The Crunchy Allergist 0:05
Are you sick of the fatigue and fog? Fed up with unpredictable flares? Hangry from the super restrictive diets? Hello, and welcome to Success with Sjogren's! A podcast empowering naturally minded and scientifically grounded women looking to reduce or even eliminate their sjogrens symptoms. Hi, I'm your host Dr. Kara Wada, a fellow sjogrens spoony, triple board certified allergy immunology and lifestyle medicine physician, coach, medical educator, and mom. As a reminder, although I am a physician, I'm not your physician, and this podcast is for educational purposes only.
The Crunchy Allergist 0:50
Welcome to this episode of this Success with Sjogren's podcast. This is your host Dr. Kara Wada and I am excited to talk with you today about non toxic swaps without any of the nonsense.
The Crunchy Allergist 1:04
So what am I talking about? Well, if you happen to mention the terms detoxify or non toxic to a physician, it might be a little bit triggering. But there is increasingly more and more science behind making some of these swaps to safer products to improve our health. Unfortunately, a lot of this science has yet to make it to the rest of the world and in medical education.
The Crunchy Allergist 1:32
So let me share what I've learned and kind of cut to the chase on some simple things you can do at home to decrease your exposure to certain chemicals or substances that we call endocrine disruptors.
The Crunchy Allergist 1:46
We're going to break down the definitions of what these are, how we're exposed to them what they do on our body, and how we can keep ourselves as healthy as we can. So let's dive in.
The Crunchy Allergist 1:59
So we are currently living in the age of endocrine disruption. We have seen really remarkable increases in rates of ADHD audits, autism, allergies, autoimmunity, obesity, increased blood pressure, and cholesterol issues. And increasingly, people are struggling with infertility as well. And this really has only occurred in the last one to two generations. So we can't blame these changes on genetic problems or genetic things that we are born with. This really is pointing to something in our environment that we are exposed to that is contributing to all of these health issues that have come about.
The Crunchy Allergist 2:49
So certainly we have seen huge changes in our diet, huge changes in different ways that we live, like our lifestyle is very different than what our great grandparents lifestyle would have been like. So we see differences in how our food is produced the soil, the farms, where the water is coming from water quality.
The Crunchy Allergist 3:14
We also see a lot of changes in the products we use from day to day, we use a lot of plastic plastic wasn't even around, you know, a little over 100 years ago. And we put a whole lot more on our skin. We have these intense hygiene and personal care regimens that are lovely and great for self care, but are different right then that maybe one so we bath that great grandma used to have on the farm.
The Crunchy Allergist 3:46
The air we breathe is also different. We are breathing in different pollution from cars we drive and factories around us all of those sorts of things cleaning products we're using at home.
The Crunchy Allergist 4:02
So where is there strongest evidence for things in our environment affecting our health? We really have seen the strongest evidence for these issues are arising around the use of pesticides. So for those people who may be grow up around farms who work on farms, is where some of that data is coming from.
The Crunchy Allergist 4:24
Exposure to flame retardants. So these are substances that are placed on furniture used to be placed on kids pajamas, to prevent them from burning is easily if they were to catch on fire. But unfortunately, they have been associated with increased health issues. We'll dive more into that.
The Crunchy Allergist 4:48
Plasticizers so things that make plastic more flexible, and and usable. And then bisphenolS or BPA or any related compounds that are also found in plastics, and personal care products and so forth.
The Crunchy Allergist 5:06
So, first, let's dive in what is an endocrine disruptor. an endocrine disruptor is a chemical messenger in our body. So endocrine is a chemical messenger in our body that is then disturbed due to exposure by a synthetic or sometimes natural chemical that may mimic our hormones, this can cause then an increase or a decrease in those downstream effects from those hormones to occur. So in some instances, this may result in increased weight gain, these are called obesogens.
The Crunchy Allergist 5:47
Interestingly, some of these different substances are what we call transgenerational. So perhaps a grandma, or a mom, or dad for that matter, is exposed to these substances. And it's not until the children or the grandchildren are living that we see these downstream effects.
The Crunchy Allergist 6:08
Another situation where we have seen this is a substance called D e. S, it was a medication that was used to help prevent pregnancy loss. And unfortunately, was found to have these endocrine disrupting effects. And we are still seeing the downstream effects of exposure from a grandma,or great grandma in then those great grandchildren.
The Crunchy Allergist 6:40
So what is happening, we suspect and see in many of these instances, is a change in what's called epi genetics. This is what turns genes on and off, and then affects whether or not they are expressed in our body.
The Crunchy Allergist 6:57
Interestingly, we have always understood the idea of a poison or something that has bad effects on our body as a having dose effect, meaning the more you're exposed to it, the more problematic it can be. And the thought is that maybe moderation is everything. I particularly like this saying when it comes to a glass of wine. But unfortunately, with these endocrine disrupting chemicals and substances, it's not the dose that makes the poison.
