2202 TPES

walking in wellness
A 5-STEP GUIDE TO NONTOXIC LIVING ON ANY BUDGET

dr. courtney kahla

HOLISTIC WELLNESS + CHIROPRACTIC CARE
contents
04 about dr. courtney
08 about this guide
12 the worksheets
13 steps to wellness
14 STEP 1: EVALUATE
16 STEP 2: RESEARCH
23 STEP 3: BUDGET
26 STEP 4: SWAP
29 STEP 5: REPEAT!

30 cornerstones
31 WATER
37 AIR QUALITY
43 SLEEP

49 food
50 FOOD SOURCING
57 CONVENIENCE FOODS
63 SUPPLEMENTS
69 COOKWARE
75 FOOD STORAGE
contents
81 body
82 ORAL HEALTH
88 SKINCARE
94 HAIRCARE
100 MAKEUP
106 DEODORANT
112 FEET
118 CLOTHING
124 FEMININE HYGIENE
130 home
131 CLEANING
137 LAUNDRY
143 HOME FURNISHINGS
149 LAWN & GARDEN

155 tech & travel

156 EMF PROTECTION
162 PHONE & SOCIAL MEDIA
168 OFFICE
175 AIR TRAVEL

181 disclaimer
182 about updates
183 affiliates
184 upcoming guides
 Hey y'all! I'm Dr. Courtney:
daughter of the King, wife to Brandon, mama to
Ro s ie , o w n e r a nd c h i r op r a c t or a t Ou r We l l Hou s e, f o u nde r o f t h e Ne r v ou s S y s t e m
C e n t e r e d C h ir op r a c t or D i r e c t or y, a nd onl i ne a dv oc a t e f or h e a l t h a n d we lln e ss — i n t h a t
o r de r ! It i s my b e l i e f t h a t t h e b o d y i s a g i f t u ni qu e ly de si g ne d by ou r Cr ea t or . M y mis s ion
is t o in s p i r e p e op l e t o f e e l e m p owe r e d a n d h e a lt h y wi t h i n t h e i r bodies, t o ser ve a s ma ny
pe o pl e a s I c a n t o br i ng g l or y t o G o d, a nd t o e du c a t e pe ople of a l l a g es t o t a k e a c t io n
s t e ps t o w a r d s ow ni ng a nd m a na g i ng a li f e wi t h v i t a li sm. I ' m so g l a d y ou f ou nd y ou r w a y
t o t h i s r e s o u r c e , a nd m y p r a y e r i s t h a t i t c ont i nu e s t o g u i de y ou r jou r ney t o h ol is t ic
h e a l t h a n d w e l l n e s s f or y e a r s t o c o me .

ABOUT DR. COURTNEY

e
wher you
local to dallas, tx? not from dallas?
CHECK OUT MY PRACTICE FIND A CHIROPRACTOR
can
fin d m e
04
 meet the kahlas
brandon: husband, father,
real estate agent, & comic relief
courtney: wife, mother, holistic chiropractor,
& researcher of all the things
rosie: daughter, gift from God,
and light of our lives
05
ABOUT DR. COURTNEY
 i l y m i ssion
our fam

Jesus Christ is our leader and King. We seek to honor Him with
our thoughts, actions, and words. We desire to be known as
ABOUT DR. COURTNEY

people of character, courage, and commitment. Our mission is to

be vessels used by God to produce disciples around the world.
Our purpose is to bring Him glory.
06
 thians 13 othy 2
r i n :4 tim :2
o - 2
c

8
1

GROWING
LOVING GOD, OURSELVES
FAMILY, AND ALONG WITH
OTHERS AS OTHERS IN
CHRIST HAS WISDOM,
LOVED US MATURITY, AND
RIGHTEOUSNESS

love growth
family values
mobilization initiative
MOBILIZING
TAKING
OURSELVES AND
INITIATIVE WHEN
OTHERS TO BE
GOOD WORK
STRATEGIC WITH
NEEDS TO BE
07

OUR LIVES FOR

DONE
ABOUT DR. COURTNEY

GOD'S GLORY
ro 5
ma - 1 ga
ns 10 :1 4 latians 6:9
 about this guide

08 ABOUT THIS GUIDE

 what does it mean to be healthy?
what exactly is “wellness”?

What you believe about these questions will I am a Doctor of Chiropractic. That means I
inform the way you approach your journey to a spent four years studying health promotion and
nontoxic life. If you are actively engaged in the another four years specifically studying
health and wellness space online, you have chiropractic. I now serve my practice members
likely heard a wide variety of claims, with an emphasis on assessing and caring for
recommendations, personal anecdotes, and the nervous system first and foremost, as this is
more from people who are professionals in one foundational to functioning the way God
area or another. Unfortunately, many of those intended.
statements contradict each other and leave
people confused about what actions they need
the more I learn and study, the
to take. more I find myself embracing
simplicity in all things.
my goal for every aspect of
health and wellness is to seek As I have shared online what I am learning,
and embrace God’s design. more and more people have been interested in
following along. This has resulted in an online
That is also the goal for this resource you are community of incredible people who are also
currently reading. Our bodies, minds, and souls seeking to be their own advocates for their
were all created with intricate detail and health and well-being, and that of their families.
intention by an all-knowing Designer. When we
try to circumvent His intentions or over-
complicate things, we no longer move within
our lives the way we were created to be.
09
ABOUT THIS GUIDE

follow along and

join our community
I didn’t begin sharing about holistic health to be an “influencer" but that
is a role I hold with great humility and responsibility.

I don’t want you to look at my life and assume that yours needs to mirror
it exactly in order to achieve health and wellness. We are unique
individuals, with different histories and lifestyles, and your choices should
be the best for you. Without knowing you personally, I cannot hope to
give you specific advice… Nor am I legally allowed to give you medical
advice at all (oh hey there, Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners!).

Instead, my intention has always been to equip you with the confidence
and resources to create an action plan that is sustainable for your own
life.

I want you to feel like you are truly in charge of

your family’s health and wellness.

This can be a difficult thing to begin if you are not used to doing research,
analyzing sources, or even knowing how to find alternative products. This
guide serves as a 5-step framework to help you outline what that journey
will look for you:

1 2 3 4 5
EVALUATE DO DETERMINE
MAKE
YOUR YOUR YOUR REPEAT!
SWAPS
LIFESTYLE RESEARCH BUDGET

evaluate research budget swap repeat

For each category in this resource, I will:

Share about my own lifestyle changes, along with the specific criteria I currently use to
inform my decisions
Ask you a series of questions to determine if this is an area of your life that you
may want to prioritize
ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Provide as many recommendations as I can authentically stand behind

to help you find some nontoxic swaps at a variety of price points
(including a wide range of free or low-cost options that I have
designated with an asterisk throughout this guide)

Offer some resources for further investigation and research as

you seek to be your own health advocate
10
 I won’t be holding your hand through each and every decision, but I will be helping you understand
how to evaluate your options and proceed with confidence!

In fact, I'll continue to revisit these topics myself and update this guide if I am confronted with
information that changes my opinions or recommendations. This is truly a lifelong, fluid process.

Small steps turn into big, lasting changes that have the ability to impact the trajectory of your family
for generations to come. You are making a difference by your commitment to asking these difficult
questions.
11

-ck
ABOUT THIS GUIDE

I believe in you!
 the worksheets

lifestyle quiz research companion budget

Evaluate your lifestyle with A useful tool for navigating Build your budget through
this quiz to prioritize your research, with questions to questions that help you stay
wellness next steps. help you think critically. aligned with your goals.

THE WORKSHEETS

savings tracker habit tracker

Stay on track with your Become consistent with

savings towards your your new lifestyle habits to
wellness wishlist. keep thriving in wellness.
12
steps to wellness
13 STEPS TO WELLNESS
 step one

wellness is not one-size-fits-all. We fall into analysis paralysis, wondering

why this wellness stuff seems so easy for
Even if we have similar goals for our health, people who are out there actively making
everyone is starting from a completely unique changes while you watch from the sidelines
place! Bioindividuality is a beautiful thing, but wishing it was you.
it’s so frequently overlooked by people making
blanket recommendations for products and no more, my friend!
practices that just aren’t right for every single
person. In the worksheet bundle that came with this
guide, you’ll find a Lifestyle Evaluation quiz
That’s why it’s essential to start your wellness with questions about your current habits
journey by taking a long, honest look at where and practices for each category in this guide.
you are right now. Not where you wish you When you tally up your scores, you should
were….where you are. have a clearer picture of which categories
need a bit more of a nontoxic transition than
it’s impossible to accurately chart others.
your course if you don’t have a
Another factor is how frequently you use
clear picture of where you’re
toxic products in a day. If you wash your
even starting. hands with microbiome-stripping, fragrance-
laced hand soap 6 times a day but wash your
But sometimes it’s difficult to know what body with a similar product only once per
questions to ask, right? week, you’ll probably want to prioritize the
hand soap over the body wash.

See how that works?

STEPS TO WELLNESS

eval u
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 step one

you might have a long list of use the research in this guide
swaps you want to make, but it’s as a way to start open
important to start with the swaps conversations about the why
that will have the greatest impact behind your desired changes.
– typically the things you come
into contact with every day. The same goes for your kids. Why not teach
them how to vet for nontoxic household
A good way to track this is to grab a simple products too? The more involved we can get
notepad (or use the Notes app on your phone) them during this process, the more likely
and write down everything you use in a day and they will continue their research into
how many times you use it. This will build adulthood!
awareness of how often you're using that soap
to wash your hands vs. grabbing your phone. going nontoxic can be
overwhelming if you approach
As you're evaluating your lifestyle, it's great if everything all at once without
you can be on the same page with your spouse a plan. but if you start slow
and kids, but I understand that isn't always as
and take the time to make
easy as it sounds.
intentional changes that are
Your spouse may be more willing to try new highly personalized, they’re far
habits or products if they understand the more likely to stick!
reasoning behind that preference (beyond just
“Someone on Instagram said it’s better for
you!”).
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STEPS TO WELLNESS

eval u
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 step two

Philosophy is not just for bearded guys smoking You are being faced with the stark choice
pipes in deep leather armchairs, surrounded by between the feeling of safety you might
walls of books. It’s for everyone. derive from clinging to opinions you are
accustomed to and the liberation that
In traditional philosophy classes, they say comes with loosening your grip on these in
philosophy “frustrates your desire for quick and order to explore new ideas.
easy answers” and “liberates us from narrow
minded conventional thinking.” So my question for you is: Are you willing to
wreck the entire foundation upon which you
Many people go through their life without ever stand for the pursuit of truth?
questioning what they believe. One of my
favorite questions to ask is inspired by my If you are, you will come out a better thinker.
toddler: “Why?” Because the process of You’ll be able to tell when an idea is worth
questioning and collecting evidence for your your time or if it’s relying on something
beliefs can change your life. that’s inherently weak or unsound. This is an
essential skill that can be applied
Philosophy is essential because it lays the everywhere in your life!!
foundation for your entire worldview. It leads
you to question your comfortably complacent So what does that look like in the context of
conventional opinions. We often cling to our health and wellness?
cherished beliefs for this sense of safety.
Philosophy opens your mind to a liberating
range of new possibilities. it starts with doing
your own research.
And that can be scary! Because if the rock on
which you stand is wrong or isn’t the whole
STEPS TO WELLNESS

truth, it can become a domino effect. What if

everything you ever believed to be true was
possibly a lie?

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 step two

Spoon-feeding information to y’all gives you the I’m humbled that you trust me
answers but doesn’t teach you the process of and want my perspective on
making those decisions on a variety of topics for
this. I don’t ever want to take
your family. It’s sharing MY philosophy without
giving you the opportunity to come to your own
that trust for granted.
conclusions.
But everything I share with my community is
Anyone who is spoon-feeding you information to encourage you to be your own health
without encouraging you to do your own advocate.
research is displaying cult-like behavior. They
want you to blindly trust and follow their Instead of sliding into my DMs asking for the
advice. That’s not how I roll, y’all. answer…

I’m not here to tell you what to start researching for yourself!
think. I’m here to teach
Think of my page (and any other page, for
you how to think.
that matter) as a springboard for topics you
want to learn more about, questions you can
I share a lot of the inner workings of my life with start asking, and things you can start
people on the internet, which means I receive a researching!
lot of messages on a daily basis from curious
people who want to know why I choose to do
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something a certain way.

STEPS TO WELLNESS

do y s e arch
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 step two

I want to show you step-by-step how I would approach a quick Duck Duck Go search for a question I'm
often asked: "Could you go into why you don't use aluminum foil?

The first article is about aluminum’s impact on the

environment. It’s not that I don’t care about the
1 environment, but for this particular topic I am more
curious about the impact of aluminum on my body. Skip!

The second article is from Food Network — not exactly a

source I trust for health advice. Of course they’re
2 normalizing the use of aluminum foil because it’s used in
many of the recipes they promote. I am aware of their bias
so another skip.

The third article is from Healthline. One of Healthline’s

lead investors is NBC Universal so I don’t expect their view
3 to be any different than the mainstream media. Again, I
have informed myself of their bias. Keep scrolling!

