In the last article I discussed how certain man-made chemicals that pollute our environment act as hormone disruptors to the delicately choreographed balance of hormones in our bodies which regulate or at least influence every system within our bodies.  In this article I am going to discuss how various foods that are commonly consumed, and other products that are often used and absorbed into our bodies, can be sources of hormones that often compromise our health.

Unless you conscientiously purchase only organically grown animal sources of protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs & dairy products), you are most likely consuming manmade hormonal like substances that are commonly used in commercially raised animal products .  Although cow hormones belong in cows, not people; these pharmaceutically produced hormone derivatives don’t belong in any creature.  Drug companies make these hormone derivatives because they have hormone-like effects and they can get a patent on them (and they can’t patent natural hormones for use in animals in whom these hormones naturally occur).  As a patented substance (hence the term “patent medicines”), they can charge big money and make big profits, whereas natural hormones are generic, less expensive and much less profitable.

Although a certain amount of hormone will break down with the heat of cooking; if you like your meat rare or medium rare, some hormone may remain, including those that are completely unnatural.  When eggs are consumed sunny side up or consumed raw, all of the hormones the chicken was raised with remain in the egg and get into your body.  So it only makes sense to limit your exposure to hormones as much as possible, especially the artificial hormones, by purchasing only organic animal sources of protein.

By limiting your diet this way, you not only enhance your own health directly, you help to decrease the use of these substances throughout the country, which when used in the animal populations of large feedlots and poultry farms, contribute to hormonal pollution of our water table, streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and the ocean.

Reducing the total hormonal and toxic burden to our bodies by purchasing organic foods contributes toward healthier aging.  Even so, the signs of age gradually appear, including wrinkles on our skin.  Many individuals utilize various “anti-aging” or anti-wrinkle” lotions, do not realize that fully 90% of these products are laced with various hormones.  Although some of these hormones have a potent anti-wrinkle effect, if you are not deficient in these hormones, you may be inadvertently creating hormonal imbalance in your body.

This hormonal imbalance may even extend to your partner.  I have had more than one male patient, suffering from the symptoms of testosterone decline, which was caused by their wife putting anti-wrinkle lotion on her face before going to bed and making love.  The hormones in the lotion on her face was then absorbed by the skin on the man’s face, and created substantial hormonal imbalance in him.

The laws regulating the cosmetics industry are very lax in this regard, so that these substances do not have to be listed on the label.  One has to assume therefore that all anti-wrinkle and anti-aging lotions, creams, potions and other products contain these substances and avoid their use.  Some products to exist however that specifically state that they contain no hormones.  However, these products are difficult to find.

It is much safer to realize that health and youth come from the inside, not the outside.  Our attention should be focused for that reason on consuming healthy foods, engaging in regular enjoyable activities and doing all the other things we can do in order to optimize our health.  This will have the added benefit of not only helping us to look young, but to feel young as well!

Dr. Mark Baxter is a local chiropractor who specializes in nutrition, healthy diet and lifestyle choices, detoxification, hormonal balance, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, and neurotransmitter balance.