Eco Friendly and Non Toxic Gift Ideas

I think this is my most favorite podcast to date. I love hearing from entrepreneurs and creators and I had the opportunity to chat with four different people who inspire me.

I also created a Gift Guide to help you give thoughtful, eco-friendly, and toxin-free gifts this holiday season. You can download the guide <<HERE>>.

This week’s podcast features:

Alisha, a chocolatier who started My Sweet Reverie

Adam, from the Ramblin’ Restaurants Group

Cassie, creator of beautiful accessories at Holder Industries

Andrea, owner of Browsers Bookshop

I love supporting local and small businesses, especially for the holidays. I like to know that I’m not only gifting the individual, I’m supporting the community and creators with my purchase.

I hope this podcast inspires you to support your local stores and restaurants and that the gift guide makes holiday gift giving a little easier.

Go listen, share with a friend, and tell me, what’s your favorite gift to give?

Helping Your Loved Ones Go Toxin-Free

When I first started learning about toxin-free living, sharing what I knew with family and friends, I was a little too harsh, especially when it came to my mom. There’s something about the mother daughter relationship that removes filters and less than kind words can sneak out. It came from love though - I wanted my parents to start living toxin-free ASAP because I was concerned for their health and wellbeing.

Helping Your Loved Ones Go Toxin-Free

I’ve learned a lot since then and my mom and I had the chance to chat about her toxin-free journey, the mistakes I made, and how to kindly and gently encourage and inform loved ones about choosing products that are safer and more eco-friendly.

Have you struggled with what to say and how to approach loved ones about choosing safer products and cleaners? How have you brought up the subject and how did it go?

Are Non-Stick Pans Safe? - Choosing Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly When Buying New Pots and Pans

Resources mentioned in the podcast:

• Non-Stick Pots and Pans Cheat Sheet

• Stainless - how to make stainless non-stick

• Get started with toxin-free living with my free guide

• Join my Facebook group

• Follow me on Instagram

YYes, non-stick pans are convenient.

Unfortunately, conventional non-stick pans are made "non-stick" with some pretty harmful chemicals, like PFAS (Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances, including PFOA and PFOS).

PFAS are harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. They’ve been found in water sources, fertilizer, livestock and certain soils used to grow our food. Plus they’re often in food packaging in addition to the coating on non-stick pans.

At high temperatures, these chemicals can break down and release toxic fumes - harmful to both humans and pets. If you're cooking your food in a pan with non-stick coating then you're potentially double exposing yourself to these harmful chemicals.

PFAS take a very long time to break down and they stay in the air, soil, and water for a very long time. In animals, including humans, they bioaccumulate meaning that they accumulate in the body and stick around for a long time.

PFOS and PFAS (the PFAS used in Teflon) have mostly been phased out, but even products that say PFAS-free may have one of the other 3,000 PFAS still used within consumer goods.

Are Non-Stick Pans Safe? - Choosing Toxin-Free and Eco-Friendly When Buying New Pots and Pans

Not only are these compounds bad for the environment, they've also been linked with numerous health issues including cancer. California recently banned firefighting foams with PFAS because they are a significant form of water contamination and studies have shown high levels of these chemicals in firefighters' blood.

Prioritize replacing your oldest and scratched cookware, cook on low-medium heat, well-ventilate while cooking, and be careful when cooking, washing, and storing to avoid scratching.

If you’ve tried cooking in stainless and struggled, here’s the secret - you need to use more fat! Turns out, fat isn’t as bad as we were scared into believing in the 80’s.

I prefer to use my well seasoned cast iron pans for eggs and other items that will stick and we use stainless for the rest. There’s even a way to make stainless non-stick.

Ceramic pans are a better option but be sure to use a reputable brand because ceramic can contain heavy metals like cadmium and lead.

Ready to shop for safer options? Here are some choices from Amazon.

The perfect small pan for eggs

We love this wok!

Great everyday skillet

Great set of stainless steel cookware

(Yes, I’m an Amazon Affiliate and make a small commission from purchases from these links.)

Debt is Toxic Too - Preventing Financial Toxicity and Helping Families Avoid Bankruptcy with Amy Rowley of The Mayday Foundation

Most people aren’t aware that medical expenses are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in America. Even with health insurance, deductibles and other unexpected expenses are an unnecessary burden that far too many families struggle with along with their cancer diagnosis.  

