Plastic
What about plastic?
Plastic is a strong estrogen disruptor. All plastic, but especially plastic containing Bisphenol A, has been considered unsafe for children and pregnant women particularly when associated with heated foods. Try avoiding plastic from coming into contact with any thing that is put into the mouth. It is better to keep kidneys well hydrated rather than avoiding drinking water because of a plastic container. Allow city water to sit out for twenty four hours to dissipate any residual added chlorine. BISPHENOL A BPA, a potent endocrine disruptor, has been widely used in cosmetics and foods. Bisphenol A was investigated in the 1930s during a search for estrogen mimics. From the 1930's study the synthetic compound diethylstilbestrol was shown to be a better competitor for estrogen. This lead to the search for other uses for plastic. Bisphenol A, can activate estrogen receptors, leading to similar physiological effects as bombarding the body with its own hormones. Liver cysts have estrogen receptors. The first evidence of estrogenicity of bisphenol came from experiments in the 1930s when it was fed to rats without ovaries.Some hormone disrupting effects in studies on animals and human cancer cells have been shown to occur at levels as low as 2 to 5 ppb (parts per billion). It has been claimed that these effects lead to health problems, in men, a lowered sperm count and infertile sperm. Recent medical studies have confirmed that bisphenol A exposure during development has carcinogenic effects and produces precursors to breast cancer.
Phthalates
Phthalates are used to make vinyl soft and flexible. Medical devices, toys, cars, homes all contain flexible vinyl products. These molecules stimulate liver cyst growth. Phthalates resemble hormone like molecules and their use can be found in many products: such as blood storage bags, intravenous medical tubing, stents, petri dishes, vinyl flooring, detergents, automotive plastics, soap, shampoo, deodorants, fragrances, hair spray, nail polish, plastic bags, food packaging, garden hoses, inflatable toys, vitamin bottles, containers, plastic wrap, water bottles, and more. It is also used in cosmetics, especially nail polish. DEHP, or di(2-ethylhexyl) are phthalate chemicals that leach hormone like chemicals that have been linked to reproductive problems. Male infants, pregnant women are at higher risk from any exposure to phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why is plastic harmful for PLD?
Chemicals that resemble estrogen molecules, with a similar structure to hormones are called estrogen mimickers, false estrogens, xenoestrogens. When present in plants these are called phytoestrogens. I wondered why some plant estrogens seemed to create a growth and pain in my liver cysts and others do not. I read that sometimes several false estrogens, though weak on their own, when combined become with another endocrine disruptor become a super false estrogen.
Self Testing
By measuring my girth and through self testing, withdrawal of the food than starting it once again to see if symptoms return or abate has all led to comprising a list of harmful or beneficial things. It turns out that the very same things that I have experienced as being harmful (causing my liver to grow in size) are xenoestrogens. I did not know their name, or what they were called. I knew it made a difference to me, to eat organically, to stay away from many animal products (including dairy, beef, pork, chicken, ground meats, cheeses) and to avoid bleach, ammonia, chemicals, pesticides, cleaning solutions and powders of soap. I had this abundance of empirical knowledge that chicken, caused polycystic liver expansion, and deep liver aches. Consumer Reports Magazine, pointed out that all poultry in the USA is dipped in a bleach bath to prevent salmonella. What I experienced was a deep ache in my liver from eating poultry. I thought I was doing everything by eliminating bleach products, alcohol and alcohol products, ammonia and ammonia based products and pesticides. I had not even thought about bleach in toilet paper, napkins, paper towels and coffee filters. Coffee is a phytoestrogen that exacerbates cystic disease. Coffee made with bleached coffee filters results in a triple whammy of xenoestrogens from the bleach in combination with a phytoestrogens and the hot liquid combines with coffee bean oils and this is heated and passed through a plastic filter. All have an added synergistic effect releasing elevated dangerous amounts of dioxin in cumulative amounts over the years, all harmful to a body with cystic organs.
Common products containing endocrine disruptors
Plastic wrap Plastic & Plastic wrap heated in oil in a microwave oven contained 500,000 times the minimum amount of xenoestrogens needed to stimulate breast cancer cells proliferation. Lexan and Nalgene plastic bottles contain Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is used in some plastic coatings inside food cans, cling wrap, and dental sealants. Transfer things to glass containers when possible; and avoid plastic vitamin bottles, plastic cutlery, plastic or foam dishes, saran wrap, non-stick cookware. Hospitals are noting that phthalates. are to be eased out of tubing and blood equipment for newborn infants.
