Greenwashing - are you being tricked by marketing?

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.

Greenwashing - are you being tricked by marketing?

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

Go check a label of a product you think is clean. Is it really?

This is the only way to truly know if what you’re buying lives up to the claims and pretty packaging.

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.

US Regulations don't protect us - we have to pay attention

Last week I launched my podcast, Toxin-Free Talk. You can find it here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

One of the first episodes focuses on the lack of regulation on the products we use and bring int our homes.  

Sadly, the US government isn’t protecting consumers. Just because it is sold on shelves doesn’t mean that it is safe. 

I think this quote from Rebecca Sutton, PhD, senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group, sums it up nicely:

“In terms of household cleaners, neither ingredients nor products must meet any sort of safety standard, nor is any testing data or notification required before bringing a product to market.”

US Regulations Don’t Protect Us - We Have to Pay Attention

Cleaning products are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and manufacturers are only required to disclose those chemicals listed on the "chemicals of known concern" list. This means that in some cases you can’t even find the list of ingredients on the label. The EPA doesn't test to see if the products are harmful and they don't require that manufacturers test them for safety. They are considered "Safe until proven dangerous."

Cosmetics are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act. The federal law that governs this 84 billion dollar domestic cosmetics industry is only 2.5 pages of the 829-page Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,  and has not been updated since 1938.

 If you’ve ever navigated the personal care product section of Target, you know that’s a LOT of products for only two pages of regulation.

Europe has much higher standards for product safety.

Many companies make the very same product for global distribution, but the ingredients are different based on where the product is sold!

There are also some major loopholes in our laws

When it comes to product labels, the Fair Package and Labeling Act of 1966 has a major loophole. The ingredient “fragrance, natural fragrance, or parfum” is considered a trade secret under this regulation, allowing companies to hide ingredients and not disclose the full ingredient list. That means, you really have no idea what is in a product if it includes “fragrance”.

The cosmetics industry is an $84 Billion industry with an estimated 12,500 chemicals used. Our cosmetics industry uses roughly 10,000 industrial chemical ingredients in personal care products, and the vast majority have never been assessed for safety by any publicly accountable body.

All of this info here is why I think it’s so important to read your ingredient labels! If you’ve found this info helpful, please comment below and share my post or podcast with a friend!

Switching to toxin-free living - this is my story

Photo Source: Google

I recently recorded my first podcast (to be released very soon). I decided to share my story and how I came to start Detox by Design.

You may be surprised to learn that I didn’t grow up super healthy. My parents definitely tried their best, but it was the 80s.

During a high school assembly, I learned about environmental impacts to communities surrounding a large cattle farm and the impact that beef production has on the local community and greenhouse gases. This first opened my eyes to the fact that the environment around us has a big impact on our health. I even became a vegetarian for a few years after that assembly.

Why I chose to Switch to Toxin-Free Living

I ended up studying sociology with a lot of the focus on health. Then after my undergrad I got my Masters of Public Health degree and after graduation I started working in public health building and implementing programs to help people make healthier choices and prevent disease.

Then I had my first daughter and after I learned about lead in toys and BPA in plastics my eyes were opened to the fact that just because something in sold in a store, doesn’t mean it is safe. I learned about the lack of regulations in the US and I started considering the types of cleaners and products we brought into our home.

So that’s how it all began.

I’ll share my podcast when it’s officially approved by iTunes. I hope you listen, comment, and share!

Get some fresh air and get outside - getting outside is good for your health

I’ve been working mostly at home for over a year now and I love it. But some of you are just starting your telework journey. The adjustment can be difficult, but I think there are some major benefits to the freedom that working at home brings.

One of these is the ability to take more breaks and not be stuck in a cubicle under fluorescent lights all day. I’ve worked in state government for over 12 years and the gray cubicle life was something I lived every day. There were windows but I was never lucky enough to sit near one. Our office also has these claustrophobic, windowless meeting rooms - not a fun place to work.

