MARCH 2021-MAY 2021 ROUNDUP
I’ve had this page for years and talk about using my essential oils but I don’t think I have ever done an introductory post. I sometimes forget this is new for people and not common knowledge!
Essential oils are extracted from plants through a process called distillation. This leaves you with the oil that is very concentrated. A little goes a long way.
You can use them topically (on your skin), aromatically (through a diffuser) or internally (via ingestion). Not all oils can be taken internally. If applying topically you sometimes want to use a carrier oil (like coconut oil or jojoba oil) as well to dilute it some, especially when you put them on kiddos.
How does these oils help humans? Well, plants have protective chemicals built into them that help fight off bugs, pests, fungi and other dangers. Plants are vulnerable to many of the same pathogens that affect humans. So when you use essential oils, you’re getting that same protective power the plants use themselves. Each oil has its own properties that can help with different things.
For example, I use Peppermint EO for headaches, Lavender EO for sleep, Frankincense EO for my skin & Cedarwood EO in my hair growth spray just to name a few.
There are tons of oils that can be used for a variety of reasons. I’ve been doing A LOT of reading on them recently and I am just amazed at their properties & how they can help us.
This was a VERY abbreviated post on oils but I just wanted to put a little note out on them since I talk about them all the time. Let me know if I can answer any questions on them!
I am so excited to talk about this book! I read it last May and I’m just now posting about it. 🤦🏻♀️ I heard Kelly on a podcast years ago and I’ve followed her ever since and now I’ve heard her speak on multiple podcasts & she even has her own now that I like. She is known for her “Fab 4 Smoothies” and she works with a lot of celebrity clients. Her focus is on blood sugar balance. The book is full of recipes as well!
Like I normally do with book reviews, I’m going to outline a few parts I found interesting.
Her approach is based on controlling and maintaining optimal blood sugar balance so your body uses protein, fats, carbs, vitamins and minerals and antioxidants to satisfy your body.
In a lot of instances, studies are funded by big business, which limits and dictates what gets researched. Government agencies also offer advice that is somehow pro the industry they regulate and it comes at the expense of our health.
Most doctors are required to take only 23 hours total of nutrition during 12 years of education and training.
When we eat too frequently, we’re taxing our body, filling it with excess insulin and asking it to restart a process it hasn’t yet completed.
The typical food pyramid we’ve all seen growing up is an arrangement just asking for diabetes.
EPA and DHA are essential—they reduce heart disease, improve cognitive function in fetal development, improve immunological response and lower levels of depression. We need a ratio of 1:1 of omega-6 to omega-3 but the average American has an inflammatory ration of 15:1 with 20% having no detectable level of omega-3.
Most people erroneously believe that dietary fat makes you fat. Not true!
Insulin is the storage hormone that allows glucose to move from the bloodstream into your cells. It’s job is to keep an appropriate amount of glucose circulating in your bloodstream (normal range is typically 70-120). When you have too much glucose in your bloodstream, you will feel sleepy, store excess sugar as new fat and even crave sugar right after a meal. When you have too little glucose in your system you feel starved, weak, shaky, light-headed and anxious.
Excess insulin can cause a host of issues: increased inflammation, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, increased androgens, increased testosterone in women, increased estrogen in men (linked to PCOS, infertility, thinning hair and acne), decreased liver detoxification and increased oxidative stress, higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels and increased fat.
Blood sugar imbalance has a domino effect on the whole body. When you double, triple or quadruple spike your blood sugar at every meal, you’re basically putting your body in a prediabetic state.
Many cases of PCOS start with a high-sugar, high-carb diet. This diet also taxes your adrenal glands which interferes with absorption of nutrients and causes weight gain.
Hidden sugar is everywhere- on every aisle of your typical grocery store, in processed foods and even in a lot of “clean, healthy” foods. Many of the smoothies found at juice shops and grocery store smoothie bars are loaded with WAY too much sugar.
Outer beauty starts in your gut. Our good gut bacteria do all sorts of helpful things for our digestion, health and overall wellness so you have to nourish, support and feed it to keep it healthy. Unfortunately, antibiotics, poor eating habits and even birth control pills have negatively affected the ecosystem.
Aggressive cleanses are not biologically sound and leave you full of insulin, protein deprived and emotionally frazzled.
You can’t expect to have happy, plump skin without addressing what you eat. Fat is essential for skin health.
