogens or environmental pollutants affecting you and your family?

No matter how diligent we are about eating and living right, we are still constantly exposed to chemical pollutants in many aspects our daily lives. Some of the most alarming of these pollutants are xenoestrogens. Huh?

Xeno means foreign. So xenoestrogens are made from something other than the body. Many are petrochemically-based or are byproducts of petrochemical production. Gasoline fumes, plastics, medicines, pesticides, perfumes all have petrochemical residue, all act as estrogens in the human body. Another common synthetic estrogen is in our food supply. Growth hormones, fed to cows and chickens to promote accelerated growth, are estrogen. Estrogen in our food supply! It seems incredible, doesn't it? When consumed by cows and chickens it increases their rate of growth, so it seems logical to suppose that the ingestion of this meat would have an effect on the humans consuming them.

According to the late Dr. John Lee, author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause and Theo Colburn, author of Our Stolen Future, these chemical estrogens are indeed wreaking havoc on humans as well as all other animals on this planet. In studies at the University of Florida with alligator offspring that were exposed to a particularly large pesticide spill in Lake Apopka near Gainesville, the male babies had smaller testicles and low sperm. Alligator reproduction had decreased some ninety percent in the years since the spill. (1) Between 1950 and 1980, seagulls living on the Los Angeles coastline near Santa Barbara in the Chanel Islands showed symptoms of estrogen dominance from exposure to DDT that was draining into the ocean from surrounding neighborhoods. The DDT dumped into the Los Angeles sewer system from the 1950s through to the 1970s was from industrial waste. (2) Though now banned in the United States, DDT is widely used in other parts of the world.

We know from the 2002 announcement about the recent Women's Health Initiative study that hormones in hormone replacement therapy cause increased risk of a variety of cancers in women as well as well as an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke. Dr. Lee states that recent studies show that as well as having a negative effect on women, men and children are being affected by these synthetic hormones consumed as meat in their daily diets, as well. According to both Dr. Lee and T. Colburn, we are seeing an increased incidence of testicular and prostate cancers, low sperm counts, infertility, early onset puberty, and breast growth in boys. In essence, this female hormone in our food and water supply is feminizing the planet. What can you do to reduce your exposure to these synthetic estrogens? First, reduce your use of plastics. Whenever possible drink beverages in glass. Do not use plastic in your microwave. Stand a distance from your car when you are filling the tank. Eat organic: pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables is a major culprit. Make the investment in your health and purchase only hormone-free dairy products and hormone-free meats. It is much easier today to acquire these types of meats in most communities. Drink pure, clean water. What's coming out of your tap in cities is not pure and clean.

There are a number of herbs that will assist the body in cleansing petrochemicals, as well as other toxins. Three herbs grow abundantly in our area in the woods and on roadsides; stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis), and burdock (Arctium lappa). The organ of the body most affected by toxins of any kind is the liver, whose job it is to filter toxins from what is consumed. These abundant herbs are not only used help to cleanse the body of toxins but can nourish it as well.

An ancient tradition of the "doctrine of signatures" states that looking at the characteristics of a plant will indicate what it might be good for. All three of the above mentioned plants grow on roadsides and in areas where clearing has occurred suggesting an ability to "clean up" a mess. Burdock, dandelion, and nettles, when consumed as a tea or food, have a natural ability to rid the body of toxins. Using them is simple. Dig the root of burdock and dandelion to make a cleansing and nourishing tea. Both will supply an ample supply of minerals. Nettle leaves are a wonderful source of calcium. Dandelion and nettle leaves are powerful diuretics.

In closing, I will add that I feel one of the most important things any of us can do is to get involved. Make sure your community is supporting your best interests by providing clean water, clean food, and a reduction of toxins emitted into your environment. It is so very important to the health of future generations.

1-Animals Sept/Oct 1994 2-Animals Sept/Oct 1994. Michael Fry, wildlife toxicologist University of California notes in the article: "In species not susceptible to eggshell thinning, like gulls, DDT acts like estrogen and causes abnormal development of the male embryos with some males developing female sexual organs. The males are chemically neutered and not interested in breeding, so they won't even show up at the colony:'

Common Detoxifying Herbs

* Burdock (Arctium lappa) Parts used: roots and occasionally the seeds Contraindications: none known Uses: a blood cleanser, cools the body and helps to clear the skin. Burdock is rich in minerals. Can be used safely as a nourishing tonic for the body.

* Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Parts used: roots, leaves and flowers Contraindication: none known Uses: Flowers may be used for skin care and have long been made into a delightful wine. The leaves are often eaten. The roots are sometimes roasted and used as a coffee substitute. The roots and leaves are also diuretic (the best), rich in minerals and tonic particularly to the liver. The leaves are a digestive bitter.

* Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) Parts used: leaf and stalk Contraindications: none known aside from the sting Uses: rich in minerals, especially calcium. Tonic to the kidneys, adrenals and bladder. Fresh nettle has been used as a wash for the hair, some say it will wash away gray with continued use. Will stop bleeding. The sting has been Used as a remedy for swollen joints. It feels similar to bee stings.

Cynthia Johnston is an herbalist and the creator of MoonMaid Botanicals. She lives in Cosby, Tennessee, where she grows many of the herbs she uses in her products. She can be contacted toll free at 1-877-253-7853 or at [e-mail]

Estrogen Everywhere

Where are xenoestrogens found?

[right arrow] Gas fumes [right arrow] Pesticides [right arrow] Off-gassing of plastics [right arrow] Growth hormones in chicken and beef (therefore also in eggs, cheese, milk and butter.) [right arrow] Spermicides [right arrow] Residue from household soap; like laundry and dish detergent