The PMS Diet!

Who else experiences PMS symptoms of existential dread and sadness which suddenly turns into rage and then after 5 minutes you realize you are on an emotional roller coaster and this is not how you really are?? I DO, and it used to be so much worse before I found out we could eat the right foods to lessen these manic feelings!! That’s just the emotional part of it, but the physical symptoms of cramps, acne, breast tenderness, lower back pain, BM issues, bloating, and fatigue can also be balanced with the proper nutrients.

When I was in college I knew nothing about nutrition. I moved away from my luxury of home cooked food, so my diet predominantly consisted of Wendy’s, a lot of prepackaged foods, and eating out a majority of the time. Definitely not the healthiest time period of my life, but we live and we learn! Since 2018 I’ve been implementing healthier dietary and lifestyle choices and now in 2023 I can say with confidence that what we put into our body and how we nourish it is so important.

My mood swings have severely reduced, they do occur on occasion but I can attribute it to my hormones and instead of being hard on myself, I’m trying to be understanding of it. The physical symptoms for me used to be so much more intense than they are now! In Traditional Chinese Medicine, they say if women feel discomfort it’s associated with an imbalance. Eating the right foods help bring your hormones and body into balance.

It’s key to limit and/or avoid high sugar, artificial/processed foods, and foods using white flour such as white bread, pastas, and pizzas. Focus on eating whole foods consisting of lean protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, polyphenols, anthocyanins that inhibit inflammation which can help with cramps and also protect against oxidative stress.

Omega 3 fatty acids from fish, nuts, and seeds promote a healthy inflammatory response as well and can help with mood.

Dark chocolate can curb the sugar cravings and is a source of iron and magnesium. Iron is necessary due to the loss of iron during our cycle and magnesium promotes a positive mood and relaxes the smooth muscles which can also be beneficial for cramps.

Lentils and beans are a good source of protein for those following a vegetarian diet. Avocados and ghee (clarified butter) are other fantastic healthy fats. Filling in nutritional gaps with food is essential for whole body health.

Skipping Breakfast Part 2

I’m back with part 2 of the skipping breakfast series. Here is part 1 if you need a recap! What else could happen if we skip breakfast?

It may cause irregular periods and worsen PMS symptoms. During these times its best to know which foods to eat and avoid to lessen those symptoms. (Blog on that coming out soon!)

It may increase obesity risk as it can lead to unhealthy cravings and binge eating during other meals. It can also increase the risk of hypoglycemia and cause a limitation of our daily fiber intake.

I’m not trying to scare you into thinking it is all negative if you skip breakfast. If done in a healthy way, intermittent fasting is a great way to get your body into ketosis (burning fat for energy). It activates autophagy which is the body’s natural pathway for clearing out cellular debris. Benefits to intermittent fasting include anti-aging, weight loss, and it can also regulate blood glucose levels.

It is all about what you choose to eat, eating a breakfast that is filled with sugar and white flour should be limited. Cereal, pancakes, waffles, and donuts are foods that lack adequate nutrition, and these foods don’t contain protein and are rich in simple carbohydrates that digest quickly causing hunger to happen more frequently. This can lead to unhealthy snacking choices. Foods that are rich in protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats are foods that will promote satiety until lunch time, which can help avoid overeating throughout the day.

Skin Wellness

Beauty begins from within! What if I were to tell you that skincare can be linked to our hormones, our gut health, and our diets. Did you know that psoriasis and eczema are skin disorders that originate from leaky gut?? Many skin issues can clear up if our hormones are brought into balance, we heal our guts, and make changes to our diets so we get more nutrients into our bodies.  A lot of topical products contain chemicals that can actually be detrimental to our health, so always look out for clean brands. Long term exposure to toxins that penetrate our skin (our largest organ!) and into our tissues can be a cause for certain cancers and illnesses such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Even prescription steroid creams and oral antibiotics can wreak havoc on our gut microbiome, which further exacerbates skin issues. In addition, those are only band-aid solutions to a bigger root condition that can be healed through diet and lifestyle.

So what can you do to begin your skin wellness regimen?

1. Eat less sugar and processed foods
2. Eliminate food sensitivities
3. Fix the gut imbalance
4. Eat an omega-3 rich diet
5. Optimize nutrient status
6. Exercise and sweat regularly
7. Get great sleep
8. Curb stress levels with active relaxation
9. Be careful with toxic skin products

Here is a list of clean cosmetic brands!

