Do you need more help with your fertility despite eating a fertility diet, taking fertility supplements and timing your most fertile days? Consider what environmental influences might assist or deplete your fertility? If you think you are already doing everything right but you are still not pregnant, you may need further fertility help and it’s worth taking a look at the toxic chemicals lurking in your home and work.

The journal of Environmental Health Perspectives recently published a study on the effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) on fertility.

It is with pleasure that I introduce to you Paul Tukey, the founder of SafeLawns.org and the executive producer of A Chemical Reaction. Pesticides, as you’ll find out, are detrimental to your health, the health of your children and your pets. The far-reaching damage to our health and the health of our ecosystem doesn’t stop here. It goes beyond, into our cellular structure, damaging our blueprint – the DNA. Studies are linking infertility (hormonal imbalances, abnormal sperm parameters, PCOS, endometriosis, miscarriages) and birth defects to pesticide exposure via skin contact, air, water and food. This is a truly important issue which only you as an individual can help solve by making an educated choice and by teaching those closest to you. Paul will now tell you about the Chemical Reaction – the story you need to hear:

If you can’t get pregnant then you must become aware of this insidious and widespread substance which can not only make you infertile but has been shown to contribute to breast cancer.

Stay Clear From Parabens

What are parabens?

Parabens are a group of chemicals (methylparaben E218, ethylparaben E214, propylparaben E216, butylparaben- no number) with widespread use from cosmetic and personal hygiene industries to food and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Why are they used?

Parabens are antimicrobial and antifungal which makes them an ideal preservative in so many products.

Where are they found?

Oh how we love the convenience of our little gadgety helpers. Abracadabra and in 20 min your frozen chicken is sitting on your dinner table steam vapor spiraling to the ceiling. But have you ever stopped and wondered: ‘is my convenient microwave oven safe for my fertility?’ We can whip things up in the kitchen in no time. Our great, great grandmothers would think we possessed magical powers to be able to defrost, boil and bake food within minutes. However the microwave ovens which make this magic possible are not as harmless and safe as we have been led to believe.

When we speak of causes of infertility we rarely think about our jobs. Being a stunt man or a cliff diver or an extreme sport professional can be dangerous for life. People in those occupations are aware of the dangers and do it for love.

However there are many other occupations we may do for love or out of necessity which are dangerous to your health without you being aware of this.

Endocrine Disruptors

A lot of environmental pollutants act as endocrine disruptors (EDs).They are outside agents which interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, activation or elimination of natural hormones in the body, responsible for reproduction.

These substances qualify as EDs: pesticides, heavy metals, plasticizers, organic solvents, drugs, gamma and X-rays.

Exposure to EDs during pregnancy can lead to disrupted development of the baby, in particular the baby’s reproductive system. Exposure to EDs in-utero has been associated with testicular cancer in men and vaginal cancer in women later in life.

Phthalates

Drinking bottled water or filtering tap water has been regarded by many as something only paranoid health freaks or rich and famous do out of fashion whims. It’s in the same category as eating organic food. Many people are more than happy when the news reports ‘organic food is no healthier than non organic food’ or ‘tap water is healthy and safe to drink’. In my part of the world – Switzerland – you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t believe that tap water is healthy. There is an urban myth that the water comes from the Alps and that it’s rich in calcium. This is true for the mineral water which is naturally filtered for centuries before it ends up in your bottle. The tap water is actually rich in rock sediment and sand which is why there is a high prevalence of kidney stones. My father who is a radiologist won’t go near the tap water out of fear of developing painful kidney stones which he sees in many of the patients he treats. If you boil tap water in your tea-kettle in Switzerland, in a couple of weeks the heater will be completely calcified, looking like a fossil.

Unless your doctor informed you about it, the likelihood of you knowing which common drugs could be, unbeknown to you, causes of infertility, is very small.