Issue #17: disRUPTION
hormone balance, the plastic challenge, advocating for change in women's health, and tips for focus
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dis·rup·tion (/disˈrəpSH(ə)n/)
disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity, or process.
radical change to an existing industry or in societal norms, behaviors, and structures.
endocrine DISRUPTORS + our hormones
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals or substances that can interfere with the body's hormonal system, potentially causing adverse health effects. These substances include alcohol and nicotine, but are also found in various everyday products such as plastics (and receipt paper), household and personal care items, pesticides, and some food packaging. For women, exposure to these disruptors can impact hormone balance (from reproductive hormones to thyroid to stress hormones) and impact menstrual health, fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, perimenopause, and breast health.
Menstrual health and fertility are particularly susceptible to the influence of endocrine disruptors. Chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, commonly found in plastics and cosmetics, can mimic or interfere with the body’s natural hormones, leading to irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian dysfunction, and reduced fertility. Check out this article for more information and tips to minimize exposure.
Exposure to these chemicals in high amounts during pregnancy has been linked to complications such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and developmental abnormalities. Additionally, endocrine disruptors can cross the placenta, potentially impacting fetal development and increasing the risk of congenital disabilities and long-term health issues. Reducing exposure to harmful chemicals and choosing safer alternatives can help protect both maternal and fetal health.
In perimenopause, hormonal fluctuations are already prevalent, and endocrine disruptors can exacerbate symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. Furthermore, research has linked exposure to certain endocrine disruptors with an increased risk of breast cancer, as they can promote the growth of hormone-dependent cancer cells. Reducing alcohol and being mindful of the products used daily and choosing those free from harmful chemicals can help mitigate these risks and support overall breast and hormone health.
For additional information and resources, check out the EWG's Guide to Endocrine Disruptors and learn more about their Dirty Dozen + Clean Fifteen.
breaking the STIGMA of menstruation + menopause
we BELIEVE...
in the power of conversation and connection
that we have the right to understand our bodies
that we can change the narrative of middle life
"If we all suddenly start talking about menstruation, guess what? Our daughters won't have the stigma attached to it...We just need a critical mass of talkers, celebrators ... people who are loud about their tampon needs or their cramps or their PMS or, for God's sake, the menopause." ~ Filmmaker Lina Lyte Plioplyte
Join us for an Interwovxn screening of Periodical by director Lina Plioplyte! We will be hosting a night of film and discussion on Wednesday, August 21 2024 at 6:00 PM at the Next Act Theatre. We hope you can join us. Get all the details and tickets here! Ticket proceeds benefit Milwaukee Diaper Mission’s Period Program. Special thanks to all of our community partners!
This week’s Five Senses Friday comes from Season 1 podcast guest Kata! Kata is the Natural Climate Solutions Manager at Clean Wisconsin and holds a Master of Forest Science from Yale and a BS in International Agriculture & Rural Development from Cornell. With 20 years of experience in climate change mitigation and adaptation, she has worked in 14 countries, focusing on integrated landscape management and agroecology. Her newest publication outlines how food systems can be perennialized and designed to mimic sustainable ecosystem functioning of natural environments.
TASTE: Alaska Fresh’s King Salmon Filets. I make their salmon at least 2-3x week, it’s a freezer staple in my home! They stand out for their flash-frozen, high quality that preserves that fresh-from-Alaska unbeatable flavor, and my body hums with nutritional delight! I bake from frozen, with frozen broccoli, carrots and sweet potatoes, at 450 degrees for 25min on my cast iron pan; drizzled with avocado or sunflower oil and seasoned with Dulse or Kelp flakes, ground ginger, oregano and turmeric. Maldón salt flakes to finish. Pair with your favorite green salad, and dinner is on the table in less than 30minutes. Yum! Alaska Fresh sound familiar? If you missed Adra’s 5 Senses Friday in April, check out Issue #3 here!
SEE: Skywalkers: A Love Story. I know, I know, this is supposed to be for women in their middle life. What does a documentary about a twenty-something daredevil couple have to do with that? First, I don’t know about you, but I had some CRAZY adventures in my twenties and when the work week gets too humdrum and I’m confused as to how I turned a life of carefree adventure into endless zoom meetings and calendar invites, it’s nice to relax into a midweek film and watch something that connects me with— well, me. But this documentary doesn’t just do that, it pushes the senses so your own legs tingle with adrenaline when the camera turns to show the mind-blowing heights this young couple is scaling; it opens the heart with compassion to the visceral memory of when you had your first true love and your trust was tested; and it implores you— at whatever age— to face your fears. “Life is found on the other side of fear”. Stunning.
SMELL: New Directions Aromatics has THE BEST essential and fragrance oils I have found, and a business ethos I can confidently stand behind. Love Chanel No. 5 but not the nasty chemical smell? They have an all natural designer fragrance oil that smells like you stepped right out of a high end boutique on 5th Avenue. Looking for a soft, romantic scent that begs your honey to snuggle closer? Their Vanilla Lace is understated yet leaves a lingering desire. Feeling like summer’s humidity has you sweating like you’re in the tropics? Try their ylang ylang or jasmine oils. Intoxicating and transcendent. They even have natural scents for the more masculine leaning folx in your life.
HEAR: Charm by Clairo. It’s rare for me to find a new, contemporary artist and album that I find myself wanting both the digital and the vinyl copies. Some music is just unbeatable on vinyl but falls flat in its digital version, and some music only makes sense playing from your Spotify list. Clairo’s album, Charm, is that rare gem that bridges space and time. I’m obsessed with this album and listen to it in the car, at the office, and am for sure springing for the vinyl to add to my quintessential collection for a little extra mood. The song, Echo, makes me want to throw on a silk scarf, big floppy hat and sunglasses, grab a red lipstick and cute clutch, and jump in my little MG convertible and drive down Hwy 1 into the Lost Coast of CA. Or maybe stroll the cobblestone streets of old Paris with an extra swing to my hips…it makes sense everywhere.
TOUCH: Womanizer Duo2. Self-pleasure is one of the most empowering things we can do for ourselves as women. To know the subtle intricacies of our own pleasure bodies is to fully embody ourselves and own our sexual power. It’s also critical in communicating with our partners what feels good and what we want. Hands down, this the best investment I’ve ever made into my own pleasure.
What is appealing to your senses right now? What are you reading? watching? cooking? wearing? loving? obsessed with? We would love to share some of your picks in future newsletters!
Did you miss KATA on Season 1 of the IW Podcast?
This episode features a conversation between Kata and Molly, two women who have dedicated themselves to the world of sustainable food and positive environmental impact. Join them as they discuss forging one’s own life path, connections between art and science, and how our relationship with our bodies can impact career and life decisions.
Catch up on episodes you missed on our website, here on Substack, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
my (theresa) CHALLENGE: reducing PLASTICS challenge
The other morning I caught a story about a journalist going plastic-free for one week. At first it felt like an interesting piece to pay attention to before prepping for a work call. Quickly it had my full attention. The journalist, inspired by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz’s Plastic Free July, decided to try one week plastic-free instead of four and quickly realized how deeply integrated plastics are in our daily lives (and how we’ve created a large system designed to overwhelm and defeat our efforts to avoid them). It takes planning, decision making, and certain inconveniences to live a week without incorporating any plastic. Read on for more about how this challenge has sparked my own small actions and tips for maintaining focus when it feels like there is constant distruption.
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