20 Best Clean Makeup Brands for 2022

A Novel Form of Cholesterol Reduction

Surprise! I’m back with fun new wellness nuggets of wisdom. I recently got a new job so as I was transitioning into that roll I took another blog hiatus. Sometimes life is like that, it’s wise to take a small break to come back roaring with a new you!

So I recently learned of a probiotic strain that can help manage cholesterol. Many people don’t know what probiotics are, so essentially they are beneficial bacteria that can help keep the microorganisms in your gut balanced. When your gut bacteria is balanced, it just so happens that other aspects of the mind and body can follow along. This probiotic strain known as Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 has been clinically researched to control LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and total cholesterol. BUT HOW?? Well let me tell you!!! This probiotic does so by removing cholesterol out of the body into the stool and by increasing the metabolism (breakdown) of cholesterol in the liver.

In addition to cholesterol lowering benefits, another study showed its ability in reducing the inflammatory marker known as C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. The C-reactive protein marker is used to evaluate the risk of developing coronary artery disease which is the most common cause of heart attack. Fibrinogen is a protein produced by the liver that promotes clotting, having high fibrinogen levels are associated with the risk of harmful clots, heart disease, and strokes.

BUT WAIT THERES MORE!!!! Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 has been shown to boost vitamin D levels by more than 25%! Most people believe that cholesterol is the enemy, however, our bodies NEED cholesterol to form cell membranes and create very important hormones, amongst other things. The key is realizing that we need to lower our (“bad”) cholesterol known as LDL and raise our (“good”) cholesterol known as HDL.

What Happens When You Skip Breakfast? Part 1

I was an avid skipper of breakfast in high school, not because I wanted to but I would have to be there at 7:20am and my tummy was NEVER ready to eat at 6:45am. I bet there are a lot of people that can relate… Now that I reflect back on those times… I can clearly remember starving my entire morning and not giving my full focus to whatever I was learning, I was just waiting for lunch. I didn’t have lunch until 12:12pm, and until then I was just starving myself and I can see how it impacted my motivation to be in school and learn.

Fast forward 10 years… Ever since I became a responsible adult with a full time job I HAVE to eat breakfast, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Breakfast is the fuel that gets me going to have a productive day, to stay focused and it regulated my entire eating schedule to stay energized throughout the day. So what happens when we skip breakfast??? Let’s find out!

When we don’t eat breakfast we increase our chances of getting type 2 diabetes due to insulin resistance and hormone regulation. When we are hungry our body releases a hormone called ghrelin, this stimulates our appetites. When we are full, our body releases leptin, which is the satiety hormone and a huge component in weight loss. When we neglect the messages our body is telling us, something is bound to happen. In this case, not giving nourishment to our body with food when it needs it, is like not giving a car gas when it’s about to run out of fuel. Hormonal imbalances are a leading cause of so many other diseases such obesity, autoimmune diseases like type 1 & 2 diabetes, PMS, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are to name a few.

Insulin is a hormone our body uses to convert glucose (a sugar found in carbohydrates) into energy. When we don’t eat food our blood sugar levels drop and obviously we all know what happens when we don’t eat… we get mean! HAHA! Over time our pancreas keep releasing more and more insulin until we become insulin resistant which is when our cells don’t respond to insulin anymore, resulting in type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol levels AKA heart disease.

Another negative side effect of not eating breakfast is increased levels of the stress hormone, cortisol! It also increases acid reflux. When our body feels hungry it releases acid for digestion and if there is no food to digest it’s just going to sit in your gut causing further issues.

As seen with holistic medicine, when one part of the body is affected by disease, it could be linked due to the neglect of another part of the body. So pleaseeee eat breakfast!!! I know it can be hard, I’ve been there and as I made it an everyday routine to eat in the morning it became easier and easier to do. Even something small like fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, (watch out for excess sugar!), or eggs, will get rid of that brain fog, fatigue, lack of concentration and will replace it with lots of energy, motivation and good health!

Root Causes of Hormone Imbalances

Hormonal imbalance is a root cause for so many other illnesses such as PMS, PCOS, autoimmune disorders, and mental health disorders, but what is the root cause of the hormonal imbalance in the first place?

