5 ways to ditch the plastic and improve hormone health

Plastic is not only a concern for our beautiful planet – it also poses a very real threat to human health, in particular by disrupting our hormones, and potentially impacting our fertility.

It’s not just the plastic we can see floating in our rivers and oceans that we need to worry about. Microplastics and nanoplastics – tiny fragments of plastic imperceptible to the human eye – have been found in various human tissues and fluids, including testes, ovaries, blood, and even the placenta.[1] They enter the body by ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, and once they are in the body, it can be very difficult to remove them.

Microplastics are part of a family known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) – so called because they have the potential to block, mimic or interfere with our hormones. While we don’t know the full extent of the damage that can be caused by microplastics and nanoplastics yet, it is thought that these may be a contributor to infertility, affecting sperm quality[2] and disturbances in female sex hormones[3].

To learn more about these endocrine disrupting chemicals, have a read of my article here.

Thankfully, there are lots of fantastic plastic-free alternatives out there, helping us to reduce our exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Here are my 5 simple hacks to reduce your plastic consumption and exposure to microplastics (win win!):

Much of the fresh food in our supermarkets comes wrapped in plastics, so it can be challenging to avoid this entirely. But as far as you can, try and swap your usual packaged fruit and veg for loose products. Take some grocery bags with you to your local market or farm shop, which will usually have a better selection of plastic-free produce than the supermarket, or get signed up for a fruit and veg box. Companies like Abel & Cole and Riverford Organics will deliver to your door in recyclable cardboard boxes – and many of them are organic too.

Also, there are lots of products out there which you might not even realise contain plastic. For example, canned food and drinks (which contain BPA resins), tea bags, cartons (even the ones that look like they’re not plastic) and products with PLA and corn-based biodegradable packaging.

Do your research to make sure your favourite products (like tea bags) are plastic free, and opt for glass, paper, or cardboard packaging where possible. Brands like Biona, Bold Bean Co and Suma all do a good range of plastic-free food products.

Think about how you store your food: Do you wrap it in cling film? Or store it in plastic containers? Does your healthy lunchtime salad come in plastic packaging?

Try and avoid wrapping your food in cling film or storing in plastic food containers wherever possible. Instead, invest in some airtight glass food containers or save old glass jars to decant things like nuts, seeds, grains and granola. I love beeswax wraps as an alternative to cling film, which are completely toxic free, easy to use and last for a really long time! And for on the go, brands like Black + Blum make some brilliant plastic-free lunch boxes and food containers (you’ll also save money on shop-bought lunches too!).

Avoid buying plastic bottled water, and instead invest in a reusable water bottle and keep it with you to fill up when you need it. There are some great stainless steel and glass water bottles out there. I love these beautiful glass BKR bottles.

Your morning cup of take away coffee might also come with a side of microplastics. Bring your own cup to your favourite coffee shop – many coffee shops and cafes will give you a discount if you use your own cup, like these ones from Keep Cup.

Non-stick cookware can be made with potentially toxic materials like PFAS (also known as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their reluctance to break down in the environment), lead and cadmium. No thanks.

Instead, opt for pans made out of materials like cast iron or stainless steel. Our Place do a beautiful range of cookware made with cast iron (one on my Christmas list!).

Also, think about what your utensils are made from. Wooden spoons and spatulas are the best, especially if you’re using them when cooking food at high temperatures.

Now let’s take a trip into the bathroom. So many of our cosmetic products contain plastic, including our toothbrushes, dental floss, tampons and sanitary pads, make up and deodorants.

While swapping your whole bathroom cabinet may be a difficult and expensive task, replacing items once they’ve run out with plastic-free alternatives is much less overwhelming. Your local health food store will likely have a good range of plastic-free alternatives. And here are some plastic-free brands that I love:

• Ben & Anna (toothpaste, deodorant, shower products and lots more)
• The Humble Co (for dental floss)
• From Earth to Earth – plastic-free cotton buds, toothbrushes, hairbrushes and more
• Natracare for plastic-free period products
• Our Tiny Bees – lovely skincare and body care products made with 100% natural ingredients

Shop the good health boutique’s (my favourite health food shop) range of plastic-free body care here.

While you might be working hard eating all the right foods, managing stress levels and exercising for hormone balance, toxic exposure is an often-overlooked piece of the puzzle when it comes to hormone health.

Sadly, it is almost impossible to avoid plastic altogether in the world we live in. However, we can drastically reduce our exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals if we put our mind to it, with a few simple changes.

For more help on how to ditch the plastic, check out this guidance by the Plastic Free Foundation.

Has this piqued your interest? Get in touch or book in for your free 30-minute hormone review here.

Please note, this blog should not be taken as medical advice. If you have any health concerns, please consult a medical professional. 

References

[1] Yuan Y, Qin Y, Wang M, Xu W, Chen Y, Zheng L, Chen W, Luo T. Microplastics from agricultural plastic mulch films: a mini-review of their impacts on the animal reproductive system. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2022 Oct 1;244:114030.

[2] D’Angelo S, Meccariello R. Microplastics: a threat for male fertility. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021 Mar 1;18(5):2392.

[3] Ding T, Yan W, Zhou T, Shen W, Wang T, Li M, Zhou S, Wu M, Dai J, Huang K, Zhang J. Endocrine disrupting chemicals impact on ovarian aging: Evidence from epidemiological and experimental evidence. Environmental Pollution. 2022 Jul 15;305:119269.