Dry Cleaning Solutions Human evidence comes mainly from women working in the dry cleaning and pharmaceutical industries, and in agriculture.
One Finnish study concluded that female dry cleaning workers exposed to the chemical perchloroethylene were three to four times more likely
than the general population to spontaneously abort during pregnancy. Some studies have indicated that perchloroethylene can cause menstrual irregularities,
fertility problems, and spontaneous abortions among women who work in the dry cleaning industry. Perchloroethylene residue from dry cleaning processes can
also seep into drinking water, causing a variety of problems. Some scientists believe perchloroethylene exposure can cause liver or kidney damage.
In addition, perchloroethylene has been named a probable carcinogen by the International Association for Research on Cancer.
I was told that matted spider telangectasias are only seen when the liver fails to properly metabolize estrogen or estrogen like molecules. I received
a detailed description of xenoestrogens and told to eliminate them. If I eliminate plastic from contact with things I eat, (food, vitamins, bottled water) I experience
a decrease in my spider angiomas on my ankles. These angiomas are oftentimes painful, awakening me in the middle of the night with intense burning.
The doctors told me the cause was the liver's inability to metabolize estrogen and estrogen like molecules. I have found that all these compounds:
estrogen disruptors, estrogen mimickers, xenoestrogens,
estrogen like compounds and false estrogens have the same end effect; they enlarge a cystic liver.
Pesticides
The end residual by product left behind for years from pesticides and DDT spraying is even more harmful than the initial chemical. This was stopped in the United States in the 1950's but what remains in the soil and rivers are the residual molecules that have become chemically changed from the original pesticide molecule. These changed molecules are then taken up by animals, which graze on the grasses or drink from the rivers. This is then stored in the fatty tissue of the animal. For this reason perhaps a well marbled steak may be particularly high in estrogen like molecules. Eating organically helps diminish estrogen exposure. I juice, juice, juice. This provides the body which much needed micronutrients not found in a vitamin tablet. Cabbage juice with a handful of almonds are food products that increases the metabolism of estrogen. Added benefits a few of us have discovered who drink daily cabbage juice with almonds is that our gray hair seems to revert back to its natural color. Much of the gray is eliminated.
Dairy
Butter and cheese are high in estrogen like molecules. Now many dairy farmers have taken to giving cows in the United States bovine lactating hormone to keep the cows producing 10-100 times the amount of milk that these cows would naturally produce. The milk, cheese, butter, and meat from these cows not only has estrogen like molecules from their grazing on contaminated grass but it also has artificially added true estrogen given to the cows. One way to avoid this is to eliminate dairy. If one has kidney disease then diary is good thing to choose to eliminate. Dairy is high in sodium and it has many solutes that dehydrate the body and increase the workload of the kidneys by making it difficult to eliminate. Dehydration is one of the worse situations for hastening kidney failure. A perfectly healthy person when deprived of water can lose their kidneys. Milk is so high in sodium that it raises my blood pressure. For these reasons I have eliminated all dairy from my diet. If one cannot eliminate diary then be sure the dairy taken in is organic, free of pesticides, produced without any bovine growth hormone, and the dairy is from skim milk. Estrogen is stored by the body is fatty tissue. Perhaps 2 ounces of skim milk drunk in the winter months would be beneficial in providing Vitamin D for people living in Northern countries. A better way to assure an adequate intake of Vitamin D is to take daily walks in the sunshine. If one cannot eliminate all fat from dairy then the next best possibility is to choose dairy which is cultured such as French butter called Plugra. This butter is produced from crème fraiche; a cultured cream; then it is churned into butter. Yogurt is made from a cultured starter. Buttermilk also utilizes a culture. If one must have cheese then choose a light white cheese with half the fat such as enmenthaler (called Swiss cheese in the USA), Try and find salt free cheeses or goat cheeses. Soft white goat and sheep cheeses may also be better choices. Dairy alone is high in sodium. Avoid any yellow cheeses and any hard cheeses; also avoid mozzarella.
