Written by Vera Coetsee, Health and Nutrition Coach
4 December 2023
If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, it is important to look for ways to avoid chemicals at home or outdoors. Exposure to toxins are highly disruptive to your endocrine system: the system that helps your hormones to stay happy and harmonious.
Start incorporating healthy habits to decrease the impact environmental toxins are having on your health, hormones and fertility.
Reduce fragrances in your home
All products with fragrance in them have up to 3000 chemicals that are used to manufacture the scent with further chemicals added afterwards to stabilise the scent. Although they can smell good, these scents sneak harmful chemicals into your body and wreak havoc on your system. Check ingredients labels for the words “fragrance” or “perfume” and avoid buying them and bringing them into your home. This includes things like plug-in air fresheners, sprays, scented candles, car fresheners etc.
Stop using plastic
Plastic is convenient, but it also exposes us to chemicals that mess with our hormones. Known as “endocrine disrupting chemicals”, these substances can leach into our food and liquids and be harmful to our bodies. We can’t avoid plastic everywhere, but if you switch to safer materials such as glass you will be able to reduce your exposure.
Filter your water
From washing kale, to cooking quinoa, to basic hydration, we use water everywhere. It is, therefore, important to have a good water filter. There are so many chemicals in our drinking water and our water system is not catching everything that is bad for our bodies. Also, make sure to check that there is no fluoride in our water especially for women trying to conceive.
Clean up your beauty and personal products
We absorb a lot from what we put on our bodies. Our skin is our largest organ, and can absorb many chemicals used in our personal care products. Many endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and even neurotoxins are commonly used in the make-up and personal care products we use every day. Look out for fragrances and parabens in products and remove them from your home.
Clean up your cleaning products
What you are cleaning your home with affects you and everyone around you. It’s important to switch out any chemical-filled cleaning products and switch them to less toxic products. Also, remember to dust your house regularly since they can also release chemicals into your home. To reduce the amount of toxins you’re bringing into your home from outside, take off your shoes before entering your home.
At Restore Integrative Medical Clinic, we help you understand the root cause of why you are having trouble conceiving, and provide you with the guidance and support to optimise your health to grow a healthy baby. Make an appointment at our clinic to learn more about our Functional Fertility Program.
Sources:
Mann U, Shiff B, Patel P. Reasons for worldwide decline in male fertility. Curr Opin Urol. 2020 May;30(3):296-301. doi: 10.1097/MOU.0000000000000745. PMID: 32168194. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32168194/
Rao PV, Gupta N, Bhaskar AS, Jayaraj R. Toxins and bioactive compounds from cyanobacteria and their implications on human health. J Environ Biol. 2002 Jul;23(3):215-24. PMID: 12597562. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12597562/