If we want to feel good, look our best and thrive in every area of our lives, our hormones need to be working together in harmony. If something feels off, it probably is, our bodies can tell us best. However, it can be hard to heal it completely if we don’t know where it stems from. Some common root causes for hormone imbalance that may manifest as symptoms include:

Chronic stress: When our bodies experience a stressful event, it goes into survival mode. This is when our adrenal glands pump out our stress hormone, cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels tell our body to divert resources from anything not seen as important (i.e. digestion, a healthy period, and ovulation) in a life or death situation, so our body can allocate all of our energy on our survival. Over time this depletes our hormone levels, leading to fatigue, infertility, acne, PMS, PCOS, constipation, diarrhea, and insomnia.

Blood sugar imbalances: blood sugar balance is key for healthy hormone function. Eating excessive sugar, processed foods, overconsumption of alcohol and caffeine, skipping meals, not sleeping, and high stress activities disrupt sugar levels by causing it to spike and then crash. This leads to insulin constantly releasing, resulting in insulin resistance. This is a major contributor to PMS, PCOS, diabetes, cravings, and brain fog.

Dieting or undereating: If our diets aren’t providing us with enough energy to make our hormones, it’ll prioritize the production of the stress hormones first because they are essential for survival. This leads to unhealthy fluctuations in our hormone levels, triggering unwanted symptoms like infertility, stubborn weight loss, irregular periods, brain fog, constipation, etc.

Gut conditions: When the gut bacteria becomes unbalanced, food and nutrients aren’t absorbed well and larger particles cross the gut lining, known as leaky gut. This leads to food sensitivities and increases inflammation in the body. It also affects hormone production, as nutrient absorption via our gut is necessary to synthesize hormones.

Having a baby: Pregnancy can lead to hormonal imbalance due to nutrient depletion, lack of sleep, and extreme hormone fluctuations postpartum. These usually show up in the form of thyroid conditions, low progesterone or excess estrogen.

Overtaxed liver: Our livers are responsible for filtering out toxins and excess hormones. When the liver gets overloaded with caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, toxins, and heavy metals, it ineffectively processes hormones, specifically estrogen, dumping it back into our bloodstream. This leads to estrogen dominance which is a key component of painful periods, fibroids, cysts, and breast cancer.

Birth control/medications: Birth control, antibiotics, anti-depressants, and other common drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen (NSAIDs) cause gut dysbiosis. Recent research also shows that synthetic birth control shrinks your clitoris and ovaries, reduces the body’s ability to absorb nutrients needed for fertility and menstruation, and increases the risk of autoimmune diseases.

Are You Taking Birth Control?!

Birth control pills are synthetic hormones that make your body believe it’s pregnant by releasing high levels of estrogen. This has been used for decades but let’s not be fooled that this pill doesn’t come with risks to female health. It has been known to increase the risk of liver, breast, and cervical cancers, increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks, raise blood pressure and decreases bone density. It causes candida overgrowth, migraines, and increases the risk of blood clotting and infertility. These are the long lasting negative effects of taking the pill, the side effects associated with this that regulate over a course of a few months or until changed by a medical doctor, include acne, spotting, depression, fatigue, bloating, headaches, insomnia, mood swings, weight gain, nausea, and breast tenderness.

Taking birth control pills alters the bacterial composition of the gut, this causes an overgrowth of yeast which can lead to leaky gut and can be detrimental to your overall health and immunity. Read more about leaky gut (here) to learn more about how leaky gut causes inflammation which leads to a plethora of other chronic illnesses such as hypertension, heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and digestive issues, such as IBS. Prolonged use of birth control leads to a higher risk of depression, which some doctors prescribe anti-depressants for instead of just taking away the birth control. It also increases the risk for infections and depletes vitamins from the body, including B2, 6, and 12, vitamins C and E, and minerals such as selenium, zinc, and magnesium, this compromises thyroid function.  

