Here’s how your couch and thyroid are connected

My friend’s cat Chloe stopped sleeping a few years ago. She’d stay up all day and all night, running around with excessive energy. What was going on? Chloe went to the vet, and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Essentially, her thyroid, which in both cats and humans, affects all aspects of our metabolism— was on overdrive.

I don’t normally keep tabs on my friends’ cats’ medical diagnoses, but this one really stood out: the vet mentioned that thyroid disease has become super common in cats— and that it is linked with exposure to flame retardants.

My first thought was, “is MY thyroid being affected too?” As in, is Chloe a canary in the coal mine? Also, poor Chloe! I love Chloe.

Flame retardants are chemicals added to the foams and fabrics in furniture like couches— and mattresses, curtains, rugs, etcetera, etcetera. It sounds protective in theory, but these chemicals are also major endocrine disrupters— and there is more and more evidence that they are linked to thyroid cancer in humans — in addition to hyperthyroidism in cats.

What can we do?

For starters, I’m encouraged and relieved to see several companies start creating furniture with human health in mind— Medley Home and Savvy Rest are two, and I know there are more.

If you can’t buy a new couch, ventilate! Keep your windows open, your air filter on, and your home clean. Take good care of your body, which is an expert at getting rid of waste and chemicals.

And lastly, legislation to keep harmful chemicals out of household goods is ultimately part of the answer. Check out Safer States and Safer Chemicals for more information.