By pH health
care professionals
You have
probably heard “toxins are "bad,” "toxins will cause cancer" or
"toxins could be the reason for your hair loss.” But did you know toxins
can cause weight gain? Yes, toxins (harmful chemicals and heavy metals in
water, air, food, and household and industrial products) may very well be a
cause for America’s obesity epidemic, not excess calories.
According to
research published in the journal Obesity, nearly 20 chemicals are
now shown to cause long-term weight gain. During crucial periods of
development, these chemicals disrupt hormone-signaling pathways, some of which
would normally make sure you process food efficiently, instead of storing it
all as fat. Researchers exposed previously skinny rats and mice to cigarette,
pesticide and plastic chemicals. The result? Some seriously fat rodents.
To make things
worse, diabetes may rear
its head with exposure to toxins. Another study in the Journal of
Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that certain toxins were
more prevalent in the blood of “sick” overweight people -- with diabetes --
than in the blood of “healthy” overweight people. The toxins included dioxins and PCBs. Although other
factors could account for this, it is already known that toxins cause endocrine
disruption. Diabetes represents one way your endocrine system can go
awry.
Furthermore,
these toxins, also called "obesogens", get stored in fat and leach
into the bloodstream during weight loss. They wreak havoc on the
metabolism-regulating thyroid. If you've handled too much plastic and have high
levels of BPA, you may end up
with increased impulsive and addictive behavior. For many people, this results
in overeating.
How can you avoid
these obesogens?
Try to keep your
life as non-toxic as possible. That means dioxin-free tampons, natural
household cleaners, organic food and keeping the windows up when you drive on
the freeway. It means careful choices in paints, lotion, water bottles and baby
toys. Protect yourself from toxins, and especially so if you are
pregnant.
It's hard enough
staying at a healthy weight without chemicals monkeying with your hormones. Be
proactive and avoid toxins when possible. You should also consider testing for toxins if you
have difficulty losing weight.
Enjoy Your
Healthy Life!
References
