Could they be causing weight gain?
Beauty care, toxins and … weight gain???! Yes… it’s possible and even quite likely!
New areas of research are looking at the environmental factors that can contribute to weight balance, including viruses, gut health/dysbiosis, social networks (increased risk of excess weight if social or family circle carries extra weight), and obesogens.
The body doesn’t really know what to do with this overload of chemical exposure.
In short, “obesogens” are the new term for foreign chemicals that lead to unwanted weight gain, disrupt insulin and other metabolic hormones, and put us at greater risk for obesity. These obesogens are molecules that inappropriately regulate lipid metabolism and adipogenesis (fat break down and storage) to promote obesity.
Obesogens work by disrupting the following pathways to influence weight gain:
- Male and female sex hormones
- Thyroid hormones
- Metabolic pathways
- Mitochondrial function (cell energy)
Note the first and one of the most common sources of exposure… yes! Personal care products!
Here is an expanded list and a few more categories of obesogens:
- Personal care products and cosmetic ingredients—PFOA, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), butylparaben, methylparaben, di(2-ehtylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), triclosan
- Cigarette smoke
- Food additives—monosodium glutamate (MSG), high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), nonmetabolizable sugars, etc.
- Household products, ex: cleaners and plastic/rubber compounds—acrylamide, phthalate, tributyltin (TBT), bisphenol A (BPA), parabens octylphenol, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), triclosan
- Air pollutants—polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), PM 2.5
- Pesticides/fungicides
- Various prescription medications
The topic is deep and complex, but the take away is this:
How can we minimize hormonal disruptions and reduce exposure to the chemical/toxin load to allow our body to function at its best?!
Yes of course, nutrition, exercise, hydration, sleep and stress reduction are still essential.
But, here are 6 practical tips to reduce exposure to obesogens in your daily body care and household products:
- Use soaps and personal hygiene items devoid of fragrances and antibiotics
- Avoid products with phthalates, parabens, and BPA
- Avoid all cosmetics that contain lead
- Consider adding a high-quality chlorine filter to showers and faucets
- Eliminate the use of pesticides
- Whenever possible, use “clean” household chemicals and yard/gardening products
Find some clean beauty products! It can be a little game of trial and error, but you can find some excellent ones!
Check out a few of my favorites and some clean options in the Fullscript – ResparkleU Wellness Shop. Enjoy the extra savings and stock up during the Supplement Sale happening September 13-14.
skin care – hair care – tooth care – personal hygiene
immune boosters – daily essentials – cleanses – & more
Happy Shopping!
Check out the full article here from Gottfried and Garilli .
