Feminisation and environmental pollutants

[PGP]

Below transcript of an article on the feminisation of crustaceans by environmental pollutants of human and natural origin. The mention of the pollutants as they relate to mammals is interesting.

I am currently doing an inventory of the food and products I use to minimise such and other pollutants. Examples are:

-non-fluoridated toothpaste

-no shaving gel

- no deodorant (except stick)

- no shower-gel or shampoo just an olive-oil based soap

- minimised processed foods, aspartame, MSG etc.

- minimal sugar even from fruit.

 

If anyone else has made such or similar changes, I would be much appreciative if they could add them.

I'm thinking this could become a thread for constant refinement of avoiding these and other damaging chemicals.

Also, if anyone has cut out tap-water (esp in fluoridated) areas and replaced with a filter system or bottled, I would again appreciate it alot if you could share your experience with me!!!

 

 

From: http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?monthyear=&day=10&id=72648&l=e&country=0&special=&ndb=1&df=0

 

Male crustaceans can avoid being feminised

Male crustaceans can ‘lock down’ their maleness to avoid being completely feminised by seawater contaminated by feminising pollutants, according to scientists.

New research by scientists at the University of Portsmouth has shown that crustaceans turned partially into females retain a core of masculinity, and they may have learned how to do it after evolutionary battles with parasites.

The researchers have also published the entire genetic code for the amphipod crustacean they studied, which they hope will lead to even better understanding of their biology.

The research is published in Environmental Science and Technology.

One of the researchers, Dr Alex Ford said: “We’ve known for some time that fish change sex if they’re subjected to even small amounts of oestrogen in the water, but until now we didn’t know what was happening to crustaceans.

“What we found is that once a crustacean has decided to be male, it can lock down its maleness. It will still become feminised in many respects, but at its core, it will remain male. This has important implications for how we study the effects of potential feminising pollutants on these creatures,” Ford added.

Fish and some other aquatic creatures are increasingly changing sex because the rivers and oceans are receiving a steady stream of feminising pollutants in sewage and industrial effluent.

Dr Ford and his co-author Dr Stephen Short are marine biologists at the Institute of Marine Sciences at Portsmouth and have been studying the effect of different chemicals on a range of organisms for several years.

 

Dr Short said: “We don’t know why crustaceans, but not vertebrates, have this ability to hold on to their maleness, but we know crustaceans have been engaged in long evolutionary battles with feminising parasites which turn males into females in order to transmit to the next generation via the eggs of their hosts.

“It could be that this history has given crustaceans strategies to cope with feminisation and this is now proving useful in the face of human pollution,” Short remarked.

Some crustaceans decide whether to be male or female soon after hatching, which is defined by Dr Ford as “a little window of plasticity”.

“In fish and in humans and other mammals if a creature becomes more female, they automatically will become less male as a result. It’s like a seesaw. Crustaceans are wired differently and by becoming female, they don’t necessary lose their maleness,” he said.

The research was part of a four-year project that looked at the effects of parasites and pollution on crustaceans and was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

Dr Ford has previously found that a miniscule amount of drugs – equivalent to a drop in an Olympic sized swimming pool – commonly found in human waste can have a dramatic effect on aquatic life, including changing the speed at which some creatures can swim, to their ability to reproduce.

He said: “Crustaceans are the most diverse creatures in our oceans and, until now, we didn’t know a lot about their molecular biology.

“By publishing the entire set of genes we are giving biologists a whole suite of tools to further study many aspects of their biology including their endocrine, nervous and immune systems,” Ford pointed out.

 

[MMX2010]

I recently read (don't remember where) that plastic bottles contain chemicals that mimic estrogen, so no plastic bottles and no plastic Tupperware.

[PGP]

Came across this nice list from: http://www.functionalhealthcoach.com.au/xeno-oestrogens.html

They're everywhere!!!

 

ESTROGENIC CHEMICALS TO AVOID IN SKIN PRODUCTS
Synthetic Toxic Sources

•  Paraben
• Phenoxyethanol
• Phthalates (plasticizers)
• 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) (sunscreen lotions)
• Butylated hydroxyanisole / BHA (food preservative)
• Atrazine (weedkiller)
• Bisphenol A (monomer for polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin; antioxidant in plasticizers)
• Dieldrin (insecticide)
• DDT (insecticide)
• Endosulfan (insecticide)
• Erythrosine / FD&C Red No. 3
• Heptachlor (insecticide)
• Lindane / hexachlorocyclohexane (insecticide)
• Methoxychlor (insecticide)
• Nonylphenol and derivatives (industrial surfactants; emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization; laboratory detergents; pesticides)
• Polychlorinated biphenyls / PCBs (in electrical oils, lubricants, adhesives, paints)
• Phenosulfothiazine (a red dye)
• DEHP (plasticizer for PVC)
• For more chemicals (these are NOT the complete list, sorry!) please refer to Chemical Maze or Lotion Secrets for more detail on chemical names to avoid