So yes I know doctors prescribe the pill for women with a heavy flow or pain, with acne or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), however, all these are “messages” your body is sending you to show you a deeper root cause which can be healed holistically. Hormonal imbalances and nutrient/mineral deficiencies are generally the cause of these uncomfortable symptoms of PMS or PCOS. If you have a heavy flow, try implementing an iron supplement or iron rich foods into your day. I personally had really bad PMS symptoms a few years ago, it was more mental than anything,  but now, and I won’t say they are entirely gone, because healing is an everyday journey that never ends and it’s all about accepting and enjoying that! I can definitely say that 3-4 years later with taking care of my health and my diet I’ve noticed vast improvements in my mood and also my skin and hair!

Even though birth control can be a good contraceptive, is it worth increasing your risk of cancer and other chronic illnesses? What is your health worth to you?

The Dangers of Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)!

With our technological world advancing rapidly, there is a link between high exposure of EMFs (electromagnetic fields) and negative health effects such as cellular damage. First off as human beings we have an invisible electromagnetic field surrounding our bodies, you know this when you get a static shock… we are electric! When we are exposed to fields that interfere with ours, that when our cells start mutating on a genetic level leading to cancer, for example.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer claims that EMFs are possibly carcinogenic to humans and could lead to a higher risk of various cancers, including leukemia. One of the largest studies involving high exposure of cell phone usage to a brain and spinal cord cancer known as glioma shows that this type of cancer is more often found on the same side of the head that people use to speak on their phones.

Over 2 dozen recent studies suggest that low frequency EMFs may cause neurological and psychiatric problems, causing changes in human nerve function within the body, affecting mood and sleep. Devices that emit low frequency EMFs include microwaves, radars, radios, cell phones, TVs, tablets, computers, computer screens, laptops, electrical power strips, cable boxes, Wi-Fi-routers, Bluetooth devices, cell phone towers, Wi-Fi towers, light dimmers, and powerlines, are only some, X-rays and MRIs emit higher frequency radiation. Constant exposure to these things in our environment and devices on a daily basis build up over time that’s why it is vital to implement grounding devices to protect your immediate area from radiation exposure.

Grounding devices can be expensive, some ways to limit exposure to radiation on a budget is to turn off any power strips in your room while you’re sleeping so the TV, cable box, computer and screen are turned off, put your phone on airplane mode away from your head. Make sure all electronic devices are shut off and put far away from your body, most people use TV to help fall asleep, however, the artificial light emitted from the screen is depleting our melatonin levels (the sleep hormone).

Prolonged exposure over time to these low frequency emitting devices may cause symptoms such as headaches, chronic fatigue, insomnia, issues with memory and concentration, irritability, nausea, weight loss, loss of appetite, anxiety, and depression, and possible changes in electrical brain activity. There isn’t anything to be worried about if you are aware of the concern and you take the steps to reduce exposure. I’m not one of those conspiracy theorists claiming 5G caused Coronavirus, haha but it is important to be aware of what we are exposed to in our environments and what it’s doing to us on a genetic/biological level. If you are interested in creating a completely EMF free zone look up how to create a Faraday Cage.

Reference: https://www.healthline.com/health/emf

Our Hormones!

We know we have hormones but do we even know what they do? I’ll let you know what’s going on in our body! When I first started observing how I felt when I’d read an angry text or watch an awesome show/movie I realized I could FEEL my hormones going through my body. This is how I became conscious of my body and how I could stop feeling “that type of way” during an uncomfortable situation. I used to be a very angry person, who can relate? But now I passively listen and observe and I don’t let my body control me, I control my body! Have you ever been in a heated texting match with your partner because you just need to get your point across, and you can feel your blood boiling? Or how about when your stomach is grumbling or you feel so full that you can’t eat another bite? These are all messages from our hormones! Many hormones are created in the gut and sent to the brain via the gut-brain axis so it’s so important to maintain a healthy gut!! (Check out my post on the link between the gut and brain!)

Ghrelin – is our hunger hormone, this increases when we have a LACK of sleep! Make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to keep this in balanced because this hormone regulates our appetite. If we aren’t getting restful sleep, our appetite will crave very unhealthy things like sugar and salt at very unhealthy times!

Leptin – is our satiety hormone, this is released when we are feeling full, therefore, decreasing our appetites. So when you feel like you’re full DON’T OVER EAT!!! Even if you feel like you’re wasting food, be conscious of how much you can eat beforehand so you don’t feel regretful later about wasting food. This hormone increases our metabolism.

