"Endocrine dysruptors" are an area of extreme importance for all people alive today concerned about wellness or the lack thereof, a.k.a. illness, to have a thorough understanding of. "Awareness" isn't enough about endocrine system dysruptors. I will be the first to admit that I was late to go from 'hearing about it'/awareness to 'having a functional understanding of it'. I became an 'activist' in 2011 when I encouraged people to get on board what TEDX was promoting related to putting pressure upon the leadership of the US on my Facebook page and included a link to the organization on a topic thread here at Lumigrate related to cancer. Here is the link, please visit the website if you wish, and come back -- they have an excellent explanation of how hormone disrupting chemicals impact the human body (TEDX is a full-on non-profit and states they are the only one in the US focusing on human endocrine disruption, exclusively.) www.endocrinedisruption.org/about.introduction.php [1]
I am a 'generalist', meaning I cover the ground from A to Z, from conception and genetics/epigenetics to death and beyond related to people's estate planning and the financial aspects of health/illness/end of life, and I have intentionally created Lumigrate to be a tool for me from an "integrative medicine" and "functional medicine" approach to be here for YOU, our guest/user in your educational endeavors. We aim to set you up with a GRATE place to start looking and follow out to sites we all select to suggest. And then we trust if you like us, you'll be back!
Because the team I have selected to be included at Lumigrate is selected because of their expertise in various aspects of wellness, they set up links and resources, as do I, to increase your efficiency of time, energy and money related to topics you are searching to learn more about from an integrative medicine and functional medicine standpoint. Including endocrine disruptors or hormone disruptors, whichever you prefer to call it and search for it by.
This educational process is something that people can do on their own for only the price of time and energy using Lumigrate, everything people will 'need' costs $0. I am committed to that because I don't want lack of money to cause people to not be able to access our educational website. I used to be an occupational therapist contracting in a very nice allopathic medical building and there were people who didn't have insurance and money or who didn't value their health (yet) enough to spend it on copayments or treatment, and so I co-created and lead a weekly education group in the building. And Lumigrate is simply 'the next step', and a virtual version of that concept, bringing integrative medicine and functional medicine to a vast array of popular / needed wellness/illness topics.
Some people prefer to have assistance or simply cannot do it alone, and that is where I come in with strategy session consultations which can vary in length based on how complex the case and their funds. For simple questions, I ask more like a desk clerk than a concierge and give suggestions if asked. The subject of endocrine disruptors / hormone disrputors or foods/drinks' impact on the brain and mind gets complicated quickly. And realistically, if someone is looking into one, they'll want to be looking into the other, as these are integrated topics.
Any of us working in the health care realm today would be lying if we said that we're never challenged by all the facets and things to consider with the complexity of cases we're seeing. And based on what I'm seeing in my consultations with people as well as what I learn from the sources I look to for continuing my education, I create content at Lumigrate as time allows and what seems to be the highest priority at the time if we haven't previously addressed a topic.
Cognitive dysfunction, behavioral dysfunction, learning disabilities/learning problems, ADD/attention deficit with the new 'adult diagnosis de jour', bipolar disorder 2, are all topics that have come up repeatedly recently. Hours before the Sandy Hook Elementary experienced their tragic event, a wonderful case example was sent in overnight by a returning client who expressed being at wit's end and asking for help on a new (to me) situation to assist/concierge about.
"Buttercup" reported having reactions at work to chemical fragrances which were in products the business was purchasing to be used by the building occupants. Suffice it to say that it was causing a chronic, ever-present headache of years or decades to spike, and while trying to work.
Working in health care since the mid 1990s, it has always been in the code of conduct expectations that employees do not wear perfumes on their person, which common sense would extent beyond stuff you spray on yourself but what you wash your clothes and body with, put on as lotion/oil, antiperspirants, deodorants, powders, etc. So it naturally is frustrating to me that people are suffering at work in current times because the entity they work for has not learned, or has learned and doesn't want to change for whatever reason or reasons.
