Hormone Disruptors: Sneaky Everyday Chemicals Quietly Messing With Your Health. How to find them so you can Switch them out.

In this chat with Andrea Dahr from Switch Natural we talk about common harmful chemicals that are in soooo many products we use on our skin, cook with, eat and drink in. So sneaky that we are not aware that they’re there, that we’re taking them in. Every. Single. Day.Andrea’s mission is simple. Share information that’s grounded in studies about these toxic chemicals so that you can make an informed choice about what you choose to use. No bias. 100% independent.Why does that matter?Because these every day products are not regulated (unless they are for therapeutic use). The onus is on the companies that make them to disclose if they are using harmful chemicals like known Endocrine Disruptors in their ingredients list.The descriptions used to market them are not standardised either. Something can be called Natural or Clean but that’s open to interpretation with so much latitude in the meaning. It’s confusing. Where is the truth? What ARE we buying? What harm is it doing? Endocrine Disruptors (or EDC’s) are man made chemicals (of which there are 1000’s) used in manufacturing, that mess with our hormones. They do this by pretending to be and act like hormones, block the function of them or influence the amount of them in our body.And they’re everywhere.These sneaky chemicals have made their way into countless products we use every day. Personal care products (like skin and hair care and deodorants), sunscreens (that’s a big one) cookware (non-stick linings like Teflon), plastics, water and food. And because we use them every day, the toxic load compounds over time. The Culprits & Where They Hide:We talk about the more prominent and pervasive nasty ingredients and the every day products they’re found in (to name but a few because there are many).* Phthalates - commonly found in fragrances, some cosmetics & nail polish* Bisphenols (BPA, BPS, BPF) - some “BPA‑free” plastics, certain cosmetics, and some flexible plastics like water bottles* PFAS’s (‘forever chemicals’) - Non‑stick cookware (like Teflon), stain‑ and water‑repellent clothing, waterproof makeup, and some water sources.Honest, practical insights backed up by information from studies and research Andrea has captured over 10+ years and updates daily as required.The Proof and Research: More and more research is being released about these chemicals and their health implications. The work of Dr Shanna Swan is respected, prominent and ground breaking having spent more than two decades studying the impact of environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals on reproductive and neuro development. She’s linked significant drops in sperm counts and fertility to some of these chemicals. Fertility has dropped more than 50% over the past 50 years worldwide. Geez! Links to her and her work are below.Adrea also has a free Resource Library on her website, Switch Natural. There are handy and informative free PDF’s to download. Handy to have because this topic is HUGE and confusing. They’re great resources to come back to again and again.The Switch Natural App: Because her community were asking so many questions and wanted a way to choose products as they shopped, Andrea decided to create an app so they could make better purchasing decisions. Unlike others that grade the products (sometimes with outdated databases), hers is completely information based and up to date. Here’s how it works:* You download the app (it costs $20USD a year - cheaper than a week of takeaway coffees here in Australia!). * Scan the product ingredients list by taking a photo of it.* A list of known harmful chemicals (if any) appear.* Search for more information about those ingredients on the spot too (using the magnifying glass icon).* Research links about the ingredients.* Alternative products.* Shared findings. It’s designed to grow interactively too. You can ‘add to shop’ products that are not in the app’s database and Andrea then personally reviews them before deciding if they’re to be shared on the app - as a validity check. Most products are available in the USA (but many will ship internationally) so if you’re outside the US feel free to submit yours so that more products available in your country are listed. I will be adding Australian products for sure having started with my No Pong anti odorant (and no, I’m not getting a kick back mentioning it).We Bust Common Myths: Here are some.* Non-toxic products are more expensive - No! As with toxic products there are expensive ones and less expensive ones. Shop around and find them. They’re there.* Product descriptions use legally defined/standardised words eg: Clean or Natural means no harmful chemicals - No. There are no laws that define what it means to be Clean or Natural. It’s a discretionary wording that is basically marketing hype. * All personal care and beauty products are vetted by the TGA / FDA to ensure they do what they claim to be eg: free of harmful chemicals - No. Unless they are regarded as Therapeutic, they are not, so it’s a case of ‘buyer beware’.* Fragrances are safe - No! This is a significant loop hole in ingredient listing department. Synthetic fragrances can hide many chemicals (including phthalates and other EDC’s) under the single label “fragrance” or “parfum”, unless a country has specific “fragrance disclosure” laws. This is because they are regarded as ‘secret formulas’ and as such must remain that way. Some brands will openly list their fragrance ingredients (thankfully).* Sea life and coral reef safe means human safe - no, not always. Some sunscreen products swap the worse reef filters for other chemical UV filters which may still cause problems in humans. If you’re reducing EDC’s for yourself while still protecting reefs, look for a Zinc Oxide mineral‑only, non‑nano, paraben‑free, and fragrance‑free’ formula rather than just a product that’s ‘coral‑safe’ .* Product ingredients stay the same over the years so I’m safe to keep on buying them once I’ve checked them once - no. Product ingredients can change. To be on the safe side always scan (check) the ingredients list for nasties. Using the Switch Natural app makes this very easy.Where to from here? If you are curious about reducing your exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals it pays to look. Read the product ingredients list and find out if they are safe. Andrea’s Switch Natural App is a handy and easy way to do this as an option. Which ever way you choose, just make a start and pick one or two products you use every day. Then decide if you want to switch them out for a non-toxic option.The choice is all yours.Where To Find Andrea and her World at Switch Natural:: Switch Natural Website (SwitchNatural.com) - where there is a free Resource Library. Make a start and download her 50 Clean Swaps Guide.: The Switch Natural App - the first month is free then it’s $20USD a year.: Substack Andrea Dahr (Switch Natural).: Instagram and Facebook look for Switch Natural.The extensive, groundbreaking research of Dr Shanna Swan can be found on her website . There is a Press section that lists some of her papers and the Appearances section is where you can hear and see her in action talking about her research findings on podcasts and YouTube.Documentary: ‘The Plastic Detox’. on Netflix.Thanks for reading Midlife Unfiltered Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it.Thank you for tuning in! See you next week for our next women’s midlife focused episode.Anita xx This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com