It might be cold outside, but it doesn’t have to be cold in the bedroom!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten this question. It usually starts out with a message. “Beth, I can’t believe that I’m going to ask you this, but I hope that you can help me with something that’s probably way TMI!”
As a health coach, you wouldn’t believe the things that I keep in my locked vault of secrets. I’m often the first call after someone is pregnant to get some input on nutritional advice or the first call after an autoimmune diagnosis.
And yes, I get the sex question. A lot! Sometimes it’s a physical struggle. Or sometimes it’s a matter of desire – women AND men!
It’s no surprise to me after all the research that I’ve done on hormone imbalances that many men and women are struggling with sexy time. Here are a few statistics that are pretty eye opening and will have you scratching your head that we haven’t been informed better by these companies!
The Facts
This study from 2010 found that women who used numerous cleaning products in their home were up to 110% more likely to develop breast cancer.
**The United States has not passed a major federal law to regulate the safety of ingredients used in personal care products since 1938.
**Over the past two decades, the European Union has banned close to 1,400 chemicals in the product formulas of personal care products and restricted the levels of over 250 more in such products. The United States has only partially banned 30 to date.
These are just three of hundreds of staggering statistics that are starting to make headlines in the past couple of years.
So why am I spouting personal care and cleaning statistics to you??
Most Toxins Are Endocrine Disruptors
So what? What does that even mean? Before we dive into the five strategies that you’ll want to look at in your home, let’s be sure we know why this is important. Many of the toxic products that we’re going to tackle in this post are endocrine disruptors. The short version? They mess with your hormones. And when your hormones aren’t working the way they should, no woman is thinking about sex. Or man for that matter.
In an extensive review essay by Kathleen O’Grady, she voices huge concerns over the exposure that young women (and all children) are exposed to these days in America. This is a very small excerpt from her research, but I strongly encourage you to read THIS paper and take serious consideration of the changes that need to be made in your home!
The Environmental Working Group says that “There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others; imitating hormones; turning one hormone into another; interfering with hormone signaling; telling cells to die prematurely; competing with essential nutrients; binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones.”
Ya’ll, this is not good. While it would be amazing to dive into the science of all this, I’m guessing you would rather read about what exactly you can DO to get this ship heading in the right direction so you’ll be thinking about having some alone time with your hubby again!
#1 – Ditch The Cleaners
The evidence is solid, and I’ll list some studies for you at the bottom. Our cleaners are messing with our hormones and the bioaccumulation of toxins in our bodies is creating havoc on our endocrine system. I can’t believe how many women are struggling with conditions like PCOS, infertility, autoimmune disease, and more. I believe that this is the easiest switch to make in your home. When your body isn’t working so hard to get rid of those toxins, it will be able to balance the hormones and get your body back on track! What do I use in my home? Thieves Cleaner. Easiest. Switch. Ever. And if you come over to my house, you’re most likely going to be heading home with a bottle of this in your hand. Just warning ya.
#2 – Stress Less
It’s cool that you just rolled your eyes at me. Truly. You’re probably saying, “Beth, seriously. I’m a MOM!” But it’s true, and if we want to get our bodies back, we have to make some changes. When you react to stress, your body is forced into the fight or flight response. Part of this response is the release of hormones like cortisol or epinephrine. This eventually leads to chronic stress, which is known to have a negative impact on libido. If you find that you’re struggling with being continually stressed, then it’s time to take a step back and do some stress management. Some of the best ways to manage stress are to practice meditation for several minutes a day, figuring out how to say no to unneeded activities in your life, take a loooooong bath at least twice a week with Lavender and epsom salts, and one of our favorites, is the use of essential oils to calm and support your emotional response. And if you want to find out more about essential oils and what they can do for the onslaught of feelings that we women (and let’s be real – all of us!) deal with, I have a little present for ya at the bottom!
#3 – SLEEEEEEEEP
Many experts in the holistic health world will say that sleep is the absolute number one thing to impact your health. THIS study shows that prolonged periods of wakefulness creates the same type of response you’ll get with high exposure to stress. Once again, your body is forced into a chronic state of “fight or flight” and you’re in survival mode. When your body is in survival mode, it’s just plain fact that we are not created to be thinking about sex! Then we’re trying to stay healthy and quell the constant stress and inflammation and even at times ending in a state of being immunocompromised! I used to hate when all the bloggers and social media told me to “sleep when the baby sleeps.” That *sounds* nice, but you know what else stressed me out? A totally non-functional kitchen and 2 days worth of dishes. So I get it. But what can you cut in this busy season of life? I know that Netflix show helps you check out at night, but your body might need rest more than that small emotional vacation. You might find that you feel like a different person after a little more rest and the idea of a little hanky panky might just be on your mind before you know it!
#4 – Get Your Hormone Levels Checked
Seems obvious but get those hormones checked. Sometimes a simple thyroid supplement or endocrine support can make a huge difference. Seeing a functional medicine doctor who didn’t just check the “normal” box was a game changer for me! You need to find a chiropractor, naturopath, or alternative minded physician who is willing to take a good long look at your hormone panels and what is out of whack. The ranges of what is “normal” continue to grow and widen so we need a doctor or physician who is willing to take the time to look at the WHOLE picture, not just if a number is within their box.
#5 – Turn Off Your Phone
Sounds crazy but it’s true. As more research is coming out about the impact that our devices are having on us, the more I’m convinced we have to take the offensive with technology in our home. THIS study from Brigham Young University is one of many revealing the negative impact our phones and smart devices are having on our lives, and in particular, our relationships.The study included 143 married or cohabiting women, the majority of whom reported that phones, computers and other technology devices were significantly disruptive in their relationships, couplehood and family lives. Specifically, higher levels of technoference were associated with greater relationship conflict and lower relationship satisfaction. Further, it seems greater levels of smartphone and other relationship technoference makes people more depressed and lowers their overall life satisfaction. If you’ve found yourself crawling in bed with your phone and not connecting with your spouse, it’s time to set limits on the technology in your home!
Don’t Freak Out!
I realize this might feel like one too many things to tackle at once. So as I say allllll the time on my Instagram and Facebook page, just pick one thing and move forward. And while you decide, go grab some epsom salts and relax, ok?
Because women are busy and we need to get things done, I’ve put together a “get straight to the point” text series for ya about oils and emotions. Spoiler alert, you’re going to be floored! Just text keyword: FEELINGS (no emojis or other words included) to 408-508-3356.
Let’s get that sexy back, ladies!
Beth
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New York State Department of Health. (2013, October). “What You Know Can Help You: An Introduction to Toxic Substances”. Retrieved from: https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/chemicals/toxic_substances.htm
Fox News. (2010, July 20). “Study Links Household Cleaning Products to Breast Cancer”. Retrieved from: http://www.foxnews.com/story/2010/07/20/study-links-household-cleaning-products-to-breast-cancer.html
Environmental Working Group. (2013, October 28). “Dirty Dozen Endocrine Disruptors”. Retrieved from: https://www.ewg.org/research/dirty-dozen-list-endocrine-disruptors#.Wv84Iq2ZNE5