These days I don’t have time to spend any longer than 30 minutes-ish making dinner. Between work and taking care of Payson I have very little time (also why I haven’t posted on here much lately)! This is a new super quick/easy meal I wanted to share. It’s nothing groundbreaking by any means but a fast meal if you need some new meal ideas. You can really add whatever veggies you want to this. I used zucchini this week but the original recipe actually calls for red bell pepper so you can make it how you want.
Tips:
cook your ground beef beforehand so all you have to do is assemble the night of.
chop your veggies however small/large you like.
soak your rice beforehand as well if you can- to reduce arsenic content
Did you watch that documentary with Zac Efron that came out last year? If so, you’ll know the author of this book because it’s who Zac was exploring with. To be honest I wasn’t going to read this book at first but my friend was reading it and said it would be something I liked so I decided to read it anyway and I was pleasantly surprised.
The premise of the book is to talk about 5 life forces and how they affect us and how we can optimize our health. The 5 forces are nutrition, hydration, oxygenation, alkalization and detoxification. I’ll outline some interesting tidbits below.
Before we eat our food, our food eats which is why it’s important to eat high quality food.
We have a lot of control over our genes. Just because we are genetically predisposed to something negative doesn’t mean we don’t have the ability to possibly alter that by our lifestyle choices.
Heat can kill certain nutrients so it’s good to eat things raw sometimes. Some foods are better cooked though so you need to have a good variety to get the benefit of all of the nutrients.
Most whole foods contain the enzymes that help break them down. Ex: milk contains the enzyme lactase which helps digest the lactose in it. However when it’s heated through pasteurization the enzymes are killed too which is why a lot of people can’t tolerate it.
Beneficial bugs keep the bad ones in check so when we take antibiotics, we wiped out the good along with the bad. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria— the probiotics.
A dry mouth or thirst means you should’ve been drinking water a long time ago. Dehydration of as little as a 1% decrease in body weight results in impasse physiological and performance responses.
For all the signature diseases of our normal life, you typically are given a “solution” which is really just a pill you’re told you have to take for the rest of your life.
In 2009 the EWG did an analysis of drinking water in the U.S. and discovered hundreds of pollutants in tap water. The most common: arsenic, nitrate, fertilizers & trihalomethanes— which can cause cancer.
The U.S. is ranked 34th in life expectancy. The terrible lie that is told to us- you can eat poorly and not exercise as long as you take whatever pill - you will be okay.
If we ate well, got enough sleep and exercised we’d be in a much better position to be healthy but that’s not advocated for since it doesn’t create revenue.
When you see a processed food marketed as “low fat” that just means they took out fat & added sugar & other junk to it instead. Don’t fall for it!
Food manufacturers have found a way to add sugar to everything. They know how to profit from our addiction. This is one good reason to avoid processed foods. Replacing sugar with fake sweeteners is just as bad as real sugar.
Free radicals are behind a long list of modern diseases like heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, cystic fibrosis and more.
Even low levels of exposure to heavy metals will interfere with our ability to nourish and detoxify ourselves.
Nutrition is the single most important factor in the function of the immune system.
Signs your detox system is overburdened: dry skin, acne, headaches, itchy eyes, constipation, achy joints, fatigue, indigestion…
I drink collagen in my coffee every morning. I switch off between a chocolate/coconut collagen powder and a chocolate bone broth powder. There are various types of collagen to choose from. I get type 1,2 and 3 from my powders. There are many types of collagen but 5 types are the most popular.
Type I: the most abundant protein found in humans. It helps form skin, bones, tendons and other connective tissues. It is used a lot to help with skin. It’s found in bovine and fish collagen supplements. It’s also in egg whites and shells.
Type II: this is the major one found in cartilage. This one is good for supporting healthy joints. Chicken collagen is a good source of this type.
Type III: this is a major component of our son and organs. This is similar to type 1 in that it helps support healthy skin.
Type V: this is one of the minor collagen components. It plays a role in the same way Types I and II and helps connective tissue and joint cartilage.
Type X: generally found in eggshell membrane collagen. Is typically present in joint cartilage and is a “networking forming collagen”.
You can get these types in various collagen supplements. Hydrolyzed collagen is broken down into collagen peptides making them easier to absorb. It dissolves well in hot coffee but you can also add to cold drinks as well, like smoothies or water.