Debt is Toxic Too - Preventing Financial Toxicity and Helping Families Avoid Bankruptcy with Amy Rowley of The Mayday Foundation

Amy Rowley started The Mayday Foundation, right after she finished active treatment for breast cancer. She realized that while she had the support of family and friends and could afford her health insurance deductibles, many families aren’t as fortunate.

Since 2018, the The Mayday Foundation has help almost 60 families in the South Puget Sound Region. The Mayday Foundation works with medical social workers in Aberdeen, Centralia, Lacey, and Olympia Washington to identify families, most of which have never asked for help before. The Mayday Foundation steps in to provide financial support for non-medical expenses like rent, utilities, groceries, transportation costs, and other household expenses.

On the podcast, Amy shared how to prepare yourself in case of a medical emergency.

1. Know your individual and family deductible

2. See if you have access to health savings account and contribute the max amount you can

   • Some have investment opportunities associated with them

3. Save enough to cover your deductible(s)

Amy also shared some helpful ways to help those who are going through cancer treatment or struggling through a hard time. She shared that while it is individual to the person it can be helpful to

• Ask specific questions or offerings of help, like “can I pick up the kids from school” or “can I grab something for you at Costco,” etc.

• If you’re bringing food, making sure it’s something the family will eat and bring it in disposable containers

• Continue to connect and provide support as time goes on. They need support longer than just after a diagnosis

• Meal delivery services like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron are helpful especially when GrubHub or Uber Eats don’t deliver to an area

You can find more information about The Mayday Foundation on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or on their website.

Ditch Harmful Home Fragrance - Why it’s Time to Ditch the Toxins and Choose Safer Options

It’s Fall and with it comes changing leaves, football (albeit a little different this year), and pumpkin spice everything. Just kidding, but isn’t it funny how when we think about fall, warm and cozy scents come to mind? Candles and wax warmers with names like warm vanilla, apple cider, or autumn leaves.

Ditch Harmful Home Fragrance - Why it’s Time to Ditch the Toxins and Choose Safer Options

Unfortunately, home fragrance doesn’t clean the air, it just covers up whatever is causing the bad smell. The chemicals in home fragrances make the air quality worse - that’s not what we want when we’re stuck inside more and not getting as much fresh air.

Home fragrance can also hide problems that are causing an offensive smell, for example mold. Instead of covering up the smell of our homes with a fragrance product we should be paying attention to the root cause of the smell.

Experts agree that home fragrances are a health risk. Dr. Stanley Feinman, President Elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology said

This is a much bigger problem than people realize. About 20% of the population and 34% of people with asthma, report health problems from air fresheners.

Unfortunately home fragrances are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety and Title 16, Section 1500.3 highlights what is considered toxic.

To require labeling a product must first be toxic, corrosive, flammable or combustible, an irritant, or a strong sensitizer, or it must generate pressure through decomposition, heat, or other means. Second, the product must have the potential to cause substantial personal injury or substantial illness during or as a result of any customary or reasonably foreseeable handling or use, including reasonably foreseeable ingestion by children. This act has a lot of specific language and confusing dosage and exposure info most of which is required to cause death or harm within 14 days.

The ingredient doesn’t just have to be ingested. It can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled. The problem is that the great majority of chemicals we are exposed to daily don’t have short-term effects but instead are disruptive long-term.

Most conventional home fragrances have some yucky stuff, like fragrance, phthalates, and solvents.

Unfortunately, children are more at risk when it comes to home fragrance. They have higher breathing rates, spend more time on the floor, and chemicals can settle into dust and end up on the ground where young children crawl and play with toys. They can then be absorbed by the skin, inhaled, or ingested.

Yuck.

If I knew this when my girls were little then I would have been a lot better about vacuuming!

Candles are also not regulated and often don’t have an ingredient label. Plus conventional candle wicks can contain lead.

So what’s safe?

Toxin-free candles like unscented beeswax candles, essential oils with a diffuser, stovetop potpourri are some great options and I’ve included a recipe for stovetop potpourri below!

Cleaning, deodorizing using baking soda, and opening up the windows and letting in fresh air really helps too!

Stovetop Potpourri

• Lemon, sliced thin

• ½ an apple, sliced

• 4 cinnamon sticks, or ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

• Place a medium sized saucepan on the back burner, fill with ingredients and let it simmer on the lowest setting.  Start your potpourri about a half hour before you have guests come over…your home will smell amazing.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334

https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/fairfresheners.pdf

Dirty dishes- it’s time to clean up your dishwashing act

You may be thinking “does how I wash my dishes really matter?”, but if you’ve started down the track of going toxin-free, you’ve probably thought…

Is my dish soap safe? or maybe…

Is dish soap bad for the environment?

