In 2021, I was diagnosed with endometriosis and my doctor found a softball size cyst on one of my ovaries. Suddenly my increasingly excruciating periods started to make sense! But then I was faced with a scary reality: I needed to remove one of my ovaries and I wanted to be a mom. I immediately started to overhaul my whole life. One of the first things I did? Replace my cookware! 

Risks of Plastics

It was so overwhelming to get started. The first thing I did was research the risk of plastics in cookware. Oh boy, is there a lot of information! Plastic food containers can leach chemicals into our food, causing a range of issues, including fertility problems, affecting those of us with endometriosis, PCOS, and more. Obviously, I wanted to avoid that as I now only had one ovary! So here’s what I did. 

Food Cooking and Storage

The first thing I did was make sure I was not cooking or storing food in ANYTHING plastic! Of course, I got rid of all cookware that was nonstick. I love a good cast iron pan now!  I store my food in all glass food storage containers like these. By not cooking or storing my food in plastic, I remove the risk of heating up chemicals and having them leach into my food.

Cutting Out Plastic Storage Bags

This one was hard! They’re so convenient to quickly pack things for lunch. But they can also leach nasty chemicals into your carrots and berries.  If I am not using my glass storage, I use silicone bags when necessary!

NEVER put Plastic in the Microwave! 

The second part of food cooking and storage is to commit to NEVER putting plastic in the microwave! The heating up of the plastic doesn’t just zap your food, it zaps your food full of chemicals from the plastic leaching into the food. If you use a microwave, use glass or ceramic to heat up your food. 

Be Aware of Drink Containers

You think it will be easy to avoid plastic drink containers but it’s harder than you think. Plastic drink containers are everywhere – your iced coffee, many water bottles on the market, your favorite drinking cup. I love my Hydroflask tumbler because it is stainless steel! It helps me to stay hydrated on the go, without risking plastic containers.  

It’s Worth It

Cutting out plastic was definitely an investment in time and money, but it was SO worth it! In 2022, I gave birth to my first son. I know that my commitment to my fertility helped me conceive with ease, despite only having one ovary. If you are worried about fertility issues from endometritis, PCOS, or other disruptors, consider cutting out plastic. 

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as I share more about how I prepared for my pregnancy in my Preconception Era!