Lumigrate's experts mounted a good response considering it was the holiday season, and some 1:1 consultation time with me allowed Buttercup to get a plan together for what to do in the short and longer term, to have her work environment less bothersome to her. A two-pronged approach was established to work on the business' apparent lack of knowledge about chemical fragrances and health, which Buttercup might not have much control over at least in the short term, so ALSO encouraging additional learning related to why some people have such massive reactions to fragrances and others don't seem to notice. Then the action step after that of working to restore the wellness of the body so as to not be one reacting. So this is as much a follow up/addition to the information to provide for Buttercup and those following that thread at Lumigrate /
However, all that was not exclusively what 'triggered me' to prepare this today. It included the recent focus on mental health that I have taken on Lumigrate since the end of 2012 and the nation's people, including the small subset which is our leaders, finally ready to 'take action'. I see much debate going on about violence in entertainment but even that topic is complex because there are as many different outcomes as there are people today, so the studies are a bit contradictory.
There are so many factors that add up, a little here, a lot there, to influence if a person's body/brain, mind and spirit are 'well' or 'ill'. We are all somewhere on the wellness/illness continuum.
Many of the people who are in the news over the last decade or so related to massive gun violence episodes had been identifed and treated for mental health conditions. This is no surprise if you've looked at the numbers of people who take antidepressants. But again, that topic gets complicated because prescription medications, in order to have get to be marketed as something uniquely produced and marketed by a pharmaceutical company, has to be unique, and that means it is not 'as nature produces it'.
As I understand it, the chemical structure has to be a little bit different. And that, in essence, is a point of contention for those who promote and advocate more natural approaches. At Lumigrate, the providers strive to keep things as close to natural as possible, and use other tools and products available as needed. "Integrating" both approaches.
When I hear "more mental health services" being included in what is proposed as part of whatever is going to be the response and changes related to gun violence in the US, I hope that this doesn't translate into more of the mental health care system that has been dominant for my lifetime and before (I was born in 1960), with providers and research/manufacturing companies throwing more medications at people like pill-shaped "band-aids"! With Lumigrate being about integrative medicine and functional medicine, I obviously believe it will be critical to our sucess with changing what is going on if 'we' look underneath at 'what causes them to have this problem in the first place, and what caused that... what caused THAT." Basically, functional medicine.
But this is information I first became aware of in 1995; in a generation, why are Americans still consuming wheat and dairy? Could there be backpressure about change from factions within the food industry? Clearly, that is a factor. I don't work with those entities, I work with consumers primarily and I have been shocked to see the devastation in people's lives and wellness/illness of themselves or others they 'love'/'serve'/'protect' because they simply don't want to quit eating dairy and/or wheat and see if it has a positive effect.
Their response often makes me think that they presume I didn't or don't enjoy eating wheat and dairy products: I do. But I value my body/mind/spirit wellness more! It's THAT simple. But why someone might not have that kind of 'self-love' or love of others in their family system, or whomever they are in a position to serve food and drinks to is, for them, the place to start looking if that is where they are. "We get by with a little help from our friends", as the Beetles sang, and you have friends at Lumigrate to coach and support you otherwise. So Contact Us!
Whether you peel the onion, as I call it in my work, alone or with a friend or loved one, or ask for me to hop in and help, the important part is that you start peeling the onion! And somewhere in those layers of onion as I help people when they peel away about their life history and uncover information, foods are ALWAYS an issue, and with foods comes endocrine dysruptors as a subject to at least peek at and consider, since it is such a factor today for so many people.
The next step for one of my recently-returning 'clients' who embraced the concept of foods being a primary factor in the recent past, who has settled in with the level of slightly improved health, but noticeable to all surrounding this person, reportedly, was to be motivated by the results so far and the advantage of the current 'buy in', and progress to the next step for 2013. So in bringing into the discussion ethnicity, having endocrine dysruptors something this person had not yet learned about, the question that fueled the interest in the conversation had to do with penis size. Yes, penis size and if you look at information about endocrine disruptors, it affects sex organs of both sexes.