PCB
PolyChlorinated Biphenyls - were manufactured by a one company - Monsanto Chemical - starting in the 1930s. They were promoted as a nearly indestructible replacement for hydraulic oil, pump oil, and the oil bath for electrical transformers and capacitors. It was known even in the 1930s, when production began, that they were extremely toxic. Exposed workers began showing signs of toxic exposure almost immediately. Plastic Polyvinyl chloride was discovered in 1930. I asked a researcher if any work had been done linking the discovery of plastic with the increase in all types of cancers. I was told that when food is heated in plastic (such as in a microwave oven) the plastic imparts some of its molecules to the food which is then eaten. I then learned in Germany there is another researcher who is very concerned with mineral water bottled in plastic. She is developing an easy to use inexpensive test.
Soy
I have eliminated all soy and soy products from diet due to the high phytoestrogen content. I avoid tofu, soy sauce, tempe, soy milk. In New Zealand soy was eliminated from all infant formulas when babies were becoming sterile due to the high phytoestrogen content. Additional farmers at Monsanto were planting genetically altered soy and mixing it up with non-genetically altered soy. This new soy would withstand a strong dose of weed killer which kill everything but the genetically altered soy.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed contains phytoestrogens. A researcher looked at flaxseed. If cancer cells were placed alongside flaxseed in a petrie dish, the cancer cells grew. This has yet to be proven with live subjects, but in the meantime I have eliminated flaxseed. Essential fatty acids contained in hemp seed oil, chia, purslane, seem better choices.
Chemicals
I have eliminated all chemicals from my cleaning cupboards. I use no bleach, ammonia, or alcohol containing cleaning products. Instead I use static cloths from 3M, sprayers filled with water to eliminate grim; washing soda and borax to clean toilets; vinegar to make glasses sparkle. I wear a mask or a handkerchief over my nose and mouth when placing powdered detergent in the wash machine or I use a liquid. There are also ceramic balls without chemicals that you throw into your wash machine to clean clothes. Sometimes I use no soap at all. I try to use soap dishwasher pellets.
Dry Cleaned Clothing
Avoid dry cleaning your clothing.
Chlorine
Chlorine in pools gets leached through to the skin and can cause liver cysts to grow and expand. A wellness shower filter is designed to eliminate chlorine, contaminants and enhances the water for healthier and better looking skin and hair. Exposure to chlorine might be cumulative, anything you can do to help lessen the workload on polycystic kidneys is helpful. The American Chemical Society estimates that we could receive from 6 to 100 times more chlorine by breathing the air around showers and baths than we could by drinking water. Not only is chlorine absorbed through the skin, but it also vaporizes in the shower, is inhaled into the lungs, and is transferred directly into the blood system. I avoid perfumes that contain alcohol, using fragrant oils. I think inhaling is a detrimental method of absorbing chlorine. The lungs sit right next to the liver. Chlorine byproducts found in swimming pools are linked to higher incidences of asthma, lung damage, stillbirths, miscarriages and bladder cancer, according to credible research conducted in the U.S., Canada, Norway, Australia and Belgium. One researcher noted that 10-year-old children spending an average of 1.8 hours per week in a swimming pool environment suffered lung damage she would expect to see in an adult smoker. For conscientious swimming pools managers, the question this raises is are there viable alternatives to chlorine? Ozone and ultraviolet are the two most commonly cited technologies. A number of safe, non-toxic options exist, such as treating water with ozone gas or ultra violet light.
Increase estrogen metabolism
Broccoli Sprouts, DIM Diindolylmethane is available as a capsule, broccolive by New Chapter Vitamins, saffron, organic turmeric, cabbage juice. Cabbage juice is an excellent source of DIM diindolylmethane as well as other cruciform vegetables. Juice a third to a half of a cabbage daily through a juicer with additional almonds gives a dose of DIMs. Cabbage juice, other cruciform vegetables such as broccoli or capsules of DIMs all increase the metabolism of estrogens by products through the liver. Avoid cruciform vegetables (cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, rutabagas) with thyroid problems. Milk thistle, artichoke and turmeric are useful for cystic livers. Watercress s a particularly nutrient dense vegetable, especially when eaten raw is another super nutrient. Sauna and clay baths increase the metabolism of estrogens through the liver. This utilizes sweating through the skin to eliminate liver toxins. Bentonite clay or Aztec clay encourage the body to rid itself of toxins. Do not drink it but rather use it as a soap by mixing it with olive oil a teaspoon of honey and the clay to make a paste.