The Crunchy Allergist 7:33
Interestingly, sometimes a smaller amount may create a greater effect than a larger exposure. And so that is what makes the science and the study of these these exposures and these downstream effects and health issues even more complicated.
The Crunchy Allergist 7:57
The other thing that is very problematic and concerning as we think about these endocrine disrupting substances, is that we we assume when we buy a product out in the marketplace, that it's safe.
The Crunchy Allergist 8:14
And unfortunately, in the case, you know, there's an occasional recall or what have you. But we buy things under the assumption that someone has done their due diligence and made sure that we're getting something that is going to not cause us harm. That's not necessarily the case.
The Crunchy Allergist 8:35
And so, when it comes to especially the regulatory environment in the US, instead of a situation where there is some proactive evaluation of these different products or substances, that's not necessarily the case, many of these substances are considered innocent until proven guilty.
The Crunchy Allergist 9:01
And then after the fact, it's really hard to once the cats out of the bag or the horses are in the barn. It's hard then to walk back and and change. Change what's out on the marketplace. And we've seen this with with rare recalls and things.
The Crunchy Allergist 9:20
But overall, this is something I find pretty concerning about our current regulatory standards.
The Crunchy Allergist 9:32
All right, so let's dive into some of these different things I talked about like the flame retardants and those sorts of things. So flame retardants are those substances I mentioned that are found in furniture. And in particular, they have been associated with issues with brain development, thyroid and liver problems.
The Crunchy Allergist 9:56
So how can we minimize our exposure to flame retardants? Well, you can look for furniture, you can buy things on the resale market. So that is one way because essentially these flame retardants will dissipate over time.
The Crunchy Allergist 10:12
You also want to make sure that your furniture doesn't have any like rips or tears or exposed foam. Most of these flame retardants are found in the foam of the different like couches and things along those lines.
The Crunchy Allergist 10:25
You also can purchase furniture that has naturally flame retardant material that it's made out of. So wool, for instance, is something that is naturally for flame retardant or flame resistant. And so that is another option.
The Crunchy Allergist 10:42
If you have old furniture that has foam exposed, having it recovered, can be very beneficial. If you get new furniture, and in your house, air out the house that can help decrease and dissipate some of the off gassing of these substances.
The Crunchy Allergist 11:02
Another thing that can be really protective with our exposure to these substances is a diet that's rich in iodine that helps protect our thyroid.
The Crunchy Allergist 11:13
And then another way we can decrease our exposure is to wet mop our floors and vacuum. This is another way to help detoxify your house and help clear out some of these substances that are going to accumulate just through our modern way of life. A couple other places that you can find these substances.
The Crunchy Allergist 11:40
They do tend to accumulate in animal fat. So eating more plants and less animal based products can also decrease your exposure, and avoiding those plastics that are labeled with number seven, in particular.
The Crunchy Allergist 11:55
Alright, so the next category we're going to hop into are the Forever chemicals. So these are also known as PFOAS, P-F-O-A-S, is the acronym Perfluorooctanoic Acid. That's a mouthful.
The Crunchy Allergist 12:13
But these substances have been associated with increased rates of obesity, type two diabetes, and low birth weight in babies. And these are the substances that have been used in the past in nonstick and Teflon type cookware.
The Crunchy Allergist 12:29
So a good way to avoid these is to make sure if you have nonstick cookware, you're not using it at super high temperatures. If the nonstick surface is starting to break down, or to chip away, it needs to be thrown out and replaced.
The Crunchy Allergist 12:47
And always use a little bit of either oil or water or broth or something in your pan you don't when you're heating it up. If you're using a nonstick cookware, you never want that pan to get super hot on the stove without something in it.
The Crunchy Allergist 13:02
And then the other thing to prevent that chipping and flaking, if you're going to use nonstick, make sure you're using silicone or similar utensils so that you're not scraping that surface as well.
The Crunchy Allergist 13:17
On the whole, we've switched over to using like ceramic coated cast iron, and some other and a cast iron pan, which over time does become a little bit more towards nonstick, as it's nicely seasoned.
The Crunchy Allergist 13:33
But you know, if you're frying up a couple of eggs, or maybe doing like a pancake or crepe, or something like that sometimes that nonstick surface is really helpful.
The Crunchy Allergist 13:43
So, these are some ways that you can kind of find that balance between not you know, having to switch everything over, but to more safely approach your exposure to these substances.
The Crunchy Allergist 13:58
Alright, so the next big category are phthalates. These are a wide range of substances but they are most often found in the form of fragrance in our personal care products and cleaning products, all those sorts of things. And they are also plasticizers so they are going to be found in some of the like softer, more malleable type plastics like for instance IV tubing.
