The Hidden Impact of Toxic Load on Women's Hormones During Menopause
Twin sisters Danielle McGrath & Lindsay Evans are co-founders of Nourish Live Flow, a holistic wellness brand for women in midlife. As certified integrative holistic health coaches, clean living experts, and breathwork and meditation guides, they help women reset their nervous systems, reduce toxic load, and thrive through perimenopause and beyond.
When perimenopause hit us in our early forties, we did what so many women do. We looked at our nutrition, our workouts, and our supplements, hoping to get our energy, sleep, and moods back on track. Those things matter. But there's another piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked: toxic load.
Every day, we're exposed to a wide range of chemicals through personal care products, food packaging, household cleaners, and the environment around us. Over time, these exposures can add stress to the body, and some may interfere with hormonal health in ways many women don't realize.
For us, this topic is deeply personal. After losing our dad to cancer and watching other people we love face their own health battles, we became passionate about understanding what we put on and around our bodies. It's why "Ditch the Toxins" became one of the four pillars of everything we teach.
What is toxic load?
Your body is constantly interacting with the world around you: what you eat, what you apply to your skin, the air you breathe, and the products you use every day.
Everyday toxins from personal care products, cleaning supplies, fragrances, plastics, and even food packaging can quietly add to the load your body is managing. These exposures may interfere with hormone signalling, increase inflammation, and place extra demand on the liver, the organ that helps process hormones and supports detoxification.
Research supported by organizations such as the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) shows that some modern chemicals can interact with the endocrine system, the system that regulates our hormones. As exposures add up, they may influence how hormones are produced, broken down, and signalled throughout the body.
In perimenopause, when our hormones are already shifting, reducing unnecessary exposures is one simple way to support the body's natural balance. It's not about a drastic overhaul. Rather, it's about lightening the load so your body can do what it was designed to do.
What are endocrine disruptors?
Some chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with the body's hormone signalling. They may mimic hormones, block hormone receptors, or change how hormones are made or broken down. Over time, this can affect many systems, including metabolism, reproductive health, and mood.
Common endocrine-disrupting chemicals include:
Parabens, often found in cosmetics and skincare
Phthalates, frequently used in synthetic fragrances and plastics
Bisphenol A (BPA), commonly found in plastic containers and food packaging
Certain pesticides and herbicides used in agriculture, on our food, and in our environment
It's nearly impossible to avoid every exposure, and that's not the goal. But knowing what to look for helps you make informed choices that lighten the load on your body.
Beauty products and hormone health
This one surprised us most when we started learning. Personal care and beauty products can be one of the biggest sources of daily chemical exposure.
Think about your morning routine: cleanser, moisturizer, deodorant, makeup, and hair products. Each one can contain dozens of ingredients, and many of them can be absorbed through the skin.
Certain common ingredients have been studied for their potential hormone-disrupting effects. Parabens, for example, are widely used as preservatives and have been shown to have weak estrogen-like activity. Synthetic fragrance blends can contain phthalates, which have been associated with endocrine disruption in some studies.
The good news? Becoming more mindful about what's in your products is one of the most empowering steps you can take for your health in midlife. Tools like EWG's Skin Deep database can help you check what's in the products you already use.
Everyday environmental exposures
Beyond our bathroom cabinets, chemicals can also come from food packaging, non-stick cookware, pesticide residues on produce, synthetic air fresheners and candles, and household cleaners.
These exposures are part of modern life, but together, they can add up. Organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) highlight how some chemicals in everyday products may interact with our endocrine system, and their resources can be a helpful starting point for making more informed choices about what you bring into your home.
Why toxic load matters in perimenopause
Your body is already doing a lot during perimenopause. Hormones are shifting, your body's detox pathways are busy, and your nervous system is adapting to change. In this season, even small added stressors can feel heavier, not because your body is failing, but because it's processing more.
Reducing toxic load isn't about perfection or living in a bubble. It's about gradually lowering unnecessary exposures so your body has fewer stressors to deal with. Small shifts really can add up over time.
When you lower unnecessary inputs, you may help support:
Hormone balance and metabolism
Liver function and detox pathways
Nervous system regulation
Overall energy and resilience
Most importantly, you give your body more breathing room to rest and heal.
Small swaps that make a big difference
This part is not about doing everything "right." It's not about replacing everything in your home or striving for perfection. It's about making small, intentional swaps that feel doable, supportive, and aligned with your real life, one choice at a time. Progress always matters more than perfection.
Simple swaps that make a big difference:
Personal care products: Begin by looking at your skincare, bath and body products, and cosmetics. Your skin is your largest organ, and it can absorb some of what you apply to it. During perimenopause, your skin can also become more sensitive and reactive as hormones shift. Choosing cleaner products can help reduce your exposure and may support both your skin health and hormone balance.
Your home environment: We spend about 90% of our time indoors, which means the air in our homes and the products we use there matter. Choose fragrance-free household products, such as cleaners, laundry detergent, and dish soap, or try natural alternatives such as vinegar and baking soda. Open your windows regularly to let in fresh air. Take your shoes off at the door so you don't track pesticides and other outdoor residues inside. Switch to glass containers (ditch the plastic!) and stainless steel bottles for drinks on the go.
Start with one swap. Then another. Each small change helps create a healthier environment for your body.
Ditch the toxins: A core pillar of thriving in midlife
In our work with women in perimenopause, we've seen how empowering it is when women understand how their environment affects their hormones. It turns overwhelm into informed, doable choices, and that feels so good.
That's why Ditch the Toxins is one of the four pillars of our framework, alongside Mindset & Intentions, Nervous System Regulation, and Nourishing Your Body & Mind. Together, these pillars create a foundation for feeling calmer, more balanced, and more like yourself again in midlife.
Final thoughts
Many of the chemicals we're exposed to today weren't part of daily life just a few generations ago. We can't avoid them all, and we don't have to. But by becoming more aware of our toxic load, we can make thoughtful choices that support our hormones and our health.
As identical twins who've navigated perimenopause side by side, we know how overwhelming this season can feel. Our mission at Nourish Live Flow is to help women understand what's happening in their bodies and give them simple, practical tools to feel supported. You'll find our four pillars in our #1 bestselling workbook, Nourish & Thrive in Perimenopause, and in the education we share every day as The Clean Twins on Instagram.
You're not broken, and you don't have to do this alone. Small steps really can help you nourish and thrive.
Find our workshops, guided workbook, and programs here!
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Read more from Lindsay Evans & Danielle McGrath
Lindsay Evans & Danielle McGrath, Co-Founders of Nourish Live Flow
Danielle McGrath and Lindsay Evans are holistic health and wellness coaches specializing in perimenopause and midlife. After navigating their own challenges, they created the 4-Pillar Nourish & Thrive in Perimenopause framework: mindset and intentions, nervous system regulation, nourishment, and reducing toxic load. With backgrounds in physiotherapy, acupuncture, nutrition, integrative holistic health coaching, and clean-living advocacy, they bring a uniquely practical and preventative lens to women’s health. Their mission is simple: to empower women to thrive, not just survive, through midlife and beyond.