Source: https://store.draxe.com/blogs/all/collagen-types
One of the things I have been interested in trying out is raw dairy products. I tried raw cheese for the first time this week & it was super tasty! I’ve done some reading up on raw dairy from various places and there was a section in a book I read about it so I want to share about it today.
What I’ve learned so far is that essentially typical pasteurized dairy products have to be pasteurized bc it’s so dirty before hand. Kind of grosses me out a little bit. 😬
Fresh milk has nutritional, neurological, digestive and immune benefits. It should come from a trusted, clean dairy though. The animals should graze on green pastures in sunlight and fresh air. The cows should not be given drugs, growth hormone or antibiotics. This should be sourced locally so there isn’t a long transit time.
Organic, grass fed raw dairy is beneficial because
1. It has a complete set of enzymes
2. It’s absent of toxins like drugs, v a x’s, synthetic nutrients and pesticides
3. It’s an immune booster and protector against pathogens
4. It’s rich in vitamins and absorbable minerals and probiotics
Why is milk pasteurized? Pasteurization is the process of heating milk really hot to kill pathogens that might have contaminated it. The bacteria doesn’t occur naturally in the milk but rather contaminates it during the collection, processing and storage. Back in the early 1900’s when cleanliness wasn’t a thing, cows were kept in deplorable conditions which made them sick and got people sick so pasteurization was developed to sterilize the milk. Even today conventional dairies aren’t much better. The cows are fed unnatural diets and kept in dirty, cramped conditions so it makes sense to pasteurize. Even after pasteurization, milk can get contaminated though.
Raw milk cows have healthier guts and healthy bacteria. Before they are are milked, their udders are cleaned with iodine to kill potential bacteria and the milk is collected in a sterile container and immediately refrigerated. Even if raw milk gets contaminated somehow the milk has living immune factors and pathogen killers to stop bad bugs just like breastmilk!
Raw milk is protective to the immune system.
If you’re a raw dairy person let us know below! I’d love to hear your experience.
Source: Super Nutrition for Babies
Parabens are chemicals that are common in personal care products and cosmetics like lotion, makeup, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, medications and even certain foods to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungus and other microbes. Women are exposed to more personal care products than men typically so our exposure is higher. Parabens mimic estrogren and some studies have linked them to reproductive problems.
They are problematic for us all but especially while pregnant because some parabens can cross the placenta. Exposure in utero is linked to higher odds of preterm birth and growh restriction in infants. One study showed exposure to parebens in utero and infancy was linked to higher body weight during early childhood. One study had 100 girls refrain from using any paraben containing products and after only 3 days, ther levels in their urine dropped 44%. This means we have the power to make changes for our body! You can greatly lower your levels by switching out products.
Tips to Minimize Exposure:
Read labels on cosmetics and personal care products.
Opt for a natural deodorant or skip it altogether.
Use natural oils as lotion such as coconut oil . shea butter, tallow balm, etc…
Ues less makeup or opt for products that don’t use these preservatives like mineral-based makeup
Use preservative-free products
Source: Real Food for Pregnancy
Methylsulfonylmethane… let’s just call it MSM. 😉 This is a supplement I started taking a few months ago.
MSM is an organic sulfur compound that is naturally occurring. It’s in dirt, cow’s milk, coffee, tomatoes, corn and more… Sulfur is the 8th most abundant macro mineral in the body. It is a critical building block to help our bodies build our hair, skin, nails and connective tissue. It’s also critical in the building of glutathione.
Glutathione is our body’s master antioxidant and helps detoxify. It binds to fatty toxins and makes them water soluble and then ushers them out via waste (aka when you go potty). People like me (with MTHFR) need glutathione even more as our bodies are more sensitive to toxins.
I’ve been getting my MSM via this supplement called Sulfurzyme. This has MSM as well as wolfberry powder. Wolfberries provide minerals that help with the assimilation of sulfur which is why it’s in this powder. (I also get wolf berries via the Ninxgia I drink for all the antioxidants!)
I take a scoop of this in my daily Ninxgia. It has a tiny bit of Stevia to add a little sweetness. It also comes in a pill form if powders aren’t your thing.
Note: This is not the same as Sulfa that some people are allergic to. Lindsey Elmore discusses this aspect of it & you can google that.