Naturally Derived Sources

• Tea tree oil (melaleuca)
• Lavender oil
• Sage
• Rosemary

AVOID - GENERAL

• Drinking out of plastic cups and containers. Replace with aluminium/steel/glass bottle
• Drink only filtered water - cheapest option is to buy a Brita filter for home and work
• Replace all creams/handwashes/dishwasher soaps/washing machine soaps/fragrances/hair washes/toothpastes/etc with non-chemical ones
• Replace suncream with chemical-free/natural option e.g. WotNot brand. Or/and use a hat and long sleeved shirt
• Avoid commercially-raised, non-organic meats such as beef, chicken, and pork
• Avoid commercial dairy products including milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream – Use only organic products that do not contain bovine growth hormone
• Avoid microwaving
• Do not heat food or water with plastic in the microwave. Do not drink hot liquids in foam styrofoam cups or receptacles.
• Avoid heating food in plastics or styrofoam containers
• Avoid hot foods served in plastics
• Avoid using teflon and most other non-stick pots/pans - try Ecolon for non-stick alternative: https://www.neoflam.com.au
• Avoid soy
• Avoid regular laundry detergent. Use white vinegar, baking soda, tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) or soap nuts. According to some experts, avoid even the Seventh Generation and most eco brands
• Avoid dryer sheets and fabric softeners. Use white vinegar is a marvelous natural fabric softener, no smell after it dries
• Avoid Primpro, DES, Premarin, Cimetidine (Tagamet), Marijuana, and Birth Control Pills
• Avoid hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• Avoid progesterone creams made with paraben preservatives
• Take out belly button rings. Dulls stimulation point/nerve (think acupuncture) directly linking to reproductive system site – can have affect on hormone balance / fat storage
• Avoid ground flaxseed. If you’re looking for the Omega-3 effect, use fish oil instead
• Avoid sunflower oil, no safflower oil, no cottonseed oil, no canola oil. Use olive oil
• Avoid shampoos, lotions, soaps, cosmetics that contain paraben or phenoxyethanol – Almost all contain them, you have to look far and wide. Be diligent, you’re getting hundreds of times more exposure through your skin than through your diet
• Avoid shampoos that purposely include estrogen (these are shampoos that cater to the African-American market)
• Avoid air fresheners that contain pthalates (this includes when getting your car cleaned, check with cleaners they aren't going to spray or wipe the inside of your car with a heap of synthetic oestrogen mimickers, you'll be exposed to this over and over again every time you drive your car)
• Do not use anything on the skin with parabens or phenoxyethanol in them. This includes shampoo, soap, makeup, hand lotion, body lotion, and toothpaste. Oral substances are 90% filtered by the liver. Skin-absorbed substances are 100% absorbed by the body, thus, a skin dose is 10 times an oral dose.

AVOID OR USE SPARINGLY

• Limit caffeine (increases estradiol levels by up to 70%)
• Avoid tea tree oil (Melaleuca)
• Avoid lavender oil
• Limit sage
• Limit rosemary

POLIQUIN – TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO LIMIT CHEMICAL ESTROGEN EXPOSURE

1. Eat organic and avoid ingesting estrogenic pesticides and growth hormones
2. Use natural cleaning products. Chemical cleaners contain toxins and estrogen-mimicking compounds. Opt for plant-based cleaners. Don’t trust it just because it says “green” on the label. Check ingredients.
3. Use natural personal care products such as shampoo and conditioner. These are the same as cleaning products—don’t trust it just because it says “natural” on the label. Look for DBP, DEP, DEHP, BzBP, and DMP in the ingredients; all are chemical estrogens.
4. Avoid scented candles and air fresheners. Some may contain essential oils and are safe, but beware of the word “fragrance” because it may refer to hormone-altering chemicals.
5. Avoid plastic containers for food and water. Use glass and get a stainless steel water bottle. Plastic contains BPA, which mimics estrogen.
6. Never microwave or heat plastic. Under high temperatures is when BPA is most easily transferred from plastic to food. Use glass containers.
7. Don’t take receipts unless necessary. Almost half of paper receipts contain BPA and there’s evidence that cashiers have very high BPA levels. Say “no thanks” to receipts.
8. Use cloth bags when shopping. If you forget your cloth bags, opt for paper if you can.
9. Take Curcumin to help prevent cancer from chemical estrogens. This antioxidant is found in the spice turmeric and research has shown it can reduce chemical estrogen-induced growth of cancer cells. It also helps prevent damage quinone production during the detox process.
10. Take Limonene to increase the enzymes needed in the liver that detoxify estrogen. It is the antioxidant that is found in the oil of citrus fruits and tomatoes. If you get an estrogen detox supplement, it will likely contain limonene.