It was a great question, or as I say here at LumiGRATE, a 'grate' question. That is NOT a question I have on the questionnaire that I supply to clients when we start working together, and I realized that in my career as an OT I was forthright in including sex as part of the occupations I would address as it is something people engage in as an instrumental activity of daily living. (Instrumental is the things that are more difficult than the basics of self-care.)
I'd not incorporated sexual development into my repertoir doing consultations as a health information concierge using Lumigrate as my primary tool when possible, to streamline the whole education process for myself and the people I serve. So I am appreciative, as always, of what the client brings to the 360 experience of working together at learning and assisting people wishing to make concerted efforts related to imporving wellness or reducing illness, depending on how you wish to look at it. Naturally, prevention is always ideal but typically people who think preventively are fairly self-sufficient in their health care and use Lumigrate without having much contact with me/us.
Granted, it's not only the foods we've packaged to transport and heat/serve, and cups and plates that can be made of plastic, often with the addition of heat being a factor that increases the leaching of toxins into the foods. Our water supply and fish are having problems, because our wastewater gets discharged into waterways at many plants which were built in the past and are still in operation.
There has been much science and policy change in the later part of the 20th century, but in the future entirely new systems hopefully will replace our flawed existing 'make do' systems which are improved from decades ago but still causing massive problems that ends up in the realm of 'environmental medicine" for animals and in the hands of biologists, hydrologists, and many other professionals to sort out. I hope everyone reading this is familiar with the problems of hormones that are in human waste going to the treatment plants and out into the waters to affect everything using that water for life.
I hear a lot of things talking individually with people as I do, which is about half of my time spent 'at work', using Lumigrate as the platform to not only help get the word out to people who are seeking for quality information, but also as my primary referral tool to point people to.
Various conditions which don't appear 'connected', which seem to have taken our modern times 'by storm' in recent times, have people saying 'so many people having problems today' related to their whole body, mind, spirit person. Again, at Lumigrate we focus on a functional medicine approach (meaning looking at the underlying causes, hence my consultations assist people with that component) using the impactful integrative medicine approach, meaning to bring together a batch of providers from different aspects to focus upon a patient and their problems.
Our experts at Lumigrate are intended to show a 'virtual example' of what a dream team of providers might look like, and increase the odds that our guests/users are going in the right direction with their well-being, either through education or actually utilizing the providers if they have the ability with resources of time, energy, and money/insurances to do so. When it comes to the experts that lend a hand regularly and grab the oars to row us to knowledge, Robin Thomas and Marc Spurlock, MD have incredible expertise when it comes to endicrine disruptors, so I am going to ask them to make comment when they have time, if they wish.
For each person wanting to add less burden to what brings down willness, I want to emphasize that it might take some shifting of budgets and priorities with how you spend your time, energy, and money. It's an investment in YOU, and that can start with something as simple as making a hot beverage at home in the morning that will fit with health goals and give up purchasing something (usually coffee) out. Or purchasing a magazine routinely at the cash register. Cutting down on the 'drinkable drug' alcohol, or smokeable drugs (cigarettes, marijuana). Or not doing an expensive vacation this year and doing something that will allow you to be well and enjoy life longer and more fully EVERY day in the future.
Perhaps pause here and think about that a bit and also feel what you feel about the message of the above paragraph. It is, ultimately, your body .. your life, as it has been in the past! Keep doing what you're doing, you're going to get what you've got. Change what you think or visualize, what you feel, what you say and write, and then what you DO, and change will come to your wellness almost without exception.
In individual strategy sessions, which vary in length of time and therefore cost, actually improves the overall efficiency of the process for those who invest in the step of an expert set of eyes and ears, so to speak, looking at whatever of their history is shared to be looked at. For a medical consumer/patient become a client and get very 'grouped up' on what has affected YOU and look at the information about your past, how it all fits together, ideas of what has caused what, and then look at what direction to go from there, or directions is something people who are ready to roll up their sleeves are universally benefit from.