Insulin – this is something everyone has obviously heard of, diabetics everywhere! Insulin converts glucose into glycogen (stored glucose) and fat and it lowers blood sugar by converting glucose into energy. It stimulates the absorption of amino acids as well as protein synthesis in our muscles.

Growth hormones – also stimulates protein synthesis and amino acid absorption. It breaks down fats for energy and it promotes cell production.

Glucagon – breaks down glycogen for energy by increasing blood glucose levels, this results in a release of insulin.

Testosterone – these are male sex hormones, women also have this in small amounts. It regulates protein synthesis as well as increasing muscle and bone density growth.

Estrogen – these are the primary female sex hormones also found in small amounts in men. It enhances HDL blood levels (good cholesterol) so it’s vital to keep this in balance because excess can lead to breast cancer and heart disease, and watch out for those estrogen mimickers everywhere! (Check out my blog on endocrine disrupters). It also increases growth hormone and cortisol and promotes lung function.

Cortisol – this is released when we are stressed, so excess cortisol will store and lead to chronic inflammation. When cortisol is released, it raises the heart rate, pressure, and glucose levels in response to the stress. This is responsible for breaking down proteins and fats for energy. Try observing how you feel the next time your blood is boiling, that’s cortisol running through your blood.

Adrenaline – breaks down glycogen and fat for energy, it’s released when we are ready to fight or flight. High levels of adrenaline as a result of chronic stress can also lead to chronic inflammation and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Remember chronic inflammation leads to illnesses such as heart disease and obesity.

Oxytocin – is the hormone that is released during childbirth and sex, it’s also found in breast milk. It’s the hormone that is also released when we stare into a cat, dog, or baby’s eyes and feel that feeling of unconditional love!

Dopamine – this hormone regulates how our brain perceives and experiences pleasure, which is when it is released. Constantly releasing this hormone can lead to addictive habits to recreate that pleasurable experience.

Seratonin – this is responsible for regulating mood, sleep, and digesting food. 95% is created in the gut, so consider most mental health issues like depression and anxiety may just stem from an imbalanced gut. Excess serotonin may cause sleep issues, while low serotonin leads to crippling anxiety, it’s all about maintaining a balance.

Melatonin – this hormone is created in our pineal gland when it begins getting dark outside to let our brain and bodies know it’s ready to wind down and get ready for bed. This regulates our circadian rhythm and when we have artificial light all around us, including TVs and cell phones the blue light depletes our melatonin production which can cause all sorts of sleep and health issues.

There are so many other hormones that I haven’t mentioned, these are just some that we’ve all heard of at some point in time and could perhaps be familiar with. We should all know what happens in our bodies!!

Lets Boost Our Immunity for Covid-19!

Hey guys and gals!! I hope everyone is staying safe during these trying times. It’s a crazy unpredictable situation right now in our lives, but we will eventually overcome this together! I’ve personally been an anxious mess because of how uncertain everything is, things are changing every minute and that really put me into a funk. After a while I had to really recognize all that I could be grateful for, my job, my healthy family, my happy home environment, my access to food and water, this started to bring me out of darkness. Let’s take advantage of this time to bring out the best in ourselves, help wherever you can, provide support to those that are in need. This is a great time to show everyone that the human race is actually a collective consciousness with compassion and empathy, take note toilet paper and hand sanitizer hoarders!!!

So after a month of being in a catatonic panic state I’m back with more health and wellness information so you can use this time to develop a new lifestyle to keep your body and immunity in tip top condition to fight that Covid-19!!

So let me tell you about how many chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis in our internal and external environments that interfere with our body’s hormones. Constant exposure to these chemicals have been linked to developmental, immune, brain, and reproductive disorders and eventually lead to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancer, allergies, and some autoimmune disorders. These chemicals mimic our hormones causing an imbalance in the production of our vital hormones, and hormonal health is so crucial because it’s linked to mental health disorders as well. Hormone disruptors interfere with hormone signaling, they compete with essential nutrients, they bind to essential hormones, they accumulate in the organs that produce hormones and they cause premature cell death. How are we exposed to these? Through cosmetics, plastics, detergents, toys, certain foods and drinks, the environment, and pesticide use on produce, so essentially through our skin, our diets, the air, and our water supply.

Flame retardants (PBDEs) – this chemical imitates thyroid hormones and disrupts thyroid activity. It is found in almost all furniture with foam, mattresses, couches, cabinets, carpets, etc. To avoid this you’ll really have to do research on the furniture that does not contain this, you can also use a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner to reduce exposure.