The Crunchy Allergist 14:24
These substances have been associated with increased rates of obesity, lung, liver, kidney and also reproductive problems. In addition to being found in those fragrances in plasticizers they are also sometimes found in food packaging.
The Crunchy Allergist 14:42
So ways that we can minimize our exposure switch from your plastic like Tupperware type containers are kind of storage containers over to either silicone ziplock bags or zip top bags and glass and if you are going to be microwaving or reheating things. Make sure you're putting it into either something that's glass, or maybe the plate you're going to be using or bowl you're going to be using to reheat in there.
The Crunchy Allergist 15:13
It's also recommended not to put plastic in the dishwasher. I will fully admit this is something that I have had a lot of trouble with. Because I'm a busy mom, I like the dishwasher. We have too many dishes for me to be hand washing all those things.
The Crunchy Allergist 15:29
But I do try to make sure that they're on the top rack and I used to I tend to use the gentle cycle. If things are starting to get etched or scratched, that's when they will leach more of these tallies. So that's something to be conscientious of.
The Crunchy Allergist 15:43
I was able to pick up a really nice set of glass storage containers from the local Costco the last couple years, and they've lasted really well, they are lined with like a silicone shell essentially, which is nice, because I don't always have the best hand eye coordination, I tend to drop things occasionally. And so knock on wood, they have not broken yet. So you may kind of keep an eye out for something along those lines.
The Crunchy Allergist 16:17
The other big place where we can really decrease our exposure to phthalates is through our personal care products. So this is one of the first things I did as I was looking to kind of switch to a more non toxic/low tox lifestyle as I started switching over to clean our products.
The Crunchy Allergist 16:24
So what are cleaner products? Well, the term cleaner in general is a loaded term. It doesn't actually legally mean anything.
The Crunchy Allergist 16:48
So what I typically suggest is for people to download the Environmental Working Group app called the Healthy Living app, it's free app. And what that does is it helps you kind of risk stratify or kind of get an idea of what's in your products.
The Crunchy Allergist 17:04
One other simple thing you can do when you go around your house, or as you're replacing maybe your hand soap or what have you is take a look at the ingredient list if fragrance is listed, replace it with something that doesn't have fragrance in it, or has like the essential oils that are actually giving it the fragrance listed why these synthetic fragrances are not all they're cracked up to be essentially the term fragrance is a catch all term that says that a particular company has a proprietary formulation of it times a dozen or more chemicals that make up that scent that come from that family.
The Crunchy Allergist 17:51
Not only are they endocrine disruptors, but they also tend to be a big trigger for contact allergy or skin allergy.
The Crunchy Allergist 17:59
So overall, just a great thing to try to minimize your exposure to and to avoid.
The Crunchy Allergist 18:05
So what are some things that we've done, I have come up with kind of a list in our house of different companies that have formulation practices that we trust and have really grown to love some of the products so some of those companies are BeautyCounter, Hugh and Grace for personal care products, Honest Company for the kids products.
The Crunchy Allergist 18:35
Vanicream is another great company for personal care products.
The Crunchy Allergist 18:41
For cleaning supplies. We've been using Seventh Generation for laundry detergent, my understanding is Drops is another company that has a great laundry detergent products as well. And have some non are fragrance free options and some options that have fragrance with like the essential oil if you tolerate those okay.
The Crunchy Allergist 19:04
So those are some other options as well.
The Crunchy Allergist 19:08
When it comes to cleaning supplies at home, I use a recipe out of my friend and colleagues book and Dr. Ian canard is an obstetrician gynecologist and she wrote a book called Nourish.
The Crunchy Allergist 19:24
It's a cookbook but it also has some really great recipes for home cleaning products that you can make very easily with some Dr. Bronner's type soap, little essential oils and some vinegar in a spray bottle.
The Crunchy Allergist 19:39
And so I mix up some of that a couple times a year and I'm good to go for my countertops and in the kitchen and those sorts of things.
The Crunchy Allergist 19:52
Alright, so the next category are the bisphenol.
The Crunchy Allergist 19:55
So these are what you would see is like BPA-free. The problem is it's not just BPA, there's also something called BPS, that is just as problematic.
The Crunchy Allergist 20:07
So this is where using something that's glass, stainless steel, silicone is going to be a safer option. So, you know, we know when we know better we do better.
The Crunchy Allergist 20:19
This is, you know, Oliver is my third kiddo, both of the girls drink milk out of plastic bottles, Josie drink, we use this system where I pumped milk directly into little bags then became her bottle.
The Crunchy Allergist 20:33
All of that was plastic, kind of knowing better now all of our has silicone bottles that are hand washed. And so you know, some of these things that we learned, you know, that plastic was BPA-free, but I don't know if it was BPS free or bisphenol free altogether. So this is another way that we are able to decrease our exposure.
