The Human Endocrine System
The human endocrine system is extremely complex and powerful network of organs that work together forming feedback systems with the intent of affecting the whole body.
- The brain: the pituitary , hypothalamus, pineal gland and other parts of the brain
- The thyroid & parathyroid glands
- The adrenal glands
- The pancreas
- Sex glands
Man-Made Endocrine Disruptors
Did you know that modern-day innovates are full of chemicals that further upset our hormone balance? These include:
- Plastics in food packaging, bottles, household products
- Fire retardants in furniture & clothes (baby clothes and diapers)
- Contraceptive pill and HRT
- Many pharmaceuticals
- Dental materials
- Personal care products, make-up, hair dyes
- Agricultural chemicals in food
- Processed foods
- Cleaning chemicals
- Laundry detergents
- Paper & cardboard
- Chemicals accumulate in the body: PCBs, BPA, BPS, PBDE, phthalates, phenols, DDT, glyphosate & many others
Natural Endocrine Disruptors
Many plants and fungi produce endocrine disruptors:
- Cereals: wheat, rye, oats, barley
- Legumes: beans, lentils, soy, chickpeas, dried peas
- Seeds of plants
- Western soy products (xenoestrogens – implicated in endometriosis, PCOS, neurologial & mental problems)
It is essential to prepare cereals, legumes, and other plants properly to destroy their endocrine disrupting chemicals: soaking, sprouting, and fermenting before cooking and eating.
All traditional cultures around the world fermented, sprouted and soaked cereals, legumes, and plants before cooking and consuming.
Eating for Healthy Hormonal Balance
The endocrine system is a hungry organ! The GAPS Diet provides just the right food for it! GAPS Nutritional Protocol will heal the gut wall and normalize the gut flora. This will stop the flow of unhealthy hormones and endocrine-disrupting toxins from the gut. Your gut flora will then produce normal hormones to work with your endocrine system as a team.
Feeding Your Hormones
- Meat, Fish, Eggs & Fermented Dairy
- Animal Fats are Vital
- Oily Fish, Cod Liver Oil
- Collagen
- Organ Meats
- Probiotics & Fermented Foods
- Cooked Vegetables as Soups & Stews
- Raw & Fermented Vegetables
Avoid Plant-Based Lifestyle
- Animal foods are FEEDING/BUILDING FOODS
- Plant foods are CLEANSERS
- Human can live entirely on animal foods
- Veganism (only plants) is not a diet, it is a form of fasting
- Vegetarianism includes some animal foods (eggs, dairy)
- It is possible to be a healthy vegetarian as long as plenty of high-fat animal foods are consumed!
- Individual need for plants & animal foods vary depending on the gut microbiome