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) – are found in non-stick cookware (Teflon), microwave popcorn bags, household cleaners, cosmetics, furniture, packaged food containers, and clothing. PFC breaks down into PFOA which does not biodegrade, it affects thyroid and sex hormone levels and is linked to low birth weight, thyroid and kidney disease, high cholesterol, and sperm quality. Avoid eating microwavable popcorn, avoid using non-stick cookware, and make your own cleaners.

Glycol Ethers – are found in cleaning products, cosmetics, paints, and brake fluid. Exposure is linked lower sperm count, blood abnormalities, asthma and allergies. LOOK OUT FOR THIS WHILE COVID-CLEANING!!! Don’t lose sight of your long term health while cleaning away trying to protect yourself from coronavirus. To avoid this, use cleaners that have more natural ingredients, make your own cleaners using vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils.

Atrazine – is an herbicide used on corn which in turn contaminates the water supply. It has been linked to delayed puberty, prostate cancer, and breast tumors. Eat organic produce and drink filtered water.

Lead – also might know this one, it’s linked to nervous system problems, miscarriages, premature birth, hearing loss, kidney damage, increased blood pressure, and brain damage. It disrupts hormones that regulate the body’s stress system. Lead is found in paint and in drinking water so make sure you filter your water!!

BPA (Bisphenol A) – this is one everyone has heard of because it is found in a lot of plastics, cans, thermal receipt paper, fast food wrappers, and polycarbonate. BPA mimics estrogen and is linked to reproductive issues, and cancers including breast cancer. How can you avoid this? Many companies are now aware of the adverse health effects so some plastics say NO BPA on it, avoid canned foods, and opt for fresh foods or the tetra packs (paper), use glass containers instead of plastic Tupperware.

Organophosphate pesticides – affects behavior, fertility, and brain development and is a commonly used pesticide on our produce. So buy organic produce when you can, search out for the Dirty Dozen list of produce which contain the most pesticides and also check out the Clean 15 list of produce that does not contain pesticides and can be bought non organic.

Mercury – is found in farmed fish so check out my blog on the fish with the least amount of mercury! Bigger fish have more and smaller fish have less, so go for the salmon and the trout.  Mercury causes brain development issues in fetuses, so pregnant woman should avoid at all costs! Mercury binds to a hormone that regulates the menstrual cycle and ovulation, this prevents our hormones from working correctly. It also damages cells in the pancreas which may cause diabetes (Lifestyle illness!!)

Perchlorate – alters thyroid balance by competing with iodine which is necessary for the thyroid to make hormones. These hormones regulate metabolism, brain and organ development. It is found in tap water so avoid that by drinking filtered water, you can install a reverse osmosis filter! To counter the effects of this chemical, make sure you are getting plenty of iodine throughout the day.

Dioxin – is a byproduct released during industrial manufacturing and can be found in non-organic meat and dairy. You can avoid this by cutting out or reducing meat and dairy or buying it organic. Dioxin affects the immune and reproductive systems.

Phthalates – are found in toys, shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, cosmetics, lotions, scented candles, air fresheners, nail polish, and laundry detergents. These have been known to cause hormonal changes, birth defects, thyroid irregularities, diabetes, and obesity. Avoid plastic food containers and any cosmetic products that have added fragrance to it, always look at the ingredients of your cosmetics! Most toys have this chemical removed now, thankfully, we do NOT need to be exposing infants to this kind of stuff.

Arsenic – messes with how our body processes sugar and carbohydrates, this disruption leads to weight gain/loss, insulin resistance (leads to diabetes), immunosuppression, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, protein wasting, and growth deficiency. Avoid this once again by filtering your water and avoiding conventional rice and pastas.

Triclosan – is found in anti-microbial and personal care products like body wash, toothpaste, and deodorant. Once again be careful with all that hand sanitizer, it becomes resistant to bacteria after a while and can be harmful to our health in the long run!

I’ve come to realize that our water supply is highly toxic to our overall health, that’s quite ridiculous considering we need water to survive!! Thank you for those that made it to the end ❤ I love and appreciate that you take an interest in what will help us all achieve a more balanced mind, body, and soul!