The Crunchy Allergist 20:56
Another place you'll find these bisphenols are in receipts. So any of those receipts that come from a thermal type receipt, printer have BPA on them. So another reason when you get home to wash your hands, or just skip the receipt, have them email it to you.
The Crunchy Allergist 21:15
And then if you're purchasing canned foods, canned beans are great staple in our house for a quick weeknight meal. Try to find packaging that says that it's BPA free. That is another place where those substances will find their way into our everyday living.
The Crunchy Allergist 21:35
Now, when it comes to pesticides, I think there is a lot of kind of discussion, controversy organic versus non organic.
The Crunchy Allergist 21:44
In general, we do our best to try when affordable and when it looks good and as tasty to make those options, you know, kind of get those organic options, but it's not always feasible.
The Crunchy Allergist 21:57
We live in the Midwest, some you know, it's winter sometimes, and so a good chunk of the year. And so things can't be kind of grown around here.
The Crunchy Allergist 22:06
So looking at the that Environmental Working Groups website, they do put out every year a list of the Dirty Dozen are kind of those different fruits and vegetables that have more exposure to pesticides.
The Crunchy Allergist 22:22
And so that is a nice place to start from that list is not without its faults. But that is like a nice list to kind of think about look at so berries, peaches, nectarines, those sorts of fruits are great ones if you're able to get an afford organic.
The Crunchy Allergist 22:39
Those are also options that are fantastic to get frozen. So you know, as we're thinking about sustainable and practical strategies, to eat more plants, get more you know, into our diet and make some of these swaps. That is another way to really dig in and, and decrease your exposure to some of these substances that really have had had the potential for significant impact on our bodies.
The Crunchy Allergist 23:13
So as we're thinking about these different strategies, I am really excited in the coming weeks, we are going to welcome Dr. Leo tre Sunday to the podcast. He is a phenomenal physician and researcher. He is the author of the book, sicker, fatter, poor, which is incredible reference and look at some practical ways to start decreasing your exposure really understanding the the impact of exposure to these endocrine disrupting chemicals on our bodies.
The Crunchy Allergist 23:54
So if you haven't read his book, I would really encourage you to check that out.
The Crunchy Allergist 23:59
And stay tuned for that episode that will be coming in the next few weeks. I'm super excited to talk with him.
The Crunchy Allergist 24:05
If you have any questions you'd like me to ask him when we record the podcast, I would love for you to email those to me at [email protected].
The Crunchy Allergist 24:17
And if you would like a quick you know, two page reference on these really easy simple ways to make some, you know, non-stressful ways to make the swap to safer. I'm going to post that on the website.
The Crunchy Allergist 24:39
So hop on over to crunchyallergist.com and you will be able to download the 4 stress-Free Strategies to Non-toxic Living, make that available for you.
The Crunchy Allergist 24:52
So that's going to be a really great written summary of what we've talked about today.
The Crunchy Allergist 24:57
Talking about some of those small swaps or places seeing things as you need them as you go. Focusing on one area at a time, a list of some of the different brands that I love and our family has come to trust. And then some other ways to really find and use trusted resources knowing that this idea of that we didn't talk about as much but called Clean washing are greenwashing.
The Crunchy Allergist 25:24
Really, there are no, there's no one, policing the terms clean, organic, natural, non toxic, like none of those terms mean anything legally, companies can just slap that wording on packaging and call it a day. So you really need to look for ways to see if there's third party validation, really kind of understand what companies are being recognized for the work they're doing, who's transparent about their formulations and their safety protocols.
The Crunchy Allergist 25:56
And that's where using something like this healthy living app can be really helpful. And or looking to other experts and kind of seeing what they're recommending.
The Crunchy Allergist 26:07
So if you are loving the podcast, and I would greatly appreciate you leaving a review and think about sharing it with a friend. I know this is the Success with Sjogren's podcast. And certainly we are really hoping to make an impact and greater awareness about Sjogrens.
The Crunchy Allergist 26:29
But so many of these different topics and ideas really are applicable to so many, and really trying to get the word out about trying to prevent problems before they occur.
The Crunchy Allergist 26:42
So we know those that that are affected by autoimmune diseases have the potential to develop and be diagnosed with further autoimmune issues. These are issues that could have a tendency to run in families. And so I think one of the things and that I'm so passionate about is trying to keep my kiddos as healthy as I can, really kind of driving a lot of this work.
The Crunchy Allergist 27:08
And so sharing kind of this information is so important to get the word out that awareness that we can, you know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That's the saying that my parents used to say all the time, but truly, if we're able to make those changes ahead of time, will goodness.
The Crunchy Allergist 27:31
It's just so much better for all of us, right? We're keeping those horses in the barn, as I talked about earlier.
The Crunchy Allergist 27:38
All right. Well, thank you so much for joining me today. I look forward to bringing you some great content next Friday. And I hope in the meantime, you take care and stay well.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