Get some fresh air and get outside

Not only is getting up from our desk beneficial for our bodies and gives us the opportunity to move move, working from home also makes it easier for us to get outside. Yes, I probably should have gone on more walks when working in the office, but I’ll be honest, the three flights of stairs to get out of the building held me back. It’s ok, you can call me lazy.

I’m sure you’ve heard before that it’s good for you to get outside. Well here’s a few reminders why:

1. Walking in nature boosts memory. According to a study from University of Michigan, walking among trees boosts memories up to 20% more than walks in the city.

2. Spending even just 20 minutes in a park is enough to increase well-being according to research in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research

3. Plus getting outside means you’re getting more movement and Vitamin D and exposure to early morning light is linked with better sleep at night.

Sometimes during my work day I slip out for a quick break and take my shoes off to walk on the grass. Grounding, or earthing, is the idea that positive charges from the earth can work like antioxidants and improve immune system defense.

There has been little research on the impacts of grounding, but some research has show that it benefits cardiovascular health, healing, stress, depression, and fatigue,

While the research may be limited, my thought is, why not try it. You never know what simple changes can be beneficial.

So tell me, are you getting outside and taking more breaks while we’re staying home more? Just because we’re at home doesn’t mean we have to be stuck inside!

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?

Spring Gardening Fun Means a Bounty of Summer Vegetables

With all that’s going on with COVID-19 I’m grocery shopping a lot less. Plus I’m a little nervous about eating raw vegetables because I don’t know who has handled them.

Luckily, it’s spring so we decided to get back to growing our own vegetables.

Thanks to our neighbors, we now have seeds!

Spring Gardening is Fun and Means more Veggies this Summer

I’m not quite sure how much sun we’ll get in this little raised bed, but it’s worth a shot.

The girls helped me plant kale, garlic, artichokes, carrots, and lettuce. Planting from seeds is so quick and easy!

We just used a shovel to draw a line in the soil, sprinkled the seeds down the line, covered the seeds with soil, and then watered the whole bed. Now we just have to figure out how to protect our seeds and veggies from the deer and other critters.

Choosing Seeds

When choosing seeds be sure to avoid GMO (genetically modified organisms), now often called bio-engineered (BE) seeds. These seeds come from gene-splicing in a lab and not in nature. The following plants have GMO seeds available, so be especially careful if you pick up a packet of corn, cotton, soybeans, alfalfa, papaya, zucchini and summer squash, sugarbeets, canola, potato, or apple seeds.

I found this article on garden seeds to be very helpful in choosing which types of seeds to plant:

https://foodrevolution.org/blog/how-to-choose-garden-seeds/

Do you have a vegetable garden? Please share you tips, and I’d love ideas on protecting our bed from visiting animals.

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?

Free Spring Cleaning Challenge - Don't Miss Out!

Did you join my free spring cleaning challenge?

No?

It’s not too late! We just started this morning and since the tasks are simple and easy, you can catch up in no time.

So go do it.

Join in the fun and Green Your Spring Clean Routine!

Need more details?

With spring comes spring cleaning, right? Unfortunately many of the products we turn to for cleaning  are terrible for our health. 

And right now, we’re all thinking even more about our health…

We are all thinking about ways that we can be healthier. While we may be social isolating and washing our hands to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19, health is constantly on our minds right now. What a great time to take advantage of being at home with a spring cleaning challenge. Along with cleaning things up, this challenge will teach you about why it’s important to consider the products you clean with.

So come join us! www.bit.ly/greenyourspringclean

Watch Out for Methylisothiazolinone

Parabens, phthalates, and fragrance are ingredients I often talk about, but I thought it would be good to highlight a lesser known ingredient that should be avoided as well. I have many friends that struggle with eczema. It can be itchy and annoying and hard to get rid of. The ingredient methylisothiazolinone should be avoided if you struggle with eczema. 

What is methylisothiazolinone?