The fourth article is finally getting into it! At first glance, I

have no idea if Foods Trend is a credible site, but it makes
4 sense for any metal to transfer when heated. This
STEPS TO WELLNESS

information directly opposes the first few articles that said

aluminum was harmless. My interest is piqued.

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 step two

Let me paint you a picture of my thought process:

The CEO of Discovery,

The Food Network is Inc. used to be an
owned by Discovery, Inc. executive at NBC
Universal.

Openap works with

On January 10, 2022, over 100 advertisers and
Discovery, Inc. invested strengthens audience-
in Openap for marketing, based ad buying. What ads
of which Fox, NBC, and do you see over and over
CBS are already minority again on those networks?
owners. Pharmaceutical
products.
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STEPS TO WELLNESS

do y s e arch
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 step two

We have two different opinions here and a lot of information to sift through. So let me piece this all together:

The Food Network says aluminum is a naturally-occurring

element (true) and regular contact doesn’t cause
1 problems because our body has “numerous mechanisms”
to rid aluminum from the body.

The CDC shares additional ways aluminum is used such as

in water treatment so our exposure isn’t primarily through
naturally occurring elements in the earth’s crust like the
2 Food Network was alluding to. (Funny how the CDC didn’t
list using aluminum as an adjuvant in vaccines in this
preview.)

Healthline aligns with the Food Network which isn’t

3 surprising because they share mainstream media
investors.

A turncoat medical doctor is saying, “Food cooked in

aluminum foil can absorb aluminum because aluminum
dissolves into food and water during the cooking process.
This absorbed aluminum goes into the bloodstream and
4 accumulates in different people causing a multitude of
STEPS TO WELLNESS

effects.” That same doctor has stated that he believes that

Western medicine only offers long term symptomatic
treatment, which usually has dangerous side effects.

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 step two

The point here is to show how to research for This information is not privy to only me or
and against something. Research the benefits of anyone else with advanced education. It’s
aluminum foil and research the side effects and available to you too! Gone are the days of
form your own opinion on whether or not it's blindly trusting your doctor. It’s the
safe for you to use in your home. information age and you deserve to make
informed decisions.
So what is your conclusion?
I will not stop challenging this
No matter what any expert or professional is community to think critically.
saying (or even what the published scientific
literature says), I always ask… The process of thinking critically allows you
to break down, understand, and synthesize
“does this make information from a variety of sources,
physiological sense?” enabling you to formulate your own ideas
about a topic, and present them
This is why I don’t want to simply tell you what convincingly supported by the evidence you
to think, but teach you how to think. The topic have gathered. It helps you make informed
right now is aluminum foil, but you need the judgements and create strong arguments of
skill of discernment for many more topics for your own. You will be able to justify any
your family — including every single topic in this claims you make based on evidence you
guide! have critically evaluated. It demonstrates
that you can learn and think independently,
you are the keeper of your which is central to studying at a higher level.
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family’s health. not me.

STEPS TO WELLNESS

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 step two

What does critical thinking involve?

Asking questions to explore viewpoints and ideas.

Actively seeking all sides of an argument, examining topics and questions from
different perspectives.
Maintaining an “objective position” which means trying to be aware of any
preconceptions you have that might limit the way you think about an issue or
argument. If in doubt, research other points of views to inform your judgment.
Weighing up evidence for and against ideas.
Checking the logic of arguments, the validity of evidence used to support
claims, looking for flaws in reasoning or bias.
Presenting your own justified and supported interpretation.

As you move through the categories in this guide, you’ll have the opportunity to
practice these skills over and over. I’ve provided my own thoughts and some
conclusions I’ve drawn, but also shared with you some resources to start digging
even deeper. And if your conclusions are different from mine, that’s completely fine!
I just want you to think critically to arrive at those conclusions, and be able to
support what you decide.

To help you keep your thoughts together as you start to do your own research,
you’ll find a printable “Research Companion” page in your workbook! This is where
you can take notes as you look into different options presented in this guide.
STEPS TO WELLNESS

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 step three

And once you’ve done a healthy amount of

research about available options, you
probably have a list of changes you’d like to
I will be the first to admit that I like to spend
make and products you’d like to invest in.
money. I enjoy supporting small businesses,
and I enjoy trying new things. I don’t like being
Here are a few questions I recommend
restricted by a budget, but this has actually
asking before spending any money at all:
caused problems time and time again in my
personal life.
are there any obvious free
Financial wellness is a crucial component to changes that can be
this entire framework. No matter how beneficial made right away?
a product or service may be, leaving yourself in
a dangerous financial place to obtain it is not Even if this isn’t the complete change you’d
worth it. If you are married, it’s important for like to make in that category, there are often
your spouse to be involved in these decisions as free ways to begin the process of reducing
well. exposure to toxins. Many of them are listed
in this guide!
If you are financially well-off and have zero
financial qualms, then I applaud you and can you skip using a
encourage you to invest in everything that
certain product entirely?
seems worthwhile. For the rest of us, there are
some decisions to be made.
Our consumerist society tells us that we
need a product for every little thing, but
Once you have completed the Lifestyle
that’s often not the case. Many categories,
Evaluation, you probably have a pretty good
like cleaning supplies or beauty care, can
idea of which categories are going to have the
23

utilize one product for many uses.

most impact right away with changes or swaps.
STEPS TO WELLNESS

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step three

Free changes take more

responsibility. It's often
harder to want to make
lifestyle changes because
we have been
conditioned not to trust
our body that God
designed.

The free options are my

favorite because they are
true lifestyle changes.

they have brought

me closer to God
and my walk with
Him because they
require me to
relinquish control. STEPS TO WELLNESS

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 step three

utilize coupon codes. Every time I partner

with a brand, I do my best to negotiate a
Once you’ve exhausted your free options, discount code to pass along the savings to
decide how much you need to save and mark you. Those codes are listed with the
this down on your Savings Tracker worksheet. recommendations where applicable. But if
Now you need to decide where those funds will you’re interested in a brand I don’t currently
come from: partner with, do a quick internet search to
see if a coupon code is floating around out
pay with cash on hand. If you can comfort- there to save you some money!
ably afford to buy now, then go ahead and add
to cart, my friend! plan for sales. Most companies will have
sales throughout the year, often around
budget for that item in the coming holidays. Sign up for the email list or follow
months. If you just need to make sure the pur- the social of the brand you want to purchase
chase is accounted for in advance, go ahead from so you can watch the price fluctuate
and add it to your budget for the next month or and decide when you’re ready to buy.
two so you can factor it in. Common holidays that have big sales are
Black Friday, Christmas, Mother’s Day,
cut back in other areas and reallocate Father’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day,
those funds. If you currently eat out a couple Easter, Fourth of July, Back to School, etc. If
times a week, is it possible to pack your food you can wait until then and save up, you
instead or cook at home until your goal is met? may be able to stretch your dollars that
If you drive a lot, how much could you save on much further. Weigh the pros and cons of
gas by combining all your errands to one day waiting versus spending a little more now.
per week? Look at the areas of high spending in Only you can decide what the priority is!
25

your budget and see if you can trim by making

STEPS TO WELLNESS

conscious choices for a short time while you

save.
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 step four

You’ve evaluated your lifestyle, done some

digging to weigh your options, decided how
much money you have to spend on a swap, and
now it’s time to DO THE THING!
2. lifestyle swaps. These are a completely
I hope you’re feeling so much excitement about different story. A few examples of potential
the change you’ve decided to make, and proud lifestyle changes are:
of yourself for ensuring that this is an informed
decision! deciding to get early morning sunlight in
your eyes first thing in the morning for
There are two main types of swaps you may be better circadian rhythms
about to engage in:
opening all your windows for a set time
1. product swaps. Simply purchasing a non- period daily for improved air quality
toxic alternative to a product you were already
using (or maybe ditching some unnecessary weeding your lawn by hand rather than
products entirely). The work is primarily in spraying toxic chemicals
making the decision and then testing out the
efficacy of the product you choose. wearing toe spacers at home to train
your feet back to a normal physiological
Once it’s purchased, you’re essentially done! shape
There could be a learning curve with using new
products. Sometimes there may be a learning You may be purchasing a product or two to
curve with using the product because it just accompany your chosen lifestyle change,
functions a little differently. but it requires you to take a different action
than you are used to taking. And that
necessitates a mindset shift and re-training
STEPS TO WELLNESS

yourself to form a habit.

a k e s wap
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 Habit training can be tricky,
especially if you are a
perfectionistic, all-or-nothing
step four
kind of person. Here are 10 of
my favorite tips to help you
make a lifestyle change that
will really stick:

know your why. If you've done your research,

as outlined in Step 2 of this framework, you’ve
probably asked a sufficient number of
questions to draw a conclusion you feel really try habit stacking. This means tying in
good about. This is the backbone of any your new habit to something you already do
change. If you’re making a change because “all regularly on autopilot. If you always brush
the health and wellness influencers are doing it” your teeth in the morning, you could add oil
and it’s not as easy as you thought, you are pulling while you’re getting dressed and
unlikely to follow through. If you make a change styling your hair. If you watch a show with
because all your research points to this action your spouse in the evenings, use that as an
as being important for the health of your family, opportunity to put on your blue-light
you have a much stronger chance of pushing blockers for the night. Building new habits
through if it’s a bumpy transition. around existing routines is a tool that yields
success for many people.
start with the smallest possible goal,
then build. If you are a night owl but you want set reminders on your phone. For act-
to implement a 9 P.M. bedtime because you ions that may not correlate to an existing
value the restorative properties of sleep, you habit, try setting recurring reminders on your
may find it quite impossible to change your device of choice to keep you on track. (Tech
bedtime cold turkey. Setting a goal of going to is not my favorite in general, but if you’re
bed 15 minutes earlier each night until you hit going to use it you might as well let it help
your desired time is much more realistic and you make positive changes!)
sets you up for success. Look at where you want
to be and decide what ONE step you can take create an environment of success.
on a regular basis to get you there. Clear out anything around you that may
distract from your goal. Make plans the night
before for how you’ll act on your goal the
27

next day, and see if there’s any way you can

STEPS TO WELLNESS

a k e s wap prepare to make it even easier to follow

through. Tomorrow, you will thank yourself.
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 step four

track your progress! Whether it's a check-

mark in your planner, a running note in your
phone, or coloring in a section of a printable
habit tracker, it can be satisfying to have a
stay curious. If your internal monologue is
tangible reminder of how far you’ve come!
fighting this change at every turn, sit with
We’ve designed a Habit Tracker as part of the
that. Figure out what is really bothering you
printable workbook you received with this
at the core. Is there something you could
guide. Feel free to print as many copies as you
change around you to ease the tension
want to track various changes you’re
you’re having? You may find it helpful to
implementing over time!
revisit your intentions and reaffirm that this
is a choice you are making with intention.
design a reward system for yourself.
You can probably think of something that
have grace for the journey. Lifestyle
would feel like a reward for reaching a certain
changes have ups and downs, some higher
goal, so let that serve as motivation! You can set
and lower than others! Doing something
that intention on your printable Habit Tracker.
new is often hard work, and you should feel
For larger lifestyle changes that will take a
good about continuing to move forward
greater length of time to achieve, consider
even if your progress is not 100% linear! Just
having a reward at various benchmarks along
keep going. Every forward motion counts.
the way (2 weeks, 1 month, 6 weeks, etc). Design
a system that will truly motivate you!
find an accountability partner. Try
looking for someone who is also making
changes in this area. Check in over the
course of a few weeks to encourage one
another, provide ideas on what’s working in
STEPS TO WELLNESS

your home, and brainstorm ways to get

a k e s wap through any difficulties that may arise.

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 step five

Age, financial circumstances, health conditions, Your wellness journey will likely last for the
environment, stress level, family dynamic… rest of your life. You’ll find that each choice
in the direction of nontoxic living becomes a
These factors are all likely to ebb and flow over domino that leads to the next and the next
the course of time. Living a nontoxic lifestyle and the next. Before you know it, you’ll look
means continuing to evaluate your choices, up and realize that a massive shift has
research other options, make swaps — and yes, happened, one small step at a time.
do it all over again.
And in that process, you’re completely
like so many other beautiful changing the narrative for your children,
things in life, this is a your grandchildren, your great-
grandchildren…
cyclical process.
nontoxic living is a gift.
For some, that may be disheartening. Maybe
you’re hoping to completely overhaul every part wellness is a legacy.
of your life in a matter of weeks and be done. If
this is you, I applaud your enthusiasm and And it all starts right here, with just 5 simple
encourage you to run with it!! By all means, cut steps.
out as much toxicity from your life as you can!
I’m walking this road alongside you, friend,
But most people will take the slower road of and praying that He will make your path
incremental change, revisiting this process over straight!
and over as they decide what choices they want
29

to embrace for their family. If this is you, I hope

STEPS TO WELLNESS

you allow yourself to feel peace and embrace

the balance between what you’re able to
change right now and what you hope to
implement in the future.

rep eat!
 cornerstones

30 CORNERSTONES
 water
Whenever someone asks me why I don’t trust the government,
I have one thing to say: “Have you looked at your city water
lately?” Tap water is nasty. Your body needs water to survive,
but the contamination that’s mixed in may be doing more
harm than good.