I take this as a breastfeeding mom and I’m 100% comfortable with it. MSM is naturally found in breastmilk. Wolfberries can have a blood thinning effect so talk to your provider if you’re on blood thinners and of course always take your bio-individuality into account and discuss your supplements with your healthcare provider.
Source: Lindsey Elmore
If you have MTHFR you need to be following Dr. Ben Lynch. He is the MTHFR expert and he wrote this book. On my MTHFR resources page I have several articles written by him that have helped me tremendously.
In this book he goes WAY deep into our genes and what makes them “dirty”. He goes into many different types of genes (MTHFR, COMT, DAO, MAOA, GST/GPX, NOS3 and PEMT) and how to clean them up and determine if yours are dirty or not. For the purposes of this post I’m just going to focus on MTHFR since that’s where my interest lies, but I do suggest getting his book to read it all because we certainly need help with all of the others as well. He also touches on mold and has a whole list of resources for all things non-toxic at the back of the book which I found to be very helpful. As always, these are just some tidbits I found interesting.
We can transform our genetic destiny through a combination of diet, supplements, sleep, stress relief and reduced exposure to environmental toxins which means we can overcome our genetic disposition to things like anxiety, ADHD, birth defects, cancer, dementia, depression, heart disease, insomnia and obesity.
Common symptoms of dirty genes (there are TONS in the book but I’m just going to list a few) : aching joints/muscles, acne, allergic reactions, anxiety, attention issues, brain fog, cold hands and feet, fatigue, food intolerance, headaches/migraines, indigestion, itchy skin, mood swings, nosebleeds, PMS, PCOS and Rosacea.
Most traditional doctors will just try to prescribe you a drug to fix symptoms and not get to the root cause.
In our modern world we are surrounded by toxins all the time.Glutathione is a detox agent our body produces to help rid our body of toxins.
Birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and even bioidentical hormones can strain your MTHFR gene.
When one gene gets dirt it doesn’t work properly so the other genes step up to her but that puts strain on them so they don’t work properly.
What makes your genes dirty? Too many carbs, too much sugar, too much protein, not enough protein, not enough healthy fat, nutrient shortages, dehydration, electrolyte deficiency, deficiency, overtraining or not exercising enough, lack to deep sleep, irregular sleep patterns, dirty food, water, air, cosmetics, cleaners… and stress
Our bodies are struggling to keep up with all of the toxins in our modern world which could explain why there is such a rise in chronic diseases on the rise.
Even newborn babies are born with over 200 chemicals in their bodies.
Every gene in every cell is ultimately regulated by methylation. 85% of methylation takes place in your liver so you want to support it by watching alcohol intake, avoiding heavy metals and other toxic chemicals & avoiding unnecessary medications and recreational drugs.
During pregnancy your body is methylating for two essentially. Nausea, vomiting or gallbladder issues are frequently caused by poor methylation.
To clear harmful chemicals and excess hormones you need to methylate properly.
How methylation goes wrong: poor diet, Folic Acid (it is synthetic and blocks natural folate from getting where it needs to. FA blocks methylation), wrong amount of exercise, poor sleep, too much stress and exposure to harmful chemicals.
Other barriers to methylation: alcohol, antacids, heavy metals, infections, inflammation, yeast overgrowth, nitrous oxide, oxidative stress, SIBO
You need B12 and B9 to methylate properly.
Dr. Lynch considers a homocysteine level above 7 to be high.
Riboflavin is crucial to the function of your MTHFR- get enough through spinach, almonds and liver.
Key Nutrients for a healthy MTHFR : Riboflavin/B2, Folate/B9, Cobalamin/B12, Protein and Magnesium
How to clean up your Methylation cycle: load up on leafy greens, avoid folic acid, get lots of B vitamins, protein and magnesium, avoid exposure to toxic chemicals and heavy metals, get lots of deep sleep.
Grass fed beef is different than grass fed and grass finished.
Grass fed could also be called conventional. This means cows could have started their lives eating grass but eventually were fed grain at some point. This is a loose term because it just means the cows could’ve been grazing on grass at some point. These cows could’ve also been in cramped feed lots and the feed they’re given could be GMO corn, soy and other random additives. They’re given whatever it takes to have them gain more weight faster typically to fatten them up right before slaughter.
