Dr Westin Childs
Here are several tips you can start doing today to ACTIVELY avoid the chemicals that are likely interfering with your thyroid function:
1. Stop touching receipts! Receipts have bisphenol-A (a known thyroid blocker) that is absorbed through the skin whenever you touch one.
2. Drink out of Glass containers: Avoid plastic containers, water bottles, and canned foods. These have BPA and aluminum in them.
3. Drink filtered water only: Get a reverse osmosis filter for your home. Remember that ANY filter is better than no filter, so just get something :)
4. Avoid plastic whenever possible: This mean plastic toys, food stored in plastic, food wrapped in plastic, etc. And never reheat or microwave food stored in plastic (this causes more chemicals to leach out).
5. Say no to hand me down plastic toys: Soft rubber manufactured before 2009 is made with Phthalates (another known thyroid blocker). This would be things like rubber duckies, not hard legos made of plastic.
6. Eat organic food and grass fed meats, if you have dairy make sure it is organic: Or better yet just ditch the dairy because it’s probably causing inflammation in your body :) But at least make sure to buy organic whenever you can.
7. Avoid fragrance: If you see the word “fragrance” or “parfum” on the label, run the other way! This is code word for Phthalates.
8. Check your cosmetics for chemicals: Use the resource “skin deep” by the environmental working group to grade your cosmetics based on how many hidden chemicals they have. The link is here: http://www.ewg.org/
Start implementing these tips RIGHT away to avoid these chemicals. Your thyroid will thank you.