Often called MI, Methylisothiazolinone is a biocide, a chemical substance that controls or kills microorganisms. MI is often found in antibacterial and cleaning products and is used as a preservative. 

MI is another chemical that has been banned for use in personal care products in the European Union (EU) but is still allowed in America. As a reminder, our cosmetics industry uses roughly 10,000 industrial chemical ingredients in personal care products, and the vast majority have never been assessed for safety by any publicly accountable body.

Why avoid methylisothiazolinone?

Methylisothiazolinone can irritate the skin and In 2013, the American Contact Dermatitis Society named MI the contact allergen of the year. Contact dermatitis is a kind of eczema caused when the skin reacts to an allergen. The allergen can be in a product that is applied to the skin or inhaled or ingested. The National Eczema Association names MI, along with fragrance, the metals nickel, cobalt, and chromium, formaldehyde, and other harmful chemicals as the main triggers for contact dermatitis. 

There has also been some concern that MI may be related to organ system toxicity (1) and neurotoxicity (2). This means that Methylisothiazolinone may impact the development and function of the organ system or central and/or peripheral nervous system. Sounds like a good chemical to avoid, right?

As you read labels, Methylisothiazolinone is one to watch out for.

If you’re looking for more help reducing your exposure to harmful chemicals get my Guide to Toxin Free Living.

(1)  Rohm & Haas (2002). Acute Inhalation toxicity study in rate (methylisothiazolinone 53.52% active ingredient). Rohm & Haas Chemicals, LLC Report, 06R-1002.

(2) Burnett, C. L., Bergfeld, W. F., Belsito, D. V., Klaassen, C. D., Marks, J. G., Shank, R. C., … & Andersen, F. A. (2010). Final report of the safety assessment of methylisothiazolinone. International journal of toxicology, 29(4 suppl), 187S-213S.

Spring Cleaning Challenge - Green Your Spring Clean Routine

What a weird world we’re living in right now.

Other than walks in my neighborhood, I haven’t left my house in over 7 days. I don’t know that I have EVER stayed home that much. Even after giving birth. I remember with my oldest I was using the nursing room at Nordstrom 3 days after coming home from the hospital. I just like to get out.

I hope that you are also social distancing so we can hopefully “flatten the curve”.

Have you started any projects since everything was cancelled?

How about spring cleaning?

Want to start together? Chores are always more fun when they’re done with friends.

That’s why I decided to create the FREE Green Your Spring Clean Routine Challenge.

Spring Cleaning Challenge - Green Your Spring Clean Routine

We’re going to do more than clean in this fun challenge. I’ll be sharing enlightening info about green cleaning and what that really means.

Before you start making excuses about how you’re too busy teleworking while homeschooling…believe me I feel your pain…let me tell you that this will be quick and easy and won’t take much time at all.

In this quick and fun 5-day challenge I’ll share a daily video, a simple task to complete, and have time for Q&A. Plus you’ll get support and encouragement from the private Facebook group I’m creating just for this challenge.

Are you in? Just click here: www.bit.ly/greenyourspringclean

Invite a friend too. Because, as I said earlier, chores are more fun with friends ;)

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.

My First Podcast Interview - The Simple Home Podcast. Now That Was an Experience!

Jenna from The Simple Home recently interviewed me and we had a lot of fun!

I love Jenna’s perspective that minimizing clutter and simplifying life can make things easier on moms. I know that has definitely made a big difference for me.

It was an honor to spend an hour chatting with Jenna and sharing with her listeners all about toxin free living, greenwashing, and the first steps to take in living a more toxin free life. We also chatted about our common beliefs around fewer products and simplifying routines.

Take a listen, and let me know what you think! Jenna would love to hear too. Give her a review and comment!

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.

View this post on Instagram

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!

Valentine's Day Recipes to Show Your Love

It's love week. What I mean to say is Valentine's Day is Friday and everywhere I look I see red, pink, and hearts galore.

