Hormone balance is so complex. They are constantly changing everyday, with circadian, infraradian, moon and emotional cycles. Some of these cycles we cannot control and must flow with, but other factors we can control. Let’s go over a few of these factors.

1. Plastics - we all have switched our water bottles away from plastic, and we are storing our food in glass containers too, but recently I have learned there are a few more switches in the plastic department that need to be made- plastic cutting boards and plastic cooking utensils. Honestly, it didn’t occur to me that cutting on a plastic cutting board would bring bits of plastic into my food. Yuck. Also heating plastic cooking utensils over a hot pan, whoops! Anyways, changing these items for wood is super easy and affordable.

2. Skin care, hair care, and make up. Oh the beauty industry… the most unregulated, highly scented, highly toxic industry full of products we use daily. Choose the cleaner products when you can. Some of my favourite skin care lines are Primally Pure, and Beautycounter. Beautycounter has such a warm place in my heart as they are dedicated to making better laws surrounding the beauty industry while testing and sourcing cleaner and safer products. Interested in learning more? Go here ——> Beautycounter.

3. Cleaning supplies. Cue the cleaning headache! Seriously though, smelling the fumes from the toxic, harmful cleaning agents can give you wicked headaches, well, it can also affect your hormonal status too. Not only can they disrupt your endocrine system, they are also know carcinogens. I recently switched to Branch Basics and LOVE love all their products. Easy to use and all their bottles are refillable. Honestly, sometimes I doubt that this natural cleaner will remove the crazy stains my kids bring home… but it does. I should take before and after pictures, but it really is unreal! My oldest girl has eczema and I have noticed that her skin is way better now that I solely use this to wash her clothes and bedding. Win!!! You can use my discount code to order if you are interested ——->. http://branchbasics.refr.cc/drnicole3

4. Food. Yup, you know it was coming. Non-organic, pesticide laden food, or highly processed foods. Foods with things you cannot pronounce - should you eat it? no. Foods with crazy high sugar content - don’t eat it all the time, or better yet, not at all.

5. Fragrance. This reason has some overlap in reason 2 and 3. Both cleaning supplies and both makeup and body care are full of synthetic fragrance. Fragrance has phthalates in it, and phthalates can literally be found anywhere where plastic and fragrance are. In the past few years, researchers have linked phthalates to asthma, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, breast cancer, obesity and type II diabetes, low IQ, neurodevelopmental issues, behavioral issues, altered reproductive development and male fertility issues. Stay clear from candles, sprays, dish soap, laundry soap, cleaning supplies, lotions, body washes, synthetic perfumes. Choose naturally scented ones with essential oils, or products that are committed to making these changes. Again, but Branch basics and Beautycounter are safer alternatives, also another great company I use is Rocky Mountain Soaps. There kids line is awesome and their bubble bath is my kiddos favourite!

I hope this sparks some informed change in your products and daily lifestyle.

In health & happiness,

-Dr. Nic