Let’s think about it -

• Our plates, flatware, pots and pans, basically every item in our kitchen that touches food, is cleaned by some sort of dish soap or dish washing detergent.

• When we do the dishes, our hands come in contact with dish soap.

• And… everything we put down our sink and plumbing impacts the water and ecosystem.

Dirty Dishes- it’s time to clean up your dishwashing act

What should you look for when choosing a safe dish soap or dish washer detergent?

These are the red flag ingredients that I avoid and why:

• Fragrance

  • A proprietary term that kind hide up to 3,000 different chemicals

  • Analysis of the “fragrance” chemicals by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that one in 20 are rated as a “high hazard”

• Colorants

  • Not essential to the effectiveness of the product

  • Often contaminated by heavy metals

  • Often derived from petroleum which can be contaminated with carcinogens like

  • Can dry out and cause irritation to the skin

• Ethoxylated ingredients - ethoxylation happens when ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, is combined with another ingredient to make it less harsh to the skin.

  • This process can create 1-4 dioxane as a bi-product. If not removed through a vacuum stripping process, the 1-4 dioxane will contaminate the product.

    • FDA studies show that 1-4 dioxane can penetrate the skin and while it can be removed there’s no way to know if it really is.

    • Even if 1-4 dioxane isn’t listed on the label it’s a potential contaminate within these ingredients:

      • PPG

      • PEGS, like PEG-40

      • Polysorbate

      • Word ending in -eth, like laureth, steareth, ceteareth

• Preservatives: can cause skin and respiratory irritation

  • Benzisothiazolinone

  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)

  • Methylisothiazolinone (MI)

• Formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers (the ingredient can produce formaldehyde over time)

  • Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and can cause contact dermatitis, allergic reactions, and suspected of causing genetic defects

  • Look for:

    • Methenamine

    • Quaternium-15

    • Diazolidinyl Urea

    • DMDM Hydantoin

    • Imidazolidinyl Urea

    • Sodium Hydroxylmethylglycinate

    • 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol

What about what we wash our dishes with? How eco-friendly is the typical kitchen sponge?

I’ve seen a statistic that the common green and yellow sponge can last up to 52,000 years in a landfill. I searched for a source for this number and couldn’t find one, but I do know that these sponges are made with synthetic fibers take a long time to break down and end up in our oceans and waterways. Cellulose sponges, loofahs, and natural fiber cloths are better options.

So what IS safe?

This question is exactly why I decided to create Detox by Design | The Box. To make it easier to go toxin-free without stressing about what is and isn’t safe.

The Dish Box will include everything you need to detox your dish washing routine: dishwashing detergent, dish soap, an eco-friendly dish washing cloth, and a beautiful towel to dry those dishes!

What else do you want to know about safe dishwashing? Put your questions in the comments!

Is Your Water Safe? Lead, Toxic Chemicals, and What to Know About Water Contaminants

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Detox by Design | The Box

Berkey water filter

In comparison to countries around the world, we are so lucky to have safe water in the United States. But when we hear about water emergencies like that of Flint, Michigan, it makes me wonder how safe our water really is.

Is your water safe? Lead, toxic chemicals, and what to know about water contaminants.

It’s not only a concern for the residents of Flint or just lead that we need to be worried about. There have been additional reports on the safety of water.

On a federal level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in charge of limiting contaminants within our water. In 2009, the EPA’s report, Water on Tap, What You Need to Know, highlighted that while water in the US is generally safe to drink, threats to our drinking water are increasing. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has highlighted the issue of chromium-6, a probable human carcinogen and the water safety issue exposed in the movie ‘Erin Brokovich’, in drinking water supplies ov over more than 200 million Americans. And, in 2016 a Harvard University study highlighted polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) at unsafe levels in the drinking water of 6 million Americans.

The thing that is even more frightening, these are unsafe levels of chemicals that are currently monitored by the EPA. No new pollutants have been added to the list of chemicals monitored by the EPA since 2000 and there are over 2,000 new chemicals created each year. A new law passed in 2016 required the EPA to test unregulated chemicals on the market, a minimum of 20 year at at time each with a seven year deadline - so it could take centuries for the EPA to get through testing all of the existing chemicals being used in the US today.

While the EPA is in charge of establishing the safety of water across the US, there are over 150,000 public water systems that provide and manage water locally. If you are wondering how safe your water is, contact your local water system.

