I read a fascinating article about (brace yourself) "endocrine disrupting chemicals," or EDCs, that really made me stop and think. Since the endocrine system is the body's network of chemicals that regulate things like metabolism and hunger, stress and sleep, growth and development, it makes me wake up and take note when research suggests there's a possibility we're messing with it in a not-so-good way.
While the research is new and is only at the point of effectively "suggesting a link" between these chemicals and things like obesity and diabetes, scientists have already named these chemicals "obesogens" (kind of like the word "pathogen"), which means that they believe they may promote weight gain and obesity.
Most of the preventive steps suggested in the full article are common sense items that make sense, plain and simple, and are pretty easy to implement in day to day life. So, for instance, I'm taking note of which items in my produce section are the "dirty dozen" (the ones that have the most pesticides and potential obesogens, like peppers and peaches, apples and strawberries) and will be stocking up on their organic forms. And, I'll feel pretty confident embracing the non-organic versions of the "clean fifteen" fruits and vegetables that reportedly have far fewer pesticides and therefore less risk (like avacadoes and asparagus, sweet potatoes and pineapple).
With simple, targeted changes like this, one small step at a time, we can all make a difference in our well-being long-term. Check out the full article for more details!
