What’s Driving Inflammation in Your Everyday Life (And Why It’s Blocking Healing & Weight Loss)

If you’ve been dealing with stubborn inflammation, unexplained weight gain, hormone imbalance, brain fog, fatigue, or labs that come back “normal” while you still don’t feel like yourself—this matters.

As a functional health practitioner, I see this pattern daily. Inflammation is not random, and it’s rarely just about food or aging. For many people, it’s being driven quietly and consistently by everyday environmental exposures and lifestyle habits that overwhelm the body’s ability to adapt.

The good news?

Once you understand what’s driving inflammation, you can start removing the inputs and finally allow your body to heal.

The Science Behind Environmental Toxins, Inflammation & Metabolic Health

A growing body of research confirms that toxic body burden plays a significant role in chronic inflammation, hormone disruption, and metabolic dysfunction.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—commonly found in plastics, pesticides, personal care products, and household items—can interfere with normal hormone signaling. These chemicals are biologically active even at low doses and have been shown to disrupt estrogen, thyroid, insulin, and cortisol pathways, contributing to systemic inflammation and increased disease risk.

Peer-reviewed research published in PubMed-indexed journals shows that environmental toxins such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), PFAS, and heavy metals can accumulate in human tissues and disrupt immune regulation. This immune disruption promotes chronic low-grade inflammation, which has been linked to metabolic disorders, autoimmune conditions, impaired detoxification, and hormone imbalance.

Further evidence published in Nature Medicine highlights that chronic inflammation—often driven by environmental and lifestyle exposures rather than acute infection—is a central mechanism underlying many modern diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, neurodegenerative conditions, and obesity.

The Endocrine Society has also issued scientific statements identifying endocrine-disrupting chemicals as a global public health concern, citing strong associations with insulin resistance, weight gain, reproductive challenges, immune dysregulation, and long-term metabolic dysfunction.

Taken together, this research supports what is increasingly seen in functional and integrative health practices:

toxic load and chronic environmental exposure are major, often overlooked drivers of inflammation, hormone imbalance, and metabolic resistance—even in individuals who eat well, exercise regularly, and are told their labs are “normal.”

Why Inflammation Is the Root of So Many Health Issues

Inflammation is not just about joint pain or swelling.

Chronic, low-grade inflammation is strongly linked to:

• Hormone imbalance

• Weight gain and inability to lose weight

• Insulin resistance

• Thyroid dysfunction

• Autoimmune conditions

• Anxiety and depression

• Brain fog and memory issues

• Fatigue and burnout

• Gut permeability (“leaky gut”)

• Cardiovascular disease

From a functional perspective, weight gain is often a symptom of inflammation, not a calorie problem.

When the body feels threatened—by toxins, stress, blood sugar swings, or immune activation—it will store fat and resist change as a protective mechanism.

What I See Every Week in Practice (Real Data, Not Guessing)

I run Total Toxins Urine Tests weekly on hundreds of clients.

And what consistently shows up?

• Hormone-disrupting plastics

• Pesticides and herbicides

• Mold mycotoxins

• Heavy metals

• Industrial solvents

Many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with estrogen, thyroid, insulin, and cortisol signaling.

This is why so many people:

• Eat “clean”

• Exercise regularly

• Take supplements

…and still feel inflamed, tired, and stuck.

You cannot out-supplement a toxic environment.

The Everyday Habits Driving Inflammation (That Most People Miss)

1. Food That Looks “Healthy” But Isn’t

Labels like organic, natural, or gluten-free don’t automatically mean anti-inflammatory.

Ultra-processed foods and chemicals—regardless of branding—drive:

• Inflammation

• Blood sugar instability

• Gut irritation

The goal:
Real food. Single-ingredient foods. Minimal processing. Ditch pesticides and herbicides.

Food is the first and most powerful lever to reduce inflammatory burden.

2. What You Put on Your Skin Every Day

Your skin is not a barrier—it’s an absorption organ.

Daily exposure to:

• Fragrance

• Lotions

• Deodorant

• Makeup

• Hair products

Directly impacts hormones and immune function.

If you’re dealing with hormone imbalance or inflammation, personal care products matter more than you think. My go to brands are Pure Haven and Crunchi.

3. Water Quality (A Huge One)

Tap water often contains:

• Chlorine

• Fluoride

• Heavy metals

• Pharmaceutical residues

Clean water is foundational for:

• Detoxification

• Hormone balance

• Gut health

Filtering drinking water AND shower water is one of the most impactful changes you can make. My go to filters are AquaTru, Pure Water and Filter Baby.

4. Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is one of the most overlooked yet impactful contributors to chronic inflammation. Research has shown that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, largely due to mold spores, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), cleaning products, synthetic fragrances, off-gassing furniture, and poor ventilation. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals, including research referenced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NIH-supported studies, demonstrate that chronic exposure to indoor air pollutants is associated with increased inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, respiratory irritation, immune dysregulation, and worsened metabolic health. Mold and mycotoxins in particular have been shown to activate inflammatory pathways, stress the nervous system, and impair detoxification—often without obvious respiratory symptoms. Over time, this constant low-grade immune activation can contribute to fatigue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, insulin resistance, and difficulty losing weight, even in individuals who eat well and exercise regularly. Improving indoor air quality is not just about breathing easier—it’s a foundational step in lowering total inflammatory burden and supporting whole-body healing.

My preferred indoor air filter is Air Doctor.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start understanding what’s truly driving inflammation in your body, functional testing can provide the clarity that lifestyle changes alone often can’t. If you’d like more information about the Total Toxins Urine Test, or if you’re ready to schedule a one-on-one appointment to review your health history and next steps, you’re welcome to email me directly at Dee@confidentlyloveyourself.com or book a session using the scheduling link here . Support doesn’t have to feel overwhelming—and you don’t have to navigate this alone.