  
"OK" AND OTHER GENERAL INFORMATION

• Use cosmetics with minerals or grapefruit seed extract as a preservative
• Plenty of fibre and antioxidants in diet to help aid elimination of chemical estrogens
• Use glass or ceramics whenever possible to store food and water. Heat up your food using a glass or ceramic bowl covered with dish. When plastic is heated, it diffuses very rapidly into food.
• Use a simple detergent with less chemicals; Nature Clean is a good choice for both laundry detergent and dish washing detergent.
• Simple Soap is a safe choice for shampoo and a body soap.
• Use natural pest control not pesticides.
• Avoid Synthetic Chemicals – Healthy Living in a Toxic World by Cynthia Fincher PhD. is a good place to start.
• Don’t use herbicides; use a cup of salt in a gallon of vinegar.
• Buy hormone free meats to eat.
• Buy “Organic” produce, produce grown without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizer or hormones.
• Use Condoms without spermicide for Birth control instead of Birth Control Pills. Use Natural Progesterone instead of HRT.
• In general, the hormones taken orally are first pass metabolized by the liver 80%-90%. However, when these hormones are applied to the skin, the hormones are directly absorbed by the body. Thus, any skin dose is 10 times that of an oral dose. The vast majority of skin lotions and creams use the parabens as a preservative. Avoid them at all costs. Instead apply a vegetable oil right after a shower to hydrate the skin and lock in the moisture.
• Cosmetics with minerals or grapefruit seed extract as a preservative
• A simple detergent with less chemicals; Nature Clean is a good choice for both laundry detergent and dish washing detergent
• Simple Soap is a safe choice for shampoo and a body soap

[J. D. Stembal]

That's a lot of great information there.

 

Three years ago, I culled my bathroom of nasty endocrine disruptors (using this webiste http://www.ewg.org/about-us), which amounted to a full size garbage bag. All I need for skin and hair care is coconut oil (plus unscented soap), which I use for cooking as well. Tea tree oil has been demonized in the mainstream media but I use tea tree toothpaste to brush. Since I don't eat very many carbohydrates, one five ounce tube lasts me six to eight months.

 

I would like to point out that the USDA Organic label is a scam to increase the bureaucratic costs of industrial agriculture. You don't necessarily get any less pesticides and, in fact, you are probably getting more and deadlier pesticides on your food than you normally would. You should wash and rinse all fruit and vegetables no matter what. If it makes you feel better to spend more because of a government regulated label, feel free to continue your ignorance.

 

All my food accessories are metal, glass or ceramic. i don't use any plastics with food or beverages.

 

Link: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/2011/07/18/mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/

 

PS: I am shopping around for a heavy duty reverse osmosis water filtration system. Normally, I just use a Brita, but I want something that filters everything out. Does anyone have a recommendation?

[Mister Mister]

1.   Reverse Osmosis filters are incredibly expensive, 2 or 3 grand I believe.  However, many grocery stores and food co-ops have a reverse osmosis filter machine where you can fill a container for about 43 cents a gallon.  The hard blue refillable plastic containers are not known to significantly leech plastic into your water.  You could use glass if it's really a concern.  Also I've heard that pumpkin seeds help convert excess estrogen into other things your body can use.  Found this article for more on this http://www.drzepp.com/Anti-Estrogenic%20Diet.pdf

[luxfelix]

I've heard as a general rule that, if you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin. (Simple enough, no?)

 

I would like to point out that the USDA Organic label is a scam to increase the bureaucratic costs of industrial agriculture. You don't necessarily get any less pesticides and, in fact, you are probably getting more and deadlier pesticides on your food than you normally would. You should wash and rinse all fruit and vegetables no matter what. If it makes you feel better to spend more because of a government regulated label, feel free to continue your ignorance.

 

This is so unfortunate... 

[Tessa]

This is some great information!  Thank you all for sharing. 

 

I've made similar changes over the past 10 years in my life as well.  I just recently threw away all my perfume and most of my makeup too.  

PGP mentioned taking turmeric which is an AWESOME supplement.  Some older research suggests that taking it with black pepper increases its bioavailability.