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purification
third party testing
structuring
minerals

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d
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fluoride
WATER

av

chlorine
lead
micro plastics,
and more
 in our
home
Water is the perfect example of how I'm doing the best for our family, even if it's not
what I would consider the best overall! My goal is to have a whole house filtration
system at some point, but that hasn't been a priority in our budget yet. Financial health
is important too! We've chosen to focus our money elsewhere for now. That's what it
means to make the best choice for YOU in any given season of life.

Currently, we use a Berkey with Greenfield Water Solutions filters and I set my
Somavedic underneath. I fill some glass and copper water pitchers, and all of that water
gets structured by the Somavedic. We use this water to drink, as well as to cook with!

Other areas we filter water are through a shower filter and swimming in a mineral pool
at my parents' house.
WATER
32
 looking for
third party testing structuring
Third party testing ensures transparency in the results. Water in its most natural untouched state is
The first thing I look for in testing is that the company structured. When water goes through filtration,
who performed the lab test is not the same company contamination, and chemical treatments, it changes
selling the product. The testing should include who it the structure. Structured water improves hydration,
was performed by, a batch number so you can verify the increases absorption of vitamins and minerals,
report's authenticity, and it should include a signature increases energy, and provides better sleep, healthier
by the lab manager to verify the accuracy of the results. skin, and improved immune system function.

minerals purification
While reverse osmosis filtration systems do remove Tap water, even though processed by the city,

the research
contaminants from the water, they also remove contains harmful contaminants such as lead, PFAS,
essential minerals too! This is like drinking dead water! harmful bacteria and viruses, arsenic, aluminum, and
You can choose to add minerals back into the water, more. During treatment, water then gets exposed to
but I prefer filtration systems that keep the natural things like fluoride and chlorine. If you're looking for
minerals in while also filtering out contaminents. cleaner water, I recommend looking into the specific
contaminants you're exposed to in your region and
choosing a system specific to your needs.

avoiding chlorine
fluoride Chlorine is a popular disinfectant at many water
Comprehensive data from the WHO has shown there is treatment plants, however it is dangerous if
no discernible difference in tooth decay by fluoridating absorbed in large amounts. Chlorine is an eye and
our water. Fluoride has been shown to cause dental lung irritant, competes with iodine in the body-
fluorosis in children, arthritis, damage to developing causing thyroid issues, and creates disinfection
brain, and reduced thyroid function. by-products that are shown to be carcinogenic.
It's estimated that 40-70% of our chlorine /
lead disinfection byproduct exposure happens when
Lead exposure through water can come from we shower.
plumbing materials that have corroded, water hoses,
micro plastics
and lead pipes, faucets and fixtures. Lead accumulates Y'all, plastic doesn't disappear. Microplastics
in the body. In children, it can cause behavior and come from small particles in cosmetics and debris
33

learning problems, lower IQ, hyperactivity, slowed from plastic that breaks down overtime. We then
WATER

growth, hearing problems, and anemia. In adults, it find them in our water supply and food chain.
can cause cardiovascular effects, hypertension, Microplastics have been found in tea bags,
decreased kidney function, and reproductive seafood, and have even been tested positive in
problems. human stool. I avoid drinking out of plastic, and I
sure don't want to be consuming it!
other things I'm avoiding...
Chloramines, VOC’s, glyphosate, arsenic, aluminum, antimony, cadmium, chromium, nitrates, mercury,
pharmaceuticals, trihalomethane, and radionuclides.
 change
Do you drink tap
water at home or at
restaurants?

Do you drink less

than half your body

for
weight in ounces of
water daily?
ns
io

t
Is your current filter
lacking third party

r a testing?

i d e
con s
Are you drinking
unstructured water?
did you
Do you drink tap
answer yes
water without
testing to know to any of these?
what's in it?

consider a swap!
WATER
34
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

greenfield solutions
My favorite for structured whole-house
water filtration and Berkey replacement
filters. We're interested in trying out
their water hose filters next!
save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY

pristine hydro
A great option for an under-counter
filtration and restructuring all-in-one
system!

somavedic
Place the Somavedic next to your
countertop water system for structured

*
water. Note: not all models include the local spring
structuring component, so read the
A local spring offers water in its most
product descriptions for feature
natural state: structured! Find a spring
specifications!
save 10% with code near you with this handy map.
DRCOURTNEY

berkey crown pools

Another option for countertop gravity We used Crown Pools to convert my
35

filtration systems, travel systems, water parents' pool to a ClearBlue mineral

WATER

bottles, and shower filters. We have a pool. The discount is for locals, but
Berkey both at home and at Our Well those out of town can get free shipping!
House! save up to 33% with link save $50 off install
NO CODE NEEDED mention my name
 tap water database structured water principles
EWG GREENFIELD WATER SOLUTIONS
Website Website
A resource for finding out what is in your A website to kickstart your research on
specific city's tap water. structured water. Learn how water gets
structured naturally and how we can
recreate that in our homes, as well as
structured water's benefits.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

physiologic conditions affect

toxicity of ingested water fluoridation
industrial fluoride FLUORIDE ACTION NETWORK
PUBMED
Website
Article
A resource to learn about the
harmful effects of fluoride
Check out this article for the exposure and what you can do
physiological affects and toxicity of
WATER

to minimize exposure!
ingesting fluoride.
36
 air quality
Indoor air quality is often significantly worse than outdoor air
quality. Isn’t that nuts? The increase in fragrances and off
gassing in so many of our products has made it necessary to
take a long hard look at the air we breathe day in and day out.

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medical-grade
HEPA & carbon
filters

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AIR QUALITY

av

mold
gases & VOCs
pet dander
odor pollution
 in our
home
There’s nothing quite like feeling the breeze come through the open windows of our
little home. We live in Texas, which means the temps are kind enough to allow us to
open all the windows pretty frequently throughout the year (and even the doors, when
the bugs aren’t swarming). I can always feel the stagnation of the air inside, and my
body breathes a sigh of relief (literally!) when I let that fresh air in to clean things out.

For a little more heavy-duty air purification, I love both my Austin Air Systems purifier for
the bedroom and my Air Doctor for the kitchen. It brings me so much satisfaction to
hear the Air Doctor ramping things up when I’m cooking and it senses that change in the
air quality.
AIR QUALITY

And I will jump at the chance to purchase house plants all day long! They clean the air
through their natural carbon dioxide exchange AND they make any space a million
times more cozy. What’s not to love?
38
 looking for
medical-grade hepa & carbon filters
Medical-grade HEPA filters remove 99.97% of particulates at 0.1-0.3 microns, depending on the filter, including
viruses, bacteria, dust, dander, and allergens. It's important to look for "medical-grade" terminology as HEPA
filters without will remove less. Carbon filters are important for protection against chemicals, VOCs, and gases.
Similiar to vacuums, you want to make sure your air purifier is a 100% sealed system to avoid pollutants going
back into the air.

the research
avoiding
mold gases & vocs
Mold is an allergen and irritant that can cause a Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as
stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, burning gases from a variety of household products such as
eyes, or a skin rash. Mold is particularly an issue paints, household cleaners, and furnishings to
when it gets in contact with moisture. It's important name a few. Key signs of exposure include nose
to check your home routinely for moisture and leaks and throat discomfort, headache, nausea, fatigue,
and avoid using bleach on mold. dizziness, skin reactions, and memory impairment.

smoke & pollution pet dander, dust mites & pollen

Exposure can come from wildfires, tabacco smoke, These indoor air pollutants can cause watery eyes,
cooking, wood stoves, burning candles, and runny nose and sneezing, nasal congestion, itching,
emissions from nearby factories, chemical plants, coughing, difficulty breathing, headache and
and busy roads. Exposure can cause a range of fatigue. They are particularly a concern for those
health problems from burning eyes and runny nose, that struggle with asthma and allergies. Frequent
to aggravated chronic heart and lung diseases. Learn vacuuming and skipping shoes indoors can help.
about the air quality where you live at airnow.gov.
39

emf exposure
AIR QUALITY

Computerized air purifiers or ones with smart technology increase your risk of EMF exposure. It's important to
be mindful of location of these if you choose to use them. For example, these would serve better in a large
living room than in your bedroom.
 Do you live in an
older home, home

change
with high humidity,
or a home with a
history of water
damage?

Do you live near a

busy street, factory,

for
or area affected by
wildfires?
ns
Have you purchased
io

new furniture,

a t painted your walls, or

used a wood stove in

e r your home?

s i d
con Do you have any pets
living inside your did you
home?

Are you a stay-at-home

answer yes
mom, work from home,
or in your home more to any of these?
often than you're out?
AIR QUALITY

consider a swap!
40
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

austin air systems

A top quality air purifier that you can

*
upgrade or downgrade as your needs
change at any point just by swapping
houseplants
out the filters! How to Grow Fresh Air is a book that
save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY covers household air pollution and what
plants you can use to purify the air.

air doctor vents cleaned annually

An air purifier with a color-coded light HEPA home air filters won't work if they
that tells you the quality of the air you're are clogged! Make sure to change filters
currently breathing as it filters. routinely and get your vents cleaned
annually to ensure quality air. I
save $300
WITH THIS LINK personally use and recommend The
Cleaning Cure in Dallas for nontoxic air

*
duct cleaning.
prevent moisture

*
Preventing moisture is an important step to vacuum frequently
avoiding mold in your home. If you struggle
Vacuuming frequently can reduce the
with high humidity, look into moisture
pollutants in your home. Make sure to
meters, dehumidifiers, always use
ventilation or open windows while
choose one that has a HEPA filter with a
showering and cooking. and run the fan in complete or certified seal to avoid
your bathroom for 30 minutes after pollutants going back into the air. I love
showering (check out these switches you Dyson, Nilfisk, and Miele.
can install with timers for the fan)!

*
beeswax candles
41

*
AIR QUALITY

open doors & windows Cutting out scented candles (even ones
Don't keep the bad air in — let it out and made with essential oils) is tough — I
allow fresh air to come inside! This is get it! 100% beeswax candles not only
especially important while cooking or give you back that cozy vibe, but purify
painting. Keep windows closed during the air while doing it! Diffusers are a
rainy weather and wildfires. better option for a fresh-smelling home.
 air concerns the inside story: a guide to
indoor air quality
AUSTIN AIR SYSTEMS
USA EPA
Website
Article
Check out Austin Air Systems for an overview
of pollutants to avoid, the health concerns A comprehensive article for an overview of
that arise from poor air quality, and things to pollutants to avoid and the health concerns
look for in a quality air filter. that arise from poor air quality.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

nontoxic environments mold finders radio

GREEN DESIGN CENTER BRIAN KARR
Podcast Podcast
A podcast from the Green Design A podcast covering all things mold
AIR QUALITY

Center on all things nontoxic buildings and mycotoxins — how you can
and homes. locate, remove and heal!
42
 sleep
Ahhh sleep. That essential part of our lives that seems to pass
in just a blink. Too many of us are chronically sleep deprived,
which has a myriad of risks for our overall health. Sure, there
are seasons where sleep quality is going to be lower (baby
days, anyone?) but there are still plenty of ways to make sure
that you get the highest quality sleep possible,
regardless of duration.

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organic fibers
light exposure
nose breathing
cool temps

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SLEEP

av

blue light
late bedtimes
screen time
 in our
home
When Brandon and I began implementing nontoxic swaps, we decided to prioritize our sleep
environment first, since that’s where we spend a third of our life (even if we aren’t conscious for it)!

We started with an organic mattress, then sheets, body pillows, and a mattress cover, then began to
learn more about supporting better sleep hygiene overall. We set our nighttime thermostat to an
optimal sleeping temperature of 66°F. I mouth tape every night to support my body in nose breathing.
(Brandon thought it was just a fad when I first started doing this, but it’s been a habit now for several
years!)

Light has a lot to do with how our body regulates sleep/wake cycles so I try not to allow blue light to be
on my eyes after sundown. Ra Optics blue light blockers help with this, but I also love turning lights off
and using beeswax candles. I think about what it must have been like before electricity, and how our
bodies would have naturally had a chance to wind down at the same time the light decreased. It’s
almost like it was designed that way…
SLEEP

Light on our eyes first thing in the morning is something I’m still working on implementing. I’ve started
taking Rosie for early morning walks to make this happen and get our bodies moving, and that
bonding time has been the sweetest! Sometimes we try to implement things because they’re “good for
44

us,” but the process of making those changes has blessings even beyond what we expected!
 looking for
organic fibers light exposure
Conventional mattresses and fibers are made with In the morning, the sun is producing natural blue
harmful chemicals, like formaldehyde, flame light — which is responsible for setting our
retardants and polyurethane foams (gel and memory circadian rhythm, stimulating the release of
foam) which release harmful chemicals or VOCs cortisol, promoting wakefulness and even making
through offgassing. These chemicals accumulate in the us alert and productive. Aim to get outside within
body over time, and can cause headaches and eye, the first hour of the day! And if you wear corrective
nose and throat irritation. lenses, try to skip them during this time. Light
nose breathing exposure is equally important for the raw eye!

