Dear Member,
There’s a sea of change underway that has broad implications for your performance, fertility, and virility.
It’s caused by chemical compounds – found in everyday products – that mimic estrogen, the female hormone.
More and more men who come to my clinic show the warning signs. They’ve developed male “breasts,” fatty tissue that develops over the pectoral muscles. They’ve put on weight, lost their libido, find they don’t have the same “get up and go,” and even have trouble getting their partners pregnant.
In women endocrine disruptors cause weight gain and are linked to several health problems.
The cause lies all around us. Endocrine disruptors can be found in pesticides, clothing, plastics, cosmetics, detergents, hair sprays, even our food and water supplies.
They bind to your body’s estrogen receptors and stimulate hormonal responses that are feminizing for men, and dangerous for women.
About two months ago in my Doctor’s House Call I told you about one of the most widespread endocrine disruptors, Bisphenol-A. It’s used in plastics, food and drink packaging like water and infant bottles, compact discs, impact-resistant safety equipment, and medical devices. Epoxy resins used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes contain it. Some dental sealants and composites may also contribute to BPA exposure.
Problem is that we have very little research examining these compounds’ long-term effects on humans. But several studies concluded that low-level, continuous exposure to BPA can be harmful to your health.1-2
If you don’t think this is a serious problem, consider this: the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found detectable levels of BPA in 93 percent of 2517 urine samples from people six years and older.3
Right now we don’t know just how much exposure you’re getting to these endocrine disruptors. Here’s what you can do:
First, have your estrogen levels checked. For most men, the optimum levels are four parts testosterone to one part estrogen. Your total estrogen level should be below 100. For women, consult with your gynecologist, as estrogen levels change over your lifetime.
Here are some additional things you can do to limit your exposure to these harmful chemicals and reclaim the things that make you a man – or a woman.
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Eliminate pesticides from your water: I recommend drinking only purified water.
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Wash your vegetables and fruits before you eat them.
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Cut off any visible fat from meat before cooking, since chemicals and hormones from the feed collect in the fat.
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Avoid processed meats, because they have fat ground in.
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Avoid processed carbohydrates like bread, cereals, and pasta. They make your body release excess insulin, which builds fat and stimulates feminizing estrogen.
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Eat vegetables high in fiber to keep yourself regular. When stool remains in your bowel for a longer time, more estrogen is absorbed.
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Eat more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels’s sprouts, and cabbage. They help you excrete excess estrogen.
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Eat hormone-free food and free range animals whenever possible.
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Incorporate more estrogen-inhibiting foods into your diet. Some of the best and tastiest sources are squash, onions, green beans, cabbage, berries, citrus, pineapples, pears, grapes, figs, melons, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
I’ve also completed a formula to restore proper hormonal balance in both men and women. It will clear your body of xeno-estrogens, compounds that mimic estrogen and support healthy hormone function and balance using safe, natural substances.* These include:
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DIM: (diindolylmethane) a compound in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower that lowers estrogen levels naturally.*
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I3C: Short for “indole-3-carbinol,” this natural substance protects cells and also “tones down” your estrogen receptors.*
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1. Ho et al. “Developmental Exposure to Estradiol and Bisphenol A Increases Susceptibility to Prostate Carcinogenesis and Epigenetically Regulates Phosphodiesterase Type 4 Variant 4.” Cancer Research. 2006. 66:5624-5632.
2. Reel et al. “Bisphenol A.” Research Triangle Institute. 1985. See www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1470296&blobtype=pdf.
3. “Since You Asked – Bisphenol A: Questions and Answers about the National Toxicology Program’s Evaluation of Bisphenol A.” National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. www.niehs.nih.gov/news/media/questions/sya-bpa.cfm
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.