Disadvantages to conventional beef:
1. Cows aren’t meant to eat grains so this can mess up their systems and they can develop digestive issues and become more susceptible to infections leading to antibiotics administered that affect the cows and us as we get exposed to them as we eat the meat. This also means we’re exposed to these same grains that give us our own digestive issues.
2. They are sometimes given synthetic hormones which means humans are being exposed as well.
3. The cows are in stressful conditions living in feed lots.
4. They don’t have as high of a nutritional profile.
Note: Organic beef doesn’t mean the cows ate grass. This just means they were fed organic grain and maybe some grass. This is a step up from conventional but not the best option.
A few reasons why it’s worth the $ to buy grass fed & finished beef (GFAF) compared to conventional.
1. It has 2-4 times more omega-3 and a more favorable ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fats. It also has 2-3 times more CLA which is a type of fat that can protect against cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
2. GFAF has 7 times more beta-carotene and 2 times more vitamin E.
3. Cows that are free to graze have a better life. They have space to thrive and aren’t confined next to others which can lead to less health problems for them. These cows are given significantly less antibiotics because the cows simply don’t need them. More than 80% of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are given to animals.. that we eventually eat.
4. GFAF cattle isn’t given corn and soy byproducts. Over 90% of soy and corn grown in the US is genetically modified.
4. Conventional beef has a higher pesticide residue.
5. GFAF is easier to digest for humans.
We eat a lot of beef and I get ours from Butcher Box. It is GFAF and the cattle are never given antibiotics or synthetic hormones. If you want to try Butcher Box out shoot me a message and I can give you a referral code!
Source:
https://discover.grasslandbeef.com/blog/grass-fed-vs-grass-finished-beef/
https://lilynicholsrdn.com/7-reasons-grass-fed-beef-is-worth-the-money/
A few years ago I didn’t know there were options when it came to prenatal care. I thought you had an obgyn and gave birth in a hospital and that was it. I’ve mentioned here before that years ago (2015) I knew someone who gave birth in a birth center and I didn’t even know what that was- & I thought she was some weird hippie 🤣 .
I felt a tug to go a different direction than the norm for various reasons once I got pregnant with Payson. I wanted an out of hospital birth.
A common question I got while being pregnant was, “where are you going to deliver”? I didn’t expect to be asked this as much as I was and I certainly didn’t mind because y’all know I love talking about my birth experience 🤪 but when I said I intended on delivering at a birth center people gave me blank stares.
They’d usually follow up and ask, “so you have an obgyn who delivers somewhere else?” to which I’d reply, no- I’m under the care of a midwife. I realized a lot of people have no clue what a midwife is so I want to explain different types of care here.
Midwives are specialists in normal pregnancy and birth. Care is individualized and focuses on minimizing the use of obstetrical intervention unless it is necessary. They provide all the prenatal care healthy women need. In general, midwifery care is associated with fewer episiotomies, fewer instrumental deliveries, fewer epidurals and fewer c-sections. They are trained to identify complications that might require obstetrical care. Midwives can work in hospitals, birth centers or do home births.
Family doctors also sometimes provide prenatal care. Several studies have shown that family doctors also tend to have lower rates of obstetrical intervention than obgyns. Some family doctors practice like midwives and some practice more like obgyns depending on their training.
Obgyn training focuses on intervention and treatment. The rest of the world (meaning outside of the U. S.) views obgyns as unusual in regards to birth because they treat healthy pregnant women as well as those who are high risk or ill. When obgyns provide care for healthy women they sometimes apply interventions more appropriate for complicated pregnancies to all women. Sometimes obgyns will advocate for you to have more medical intervention than necessary.
Obgyns and midwives are fully trained and capable of delivering your baby. Typically a midwife will be with you during much of your labor where a doctor in a hospital might not be able to do that as he/she will have multiple patients. If your goal is to have an unmedicated, vaginal delivery and it’s very important to you then a midwife in general is going to be more supportive of that. If you want a scheduled c-section or an epidural then an obgyn might be a better choice.
Ultimately there will be all types of providers who operate in all different ways so interviewing and meeting with them is going to be your best bet. I know some people choose to have a midwife but deliver in a hospital setting and other people say their obgyn was very pushy with c-sections but others who don’t push medical intervention so you really just have to meet with them and discuss what YOU would like, not anybody else!
I worked with a whole midwife team and they do have a backup doctor to consult with when necessary. My main midwife is also a CNM that has hospital privileges so in the event of hospital transfers she is there with you tending to you. My experience with midwives and a birth center was 100% perfect for me but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.