Your nose is responsible for controlling the

the research
temperature of the air reaching your lungs, filtering cool temperatures
toxins, and humidifying the air you inhale. The body
The ideal temperature for sleep is thought to be
also produces 25% of nitric oxide from nose breathing
between 60-67°F for adults and 65-70°F for babies
— which helps enhance memory, regulate blood
and toddlers. Sleeping too warm is a disruptor of
pressure, improves sleep quality, reduces heart disease
deep and REM sleep early in the night. Sleeping
risk, and more! Mouth breathing is associated with
too cold disrupts REM sleep later in the night and
sleep disorders, ADHD, and more. I'm a big fan of
affects cardiovascular activity.
mouth taping to ensure nasal breathing while sleeping,
but this is only a temporary fix. Getting to the root of
mouth breathing, such as oral restrictions or palette
development, is needed to get back to nose breathing.

avoiding
blue light after sunset late bedtimes
Blue light may be natural, but it should be Sleep is when your body rests and restores (learn about
avoided after sunset. Blue light decreases the TCM body clock here), so it's important to make it a
melatonin, and increases alertness. Your priority! The ideal amount of sleep is between 7-9 hours.
circadian rhythm uses light to sync your body to Both late bedtimes and decreased sleep duration are
the day and night patterns of the world. thought to be linked to increased BMI and obesity. In
Exposure to blue light after sunset throws off addition, late bedtimes have been shown to affect REM
your circadian rhythm causing you to have less sleep. Going to sleep between 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm is
45

REM sleep. associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease

SLEEP

compared to earlier bedtimes.

screen time
It's not just blue light to consider when it comes to screen time after sunset. Screen time increases alertness,
particularly the more engaged you are with what you're looking at. It also distracts you from the sleep you
should be getting. Research has found that children who slept next to a small screen reported 20.6 fewer
minutes of sleep. Checking your notifications can quickly turn into 30 minutes of scrolling. That's 30 minutes
you could be getting REM sleep!
 Do you watch TV or

change
scroll on your
phone after sunset
without blue-light
blockers?

Do you spend the

first hour of the day

for
inside?
ns
io

Do you sleep on a

a t conventional
mattress?

e r
s i d
con Are your pillows
and bedding made
of synthetic or non-
did you
organic fibers?

Do you rely on
answer yes
sleep aids routinely,
such as melatonin, to any of these?
to get to sleep?

consider a swap!
SLEEP
46
 making
the swap
savvy rest
Savvy Rest has been my go-to for many
years now, especially when it comes to
their amazing organic pillows! I'm a big
fan of the kapok body pillow for optimal
alignment.
save 20% with code
DRCOURTNEY

my green mattress
We have this certified organic mattress
brand in our guest room. It makes me
happy knowing my friends and family
are getting a nontoxic night's sleep too!
save $125 (twin or larger) with code
DRCOURTNEY

ra optics
brentwood home
The very best quality blue light blocking
We have the Cedar mattress, which is no
glasses on the market. Choose Daylight
longer sold, but the Hybrid Latex
or Sunset lenses depending on your
Mattress is another great nontoxic
needs.
option! save 15% with code
DRCOURTNEY

avocado
Certified organic mattresses handmade
naturepedic
in California using nontoxic materials.
47

We typically cosleep, but I feel confident

Take advantage of a full year trial with Naturepedic as our crib mattress
SLEEP

period! choice when Rosie is ready to sleep on

save 20% with code
DRCOURTNEY her own.
 breath sleep diary
BY JAMES NESTOR NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION
Book Diary
A book on the foundational art of breathing This sleep diary from the National Sleep
and how the way we inhale and exhale can Foundation helps you identify patterns
affect snoring. asthma, autoimmune around your sleep to develop better sleep
diseases, rejuvenating internal organs, and habits.
more.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

sleep hygiene checklist the ra optics blog

POSITIVEPSYCHOLOGY.COM RA OPTICS
Checklist Blog
Analyze your sleep environment and Matt Maruca, founder of Ra Optics, is a
make an action plan for improving wealth of knowledge when it comes to
your sleep hygiene. blue light and how light in general
affects our health and bodies.
SLEEP
48
food
49 FOOD
food sourcing
If you are focused on food as an integral part of your wellness,
you will want to pay close attention to where it comes from.
Nutrient density has a lot to do with how (and where) an
animal or plant is raised. Factory farming practices create sick
animals, which have to be treated with antibiotics and other
substances that end up in the food on your plate. Mono-
crop agriculture depletes the soil and relies on cancer-
causing chemicals to keep out weeds and pests.
Conversely, regenerative farming
practices work with the land to
maintain a thriving ecosystem that
produces humanely raised, nutrient
dense food — the way God intended.

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organic
look

pasture-raised
grass-fed & finished
regenerative farming
raw diary

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av

FOOD SOURCING

GMOs
pesticides
and more
50
 in our
home
My mom was raised on a homestead in Oregon, where butchering chickens, making sourdough, canning
jellies, making clothes, and cooking everything from scratch was the norm. I remember her using those skills
when I was young, but that connection to our food tapered off significantly when my siblings and I got a bit
older. Things really shifted when we started to be involved in a lot of athletic activities. We ended up eating a
lot of fast food because we were out and about for so many practices and games between the five of us kids.
I can only imagine how exhausting that must have been for my mom to manage!

Back then, I hadn’t heard anyone talking about food as fuel for our bodies. It was 100% about taste, not
nourishment. And which foods taste the best? The processed, nutrient-deficient pseudo foods that are
chemically engineered to make you want more.
51

After struggling with some weight gain and unspecified health issues through high school, I decided I needed
to start eating better and working out more. That was the extent of my knowledge at the time. My heart was
FOOD SOURCING

in the right place, but I was still so ignorant about what nourishment really was.

I minored in nutrition during my undergrad, which taught me a lot about the food pyramid and all the
government ideas of what food should be. That didn’t sit well with me, so I kept digging. In chiropractic
school, one of my professors was a vegan and preached that lifestyle fervently. I tried it for awhile and
became sicker than I had ever been. That definitely wasn’t a sustainable way to treat my body.
At that point, I started looking at food quality and sourcing. I began shopping at Whole Foods, which was
the best quality I could find in the stores around me. I learned to read labels very carefully, and became
familiar with discerning helpful certifications vs. meaningless ones and ingredient lists rather than nutrition
facts.

It wasn’t long before Whole Foods merged with Amazon and the quality quietly decreased. Other organic
brands we loved were bought out by big corporations and we watched the quality go down. This
happened over and over until Brandon and I realized that we could vote with our dollars by supporting
local farmers, have better quality food, and only pay a little bit more than we were already spending. It was
a total win-win.

So we embarked on a journey to find local sources for our food, especially animal products. It took some
searching, but we eventually became connected with a local co-op for our raw milk, and pastured eggs. We
get our chicken and beef from two other farms nearby. In the process, we're around a lot of our friends and
families and supporting each other in leading these healthy lifestyles together. That was a bonus I did not
anticipate as I set out to find better food sourcing.

What’s next for us? We just bought 21 acres of our own and can’t wait to start using that space to produce
some of our own food from start to finish. We’ve developed such a respect for food and what goes into
getting it on our plates — and we still have so much more to learn!

continued
FOOD SOURCING
52
 looking for
organic growing practices pasture-raised chicken & pork
Certified organic means foods are free of GMOs, a long Pasture-raised poultry are typically healthier,
list of persistent pesticides, artificial colors, food require less need for medicines and antibiotics,
preservatives, and flavors, and never irradiated. and produce more nutrient-dense products due
Organic growing practices produce healthy soil, are to their more diverse diets. Labeling can be tricky
pollinator-friendly, and contain more vitamins, so look for "certified pasture-raised" or talk one-
minerals, enzymes and micronutrients than on-one with your local rancher!
conventionally raised food.

grass-fed & finished beef raw dairy

Conventional beef is often raised in crowded feedlots Pasteurization is the process that kills bacteria in

the research
that fit up to 100,000 cattle in one square mile on top dairy products but this includes the good bacteria!
of their own excrements — raising the need for Pasteurized dairy lacks vital enzymes and proteins
antibiotics. Grass-fed & finished beef is nutrient- that help our bodies digest dairy, as well as
superior. Read labels carefully, as cattle are sometimes decreases the vitamins it contains. Local, grass-
grass-fed but then grain-finished in feedlots with soy fed, and sustainability farmed raw dairy contains
and corn. digestive enzymes and carrier proteins to ensure
every nutrient is absorbed!
regenerative farming
Regenerative farming looks at how the big picture works together. There is biodiversity on the land and an
emphasis on soil health — which in turn reduces the need for pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.
To put it simply, grass feeds the animals, the animals aerate and fertilize the grass through intentional
rotational grazing, and then the grass pulls the carbon down replenishing the soil with nutrients. This cycle
then repeats.

avoiding
gmo pesticides
GMOs are most commonly found in corn, RoundUp is the most widely used pesticide, even
soybeans, sugar beets, amongst other produce. though the WHO deems it "probably carcinogenic
Concerns have been raised to their connection to to humans." Pesticides, which have been found in
53

various health effects and diseases, such as breastmilk, are not fully removed by washing and
FOOD SOURCING

hypertension, diabetes, strokes, autism, kidney peeling. and are suspected to be linked to
failure, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and more. diabetes, cancer, autism, strokes, Alzheimer's, and
more.
other things I'm avoiding
Natural flavors, refined oils, citric acid, refined sugars, refined grains, un-soaked grains and beans, and food
wrapped in packaging made of BPA, aluminum or plastic.
 change
Do you shop
conventional more
than organic?

Is your milk

for
pasteurized?

ns

Do your meat
io

a t products come
from animals that

e r are fed grain?

s i d
con Do your animal
products come
from animals given did you
hormones or

Do the labels on
antibiotics?
answer yes
your poultry
products lack the to any of these?
term "pasture-
FOOD SOURCING

raised"?

consider a swap!
54
 making
the swap
butcher box
100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef,
and wild-caught seafood. For chicken
and pork, we prefer 1915 Farm!

blue nest beef

We love their 100% grass-fed Beef
BoboLinks so much, we have them on
autoship each month.
save 15% off 1st order with code
DRCOURTNEY

1915 farm

*
seasonal, local, organic
Texas grass-fed beef and pasture-raised
chicken and pork available for delivery My top three for produce! If you can't
or pickup. I love being part of their shop organic all the time, reference
Grassroots Meats Club! Follow their IG EWG's dirty dozen and clean fifteen.
for an amazing behind the scenes of

*
ranch life! save $5 off $100+ with code local co-ops & farm shares
DRCOURTNEY
Joining a local co-op is a great way to know

*
the food you're eating and to support local
homegrown education farmers! Check the next page for more!

Liz's free Beginner Sourdough Guide

*
gave me the confidence to dive right in! grow your own
55

She offers a variety of real-food

FOOD SOURCING

educational resources for both kids and I love Square Foot Gardening and
adults. Suburban Microfarm for learning how to
save 10% off digital resources with code
start your own organic garden-
DRCOURTNEY especially those in small spaces!
 realmilk.com localharvest.com
WESTON A PRICE FOUNDATION LOCAL HARVEST
Directory Website Directory Website
This website helps you locate raw milk near This website helps you locate local family
you. You can learn more about the benefits farms, CSA farmers, and farmers markets
of raw milk and check out their raw milk around the US. You can also find local farm
baby formula recipe. events here as well!

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

real food guide kiss the ground

HOMEGROWN EDUCATION 2020
Guide Documentary
FOOD SOURCING

Learn about sourcing, quality, the "A revolutionary group of activists,

difference between what the USDA scientists, farmers, and politicians
recommends and traditional dietary band together in a global movement
wisdom, and more in this guide! of "Regenerative Agriculture" that
could balance our climate, replenish
our vast water supplies, and feed the
world."
56
 convenience foods
A whole foods diet is definitely the preferred way to eat, but
sometimes it’s nice to be able to have some fun, easy options
that don’t wreak havoc on your body. The price point of
nontoxic convenience foods is often pretty high, since they
aren’t stuffed full of preservatives and shelf stabilizers that drive
down production costs. If you aren’t able to purchase these
items on a regular basis, keep them in mind for
special occasions like celebrations, outings, or travel.

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same items
look

as "food sourcing"
specific testing
whole food ingredients
no sugar added

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in
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toxic packaging
oi
CONVENIENCE FOODS

preservatives
av

natural & artificial flavors

refined oils
citric acid
excitotoxins
 in our
home
Convenience foods are unequivocally nostalgic for me, since I grew up eating a standard
American diet. We primarily cook from home and eat unprocessed foods, but I do still
enjoy snacky foods from time to time! The demand for clean convenience food has
grown exponentially in recent years, so new brands are popping up all the time to try!

Olipop root beer is one of my absolute faves, and I always have Blue Nest Beef
Bobolinks on hand for a protein boost. Pique Tea Digestion Elixir and Purity Coffee
Instant Packs are great for on-the-go sipping.
CONVENIENCE FOODS

When I need a good crunch, I turn to Boulder Canyon chips. When I have a sweet tooth,
Theo’s sea salt almond dark chocolate is my go-to. And every so often I get a hankering
for cereal, so I’m thankful that Lovebird exists!