But…the water it tested before it reaches your home or goes through the pipes, fittings, and faucets of your home. Lead can leach into our water through corroding plumbing and sobering materials. Lead pipes are often found in homes and buildings older than 1986.

if you’re curious about testing your water for lead, contact your local water supply system. They may have free or inexpensive tests available to you.

And what about other places we get water. Like at school?

In Washington, the Department of Health tested over 199 schools and preschools who volunteered to be get their water fixtures tested. 97% of the schools tested had at least one water source with levels over one part per billion, the threshold recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Of all the fixtures tested, about 61% tested at or above one part per billion and 5% failed the federal threshold or 15 parts per billion.

Unfortunately, my kids’ schools weren’t a part of these tests, so we don’t even know how safe the water is at their school. Considering the age of the buildings, I don’t feel comfortable with them drinking the water at school.

So how do we make sure we are drinking safe water at home? We use a Berkey water filter. When I fill my Berkey water filter I can actually smell the chlorine in the water coming straight from the tap. Yuck! But what’s not yucky is the delicious water that comes out of my Berkey. It’s hard to drink water from anywhere else now that we have a filter that works so well!

We also hope to get a whole house water filtration system at some point in the future.

While our family can afford a high quality water filtration system, everyone deserves healthy and safe water. We need to pay attention to water policies and vote and support change that makes it so that every person has access to healthy water.

And one more thought…bottled water isn’t the way to go either. Plastic water bottles are bad for the environment and our health (the plastic often leaches chemicals into the water), and even if recycled still pollute the planet. Plus it's usually just bottled tap water.

*I am a Berkey affiliate but truly do love my Berkey filter! I didn’t become an affiliate until I realized how much I loved it.

Mean mom - what my kids think about living toxin-free

Yes, I’m their mom, but I think this podcast is a great reflection of just how sweet my girls are. I had no idea what they would say. I mean, I’m pretty strict about the products I let them to have and most teens and tweens might be pretty annoyed with that. But, the girls were very sweet and excited to participate in this podcast.

I’m not going to summarize everything they said, so just listen to their words, straight from their mouths.

I’d love it if you subscribed, shared, and commented to let me know what you think!

Eco-friendly packaging - how much waste are you creating?

How does eco-friendly packaging connect with toxin-free living? The less waste we create, the fewer toxins will be in our environment

Eco-friendly packaging - how much waste are you creating?

Every choice we make impacts how much waste is created. For example, soap. Do you use bar soap or body wash? Bar soap is usually packaged in paper that is easily recycled. But body wash is usually packaged in plastic, and even if you recycle, that plastic container might still end up in a landfill.

Another example is products that have an outer package as well as the packaging of the item itself. Like a moisturizer that has both the plastic package that hold the moisturizer and then a cardboard package that holds the plastic package of moisturizer. Is that extra cardboard package really necessary?

We also have a lot of packaging in the boxes brought to our doorstep. Many of our shopping habits are turning to online. How can we make more eco-friendly choices with online shopping?

1. Group your orders instead of individual orders just because you want it now and shipping is free.

2. If you use Amazon Prime, request that they minimize the packaging used. Email customer service (cs-reply@amazon.com), call ( 1 -888-280-4331), or live chat on their customer service page and ask them to avoid plastic packaging and extra packaging.

3. Buy in bulk instead of buying single serving packages.

Only about 20% of recycled items are actually recycled. Plastic pollution is making a considerable negative impact on our environment, oceans, and wildlife. Plastic accumulates in our oceans and turn into microplastics. Birds and aquatic life often think microplastics are for food and we don’t know yet how these microplastics are impacting animals or the environment.

I hope I’ve opened your eyes to consciously choosing more eco-friendly packing with every item you buy.

As quoted by Margaret Mead “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Sanitizing vs. cleaning - toxin-free living during a pandemic

I’ve done a couple of blog posts about why I don’t use disinfecting wipes.

Well, here’s the podcast version.

If you’ve reverted back to using wipes because COVID-19, here are some great reminders why they aren’t as effective as you probably think.

Sanitizing vs. cleaning - toxin-free living during a pandemic

First of all, we don’t always need to sanitize, some times we just need to clean up dirt. You don’t need a harsh chemical for that, just a good cloth. I prefer to spray my counters down with a vinegar and water solution.

There are good and bad bacteria in our environment and by killing all bacteria we are creating super bugs and antibiotic resistant bacteria. No bueno!

Most people don’t read the instructions on a wipes container. Did you know you’re supposed to use enough wipes to keep the surface visibly wet for 15 seconds? Or, that it’s recommended to wipe down the surface with potable water and wash your hands after use? Using wipes may not seem as easy as you think if you actually follow the directions.

