Many people go to great lengths to protect the health and safety of themselves and their loved ones. These efforts often include things such as buying safer cars, better home security systems and eating healthier foods. These efforts are well and good, but what if there is a silent, dangerous enemy lurking in the majority of Australian households already?
In fact, there are many of these silent and dangerous enemies lurking in the majority of Australian homes, and they are collectively known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC’s). This article will take a closer look at EDC’s, expose some of the places in the home in which they lie in wait for their next potential victims, and offer strategies for avoiding exposure to them.
EDC’s: What are They?
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are a class of man-made substances that are capable of negatively altering the operations of the human hormonal system. Hormones serve as vital chemical messengers, helping the body to regulate itself in a multitude of ways. When this system receives false signals from artificially produced EDC’s, a variety of negative physical side-effects can and often are created.
EDC’s: Hiding in Products all Over the Home
The following items are a list of some EDC’s that are found in many common household products, including foods.
- Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFC). Perfluorinated chemicals have been used for some time as the non-slip ingredient found in many non-stick cookware items, as well as in water-resistant outer layers found on many fabrics. PFC’s are strongly suspected of having deleterious effects on sex hormones, as well thyroid hormones. Cooking in cast iron vessels is an effective way to avoid cookware-born PFC’s.
- Bisphenol-A (BPA). Bisphenol-A is a type of EDC that has been shown to have deleterious effects on human developments systems, including the reproductive system. BPA can be found in a wide variety of paper, plastic, and food products, including some napkins, some kinds of toilet paper, and even as a lining inside many canned food containers. Using glass containers, eating fresh foods, and avoiding excessive contact with store receipts are some easy ways to minimize exposure to this far from harmless chemical.
- Organophosphate Pesticides. These class of EDC’s are widely used as pesticides in many areas of the world. While these type of pesticides can do a number on insects, it turns out that they can also do a number on the human hormonal system. Some hazardous side effects that have been linked to organophosphate pesticides include interfering with thyroid hormone production as well as testosterone production. These EDC’s can be found on many common, non-organically grown types of produce. Therefore, one of the best ways to avoid contamination by these hazardous chemicals is to source fruit and vegetables from local, organic sources whenever possible.
This is a very short list of common household EDC’s, but it can serve as an example of the need for consumers to be continually vigilant about the various products that they bring into their homes.