These foods may not be necessary at all, but they can be a really fun addition to a
58

nontoxic lifestyle.
 looking for
same as "food sourcing" specific testing
The same principals I look for in the whole foods we I look for mercury-tested canned/packaged
cook at home, I also look for in our convenience foods! seafood, mold/mycotoxin tested coffee and
This includes organic, grass-fed & finished beef, and peanut butter, and tea that is triple-tested for
pasture-raised poultry. heavy metals, pesticides, and mold.

whole food ingredients no sugar added

The best way to avoid synthetic preservatives and When you have a sweet tooth, consuming whole
added nasties is to look for simple, whole food organic fruit is best so you get the fibers to help digest
ingredients. Buying almond butter? Ingredients should them, but I'm okay with convenience foods
say: organic almonds. Looking for coconut water? containing a little sugar content — as long as that

the research
Ingredients should say: organic coconuts. If you're content comes naturally from the actual food
unsure what something is, research it! itself! I love using pure maple syrup and raw, local
honey whenever I can.

avoiding
toxic packaging refined oils
Plastic, especially when left in hot temperatures, Refined oils are inflammatory vegetable, nut and seed
leaks hazardous chemicals into our food, like oils that have been highly-processed with chemicals to
phthalates and BPA. BPA is often found in be more shelf stable. These include canola, vegetable,
aluminum canned foods and has been shown to soybean, safflower, corn, sunflower, grapeseed, and
be an endocrine disruptor, which are linked to cottonseed oils. Instead, I look for butter, ghee, or
breast and prostate cancers, infertility, amongst olive, avocado, and coconut oils. Be sure to learn the
other health conditions. I prefer convenience foods appropriate smoke point for each!
excitotoxins
to be packaged free of plastic, BPA, and aluminum.
preservatives Glutamate is included in things containing MSG, citric
acid (read below), guar gum, natural flavors, pectin,
Food preservatives, such as sulfites and benzoates
xanthan gum, corn starch, corn syrup, and more. They
are suspected to exacerbate breathing problems
are common in processed foods like broths, chewing
in people with asthma, cause allergies, and even
gums, candies, sauces and dressings. While occurring
play a role in the development of certain cancers.
naturally in whole-foods, excessive glutamate is
It's best to look for simple, whole food ingredients
59

excitotoxic and can affect mood and behavior,

when purchasing convenience foods.
excessively excite brain cells, affect the gut and more.
CONVENIENCE FOODS

natural & artificial flavors citric acid

Artificial flavors are derived from petroleum There are two kinds of citric acid: naturally occurring
products. "Natural flavors" is an umbrella word (like in citrus fruits and berries) and manufactured
comprised of over 100 ingredients that must be citric acid (MCA). MCA is derived from fermenting
derived from plant or animal material, but often aspergillus niger — a potent allergen (aka black mold!).
still contains synthetic chemicals due to the lack MCA is shown to create significant inflammatory
of regulation. reactions.
 Does the ingredient

change
list include citric
acid, preservatives,
or refined oils?

Do you buy foods

wrapped in plastic

for
or aluminum cans?
ns

Do your
io

a t convenience foods
contain added

e r sugar?

s i d
con
Do your snacks
contain more
ingredients than
just simple, whole
did you
foods you can
Does your coffee understand? answer yes
and tea lack third
party testing for to any of these?
CONVENIENCE FOODS

mold and heavy

metals?

consider a swap!
60
 making
the swap
blue nest beef
We love their 100% grass-fed Beef
BoboLinks so much, we have them on
autoship each month.
save 15% off first order with code
DRCOURTNEY

olipop
Prebiotic soda that tastes as good as
the big name brands. Root beer is my
fave!

pique tea
Delicious tea without the teabags,
which means no toxins or microplastics!

save 5% with code

*
DRCOURTNEY
make your own
purity coffee I know the point of convenience foods
Organic coffee beans or grounds, third is, well, the convenience. This is just a
party tested and free of mold and friendly reminder that you can batch
microplastics. prep snacks for your family as a great
save 20% off first order with code low-cost option for your family to enjoy
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lovebird boulder canyon

61

Delicious breakfast cereal in four flavors,

CONVENIENCE FOODS

zero junk included. This is an amazing A variety of organic chips cooked in

option for people with food sensitivites! avocado or olive oil that are easy to find
save 10% with code at typical grocery stores. Be sure to
DRCOURTNEY
check the label carefully, as they do
offer some products cooked in refined
oils.
 @wakeupandreadthelabels @just.ingredients
BY JEN SMILEY KARALYNNE CALL
Instagram Instagram
Jen Smiley walks through many different Karalynne Call is a Certified Nutritionist that
food products you find on the shelves shares healthier swaps for convenience
helping you read the labels! She helps you foods! She walks you through things to look
learn what to avoid and what to use instead. for in packaged goods, whole foods, and
more.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

how to understand and use food label and certifications

the nutrition facts label
BIOLOGICAL CAPITAL
CONVENIENCE FOODS

FDA
Article
Article
For a list of common food
If you're unsure when it comes to food certifications, what they mean, and
labels and what it all means, check out what they are lacking, check out this
this article from the FDA — the ones article by Biological Capital.
who dictate the labels!
62
 supplements
I don’t like supplements. Whew! Feels good to get that off my chest! There
is definitely a time and a place for supplements, but I have never jived
with the idea that we need to be downing handfuls of pills every day to be
healthy. Surely that’s not what God intended when He designed the
human body! Instead, I believe in the power of whole foods to deliver the
nutrients we need. You really can’t out-supplement a poor diet, y’all!

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bio-individual
look

recommendations,
active or methylated
forms of vitamins,
focusing on minerals

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oi
SUPPLEMENTS

av

synthetically
sourced vitamins
third-party sellers
 in our
home
It’s important to work with a functional nutritionist to design an individualized approach to what
you’re struggling with and which lifestyle changes will support that. I personally don’t ever implement a
nutrition or lifestyle change that I wouldn’t be willing to commit to implementing for an entire year. I’m
all about true lifestyle changes instead of quick fixes or fads. Then you can look into supplementation
in ways that are more synergistic – working with your body and not trying to overpower, overcome, or
force it to do things that it may not feel primed and ready for.

I am blessed to be working with multiple holistic practitioners who have helped me identify ways to
balance my body by going straight to the source before supplementing. Instead of a probiotic, I eat
sauerkraut and drink beet kvass. Instead of synthetic vitamin D, I make a point to get sunshine on my
skin daily. I eat beef liver and other organs as often as I can. I do love Intelligence of Nature because it
heals and seals the gut lining, which definitely supports my body in absorbing all the nutrients I’m
eating! And I supplement even more minerals through shilajit.
SUPPLEMENTS

At the end of the day, bio-individuality is key. I'd rather encourage you to spend money working with
practitioners to give you real answers than to just buy random things that a bunch of influencers are
recommending. If your body doesn't need it, you're just going to excrete it. And that just makes for
64

some really expensive urine, to be honest.

 looking for
bio-individual recommendations activated or methylated vitamins
Like I said, if your body doesn't need it, you're just Activated vitamins are those that are in their
going to excrete it — which makes for really bioavailable forms. Inactive forms, of say B
expensive urine! I highly recommend working with vitamins, have to be converted or methylated in
holistically-minded practitioners that can run tests the liver before your body can use them, but your
to see your current levels and what internal issues liver can only convert so fast! So most B vitamins
you might have going on. Supplements have a get excreted before they can be used. Up to 60%
time and place, but the first step is knowing which of the population have the MTHFR gene mutation,
ones you specifically need at this current time in which means methylated vitamins are needed in
your life! order for folate, for example, to be used in the

the research
body. Folic acid on the otherhand would have to
quality controlled be converted to the active form, 5-MTHF, before it
The FDA doesn't verify supplements actually could be used in the body.
contain what they market. Look for cGMP, which
stands for “current good manufacturing practices” focusing on minerals
or visit the company's website or give them a call Minerals are foundational to our health. Iodine, for
to learn more about their manufacturing example, is essential for thyroid health and is
practices, certifications of analysis, and third-party present in every organ and tissue of the body.
testing. Calcium is needed to build strong bones and
teeth.

avoiding
synthetically-sourced vitamins third-party sellers
As I do with food sourcing, I look for natural, whole You shouldn't get your supplements from Amazon
foods in supplements. Natural vitamins are or other uncertain third-party sellers. There, I said
nutritionally superior to synthetic ones. Look for it! Ordering supplements straight from the
"Whole Food Derived" verbiage on the labels and distributor or a trusted dispensary, like Fullscript,
ensure that the ingredients include each whole is the best way to ensure they are fully
food the vitamins came from. temperature-controlled, not expired, and from the
actual brand you're buying them from! If you do
65

excipients choose to buy a name-brand product from

SUPPLEMENTS

Excipients are non-nutritive powders, such as Amazon, always make sure it's coming from the
fillers, binders, lubricants, and anti-caking agents. official store page of the brand,
Natural excipients like corn starch and rice flour
are harmless, but it's best to avoid chemical "other ingredients"
excipients like stearic acid, silicone dioxide, "Other ingredients" is an umbrella term for
titanium dioxide, amongst others. artificial sweeteners, dyes, preservatives, and
natural and artificial flavors.
 Do you take
vitamins and

change
minerals that
haven't been tested
with a functional
medicine provider?

Do your current
supplements

for
contain synthetic
ingredients?
ns

Do your current
io

a t supplements come
from a bottle or

e r bag?

s i d
con Do you buy your
supplements
through third-party
did you
sellers like Amazon?

Do you struggle to
answer yes
consume enough
minerals for your to any of these?
specific body
SUPPLEMENTS

needs?

consider a swap!
66
 making
the swap

*
diy liver shots
Cut a grass-fed and finished liver into
bite sized pieces and freeze for 2 weeks.
Put a frozen piece on the back of your
tongue and wash it down with some
orange juice. Easy!

intelligence of nature
Heals and seals mucosal membranes in mitolife
the body — like the gut and nasal
Sourced from sunflowers, this is the
passageways! This lays the foundation
highest quality Vitamin E out there.
for optimal absorption and protection
from glyphosate. Get a free 3oz bottle
with a 32oz purchase — just add both crucial four
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We love their shilajit tablets and Master DRCOURTNEY
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antioxidants and essential metals that

*
prevent diseases and improve the sunshine
body’s overall health. I choose to skip synthetic Vitamin D
save 10% with code supplements and go straight to the O.G.
DRCOURTNEY
Vitamin D source daily: the sun!
fullscript
67
SUPPLEMENTS

*
If you're going to supplement, Fullscript whole foods
is a curated, third-party distributor for
The nutrients found in whole foods
better quality control.
complement each other for maximum
save 10%
absorption. This is the best way to get
NO CODE NEEDED what your body needs!
 carrie vitt jake duncan
FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONAL FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
THERAPY PRACTITIONER PRACTITIONER
Service Service
If you're unsure what your specific body If you're looking for a full work-up and unsure
needs are, working with a functional what your specific body needs are, working
nutritionist, like Carrie Vitt at Our Well House, with a functional medicine practitioner, like
is a great place to start! Jake Duncan from Stewarding Life Wellness at
Our Well House, is a great place to start!

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

freely rooted wise traditions

KORI MELOY WESTON A. PRICE
Course Website
SUPPLEMENTS

"The step-by step guide to restoring A website offering a wealth of

the metabolism, vitality, and food information on supplements and
freedom of your youth." whole food supplementation.
68
 cookware
Cooking at home is a great way to save money and feed your
family more nutrient dense food! But if your cookware is
leaching out metals and other toxins every time it’s heated (as
most cookware is), you may want to consider the value of truly
nontoxic cookware.

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100% pure ceramic

100% stainless steel
solid wood

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COOKWARE

av

ceramic-coated
nonstick
silicone
microwaves
 in our
home
Cookware is one area of my life that has been mostly nontoxic for a long time. When Brandon and I got married,
we registered for 100% stainless steel pots and pans. Stainless was the only widely available nontoxic option back
then, but some great new brands have popped up recently that I have loved adding to our kitchen!

Xtrema ceramic cookware is fantastic, especially when I’m batch cooking soups and stews and need a huge Dutch
Oven that actually fits all the ingredients! I frequently quadruple recipes, so this is a pretty big deal. I also pull out
the 5.5 quart stock pot for baking my sourdough. I’m a big fan of the 360 Cookware stock pot for boiling water
quickly when I’m making pasta or hard boiled eggs.

We’re intentional about choosing a solid wood slab as a cutting board. Most wooden cutting boards are made by
gluing pieces together, and that glue makes its way into your food. Yum. My favorite utensils are solid wood too,
since those protect the surfaces of my cookware from any unwanted scratches. I have some stainless steel too,
but I am careful to avoid using those on my Xtrema.

I used to use cast iron, but have since learned more about the iron overload that affects most of the population. I
COOKWARE

prefer to avoid extra iron if I can help it. Now that there are other options, I don't feel like I need cast iron in my
kitchen anymore.