One of the ways I like to show my love is to cook and bake. 

(Cue my husband reading this email and asking why I haven't baked him any peanut butter cookies lately.)

One of the meals I make just because I want to make him happy is lasagna. Nope, it's not healthy. I use regular lasagna noodles, jarred marinara, and lots of ricotta and mozzarella. Oh yeah, and Italian sausage...but at least the ground beef I use is grass fed on a local farm.

Want my cheater recipe that my husband claims is the best lasagna he's every had? (Isn't he sweet?)

Oh, and if you're looking for other recipes I asked my community in Detox by Design Insiders to share their favorite "special occasion" recipes.

Go add yours now!

Megan's Lasagna

1 package of lasagna noodles

2 jars of marinara sauce

1 package of Italian sausage (I like the spicy variety)

1 lbs. of ground beef

1 small container of ricotta

1 package of shredded mozzarella 

1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Remove sausage from casings and brown together with beef in a deep stockpot on the stove. Once cooked through, add the marinara sauce.

3. While beef mixture is cooking, combine ricotta, mozzarella (saving about 1/2 cup of mozzarella for the top of the lasagna) , and egg.

4. In a 9x13 oven safe pan, add some of the sauce mixture to the bottom or the pan. Using a butter knife, spread the cheese mixture on lasagna noodles and lay noodles in the bottom of the pan creating a single layer.  Add sauce to cover the first layer of noodles. Continue process until the pan is full of noodles and sauce, top with the extra mozzarella, and tightly cover with foil.

5. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the edges are bubbling. Remove foil and let the cheese on top get brown and melted, about 10 minutes.

There you have it. I'm no Martha Stewart but I make a mean cheater lasagna.

Happy Valentine's Day friends!

Flu, Coronavirus, and Planes, Oh My...

Yep, I’m getting on an airplane during the middle of winter. 

Honestly, I’ve never thought about the risk of getting sick when I travel. And, I’m usually looking forward to escaping non-stop rain and the cold dreary weather of the PNW winter.

But I was chatting with some moms last week and they said they avoid air travel during the “sick season”. 

I say, whatever! 

There’s no way I’m missing time in Orlando for Crunchi’s retreat.  I’m super excited to see my friends from across the US, learn about new products coming this year, and feel the energy of so many women sharing essential ingredient education and empowering others to choose safe products for their families.

I’m all about prevention, so I’ve been thinking about what I can do to stay healthy before and while I’m away? 

And I figured you might find this helpful too!

None of these tips are mind blowing, but they’re good reminders of daily habits that can help keep us healthy.

5 tips to stay healthy before and while on vacation:

1. Eat healthy meals and get regular exercise leading up to, and on, your trip. Yep, this isn’t mind blowing information, but eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables and 30 minutes of activity a day is one of the best ways to keep yourself healthy. It’s tempting to let your diet go while on vacation, but eating a healthful diet while away is just better for you.

2. Get extra zzzzs. I know it’s hard not to stay up late packing, but try and get some extra sleep leading up to your trip. I find this is especially helpful for red-eye flights, time changes, and jet lag.

3. Wash your hands. Simple advice, but it works. BTW washing with soap and water actually works better than hand sanitizer...so just take a few minutes to wash up before meals.

4. Drink lots of water. It’s easy to get dehydrated while traveling, so make sure you bring your water bottle and refill often.

5. Unplug and take some time to relax. Honestly, this will be hard for me on this trip especially. On most vacations, I love a digital detox, meditating, reading, and simply doing nothing. But on a trip like this there are activities galore, lots of networking, and so much knowledge being shared. But, this year I’m going to try and manage my excitement by continuing my daily meditation practice and spending a few minutes away from the continual energy buzz.

I hope you found these tips helpful! 

Now it’s your turn. 

How do you prep for a trip and stay healthy while away from home?

Have You Detoxed Your Dude? Men Deserve Safe Products Too!