Plus, most conventional brands contain harmful ingredients.

This is why I created my FREE Safer Wipes Info Sheet. Go check it out and join the Safer Wipes Mission!

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.

Switching to toxin-free deodorant - some tips and tricks

Have you tried toxin-free deodorant and then switched back to your old favorite? Here are some things you should know.

Switching to toxin-free deodorant - some tips and tricks

Why do we need to switch to toxin-free deodorant?

Our skin is our largest organ and what we put on our skin impacts our health. Underneath our armpits lies our lymphatic system and there are some studies that suggest that aluminum in antiperspirants could increase your risk for cancer, especially breast cancer.

Some tips to make the switch easier:

1. Wash with a charcoal soap. My favorite is here.

2. Spray or wipe pits down with alcohol.

3. Try an Armpit detox - it may sound weird, but a mask made of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar can be quite helpful:

   1. Mix equal parts bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar in a non-metal bowl and apply a thin layer to each armpit. Leave on anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. Wash off. 

   2. You can repeat this as often as needed until the rash is gone and you’ve successfully transitioned to safe deodorant.

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.

Making the switch to toxin-free. Just take it one step at a time.

If you’ve just come into the light about products having unsafe chemicals, then you might be feeling kind of overwhelmed. Believe me, I’ve been there before.

Making the switch to toxin-free. Just take it one step at a time.

I work with clients as they switch to toxin-free. Some do it gradually, while others do it all at once.

If you happen to be in the overwhelmed camp, then I suggest you take it one room at a time.

For example, start in the laundry room. Check the ingredients of your laundry detergent. Is it safe?

Are you still using dryer sheets? If yes, please stop. They’re not good for you or the environment - go watch this video.

When you realize a product isn’t safe you have two options:

1. Throw it out and replace it right away. Make sure you dispose of it safely.

2. Or use it up and replace with a safer product when it’s gone.

Wherever you start, I suggest analyzing every ingredient label and if you’re not going to replace it right away, mark the label. Put a big “x” on the label so you know to find a safer product when it’s time to replace it.

But however you choose to switch your products, just start.

Want more help going toxin-free? Download my free guide, join my Facebook group, and follow me on Instagram.

Racism and health - our opportunities for health aren't equal

Police brutality is just one part of the problem. Racism touches every part of our society. Since I focus on how the environment impacts our health, I wanted to share some information that some people may be unaware of.

Racism and health - our opportunities for health aren’t equal

I’ve worked in public health for a long time and in this field we often talk about inequalities in health. How certain races, ethnicities, and groups of people have higher rates of disease. For example, low-income communities often have higher rates of obesity. Many factors play into this, like these areas often have fewer parks and recreational areas for exercise, fewer grocery stores with a wide variety of healthy food, and the individuals who live in these communities often have longer commutes and have less time cook food at home or exercise, and often their local stores have less access to healthy food, you have heard of this referred to as a food dessert. These are just a few examples of what factors into these inequities and this is just one example of a difference in health between population groups. 

When I went to graduate school and got my Master’s of Public Health, the research mostly pointed to SES, or socio-economic status. SES is the comparison of one’s social positioning or class compared to others and education level, income, and occupation are often the main measures of SES. 

Researchers from Columbia University, Jo Phelan and Bruce Link investigated the question  "Is Racism a Fundamental Cause of Inequalities in Health?".

The article mentions that the researchers had previously proposed that SES is fundamental to the causes of health inequalities and that has continued despite the advances and changes in disease, risks, and interventions over time. In their research, Phelan and Link found in their research that health inequalities between races continue because racism is a fundamental cause of racial differences in SES and because SES is a fundamental cause of health inequalities. They also found evidence that racism impacts health independent of SES, largely due to the differences in power, prestige, freedom, health care, and neighborhoods.

So the answer is yes, racism is fundamentally connect to health, disease, and mortality.

So how can we help?

Read, learn, advocate -

1. Advocate and stand up for others - vote, support BIPOC businesses, donate, etc. more resources here.

2. Pay attention to where you spend your money - Does the company make large political donations to candidates that go against your beliefs? Do they have diverse leadership teams, etc.

3. Practicing green living reduces our impact on the earth and helps everyone.

Mom guilt is real, but we're all just doing the best we can.

Here’s something you might not know about me…

I had my first daughter when I was 27. Not exactly a young mom, but definitely younger than my friends. I also had no idea what I was doing.