I hope this helped give a little insight into different types of care for you to follow up on to decide what’s best for you. This was also a very general post- there are always slight variations in providers and exceptions to the rule but in general this shows some differences.
Carrier Oils are used to dilute essential oils when they are being used topically. They help to carry the oils into the skin. Each carrier oil offers a different combo of properties and characteristics. Here are some of the most widely used ones.
Almond Oil: nourishes skin and hair, contains antioxidants, protects skin from UV damage, fights acne, reduces inflammation
Apricot Kernel: stimulates immune system, helps relieve pain, fights acne, improves skin condition, soothes and nourishes dry or inflamed skin, works to reduce swelling and inflammation
Arnica: helps reduce inflammation, soothes sprains and muscle pain, boosts hair growth, fights bacteria, helps reduce swelling
Argan: exfoliates skin and helps fight acne, may reduce appearance of stretch marks, relieves razor bumps and burns, conditions hair and nourishes nails, improves cracked or chapped lips
Avocado: reduces inflammation, may improve arthritis symptoms, soothes psoriasis and other skin problems, hydrates skin and hair, improves hair texture
Coconut: (My favorite!): attacks bacteria and fungi, helps reduce cellulite, protects the skin and hair, improves mental clarity
Evening Primrose: treats skin conditions, hydrates skin and hair, helps relieve PMS symptoms, protects hormone balance, may boost fertility
Hemp: contains numerous vitamins, contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, encourages toxin removal, alleviates sore muscles and joints
Jojoba: moisturizes skin, fights bacteria and fungi, boosts skin and hair health, speeds up wound closures, stimulates collagen synthesis
Olive: helps reduce inflammation, protects skin against UV damage, can speed up wound healing, helps balance hormones
Pomegranate: contains powerful antioxidants, helps reduce inflammation, works as a natural sunblock, nourishes skin, boosts skin cell regeneration
Rosehip: stimulates collagen production, moisturizes skin and hair, can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, protects skin from UV rays and sun damage, has anti-aging properties
Sea Buckthorn: promotes skin regeneration, boost skin elasticity, helps treat and prevent acne, may reduce inflammation, soothes the digestive tract
Shea Butter: moisturizes skin, helps reduce inflammation, can improve skin elasticity, contains mild SPF properties, serves as an under eye wrinkle and bag reducer
When shopping for carrier oils, quality matters just as much as it does when it comes to the essential oils.
Source: Essential Oils, Ancient Medicine
You know that scene in Parks and Rec where Tom and Leslie are in the community garden and Tom keeps giving Leslie names of rappers when she asks for the names of the plants and she’s completely oblivious? Well that’s basically me... 🤣
I have never had any interest in gardening- be it flowers or veggies or anything. Its not that I don’t think they’re pretty but it’s just not my thing. However, on Friday I very randomly decided I wanted to grow some of my own veggies. Seriously, I don’t know what happened because this has never been something I’ve even remotely been interested in but... 🤷🏻♀️
I texted Corey to ask if we could and I’m pretty sure it made him love me even more! So here we are... If you know Corey, you know he loves building things so this was a fun little project I gave him. He’s built all sorts of stuff for our house and so he put this together for me.
We went with this one that had the wood pre-cut to start with. I don’t want to get too ambitious. 🤪 If all goes well with this then Corey wants to build me a much bigger one from scratch but baby steps... I’ll keep you updated as my veggies grow... or don’t grow if I mess it up. 😜
Do you have a garden? If so tell me your favorite thing to grow! 🌶🫑🥬🥦🌽
It seems like flavored/carbonated water is all the rage these days. I struggle to get enough plain water in each day because I like a little flavor in my water and I’m sure a lot of others do as well, which might be why these are so popular.
The issue with a lot of these though is that they are filled with unknowns like natural flavors and some have added sugars. That’s why I personally love Spindrift! They are made with carbonated water & real fruit juice. 🍊🍋
No added sugars are necessary because the fruit has enough natural sugar on it’s own to give it that twinge of sweetness & natural flavors could be unknown chemicals so I do my best to avoid them when possible.