Without further ado, as the saying goes, I suggest you follow the link out and real ALL about hormone disruptors / endocrine dysruptors. I found what Wikipedia had to offer an excellent summary and will be curious if the other Lumigrate experts think so as well. Perhaps if they comment, they can add additional resources they would recommend in addition, and certainly critique what is at Wikipedia.
As I routinely do at topics I create at Lumigrate, I have provided the initial 'lead in' from the source, Wikipedia in this case, in order to showcase what the level of content is on this topic in hopes it encourages the "Do it!/ action step' of "clicking on the link" to go out and study more right now or in the near future when you have made time to study this important information.
I trust you know how to find us again, when it's time to come back for more Grate information.
If there seems to be something 'in this' that resonates for you, I encourage people, as always with Lumigrate's content, to INVEST IN YOU through budgeting time and energy for learning about the most important thing in your life -- YOUR wellness (and that of those you influence surrounding you). 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor [2]
Please go to the link for Wikipedia to view the outstanding and very simple image about the chemical structure referred to at the start of this piece, immediately below ... it is key to seeing how our natural hormone is super similar to one of the nonyl-phenols, which 'explains it all'/a picture is worth a thousand words, etc. ~~ Mardy
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Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [40] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
Links:
[1] http://www.endocrinedisruption.org/about.introduction.php
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estradiol
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonylphenol
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine
[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_disabilities
[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_disorder
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive
[9] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminizing
[10] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone
[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#cite_note-pmid9539004-1
[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#cite_note-pmid11795392-2
[13] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#cite_note-pmid19502515-3
[14] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#cite_note-urlEndocrine_Disrupting_Compounds-4
[15] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_process
[16] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#cite_note-WHO-5
[17] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenohormone
[18] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#
[19] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#History_of_the_field_of_endocrine_disruption
[20] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Endocrine_system
[21] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Dose-response_controversy
[22] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Routes_of_exposure
[23] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Types_of_endocrine_disruptors
[24] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Xenoestrogens
[25] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Alkylphenols
[26] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Bisphenol_A_.28BPA.29
[27] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Uses_of_long-chain_alkylphenols
[28] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#DDT
[29] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Polychlorinated_biphenyls
[30] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Polybrominated_diphenyl_ethers
[31] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Phthalates
[32] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Perfluorooctanoic_acid
[33] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Other_suspected_endocrine_disruptors
[34] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Temporal_trends_of_body_burden
[35] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Legal_approach
[36] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#Environmental_and_human_body_cleanup
[37] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#See_also
[38] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#References
[39] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#External_links
[40] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
[41] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/hormone-systems-being-disrupted-chemicals-birth-after-affects-brainbody-profoundly#comment-2474
[42] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/healthy-home
[43] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate
[44] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cysteamine
[45] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanolamine
[46] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkylphenol
[47] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor#cite_note-pmid22398195-60
[48] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/meet-robin-thomas
[49] http://facebook.com/robinthomas.usana
[50] http://linkedin.com/rpthomas
[51] http://twitter.com/robinthomas1
[52] http://robinthomas.biz
[53] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/hormone-systems-being-disrupted-chemicals-birth-after-affects-brainbody-profoundly#top
[54] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/2027%23comment-form
[55] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/2027%23comment-form
[56] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/hormone-systems-being-disrupted-chemicals-birth-after-affects-brainbody-profoundly#comment-2493
[57] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/fix-your-broken-brain-healing-your-body-first-gut-key-ultra-mind-solution-mark-hyman-md#comment-2492
Comments
"For each person wanting to add less burden to what brings down willness, I want to emphasize that it might take some shifting of budgets and priorities with how you spend your time, energy, and money. It's an investment in YOU, and that can start with something as simple as making a hot beverage at home in the morning that will fit with health goals and give up purchasing something (usually coffee) out. Or purchasing a magazine routinely at the cash register. Cutting down on the 'drinkable drug' alcohol, or smokeable drugs (cigarettes, marijuana). Or not doing an expensive vacation this year and doing something that will allow you to be well and enjoy life longer and more fully EVERY day in the future." -- from Mardy, above.