I hated babysitting and wasn’t a huge fan of babies or kids in general. I’m an only child so I hung out with adults when I was growing up -even when I was young I didn't relate well to other kids.

So there I was, 27, didn't know what the heck to do with this baby, but at the same time I wanted everything for her. I wanted to be the best mom. I had to do all the things, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, making baby food - basically a Pinterest perfect mom years before Pinterest was even a thing.

Luckily, I went to a new mom support group at my local hospital where I not only made some great “mom friends”, I also learned one important lesson - if you don’t take care of yourself first, how can you expect to take care of your kids well?

Yes, I’m talking about being a mom, but I think this is generalizable about any role we play in general. If we aren’t taking care of ourselves, how can we successfully take care of others.

There are times when life gets too crazy and I lose sight of this, but I constantly come back to this when I think about the kind of mom I want to be.

• I want my daughters to learn from my example.

• I want them to know that they are strong women that can accomplish whatever they put their minds to.

• I want them to be confident and courageous and embrace their creativity.

• I want them to realize when they need to take a break and have self-care rituals to lean on when they need them.

• I want them to have a growth mindset that sees challenges instead of limitations and focus on abundance.

Sometimes my take on motherhood might seem selfish but I’m just doing the best I can and what I think is best for my girls.

What’s your mom-life style?

Why You Need to Wear (Safe) Sunscreen Every Day!

Commit to wearing sunscreen EVERY day!

I’m re-sharing this blog post because I still think it’s important to wear SPF every day.

Even though I originally posted this in July of 2019, I still wear my SPF daily, even on days when I don’t leave my house.

Here’s what I shared -

Do you wear SPF every day? I admit it, I didn’t used to. But I recently made the commitment to wear it EVERY day. It is important!

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. My dad has had several malignant melanomas (thankfully all 0 stage or pre-melanomas) and my mom has had one pre-cancer cell removed. This is scary stuff.

There ARE safe sunscreens that can prevent skin cancer! Plus, a daily SPF protects against aging, wrinkles, and sun spots.

I often hear reasons why someone doesn’t need sunscreen. Like, “I’m in an office all day”, “I need the vitamin D” or “it’s raining, do I really need to wear SPF?”. I’m going to bust some myths and hopefully convince you to start wearing SPF every day. It is such a simple way to protect yourself!

I work in an office all day. I don’t think I need to wear SPF every day.

• UVA rays can penetrate through glass - you are exposed to damaging rays while driving. Plus you are exposed while walking into the office and during breaks.

• This jarring photo of a truck driver from the New England Journal of Medicine shows just how damaging the sun can be while driving. This photo is a scary visual of what 28 years of sun exposure can do to the skin.

28 years of UVA ray damage from driving (NEJM)

It rains all the time here, do we really need SPF? 

• 95% of ultraviolet (UV) radiation comes from UVA rays which are 30-50% more damaging than UVB rays. UVA rays are also around year round and come through cloud coverage. On cloudy days 80% of the sun's rays pass through the cloud filled sky.

I prefer to get my vitamin D as naturally as possible, through sun exposure. I don't think I need to use SPF on my face every day.

* I want to start by saying that getting natural Vitamin D through sun exposure is very controversial. I'm not a doctor and I'm not trying to be one. I'm simply sharing information.

• It's true that exposing your skin to sunlight is a great way to get Vitamin D. HOWEVER, you don't need to tan or burn your skin to get Vitamin D, you only need about 15 minutes to get ALL the Vitamin D your body can produce in a single day. The paler your skin, the more easily your skin produces Vitamin D. The Vitamin D Council suggests only exposing your skin for 1/2 the time it takes to get burned. Then it is time to cover up, stay in the shade, and use sunscreen. You also get the most Vitamin D when you expose a large area of your skin, not your face. Exposure to UV light is one of the factors that leads to wrinkles, so we definitely don't want to skip sunscreen on your face, even when spending a few minutes outside getting that natural Vitamin D. 

• You can get Vitamin D through the following foods:
  - Fatty fish
  - Beef liver
  - Egg yolks
  - Fortified milk and orange juice
  - Fortified cereals

• You can also get Vitamin D through a supplement.

Safe SPF & My Favorite Sunscreens

I hope I have convinced you to wear SPF every day. Of course you also need to be aware of the ingredients in your sunscreen! There is a big difference between chemical sunscreen (one that absorbs into the skin) and mineral sunscreen (provides a physical barrier on top of the skin). I prefer mineral sunscreen because they work better and there are more mineral sunscreens with safe ingredients.