My favorite flavors are: lemon, cranberry/raspberry and half tea/half lemon. 😋
& bonus- they just came out with 3 new lemonade flavors! I snagged a sample pack from them a few weeks ago so I could try out the new flavors. They are pink lemonade, strawberry lemonade & lemon limeade. All 3 were tasty but my favorite is the pink lemonade. 🍋🍋🍋
You can buy these online or at your local grocery store. I find them at my Whole Foods and Target as well. Target seems to have the biggest selection of flavors.
I definitely recommend trying these out! I don’t drink one every single day because sometimes carbonation in general can have some negative effects on the body but I enjoy these a few times a week. (A few flavors do have some citric acid in them so if that’s not your jam then just avoid those two.)
A few weeks ago it was National Doula week and I missed it but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to brag on my doula team even if it’s late.
What is a doula? A person who provides emotional and physical support during pregnancy and childbirth. They help with guidance all throughout the pregnancy and help with pain management, informed consent and encouragement during labor. There are doulas who help postpartum as well but in general, it’s someone who helps be another advocate and helper for you!
This wonderful lady is Natasha and she was my doula for Payson’s birth. She was a true angel during labor.
I actually had two doulas and both were amazing. During my pregnancy I had check-ins with them and they made sure all my questions were answered and I was prepared for birth. Towards the end of my pregnancy we had a session where they went over all sorts of techniques they’d use on me for pain management during labor...and then Payson came fast and furious and all that went out the window because I rushed to the birth center and was ready to push before there was any time for help. 🤣
Natasha stayed on the phone with me the whole time I was in the car (& going through transition on the highway 😬) and she talked me through contractions. When we all got to the birth center she immediately came to my side. I can’t adequately explain how much she did for me. She literally wiped my sweat, fanned me, made sure I stayed hydrated, re-did my ponytail, held my body up with Corey and encouraged me the whole time. She didn’t leave my side. I am SO thankful she was there to be a source of comfort and support.
You could just feel the excitement and true joy she had for us upon his arrival. She also took a recording on her phone of Payson’s first cries which I will cherish forever.
Latina (the owner) was also my doula and she is the one who did my placenta encapsulation that I have previously posted about. I am so beyond thankful for her as well! She’s amazing! She didn’t get to be at Payson’s birth but hopefully she’ll be able to for round 2.
I cannot recommend them enough. Houston ladies- definitely check them out! 💗 @marleyandmoo
Have you checked out what’s in your tap water? I’ve touched on this before but I wanted to highlight a resource again. We are finally investing in a whole house system so I’ll have more to post on this topic soon but for now I just want to give you a place to go to check your own water.
Go to www.ewg.org/tapwater or just google “EWG tap water”. You can type your zip code in to see what is in your water specifically. You should also be able to get a water report from your utility company as well.
You might be shocked at what’s in your water... and not in a good way. 😬
The top contaminant in my water is arsenic. 👎🏻 I don’t want to drink or bathe in yucky water which is why we are taking steps to filter a lot of this out. We already have a Berkey but we’re taking it one step further.
More to come on this but for now go check out your own water!
This is for my fellow decaf coffee drinkers. ☕️I’ve been drinking decaf coffee for about 3-4 years now because I love my morning cup of coffee but I don’t drink caffeine. When drinking decaf coffee you want to look for Swiss water processed decaf.
Caffeine is normally removed from coffee beans by using chemicals such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate. These strip caffeine molecules from the coffee bean. Why are these an issue? Per the EWG, methylene chloride is considered to be likely carcinogenic by the EPA. Long term ingestion of drinking water with it can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure has been linked with an increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in animal studies exposed during pregnancy. Even the CDC notes it can harm your eyes, skin, liver and heart which is telling. Ethyl Acetate appears to be safer but if you can avoid chemicals altogether and just use water that’s going to be a better option especially if you’re drinking coffee every day. You could be exposed to those residual amounts on a daily basis.
The Swiss Water Process is done in Canada. This uses pure water and proprietary carbon filters to remove the caffeine up to 99.9% caffeine free. It is 100% chemical free. This removes more of the caffeine compared to the chemical way as well. Swipe over for an infographic showing how the process is done.
My favorite coffee brand is Purity brand. I love it for many reasons and I have it on auto ship. I’ve also bought some Swiss Water decaf from Whole Foods in the past so check your local stores!