If you’re looking to invest in this area, remember that you don’t need every single different size and shape of
70

cookware out there. Think about which pieces you use the most for the meals YOU cook, and begin swapping
those out one by one. A great skillet and a couple sauce pans can go a long way.
 looking for
100% pure ceramic 100% stainless steel
100% pure ceramic cookware is nontoxic, Heavy-duty 100% stainless steel is a great option
inorganic, and nonreactive. It contains no PFOA, for frying and sautéing, and can be nonstick if
PTFE, glues, polymers, coatings, and dyes. It's used properly! For cooking acidic foods, be sure to
important to look for quality with ceramics to look for nickel-free (indicated by an 18/0 on the
ensure they don't leach chemicals, metal, bottom vs 18/10). The "18" is chromium and the
cadmium, lead or change the taste of your food. second number is nickel. Stainless steel is also a
good option for utensils — just be sure not to use
them on cookware that can be scratched!
solid wood

the research
I look for solid wood for cutting boards and cooking utensils. Many cutting boards use toxic glues to piece
together, so it's important to look for whole, solid pieces of wood. Wooden utensils are the best option to
protect your cookware from scratches. When choosing wooden items, I prefer unstained to avoid exposure to
VOCs from stains.

avoiding
ceramic-coated nonstick
While 100% ceramic cookware is a great option, I know this is a hard one, but nonstick pans (even
we avoid ceramic-coated options. The coating is green ones) likely contain Perfluorinated
very thin and usually peels off... into your food! Substances (PFAS), which have been linked to
This exposes you to lead, cadmium, and increased risk of some cancers, kidney damage,
aluminum (a neurotoxin)! Lead poisoning can developmental delays in children, and more. It's
result in high blood pressure, fertility issues, best to avoid teflon-coated nonstick pans and opt
hypertension, and more serious issues. for the better options listed here for nonstick!

silicone microwaves
First, if you're going to use silicone in the kitchen, Eating organic but microwaving your food is
71

it's important to use 100% food-grade silicone! wasting money! Microwaves have been shown to
However, we avoid using silicone at extremely alter the protein structure and lower antioxidant
COOKWARE

high temperatures, especially with foods that have enzyme activity of food. In addition, microwaves
a higher fat content. Silicone heated to are a form of radiation. Leakage is shown to
temperatures higher than 300°F (most baking) damage human cells and tissues, and can affect
were shown to leach siloxanes, which have been eye health when you look directly at them.
linked to liver changes, thyroid enlargement,
uterine cancers, and more.
 change
Is your cookware
considered
nonstick?

Do you use silicone

at extreme

for
temperatures, like
in the oven?
ns
io

Do your cutting

a t boards contain
toxic wood glue?

e r
s i d
con Does your
cookware have any
scratches in the
did you
coating?
answer yes
Do you use a
microwave in your to any of these?
home?
COOKWARE

consider a swap!
72
 making
the swap
xtrema
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

The 10 quart dutch oven is my number

one batch cooking tool. The 5.5 quart
stock pot is my pick for sourdough. I
love that the ceramic material is
nontoxic, holds heat, and washes up
easily! save 15% with code
DRCOURTNEY

*
glass & stoneware
baking dishes
Glass casserole dishes are a kitchen
workhorse. I also love my Pampered
Chef unglazed stoneware bakeware.
They become seasoned and nonstick
over time!

360 cookware solid wood cutting board

Made with 100% surgical 18/8 stainless Find a solid wood cutting board for the
steel in the USA that utilizes vapor lock most hygienic chopping. Be sure to oil it
technology to prevent nutrients with fractionated coconut oil before
escaping through steam. using and as needed.

*
18/0 stainless steel wooden cooking utensils
73

Most convection ovens have nonstick Solid wooden utensils will keep your
COOKWARE

surfaces, so Teflon is leaching out into food free of leaching plastics or toxins
your food. We make sure our convection from silicone at high heat. Avoid
ovens are stainless steel inside and out. submerging in water (including
dishwasher) to keep them in great
shape.
 dark waters still cooking with aluminum
foil? you'll want to read this.
2019
READER'S DIGEST
Film
Article
Though creative license was used here, this
film tells the true story of the lawsuit against While popular for grilling and easy clean-up
DuPont over the coverup of toxic chemicals in the kitchen, read here to learn about the
in Teflon. risks of aluminum and why cooking with it
should be avoided.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

cutting board comparison what is california proposition 65

SEED TO PANTRY SCHOOL OEHHA
Article Website
A thorough comparison of hardwood, Learn what the California Proposition
COOKWARE

softwood, and plastic cutting boards 65 warning means, what it is warning

(and how to properly care for them). against, and how you can advocate for
your family's household items.
74
 food storage
Most people who embark on a nontoxic lifestyle journey
end up making the decision to eat out way less and cook at
home instead. The most economical way to approach that
reality is to cook more than you need for a single meal and
eat your leftovers at a later time (either through the week or
up to 6+ months later, if frozen right away).
And where there are leftovers, there are food
storage options to consider!

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glass
look

silicone (cooler temps)

beeswax
stainless steel

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d
oi
FOOD STORAGE

av

plastic & saran wrap

silicone (extreme heat)
aluminum foil
 in our
home
Meal prepping has saved my life on more occasions than I can count! I love quadrupling recipes to make
the most of my time in the kitchen on the weekends, and storing all that food is no joke! I definitely like to
use glass storage. Bamboo lids are my favorite for foods that won’t be on-the-go with me, or aren’t likely to
spill. Clear mason jars are a food storage powerhouse! They can act as a container for leftovers, a storage
vessel in the pantry, a cup, and more! The best part is that mason jars are super easy to find secondhand at
thrift stores or yard sales, making them one of the most affordable glass storage options out there. And I
love that they come in a variety of sizes for different needs.

I have a collection of Stasher bags that I like to use for chips and other snacky items. But I do try not to heat
any silicone, as it is no longer stable at high temperatures. Stainless steel is another good nontoxic option,
but don’t add hot food and then put the lid on if you ever want to see that food again! Brandon and I made
that mistake once, and neither of us could pry off the lid thanks to the vacuum that was created by the
sealed-in heat. Never again! Beeswax wrap is a great replacement for saran wrap when I need to cover an
FOOD STORAGE

open dish.

Start building up your collection of nontoxic food storage items a little at a time and begin to reach for
those pieces first. Before you know it, you’ll be plastic-free!
76
 looking for
glass silicone (cooler temps)
Glass is my first option for storing food. There are Silicone can be used for storage at room
so many options. My favorite are Weck Jars for an temperature or cooler. It's important to look for
all glass option or mason jars for a budget option. 100% food-grade silicone, and to avoid extreme
With glass products, I avoid anything colored, heat (see below). I love silicone for packing
crystal, or with crystal-like designs due to the lead lunches and snacks — both for work and when we
content those usually contain. Simple, clear glass travel!
is usually best when it comes to lead-free.
stainless steel
beeswax
Stainless steel is a good option for food that is not

the research
Beeswax wraps are a natural alternative to saran acidic and doesn't need to be reheated. Acidic
wrap or foil (used for covering dishes — not to be food will cause nickel to leach into your food.
heated in the oven). In beeswax wraps, I look for While you can reheat in an oven, the stainless
plastic-free, silicone-free, 100% beeswax, organic steel, of course, will become very hot to touch.
cotton, and occasionally they are made with Stainless steel is my favorite option for Rosie's
jojoba or coconut oil and tree resin. lunchbox.

avoiding
plastic & saran wrap
Plastic is common in conventional kitchens, but studies have found that chemicals, like phthalates and BPA,
can leach out and into food and beverages, and even more so when plastic is exposed to heat. These
chemicals have been linked to metabolic disorders (including obesity), reduced fertility, and are endocrine
disruptors. It's best to avoid all plastic in the kitchen, such as tupperware, saran wrap, food packaging, and
more. Occasionally, I will use a plastic lid to our glass containers instead of bamboo or glass lids to ensure a
secure lock.

silicone (extreme heat) aluminum foil

77

We avoid using silicone at extremely hot Studies have shown, the longer and higher the
FOOD STORAGE

temperatures, especially with foods that have a temperature aluminum foil is cooked with, the
higher fat content. Silicone heated to more aluminum is leached into the food. It has
temperatures higher than 300 degrees (most been found to leach the highest with acidic foods
baking) were shown to leach siloxanes, which is & foods containing spices. Aluminum is
an endocrine disruptors and have caused considered a neurotoxin and has been correlated
impaired fertility and potential carcinogenicity. with Alzheimer's, autism, and other neurological
problems.
 change
Do you store food in
plastic containers?

Are your glass

containers colored

for
glass or decorative?
ns
io

Do you cook or

a t store food in saran

wrap or foil?

e r
s i d
con Do you reheat
acidic food in did you
stainless steel?
Do you heat silicone answer yes
in the oven or
pressure cooker?
Ex: silicone bags,
to any of these?
muffin cups, pan
FOOD STORAGE

liners, etc.

consider a swap!
78
 making
the swap
stasher bags
To-go snacks, leftovers, pantry
staples, toiletries.... is there
anything a Stasher bag can't do?
Love these.

*
weck & mason jars
Glass food storage is a great
choice, but many options can get
really pricey. Think outside the
box and try using canning jars
instead! They tend to be
significantly cheaper, especially if
you purchase secondhand at a
garage sale or thrift store. If I don't
need a leak-proof seal, I enjoy the
aesthetics of adding bamboo lids
to mine.

beeswax wraps from sunfolk

It can be difficult to ditch
traditional food plastic and
79

aluminum food wraps when

FOOD STORAGE

you've gotten in the habit of using

them. Beeswax wraps are an
excellent reusable alternative!
save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY
why you shouldn't wrap your lead free mama
food in aluminum foil
TAMARA RUBIN
BY GHADA BASSIONI
Website
Article
Tamara Rubin shares information on lead
A synthesis of research conducted regarding poisoning and testing for individual
health risks of aluminum exposure, dishware. You can even purchase and send
particularly with food. dishes to be tested for lead and other heavy
metals!

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

bps and bpf are as how to make reusable diy

carcinogenic as bpa beeswax wraps
PUBMED THE SPRUCE
Blog Post
FOOD STORAGE

Article
Check out this blog post on how to
If you've been buying plastic food make your own reusable beeswax
containers marked "BPA-free" without wraps.
a second thought, you will want to
check out this article.
80
body
81 BODY
oral health
The health of your mouth directly impacts the health of the rest
of your body. That’s why I count holistic oral care as one of the
most overlooked areas of health care- even in crunchy circles.
A deeper dive into this whole-body connection is a fascinating
wellness topic that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I have!

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remineralization
consistency
mouth taping
microbiome-friendly

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fluoride
av

(most) mouthwashes
ORAL HEALTH

root canals
mercury fillings
metals
82
 in our
home
Since becoming a mom, I have had more days in my life than I ever thought possible where I
have woken up and not brushed my teeth. I finally realized it’s because I had sacrificed my
morning routine. My child became my alarm clock, and we started the day off with whatever
she needed. That often meant forgetting to brush my teeth until later in the day, if at all. I’ve
been working hard to change this and have finally found a new routine that feels good to me:

1. Mouth taping at night

2. Oil pulling with coconut oil and remineralization drops on an empty stomach
3. Flossing with Risewell silk floss
4. Waterpik with warm, ozonated water and Organic Olivia Soothe Your Throat spray
5. Soft bristle ionic toothbrush with Uncle Harry’s toothpaste
83

6. Tongue scraping with a copper tongue scraper

ORAL HEALTH

7. Swishing with isotonic seawater

It has taken some serious intentionality, but I finally feel like I’m in a good groove and my
biological dentist approves.
looking for
remineralization consistency
Remineralization is important for strengthening teeth. Consistency can be hard, especially when you're a
Once enamel is gone, you can't get it back. A 2019 parent! But it's so important when it comes to

the research
study found that hydroxyapatite toothpaste was as protecting your teeth! If you're struggling with
effective as toothpaste with fluoride at preventing consistency, try to find shortcuts to help you.
demineralization and at remineralizing the early signs While silk floss is best, you might need to switch to
of cavities. It has been used in Japan successfully for disposable floss picks you can leave by your bed.
over a decade as a safe alternative to flouride. Switch up your habit and brush your teeth while
mouth taping your little one practices brushing theirs!