My guess is that yes, you usually buy your husband's products.

This is great because it gives you the chance to help him detox. In most cases I think this works best in a slow and deliberate manner. Even the most change loving person might freak if their typical deodorant, hair products, and soaps were changed over night.

I've found introducing one product at a time is the best way to slowly reduce your spouse's toxic body burden. I think it's also helpful to explain why you bought something new - you're making more conscious choices and you care about his health.

It's great if you can find products that look similar to what he was using before. Maybe even the same colors on the label or at least "manly" looking. I know this sounds ridiculous, but there is a reason why brands create their own unique logos- they're trying to get a certain type of customer interested in their product! I've found this totally works - men are some of the biggest fans of the Crunchi charcoal body bar!

It's so MANLY, it's BLACK! LOL!

A great brand with a more masculine feel (and safe ingredients) is John Masters Organics. 

So please tell me have you detoxed your dude?

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Break Down Your Toxic Money Mindset!

A few years ago I was a little budget crazy. I'm sure my friends complained that I was being extra "cheap". We were using cash based budgeting to knock out my college loans so we could be debt free (besides our mortgage).

We were paying attention to every cent we spent. Yes, it worked, but it also was a little obsessive and in hindsight it made me realize how much mindset is connected to money and spending.

Have you ever noticed that when you're watching every penny go out of your bank account there’s never enough? Or when you keep thinking "there will never be enough money to..." it ends up being true? A money mindset, or on the flip side, abundance mindset is a real thing. 

I've been working on this for awhile now (I'm still working on it BTW) and it's made me realize how toxic our belief systems can be and just how much these negative thoughts affect our lives. 

Don't get me wrong, I still pay attention to our finances and use a budget system, but I'm doing my best to flip my mindset. What if we switched our thoughts from begrudgingly paying for something to enjoying spending the money because you get to support the store, service, or community with your money.

For example, instead of thinking "Ugh, it's so expensive to get my hair done" to "I love financially supporting my hair stylist. I get to spend an hour relaxing and talking with her and I always leave feeling confident and beautiful." It just feels better! I've found that "feeling" is so much more and permeates into my life with abundance instead of scarcity.

One book I found really helpful with this is Kate Northrup's book Money, A Love Story: Untangle Your Financial Woes and Create the Life You Really Want. Have you read any great books that have helped you reframe your money mindset? I'd love to hear!

So what do you think? Are you doing your best to live with abundance?

Toxin-Free Living New Year's Resolutions? Time to Tackle Them!

We're almost a week into 2020 and I'm still talking about resolutions. And while I don't really believe in "resolutions" (I mean who can really keep a resolution for an entire year?), I do like the idea of resetting back to healthier living after the holidays.

January 1 may be the day that many people re-start, but I'm never quite ready. I usually have a slight hangover (I'm just being honest here) and we spend New Year's Day watching football and enjoying your typical football watching fare (like chips and guacamole and yes...fake cheese). 

If this is your year to detox your home and personal care products buuuut you haven't quite started yet, I'm here to tell you that it's not too late! And, if you want help, I'm here for you, just choose your level: 

Level 1 (free): Keep reading these emails for tips and get support through my online community. 

Level 2 (affordable one-on-one support): In my Virtual Visits ($99) I chat with my clients about the steps it takes to detox your home and every day products. Book a session and I'll analyze what you're using and suggest safer options. This is a fast yet effective way to get it done. 

Level 3 (coming soon based on demand): Are you one of those people that just wants to be sent a box of safe products so you don't have to worry about reading ingredient labels and still wondering what to buy? Well, I'm creating a "box" for that. I'm still working out the logistics and will start small and may deliver myself to local clients - so respond and let me know you're interested! 

Detox by Design "The Box" will include just what you need - cleaning products, laundry, and/or body and hair care - what do you need the most help with? 

As always, thank you for reading and supporting me in my mission to help women feel confident in choosing safe products for their families.