Simple steps taken every day make a huge difference in our toxic exposure. My favorite source of information on these healthy steps is "The Healthy Home" by Myron Wentz. I have written about it at this link, if you're interested in reading more about it: www.lumigrate.com/forum/healthy-home [42]
It doesn't have to be difficult to make these changes. Over time, as a healthier way of living becomes habitual, you find yourself making even more shifts. Quite a few of these also SAVE MONEY.
Thinking of hormone disrupters brings to mind the poisons we put on our skin every day in the name of beauty. As per Wikipedia (referenced by Mardy, above): "The risk of exposure to chemical compounds increases as products, both conventional and "chemical free," are used in combination. "If a consumer used the alternative surface cleaner, tub and tile cleaner, laundry detergent, bar soap, shampoo and conditioner, facial cleanser and lotion, and toothpaste [he or she] would potentially be exposed to at least 19 compounds: 2 parabens, 3 phthalates [43], MEA [44], DEA [45], 5 alkylphenols [46], and 7 fragrances."[60] [47]
Two suggestions I would make right away:
1. Paying closer attention to the ingredients in our everyday products makes a huge difference. The sad fact is that even many products that are labeled "chemical free" are not tested carefully for contamination. Ask questions about the preservative method for products you are using, too. Ask me what I recommend (my contact information is below).
2. EAT WHOLE FOODS, in particular fruits and vegetables. It's not worth the exposure to eat processed foods... besides all the nutritional benefits, they taste much better!.
Robin started contributing to Lumigrate in August 2010. "Meet Robin Thomas", a topic in our biographies/vitae forum is at http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/meet-robin-thomas [48] to read all about her journey, which was greatly influenced by the need to help solve her youngest son's significant health challenges. For those who want just the overview here: After working over 22 years in medical research at the University of North Carolina on chronic inflammatory diseases she switched her focus to preventive health in 2004 when she was introduced to USANA Health Sciences. Robin is passionate about helping others improve their health, have more energy, manage their weight, and improve their skin.
I love meeting new friends !
LIKE me on Facebook [49] Connect on LinkedIn [50]
Follow me on Twitter [51] Learn more at my BLOG [52]
"I dream of a world free from pain and suffering. I dream of a world free from disease. The USANA family will be the healthiest family on earth. Share my vision. Love life and live it to its fullest in happiness and health."
-Dr. Myron Wentz, Founder and Chairman, USANA Health Sciences
Chronic illness is typically the result of MANY things, big and small, adding up over time and burdening a person's body, mind and spirit, when you're taking an approach as Lumigrate does using integrative medicine and promoting a collaborative care model. Due to our focus on functional medicine, and getting to the underlying causes and finding solutions that result in solving the problems, or reducing them as much as possible, it made sense for me to bring into play here the information at think link at Lumigrate, in the 'gut forum', related to gluten that is broken down in the stomach and then goes into the gut/intestines and out into the body has an unusual feature: there are components, polypeptides, that actually cross the blood-brain barrier!
Knowing that Buttercup was working on any possible solutions to be able to remain a working, productive member of society, from having the employer provide a respirator, change products used in the work environment, it is important to keep 'peeling the onion'. Now that about six weeks has passed since this information was fed back for them to make changes, they'll have a good idea of 'how that is working for them', and my guess is that Buttercup hasn't gotten to the bottom of this issue. And I hope that this information helps point the way to why foods with wheat in them cause addiction, why they contribute to chronic illness symptoms becoming worse, and potentially actually 'cause' some conditions to occur, if the person has the genetic predisposition for that disorder.
The following link takes you to Day #9 of my coverage of the bestselling book The UltraMind Solution, but when I got to wheat/gluten I then delved additionally into the book Wheat Belly to support the information in the UltraMind book which has a slogan: "Fix your broken brain by healing your body first"
www.lumigrate.com/forum/fix-your-broken-brain-healing-your-body-first-gut-key-ultra-mind-solution-mark-hyman-md#comment-2492 [57]
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [40] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!