You know I’ve done my fair share of label analysis on sunscreens! And I’ve tried a ton! I’ve narrowed down my favorites to those that don’t leave my skin look white and ghostly.

My favorite face sunscreen is Crunchi Sunlight. It is broad-spectrum (blocking both UVA and UVB rays), and uses non-nano zinc oxide while also nourishing the skin with aloe, vitamin E, jojoba esters, açaí, and goji fruit antioxidants. It rubs in well and doesn’t leave the skin greasy or opaque like other mineral sunscreens.

For body my favorite right now is All Good. I think it rubs in better than ThinkSport or Badger, two other brands that use safe ingredients.

What other questions do you have about SPF? What are your favorite safe sunscreens and what do you like about them?

Let's Chat About Greenwashing Again!

Greenwashing really bugs me. Like to my core it annoys me.

I recently was watching a news story on the internet. The story was all about how toxins in our environment are linked with the obesity epidemic. Yep, you read that right. It’s not just poor food and lack of exercise, it’s also related to the endocrine disruptors that lurk in just about everything.

Well…back to my point about greenwashing… the ad before the story was for Grove Collaborative. While the mission for Grove may be good, their methods aren’t. They market themselves as a resource for natural and healthy living. But as we know, the term “natural” isn’t regulated. It just that…a marketing term.

And guess what… Grove Collaborative sells greenwashing products like Mrs. Meyers. Did you know Mrs. Meyers is owned by SC Johnson? Oh, and did you know that Grove Collaborative was created to fit a marketing niche - not necessarily as a method to distribute truly safe products into homes?

What’s greenwashing again?

 Greenwashing is a marketing technique used by companies to imply that their products are green or safe, when they actually aren’t. Some greenwashing terms to look out for are:

• Natural

• Botanical

• Green

• Eco-friendly

• Non-toxic

• Organic

• Preservative-free

• Dermatologist-approved

I don’t know about you, but I get pretty mad when I buy a product and it’s not exactly what I thought it was. Often, I realize that I bought a product simply because I was marketed to.

So what’s the lesson here? Ignore the pretty label and terms on the front of the product. Look on the back. Read the ingredients. This is the only way to truly know if what you’re buying lives up to the claims.

Don't Know Where to Start with Detoxing Your Home? Sign Up for My Masterclass “3 Secrets to Quickly and Easily Detox Your Home”

Imagine what it would feel like to confidently choose safe products while shopping.

Imagine how you’d feel about staying on budget and not worrying about the products you’re bringing into your home.

Imagine following a simple plan to finally get it done.

I started Detox by Design because I found that moms need a little more help with detoxing their homes. Even though I was providing free tips in my Facebook group, Detox by Design Insiders, I kept getting the same questions. I also found that although many knew they needed to do it, but they kept procrastinating because they were getting overwhelmed.

I decided to provide some extra help in a free webinar. In Three Secrets to Quickly and Easily Detoxing Your Home, I’m going to help you overcome procrastination and the immense feeling of overwhelm and finally detox your home. You’ll learn that it can be simple, easy, and affordable to find safe products to use in your home.

And if you want even more help, I’ve created a simple step by step process to make it all easy and achievable. I’ll be sharing all about my new program within the webinar. So go sign up now!

Our School District Banned Disinfectant Wipes! Will Yours Be Next?

Remember back in August when I shared my Safer Wipes sheet with you?

Well, I also shared it with my daughter’s teacher…and she shared it with the principal…and less than six months later, the district banned wipes from being used in the classroom.

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A post shared by Detox by Design by Megan, MPH (@detoxbydesign_meganmikkelsen) on Feb 25, 2020 at 5:16pm PST

I don’t know that my little Safer Wipes sheet actually impacted this change.

But what I do know is that now…

1. Fewer kids are exposed to allergens

2. Fewer kids are exposed to chemicals that can cause asthma

3. And fewer kids are exposed to “fragrance”, the loophole that can hide over 4,000 chemicals within that one term.

I’m a rule follower to my core (first born child, of course). As you can imagine balking the supply list and not buying EXACTLY what was on it was hard for me. I don’t like causing a scene or being different from the pack.

But I’m getting over that. Real change comes from pushing outside of our comfort zone. We need to stand up for what we know is right.

Thank you to the teachers and administrators who stand up for our kids every day!

New Year's Resolutions or Goals? How Are You Preparing for 2020?

It’s almost 2020!

