iThei mdcdaelcinfd o c elllllrllll cdt he“The best way to detoxify is to stop putting toxic things into
the body and depend upon its own mechanisms.”
—Andrew Weil, MD16: Toxins
We are bombarded by toxins in our environment every day, from the air
we breathe to the water we drink to the food we consume to the products
we use. Some of us may be unable to detoxify our bodies, leading to a
perpetuation of autoimmunity.
In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control reported average Americans
have 116 out of 148 synthetic compounds in their bodies—that includes
dioxins, polycyclic hydrocarbons, and organochloride pesticides. This is
especially significant for those who want to get pregnant. The average
umbilical cord contains 217 neurotoxins, 208 of which are known to
cause birth defects.
We now have more than 80,000 different chemicals. Many of them have
not been evaluated for human safety, yet we encounter them daily. There
are too many to discuss in this book, but more information can be found
on ewg.org, the consumer website of the Environmental Working Group,
a US environmental health research and advocacy organization. We will
discuss a few well-known chemicals that are prevalent in everyday life and
may be detrimental to people with Hashimoto’s.
Endocrine Disruptors in Your Home
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with our hormones.
Some of these chemicals may affect thyroid activity; some mimic estro-
gen; while others may cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and devel-
opmental disabilities.
Halogens
The halogens bromide, chloride, and fluoride compete with iodine for
the receptor binding sites in the thyroid, but instead of activating the
receptors, they build up in thyroid tissue and cause thyroid cell death
and inflammation. Studies have shown that individuals exposed to a
variety of halogen-containing substances had a higher incidence of thy-
roid antibodies.