Mouth breathing reduces the quality of your sleep, microbiome-friendly

disrupts the balance of your oral microbiome, and Y'all. Your oral microbiome exists and has the
makes you more prone to tooth decay. Some dentists second largest and diverse microbiota after the
consider mouth breathing the number one cause of gut! It harbors over 700 species of bacteria
cavities — even ahead of poor diet or bad dental including Streptococcus mutans that are a
hygiene. I'm a big fan of mouth taping to ensure nasal significant contributor to tooth decay. "Oral
breathing while sleeping, but this is only a temporary microbiome: Unveiling the fundamentals" states,
fix. Getting to the root of mouth breathing is needed to "The oral microbiome is crucial in maintaining
get back to nose breathing. oral health, as well as systemic health".

avoiding (most) mouthwashes

fluoride
Most mouthwashes are created to kill all the
Comprehensive data from the WHO has shown there bacteria in the mouth. While you might want the
is no discernible difference in tooth decay by bad bacteria out, it also kills the good bacteria!
fluoridating our water. Fluoride has been shown to This sends your oral microbiome out of whack as
cause dental fluorosis, arthritis, neurotoxic effects, it tries to catch back up! We prefer to skip
including ADHD, and thyroid disfunction, among mouthwashes — which also produce staining —
other ill effects. and shoot for oil pulling instead.

root canals mercury fillings & metal

In a study where extracted root canal teeth were Mercury is highly toxic, and amalgam fillings
placed under the skin of rabbits, they found that the contain about 50% mercury. Mercury is
tooth of someone who suffered a heart attack, when continuously emitted from dental amalgam
fillings, and it is absorbed and retained in the
ORAL HEALTH

implanted in a rabbit, would cause a heart attack in

the rabbit in a few weeks. That same tooth would be body, particularly in the brain, kidney, liver, lung,
removed, sterilized, and implanted into another and gastrointestinal tract. It has been suspected
rabbit with the same result up to 30 times. For more to cause Alzheimer's, autism, autoimmune
info on root canals, check out the book disorders and more.
84

recommendations on the Be Your Own Advocate

page!
 change
Does your
toothpaste contain
fluoride?

Do you use
conventional

for
mouthwash or
breath mints?
ns
io

Do you snore or

a t sleep with your

mouth open?

e r
s i d
con Do you have a silver
colored filling or
permanent retainer
did you
in your mouth?
answer yes
Have you ever had a
to any of these?
85

root canal?
ORAL HEALTH

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
uncle harry's
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

We love Uncle Harry's toothpaste

because it contains calcium carbonate
— the mineral the body uses for bone
formation. I also love their
remineralization drops! I've been using
this brand for nearly 5 years and
continue to wholeheartedly
recommend it.

risewell

*
copper tongue scraper
We love both the kid's hydroxyapatite
Copper tongue scraping greatly
toothpaste for Rosie and silk floss.
outperforms tooth brushing on the
save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY10 tongue and is an effective way to reduce
VSCs — which cause bad breath.

*
waterpik oil pulling
Oral irrigation reduces harmful bacteria
Try swishing coconut oil in your mouth
and therefore the risk and severity of
for about 15-20 minutes to improve
periodontal disease. Studies have
dental health. Make sure to spit in a
shown that daily oral irrigation has the
trash can, not the sink!
potential to suppress periodontal
pathogens located within the pocket. ionic toothbrush
ozonated water Ionic toothbrushes encourage teeth to let
go of plaque by breaking the ionic bond
Ozonated water has been shown to
between plaque and teeth instead of just
provide the best results for dry socket
relying on friction like a regular toothbrush.
and pain.
isotonic seawater
organic olivia
ORAL HEALTH

I incorporate a few sprays of "Soothe Rinsing with saltwater is effective at

Your Throat" spray into my ozonated drawing out harmful pathogens present
Waterpik water because the herbs in on your gum tissue, and then it creates
a barrier that prevents the pathogens
86

this product promote a healthy oral

microbiome. from returning!
 find a biological dentist root cause
IAOMT 2019
Resource Documentary
A resource to search and find a biological "A movie length documentary featuring
dentist in your area, along with more expert opinions from cutting edge doctors
resources on holistic dentistry. and dentists from around the world, that
exposes the true health effects of the root
canal procedure."

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

recommended books the mercury detoxification manual

on root canals
BY REBECCA RUST LEE &
87

FROM DR. COURTNEY'S LIBRARY ANDREW HALL CUTLER, PHD

ORAL HEALTH

Books Book
A guide to safely detoxing mercury
My Amazon recommended book list from your body using a specific
on root canals. protocol. Best when used under the
guidance of a medical provider.
skincare
Your skin is a reflection of what’s happening inside your body,
so it’s important to use products topically that support what’s
happening internally rather than trying to override. Another
essential factor is the microbiome of your skin, where
beneficial bacteria thrives. Harsh soaps kill the good organisms
along with the bad, leaving our entire
body vulnerable to disease. Does it really matter
what products we use on our skin? Absolutely,
100% yes. But when it comes to skincare, less
is seriously so much more.

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organic, sustainable,
look

& wild-crafted
microbiome-friendly
whole plants
tallow

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fragrance
av

synthetic preservatives
popping zits
SKINCARE

unstable PUFAs
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 in our
home
My skincare “routine” is super low maintenance, y’all. I put that in quotations because I hardly feel like
it qualifies as a routine! I subscribe to the oil cleansing method, based on the chemistry 101 principle
that like dissolves like. Oils with low comedogenic ratings are extremely effective at removing makeup,
dirt, and grime without stripping your skin or clogging your pores.

I don’t actually wash my face before I go to bed at night. (I also no longer wear makeup, so I have
nothing to wash off). In the morning, I splash my face with water and leave it dripping on my face for
moisture. Then I add some pumps of By Achilles Sunshine Elixir to lock in that moisture.

Rosie and I both use and love Smear's clean whipped tallow for the skin on our bodies. Kosmatology is
our hand soap of choice both at home and at Our Well House. In the shower, Aleavia is my ride or die!!
89

It can be tempting to use a dozen creams and potions each day, since that’s what the marketing
SKINCARE

machines have led you to believe you need in order to have glowing, youthful skin. But don’t forget to
take things back to simplicity and normal human physiology! A few carefully-chosen products is more
than enough to maintain the health of your skin and its microbiome.
looking for
organic, sustainable, & wild-crafted microbiome-friendly
Organic doesn't just matter with our food. Our skin is our Hands aside, your body doesn't need soap!
largest organ, and we absorb everything put onto it! The trillions of microbes — bacteria, viruses,

the research
Skincare goes over our whole body, so it's important to be and fungi — that make up your skin
mindful of ingredients. Non-organic ingredients are often microbiome protect you from pathogens
sprayed with chemicals — just like conventional produce! and keep you healthy. Constantly using soap
For this reason, I always look for organic ingredients with weakens your skin’s ability to handle
one exception: wild-crafted! Wild-crafted botanicals are infections on its own and denies your body
grown naturally in their normal habitat. They are organic the good stress of foreign bacteria. ⠀
by their own nature and retain the positive attributes of
tallow
plants grown in their normal habitat.
It might sound counterintuitive to use tallow
whole plants (beef fat) on your skin, but hear me out. Our
I like to source skincare made from quality sourcing that skin cell membranes are approximately 50%
keep the integrity of the plant itself. Many skincare saturated fat — a similar makeup to tallow.
companies use refined oils or plants that are heavily Using grass-fed and pasture-raised tallow as
processed, produced far away, and are highly chemically a moisturizer is both nourishing from the fat
refined. These processes remove the beneficial properties and vitamins A, D, K, E, B12, but also kills
we want for our skin! unwanted microbes and known to fight off
wrinkle-producing free radicals.

avoiding
fragrance synthetic preservatives
Fragrance is an umbrella word that can be made I strive to find natural ingredients in products, not
up of over 100 different chemicals that neither synthetic. Synthetic means chemicals!
have to be disclosed or tested for safety. The Preservatives, even in small amounts, wreak havoc
chemicals in fragrance have included endocrine on our bodies. Parabens and phenoxyethanol, for
disruptors and some cancer-causing. example, are endocrine disrupters. Benzalkonium
chloride, potassium sorbate, and sodium
popping zits benzoate are a few others to look out for.
Your body created that zit, so why is it commonly
believed your body can't get rid of it too? Regularly unstable pufas
squeezing blackheads and pustules can increase You've probably heard to avoid PUFAs due to their
the likelihood of scarring and might force the pus inflammatory effect, but this is mostly the case
SKINCARE

deeper into your skin. Instead, check out my with unstable PUFAs! Many nut oils are refined,
"SKIN" highlight where I apply a warm compress which takes away the antioxidants that are
to clear the white head. Riding it out is also an necessary to prevent rancidity. Check out Laurel
90

option. This too shall pass! Skincare's "Herbal Wisdom" highlight for more on
this!
 change
Do your skincare
products contain
"natural fragrances"?

Do you wash your

for
face everyday?

ns
io

a t Do you pick at or
pop your zits?

e r
s i d
con Do you use body
wash or soap in the did you
shower?
answer yes
Does your skincare
or body wash to any of these?
91

contain parabens?
SKINCARE

consider a swap!
making
the swap
by achilles
Small batch, wildcrafted organic
skincare that is perfect for oil cleansing.
I've used the Sunshine Elixir for years
and my skin drinks it in. Each product is
hand made by the owner, Michelle
Achilles. save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY

smear
Grass-fed and finished beef tallow is an
incredible moisturizer. Choose the

*
Clean Whip for an unscented option, or water washing method
choose from a wide range of essential- Keep it simple and do the water
oil scented blends. washing method by just using water in
save 10% with code the shower instead of body wash!
DRCOURTNEY

*
aleavia raw honey
Aleavia is an amazing body wash
You may have had a great nontoxic
alternative that doesn't strip your
cleanser in your pantry all this time
microbiome. I love that their citric acid
without even knowing it! Raw honey
is not derived from mold — a rare find!
removes impurities without stripping
save 20% with code your skin, and it's extremely cost-
DRCOURTNEY
effective!

*
kosmatology natural exfoliation
The foaming hand soaps by I love going to the beach or lake and
Kosmatology are my favorite! Organic, using sand as an exfoliant! We don't
SKINCARE

free of parabens, pthalates, triclosan, need expensive exfoliants when nature

and SLS. And they smell incredible! offers this for free!
save 15% with code
92

DRCOURTNEY
 the beauty of dirty skin product database
WHITNEY BOWE THINK DIRTY
Book App
A dermatologist's take on the connection A resource to learn about the ingredients in
between the gut and the skin. your body products, whether they are clean
or harmful, and more.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

toxic beauty @maisonpur

2019 MOLLY
93
SKINCARE

Documentary Instagram
Learn about the exposure to
dangerous substances from Molly's Instagram is a great resource
commonly trusted beauty products for reviews on nontoxic skincare and
in the class action lawsuit against beauty products.
J&J, the survivors and women who
lost their lives.
haircare
Parabens and sulphates and fragrance, oh my! Hair products
are full of JUNK. I get it — you want your hair to behave, and
you need styling products that actually get the job done. But
you don’t have to sacrifice your health in the name of beauty.

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organic oils
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whole body health

ACV rinses
products that work

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soap
av

emulsifiers
over-washing
HAIRCARE

and more
94
 in our
home
Most products for curly girls are just plain toxic, as frustrating as that is. Even some of the brands I have
used and loved for years contain ingredients that are really not the best. Does that mean I will stop
using them altogether? In this case, no.

For me, it’s a matter of frequency. If I was the kind of person who styled her hair every day and had
those products and their fragrance on me 24/7, I might decide to abstain completely. But I style my
hair once a month, maybe. So if my products are not all 100% nontoxic, I’m okay with that.

There are some great options that are squeaky clean though, if you feel that this is an area you want to
really grow in! Under Luna is the best of the best. Aleavia can also be used as shampoo too, which I did
myself for a very long time!
95

When it comes to hair dye and salons, there's really not a nontoxic option that performs well. Even
HAIRCARE

henna has its problems. So we're looking at less toxic options. It’s been awhile, but I have colored my
hair in the past just for fun and chose for it to be a toxic event. That’s why I limit toxins in other areas of
my life. My body is able to handle the once or twice a year exposure to hair dye if I’m not overloaded on
toxins from my day-to-day.

But when I start to gray with age, I’m excited to embrace that change!
looking for
organic oils whole body health
Same as with skincare, opting for organic The body is connected! Conditions like
ingredients in our hair products is important, as hypothyroidism and diabetes, as well as mold

the research
non-organic ingredients are often sprayed with exposures (to name a few) can cause hair loss. Low
chemicals. Using organic oils is a great way to levels of trace elements are suspected to cause early
restore vitamins and minerals that get stripped graying. Addressing your whole body health is an
away with washing. (If you currently use important step in addressing your hair health.
conventional products, switching to organic
haircare will be an oily process — but it will end!) less toxic hair dye
Unfortunately, fully nontoxic hair dye doesn't currently
apple cider vinegar rinses exist — only less-toxic options. I'm all for fully-
Apple cider vinegar rinses are great for those who embracing natural hair color and beauty— even as it
struggle with dry or itchy scalps or dandruff! grays! But I know that comes with its challenges, so I
Malassezia is a common scalp fungus we all have. would look for these things when dying your hair: go
When it grows 1-2 times the amount, we get less often, choose organic or henna, bring your own
dandruff. For how to do an ACV rinse, check out shampoo/conditioner, choose a balayage (treatment
this blog post from Under Luna. doesn't sit on your roots), and step outside while the
hair color sets to minimize exposure to hair sprays and
more in the salon!

avoiding
soap emulsifiers
The same as with skincare, your body doesn't You know the stretched out and dry skin feeling
need soap — hands aside! The trillions of you can get after using a face wash? That's from
microbes — bacteria, viruses, and fungi — that emulsifiers! Emulsifiers are used to combine oil
make up your skin microbiome protect you from and water, but are largely unregulated and can
pathogens and keep you healthy. Constantly using cause harm to your skin's natural protective layer.
soap on your scalp throws off your microbiome This causes your hair to dry out which makes your
and can lead to an oily or dry scalp! scalp overcompensate with oil. Ingredients to look
for: emulsifying wax, polysorbate, stearate,
steareth, cetearyl and ceteareth.
over-washing
Your hair will go through a detox period when you first switch to natural hair products while its purging the oils
and build up from previous products. Under Luna recommends if you have dry scalp or dandruff, you'll need
to wash more frequently or try a ACV hair rinse, If your scalp is healthy and oils are balanced, then you can
HAIRCARE

space more frequently. I currently wash my hair every 20 days.

other things I'm avoiding

Preservatives and fragrance. Read more on this in the skincare section!
96
 change
Do you wash your
hair more than
once a week?