Sources:
https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/contaminant.php?contamcode=2964#
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0511/4707/9850/t/2/assets/Swiss-Water-Infographic.png?v=9033837949461798190
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/methylenechloride/default.html
Naturopathic Medicine is a type of medicine that emphasizes prevention and the self-healing process to treat each person holistically. Naturopathic Doctors are trained and educated in accredited naturopathic medical colleges and have to do a residency and pass their board exams They diagnose, prevent and treat acute and chronic illness, & restore and establish optimal health by supporting the person’s inherent self-healing process. They don’t just suppress symptoms, but rather work to identity the root cause.
ND’s use a variety of remedies including herbs, homeopathy, supplements, hydrotherapy, lifestyle modifications, pharmaceuticals when necessary and more. They can order labs and go over all the results to help formulate treatment plans specific for your body. They can specialize in various ways just like a conventional MD, be it in family medicine, endocrinology, pediatrics, etc...
ND’s take the functional approach and spend a lot of time with you. My first appointment with my ND was about an hour long. I had to fill out a lengthy questionnaire beforehand and she asked me a lot of questions during our consult.They take a whole body approach and evaluate all aspects of your health and they are very thorough. Typically it’s not insurance based medicine (although some might be so that’s not a blanket statement) which means you get a lot of time with the doctor and aren’t rushed. They really take time to get a full picture of your health history.
ND’s services vary by state as not all states offer licensing so check your state out. For example, in Texas they aren’t licensed so if I were to need pharmaceuticals I’d have get them from another provider who could prescribe.
I highly recommend this type of care! As with any provider, you want to make sure you’re getting someone qualified. Naturopathic.org is a good resource to find a provider in your area.
My friend @hairbykate_houston drew this picture for me as a gift after Payson was born and I absolutely treasure it. 🌈💙
I had several people wish me a Happy 1st Mother’s Day this year. Some don’t know our history and even for those that do, I know they don’t mean anything harmful by saying that. However this wasn’t my first - I became a mama the moment I was pregnant with our first angel baby. I’m in a weird stage now where today is bittersweet because yes I have my sweet Payson but it’s also a reminder of my two babies we never got to meet.
So for those of you waiting on your rainbow- I know all too well how hard this day can be but just know YOU are a mama to be celebrated today.
🍌 the best banana muffins ever 🍌
I don’t want to be overdramatic but these muffins are THE BEST! I’ve been eating them with peanut butter on them as part of my breakfast. 😋 I’m not even the biggest banana fan usually but these are delicious. They are so simple to make as well. I got the recipe from Mix and Match Mama and I’ve adapted it a bit.
I use my favorite Kerry Gold butter- I’ve used both unsalted and salted- both are fine.
It calls for one cup of sugar but I completely omit that. Bananas have enough sugar on their own so these don’t need any extra!
For the flour, I make my own oat flour using the One Degree sprouted/organic oats. I just throw some in the blender- takes 30 seconds!
I bake them in my silicone muffin cups because I still need to get a new muffin pan and I don’t want to bake directly in the aluminum to avoid leaching.
This is an example of how you can take any recipe and modify it super easily to make it a bit cleaner or fit your dietary needs. Swipe right to see the original recipe from M&MM.
Hello! 👋🏼 I figured it might be good to do a little intro. I’m Bayley and I created this page in 2018 as a way to share my new found love for lower toxin living.
I had a very normal childhood without any major illnesses or anything out of the ordinary. When I turned 18 I was put on hormonal birth control for “bad periods”. I didn’t know them what I do now and I continued to take that for ten years. 👎🏻 Right as I turned 25 I started having horrible health issues - adult acne, brain fog, frequent sickness, migraines,etc... and to make a LONG story short- I had a friend who was on the “crunchy” side start educating me about ALL THE THINGS! I slowly started researching 🤓 , swapping out products & changing my diet.
Around this time I saw a functional doctor for the first time and that opened my eyes some more. I learned I had MTHFR which I thought was just a funny acronym but then my husband and I lost two babies in 2018 and 2019 and that spurred me on to continue my research even further into toxins, foods and MTHFR.
I was able to heal my body & we welcomed our double rainbow baby last year. 🌈 I’m passionate about sharing all things related to pregnancy, birth center birth, miscarriage, MTHFR, essential oils, healthy eating, reading labels, informed consent, functional medicine, baby stuff and more! I go against the mainstream with a lot of things & I might ruffle a few feathers sometimes. ✌🏼I’m happy you’re here and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. 💗