Environmental Toxins, Periods & Hormone Health: Simple Steps for a Safer Home | Period Besties Podcast
On the Period Besties Podcast, hosts interview environmental health educator and consultant Lara Adler about how environmental chemicals can affect health, including menstrual cycles, menopause, endometriosis, and potentially autoimmune issues. Adler emphasizes the field is complex and evolving, that it’s difficult to link specific symptoms to specific exposures because most impacts come from chronic, long-term exposure, and that fear-based “one-off exposure” panic is misleading. She encourages practical, accessible ways to reduce exposure rather than eliminate it, starting with improving indoor air by opening windows (“house burping”), taking shoes off indoors, dusting with a damp cloth, and minimizing fragranced products like candles, air fresheners, and scented laundry items due to ingredients such as phthalates. They also discuss essential oils as chemicals that can still trigger sensitivities and pose risks for pets, and Adler shares her pivot into consulting on responsible communication about toxins.
Lara Adler is an Environmental Health Educator and Consultant with over 14 years of experience helping health professionals and health-focused organizations understand & communicate the impact of environmental chemicals on chronic health conditions. Her work bridges emerging research with practical, evidence-based strategies to minimize toxic exposures and strengthen resilience against environmental challenges. After more than a decade of teaching environmental health courses to thousands of practitioners in 35+ countries, Lara now focuses on consulting and public education, supporting mission-driven organizations, health brands, and educators in addressing environmental health topics with accuracy, nuance, and a grounded, balanced tone. Lara is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health (MPH) at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
https://www.instagram.com/environmentaltoxinsnerd/ https://talkingtoxins.substack.com/
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
03:09 Why It's Hard to Pinpoint
04:33 Chronic Exposure Reality
06:55 Practical First Steps
09:28 Indoor Air and House Burping
12:00 Shoes and Fragrance Detox
15:45 Laundry Habits and Costs
17:29 Fragrance Sensitivity Explained
20:36 Toxic Product History Myths
22:34 Essential Oils Aren't Harmless
23:44 Essential Oils Risks
27:18 Women Autoimmune Burden
31:48 Teen Skincare Exposure
33:19 Dose Makes Poison Myth
36:10 Reducing Chemical Load
37:58 Fearmongering Critique
38:52 Business Pivot Updates
40:49 Lightning Round Fun
44:13 Final Thanks Sponsors
Todays episode is sponsored by:
Period Coaching School and Katie Bressack Wellness.
Email us: [email protected]
PeriodCoachingSchool.com
@StashaWashburn
Charting with Stasha https://ThePeriodCoach.com/etrc
Eating For Your Hormones Guide https://katiebressack.com/freegift/
The Revolution Will Be Bloody https://ThePeriodCoach.com/Revolution
Bloody Brilliant Business https://PeriodCoachingSchool.com/Bloody-Brilliant-Business-book
Eating For Your Hormones Recipe Book https://katiebressack.com/hormone-balancing-recipe-book/
Theme music composed, recorded, performed, engineered, mixed and mastered by Ted Wulfers 663 Sound