And, if you’re anything like me, you’re still eating Christmas cookies and takeout during this weird time between Christmas and New Year’s. I’m ready to reset my food and fitness routine, but at the same time just waiting for January 1. Why do I do that to myself?

At times in my past I have been more extreme in my New Year’s resets. I’ve done cleanses, Whole 30, and attempted yoga every day. What I’ve learned over the years is that the day the program is over, and in some cases a few days before, I go back to regular eating and less exercise. Yes, it’s usually healthier than where I started, but it still doesn’t seem to work as a long term approach.

So this year I’m trying to be a little more balanced.

I have two major goals for food and fitness as we ring in the New Year.

1. Track what I eat in my daily planner - because when I write it down I’m more aware and I eat less junk.

2. Set a schedule for my workouts. While I may not be make every workout according to the schedule, it will be a sort of “ideal workout calendar”. This will be a starting point to work the rest of my schedule around. This will make exercise more of a priority instead of fitting in my workouts when I can. I will also write them in my planner as I do my weekly planning on Sundays and put the calendar on the fridge so I see it often.

For other goal setting activities, I’m setting aside some time to reflect on this past year and decade.

I’m working on prioritizing my activities based on what truly matters in life - my personal goals and priorities for my family, personal growth, and business. To do this I need to write down and acknowledge where I’m going and who I want to become. These goals and priorities should always be at the forefront of my mind so I can weed out the less important tasks and concentrate on what truly matters.

So tell me…

What are you doing to prep for 2020?

What goals do you have and what are you excited for in the coming year and decade?

How do you approach the New Year and what keeps you motivated to reach your goals?

5 Tips for Staying Sane During Holiday Madness

November is already half over! Does your blood pressure go up just thinking about the mad rush of the holiday season, or is that just me? 

On social media everyone has rose colored glasses when it comes to the holidays. People are talking about putting their trees up before Thanksgiving, listening to holiday music, and watching Hallmark movies every chance they get. 

But let’s be honest, the holiday season is BUSY! I usually notice the madness the weekend before Thanksgiving. I’m not the only person dashing between Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Safeway trying to find tiny plastic packages of thyme and sage that seem to be out at every store in town. Traffic is worse than usual, the house is a disaster, and for some reason the kids want to eat three meals a day plus snacks! 

Do you feel me? Can you relate? Yes, I love the extra cheer and the festive lights, but honestly the business and never ending to do list can get to me.

Here’s when self-care is even more essential. I know, who has time for self-care when it feels like you don’t even have time to go to the bathroom? Believe me, I’ve been there! But over the last year I’ve prioritized my morning routine and taking care of myself so I can take better care for my family. 

For me, self-care isn’t about pedicures, massages, and all day shopping extravaganzas.

Don’t get me wrong, those are awesome, but when I’m strapped for time, and let’s be honest cash, these types of activities don’t ease my weary heart. 

Having an (almost) daily practice of a few morning habits has made a HUGE difference. Tackling these simple tasks first thing in the morning - before checking my phone, reading my email, or unloading the dishwasher - have been key to easier days with fewer frustrations.

Morning habits that help me stay sane during stressful times:

1. Meditation: I’ve tried meditation in the past and I just couldn’t concentrate for more than 2 minutes. Well, at least before I found the Calm app. Nope, it’s not free, but paying for this app encouraged me to commit 10 minutes a day to meditation. Hearing the soft voice and gentle river in the background helps keep keep my mind from wandering and helps me focus on breathing and staying in the moment. 

2. Writing down three tasks to focus on for the day: A never ending to do list is overwhelming. Focusing on only three tasks is much more achievable and keeps me from feeling like I’ll never get it all done.

3. Planning out my day hour by hour: Scheduling out my day puts me in control instead of letting the hours of the day slip by. I put everything in there, including driving time. Visually seeing each hour of the day scheduled helps me stay focused on the tasks I established for the day. 

4. Revisiting my goals through written affirmations. I know this may sound woo-woo, but research confirms that affirmations can positively impact your life. For example, a review of research featured in Annual Review of Psychology, found that affirmations are beneficial in reducing stress, improving academic performance, encouraging behavior change, and improving relationships. This stuff works!  

5. Exercise: I know that when we get busy, exercise often falls to the bottom of our priority list. But it really shouldn’t! When I start getting annoyed with everything - this means I need exercise, and now! I always feel better whether it’s walking the dogs or a super sweaty yoga class. 

I’m feeling a little extra stress right now because we’re in the middle of a move. So I need to stick to my morning habits now even more than ever!

Do you have a morning routine?

What other stress relieving tips to share?