 

http://www.uta.edu/faculty/sawasthi/Publications/References/2000%20Publications/Journal%2068/Document%2068.43.pdf

 

 

Waterwise makes some excellent water filtration products. I have used their shower filters before and have wanted to get one of their stainless steel distillers for a long time.  Steam distillation is great because it combines multiple types of contaminant removal in one system.  From what I read, it's not as good as reverse osmosis purification, but it's almost as good

 

 

http://www.waterwise.com/productcart/pc/lc_distillation_process.asp

 

 

For drinking water I almost always use a stainless steel water bottle. I got an Eco Vessel bottle with a silicone mouth piece and replaced the straw inside the bottle with food grade silicone tubing.  Silicone supposedly doesn't leach into food or water, although substances can adsorb onto it.  I don't know if that applies to colored silicone products though.  I've read anecdotes of color leaching onto food from these products.

 

Anyone have any info on how to get plastics out of your system?  I have been told that lemon oil helps to dissolve plastics.

[PGP]

Tessa, looks like your first post, so welcome to the forum!

Sounds like you made some good changes there, wu-hu!

 

As regards removing plastic, I'm sure there are expensive supplements that will promise loads, but I have heard about activated charcoal as a de-toxifying agent esp for heavy metals, for many years now. Makes sense as it seems most of the better jug-type water filters use charcoal afaik.

 

Some other changes I have made:

-Cleaning using vinegar and salt/bicarbonate of soda. Does a better job and subjectively much healthier. I used to get headache from cleaning chemicals. I'm looking to get my hands on some hydrogen peroxide also.

-Brazil nuts: If your not eating them, I advise it. Just one a day does the job for Selenium, good for zinc also.

-Lemon water-I use half pint glass cold water, a few teaspoons of lemon fresh or bottled and half boiling water. Good for the digestion. I generally drink only ~30 C water now if I can.

 

There is a thorny issue I have been assiduously avoiding and that is of tea/coffee. Tea has been a constant for my whole life and coffee a little more in the last few years. I have read that tea especially has high fluoride content but there are offsets with the tannins etc.

Has anyone quit tea/coffee? Any report to make on benefits?

Cheers all.

[Tessa]

Thanks PGP that is good to know.  I will check out info on activated charcoal.  I've used broken cell wall chlorella to remove heavy metals from my system and that worked really well.  

If you want to get rid of traditional deodorant there is a great product called Primal Pit Paste-has very few ingredients and no aluminum.  Works very well-I think mostly because of the baking soda and arrowroot powder in it. 

 

I did not know that the USDA organic label was so bad.  I figured it was less stringent than other standards, but I didn't think I could be getting exposed to more pesticides   I heard a story on NPR about organic apple farms being allowed to apply antibiotics to their apples to stave off some type of blight, but I guess it didn't register that that type of allowance applied to other chemicals as well.

[J. D. Stembal]

Tessa, looks like your first post, so welcome to the forum!

Sounds like you made some good changes there, wu-hu!

 

As regards removing plastic, I'm sure there are expensive supplements that will promise loads, but I have heard about activated charcoal as a de-toxifying agent esp for heavy metals, for many years now. Makes sense as it seems most of the better jug-type water filters use charcoal afaik.

 

Some other changes I have made:

-Cleaning using vinegar and salt/bicarbonate of soda. Does a better job and subjectively much healthier. I used to get headache from cleaning chemicals. I'm looking to get my hands on some hydrogen peroxide also.

-Brazil nuts: If your not eating them, I advise it. Just one a day does the job for Selenium, good for zinc also.

-Lemon water-I use half pint glass cold water, a few teaspoons of lemon fresh or bottled and half boiling water. Good for the digestion. I generally drink only ~30 C water now if I can.

 

There is a thorny issue I have been assiduously avoiding and that is of tea/coffee. Tea has been a constant for my whole life and coffee a little more in the last few years. I have read that tea especially has high fluoride content but there are offsets with the tannins etc.

Has anyone quit tea/coffee? Any report to make on benefits?

Cheers all.

 

I am a tea junkie myself and I brew kombucha as an alternative sugary "soft drink". There really isn't a lot of sugar in it, probably less than 20 grams per half liter bottle. I like it tart.

 

Coffee rips up my intestines and gives me the runs so unfortunately I can't drink it very often. I brew a couple cups every few weeks.

 

I am not surprised that there would be a lot of flouride in tea. Most people, including myself, brew it with unfiltered water. I had no idea that there is flouride in the plant itself. http://fluoridealert.org/issues/sources/tea/

 

Now I'm trying to figure out how to get the flouride out of my tea post-brew.

 

I already ordered the RO-90 form APEC to filter my tap water. Pricey, but the filters last at least a year before you have to replace them. http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/ro-90-detail.htm