If you have been diagnosed with a thyroid problem, you need to get serious about toxins.

Think of your thyroid as a sensor organ. When it malfunctions, it’s a signal that your toxic load is getting too high. That means it’s time to detox.

And the number one rule to detoxing is to STOP PUTTING TOXINS IN YOUR BODY.

For the thyroid gland, some toxins are more harmful than others. And toxins you put directly on your skin are the MOST harmful. They are, in fact, more harmful than what you put in your mouth.

The following is a list of the 5 most dangerous toxins for your thyroid.

1. Parabens

Parabens are widely used in cosmetics to prevent bacterial growth. About 85% of cosmetics have parabens in them. Foundations, facial creams, anti-aging creams, and fragrances are some of the worst offenders.

Parabens have also been detected in breast cancer tumors, suggesting a link between parabens and cancer. Parabens go by the following names: methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, ethylparaben, polyparaben and isobutylparaben.

2. Fragrance

We like to smell good, and manufacturers know it. Unfortunately, the word “fragrance” provides an opportunity for manufacturers to hide a lot of ingredients that don’t have to be listed on the label.

Fragrances can contain a number of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs are a class of chemicals that research has associated with certain conditions, including thyroid problems, infertility, early menopause, and certain types of cancer.

For example, one of the EDCs commonly found in fragrance is diethyl phthalate (DEP), which is used to make fragrances last longer.

A recent study looked at 6003 samples taken from Korean adults and found that urinary phthalate metabolites were associated with lowered total T4 or T3 (thyroid hormones), or increased thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in serum.

3. Oxybenzone

Did your doctor ever mention that your sunscreen contains a chemical that damages your thyroid?

Well it does. And it’s called oxybenzone.

Benzophenone (BP)-type UV filters are found in many sunscreens, lip balms, and other products with SPF, and research has shown that these chemicals have hormone-disrupting effects. As it relates to your thyroid, research shows that BPs have exhibited disrupting effects on thyroid hormone receptor sites.

4. Triclosan

Worried about catching a cold? Do you use hand sanitizers or squirt sanitizer into your child’s hands?

Sadly, most hand sanitizers have a thyroid destroying chemical in them called triclosan. Triclosan is similar in structure to thyroid hormone and has been shown to alter levels of thyroid hormone in animals with daily exposure.

Last October, the FDA officially announced a ban on 19 active ingredients commonly used in antibacterial hand soaps and body washes due to the manufacturer’s inability to prove their safety and effectiveness.

This ban includes two of the most commonly used active ingredients (and endocrine disruptors) in over-the-counter antibacterial soaps: triclosan and triclocarban.

5. Heavy metals

Hopefully by now you’ve heard me mention heavy metals. Aluminum, mercury, and lead are in your vaccines, food, water, and makeup.

With accumulations in the body over time, heavy metals can impair the brain and nervous system, disrupt hormones, and potentially cause cancer.

Your body needs iodine to make thyroid hormone but because your body confuses heavy metals such as mercury for iodine, the heavy metals are taken up into the thyroid instead. This then leads to iodine deficiency and thyroid dysfunction.

What Can You Do?

There are tricks to understanding which products have these five ingredients in them. Apps like “Think Dirty” make it really easy to scan and rate your products.

Also, be sure you are reading the ingredients on the products that go directly on your skin.

Hope that helps! Reach out if you have any questions. I am here to help make this as easy as possible for you.