Are your haircare

products water-

for
based or contain
emulsifiers?
ns
io

a t Does your shampoo

contain soap?

e r
s i d
con Do you struggle with
an oily scalp, dry did you
scalp, or dandruff?
answer yes
Do you dye your
hair more than 3 to any of these?
97

times a year?
HAIRCARE

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

under luna
Ingredients clean enough to eat? Yes
please! Under Luna removes dirt and
toxins while preserving the scalp's
natural oil production. Truly the best of
the best. save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY

innersense
It's very difficult to find products for
curly hair that are both nontoxic and

*
effective, but Innersense makes
water washing method
significantly cleaner options that work.
Many people choose to wash their hair
with water only. It takes your scalp a
period of time to adjust its oil
oway production accordingly, but all you low
While I don't love the ingredients of all maintenance gals may be interested in
products from Oway, I do like the Curly giving this a try!
Potion, No-Rinse Moist Conditioner, and

*
Sculpting Mist as less toxic options. apple cider vinegar

I rinse my hair periodically with apple

cider vinegar and cedarwood +
aleavia
rosemary essential oils for extra shine
I'm all for using a single product more and a silky texture.
than one way! You can support your
microbiome by using Aleavia as a
shampoo.
HAIRCARE

save 20% with code

DRCOURTNEY
98
 ewg's skin deep database product database
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP THINK DIRTY
Website App
A resource to learn about the ingredients in A resource to learn about the ingredients in
your body products with ratings from 1 - 10, your body products, whether they are clean
10 being the worst! or harmful, and more.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

water-washing method curly girl: the handbook

LAURIE LOO LORRAINE MASSEY
99
HAIRCARE

Article Book
An article to learn how to do the A book for the curly girl method —
water-washing method. how to promote curls without the use
of shampoo, hair dryers, and frizz.
makeup
Did you know that the average woman puts over 500 chemicals per
day on her body? Per day! The skin is the largest organ of the body,
and the gateway for the varied toxins we come in contact with. It’s not
just what we eat, but what we put on our body, that impacts our
health. It is believed that our skin absorbs 60-70% of any
topical products we use.

For all my makeup-loving ladies, that means it’s time to

get familiar with those really long words on the
ingredient list of your favorite products and make
sure you’re okay with what’s inside!

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organic ingredients
clean packaging

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sunscreen
av

PFAS
heavy metals
MAKEUP

synthetic dyes
100
 in our
home
If you take the time to scroll wayyy back in my Instagram feed, you’ll find that the majority of my posts
were once devoted to nontoxic makeup. It’s no secret that I no longer wear makeup. Like, at all. So
how did I go from the girl attending beauty conferences to the girl who literally owns zero makeup
products?

In 2017, I felt convicted about why I was wearing makeup. What was I trying to enhance? What was I
trying to cover up? Why did I feel the need to change how God created me? Why is this something we
do as women but men just show up exactly how they are? I decided that for one month, I wasn’t going
to put makeup on, no matter where we went, what we did, or what showed up on my face. At first I
couldn’t believe that I was going out and about without makeup on. I felt naked, exposed, judged. That
first month was foreign but I also felt an unexpected sense of freedom. After my month-long
experiment, I decided to leave makeup to special occasions only.

A year later, I was no longer wearing it at all. It was a year-long journey and a lot of heart work, but
there’s nothing like the freedom of looking at a picture of myself without makeup on and not criticizing
101

how I could look more awake, bronzed, highlighted, or bold. I don’t need makeup to be beautiful and
MAKEUP

neither do you. We are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s perfect image, and we don’t need to
darken our eyebrows, elongate our lashes, or contour our face to believe that.

If you’re not quite ready to skip makeup entirely, I totally get it. That’s why I’m including some great
nontoxic options for you to explore here. But don’t forget that ditching it altogether and embracing
your natural beauty is a viable option too! And that’s coming from a former clean beauty blogger.
looking for
organic ingredients clean packaging
If you choose organic produce, but don't choose When possible, I aim to avoid plastic packaging.
organic cosmetics, you're still getting pesticide Instead, look for cosmetics packaged in glass or

the research
and herbicide exposure! Our skin is our largest bamboo. If you prefer a brand packaged in plastic
organ and everything we put on it gets absorbed tubs or bottles, just be sure to keep it away from
into our bodies. Certified organic cosmetics extreme heat — like left in your car in the summer
means you're skipping a long list of persistent — to minimize the chemicals leaking into the
pesticides and herbicides directly applied to your product.
skin.

avoiding
sunscreen pfas
Sunscreen use limits our vitamin D intake, leading PFAS are found in many cosmetics, with especially
to bad skin, poor bone strength and general high levels in products labeled "long-lasting" or "wear-
depression. If you’re going from a car, to a subway, resistant." Because many clean beauty brands don't
to an indoor office and then back home, I don’t own manufacturing facilities, they contract with
recommend wearing daily SPF. If you know you'll manufacturers. But these manufactures are not
be out in the sun during peak hours or for a long required by the U.S. to disclose trace amounts of
time, check out my recommendations for safe sun ingredients —like those that may contain PFAS. Look
exposure. to avoid "fluoro" on the ingredient list and opt for
companies that have third-party testing.
heavy metals
Unfortunately, heavy metals — like lead, mercury, synthetic dyes
cadium, arsenic, nickel, and aluminum — are Synthetic dyes are used to give cosmetics their color.
found in many cosmetic products. Exposure to They come from things like coal tar, petroleum, and
heavy metals can result in skin allergies, severe heavy metal salts, like arsenic. This exposes us to
redness, cellular death, DNA damage, memory heavy metals, which build up in the body over time
loss, reproductive failure, and carcinogenic health and can cause serious health problems like cancer,
affects. reproductive disorders, and more. Azo dyes, while
usually used in clothing, have made their way to
cosmetics and are considered to have a carcinogenic
nature.
MAKEUP

other things I'm avoiding

Parabens, phthalates (fragrance), benzalkonium chloride, benzophenones, BHA//BHT, ethoxylated
ingredients, phenoxyethanol, and bismuth oxychloride
102
 change
Do you wear
makeup more than
5 days a week?

Does your makeup

contain sunscreen

for
& do you spend
most days indoors?
ns
io

Is your makeup

a t lacking third-party
testing?

e r
s i d
con Is your makeup
packaged in did you
plastic?

Does your makeup

answer yes
contain PFAs,
to any of these?
103

preservatives, or
MAKEUP

synthetic dyes?

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

your own beauty

You are beautiful and valued by your
Creator as you are, no makeup needed!
Going makeup-free has a lot of deeper
personal benefits, but it's also 100%
nontoxic to embrace the skin you're in!
This is my pick for anyone who feels
convicted the way I did (and still do).

gressa
axiology
ecobrow
au naturale
hynt beauty
dime beauty
A quick disclaimer:
plume science These cosmetics brands are
companies I loved and trusted
rejuva minerals back in my beauty blogger days. I
haven't worn makeup for years
gia bare beauty and have not kept a pulse on any
changes in formulation or
performance, nor have I tested
moogoo makeup any recently released products.
Use this list as a starting place and
MAKEUP

100 percent pure vet each product carefully!

104

motd cosmetic brushes

 ewg's skin deep database product database
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP THINK DIRTY
Website App
A resource to learn about the ingredients in A resource to learn about the ingredients in
your body products with ratings from 1 - 10, your body products, whether they are clean
10 being the worst! or harmful, and more.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

@hullosam @organicallybecca
Sammie Kolk Organically Becca
105
MAKEUP

Instagram Instagram
Sammie is a green beauty makeup Organically Becca offers green beauty
artist who offers "beauty therapy consults and is a great resource for
consultations." reviews on nontoxic beauty and
skincare products. Use code
DRCOURTNEY for $5 off!
armpits
From creams to sticks to sprays and more, natural
deodorant has been having a moment lately — and
with good reason! Most conventional deodorants on
the market are designed to keep you from sweating
altogether. But sweating is actually an essential detox
pathway for our body — not something you want to
hinder! Add in all the aluminum, baking soda, and
fragrance of the popular brands and you’ve got a recipe
for disaster. But fear not — deodorant is an easy swap!

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healthy hormones
look

internal detoxification
exfoliation & moisturizing
essential oils

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av

antiperspirant
aluminum
baking soda
ARMPITS

fragrance
106
 in our
home
I come from a family with sensitive armpits, so I hopped on the natural deodorant train
about 15 years ago, if you can believe that! But when I was in college, I started to
wonder… What would happen if I just didn't wear deodorant for a little bit? My husband
would forego the daily underarm swipe sometimes, and he never smelled gross. It felt
like such an epiphany at the time to realize that maybe I'm not inherently stinky like I’d
been told my whole life! Never one to do things halfway, I decided to do an armpit
detox. And because I was in chiropractic school at the time (where we get up close and
personal on the reg), I told my friends, “Listen, I’m detoxing my armpits. It’s probably
going to be gnarly for about two weeks.” I had mercy on them all and brought my armpit
107

spray to refresh my pits through the day.

ARMPITS

And sure enough, it wasn’t long before I realized that I didn’t stink! I never went back to
traditional deodorant after that. Now I dilute a drop or two of manuka essential oil in
some whipped tallow and put that on my armpits and call it good!
looking for
healthy hormones internal detoxification
Hormones play a big part in body odor. Stress is a big What comes out of your body reflects what you
one here! The hormonal changes that occur during put in. The real cause of armpit odor is the

the research
your menstrual cycle, puberty, pregnancy, postpartum intentional excretion of horrible toxins that your
(including breastfeeding), and menopause are real. body is trying to get rid of! Dr. Joseph Mercola
Chiropractic care, acupuncture, month-long hormone states, “The smell in your armpit won’t be
testing through a functional medicine provider are all offensive if it’s just perspiring excess minerals and
great ways to address your hormones! healthy metabolic waste products; however, it will
stink if your body is sweating toxic byproducts
exfoliation & moisturizing which come from eating [conventional] meat and
Exfoliation is the first step from my facial ritual that I’m processed refined food."
essential oils
bringing down to my pits. I like to simply mix some salt
with a little bit of whatever organic oil I have in my Manuka essential oil is my ‘holy grail’ oil because it
kitchen. Natural sea salt kills odor-causing bacteria neutralizes unwanted odors! I apply 3 drops to
while neutralizing body odor. You can add essential oils each armpit with whipped tallow as my carrier oil.
and make this an aromatic experience, but I like to I always recommend dilution when it comes to
keep it cheap and simple. topical use of essential oils.

avoiding
antiperspirant aluminum
Your body was designed to sweat! This is your Aluminum in deodorants is suspected to be linked
body's natural way of eliminating toxins. to breast cancer and Altzheimer's. Keep in mind
Antiperspirants may be causing long-term issues there are dozens of lymph nodes close to the
like breast cancer and Altzheimer's. Daily use of armpit and breasts that your chemical laden
antiperspirants can actually make you smell worse deodorant is touching everyday. Most breast
due to an overproduction and build up of cancers occur in the upper outer quadrant of the
unfriendly bacteria. breast (area next to the armpit).
baking soda fragrance
Probably the #2 reason people give up on natural Fragrance is an umbrella word that can be made
deodorants is because they begin to experience a up of over 100 different chemicals that neither
red, itchy rash in their armpits. The Material Safety have to be disclosed or tested for safety. The
ARMPITS

Data Sheet for sodium bicarbonate warns that chemicals in fragrance have included endocrine
"repeated or prolonged skin contact may cause disruptors and some cancer-causing.
irritation, drying or cracking of the skin."
108
 Does your

change
deodorant contain
aluminum, baking
soda, fragrance, or
antiperspirant?

Does your sweat

for
have a strong
odor?
ns
io

a t Do your armpits get

rashes or feel itchy?

e r
s i d
con Do you notice
armpit stains on did you
your clothing?

Is your hygiene
answer yes
routine missing
to any of these?
109

armpit exfoliation
ARMPITS

and moisturizing?

consider a swap!
 making
the swap

*
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

absolutely nothing!
I've been skipping deodorant
consistently for 7 years without stink!
Your body reflects what you put in. The
best way to clear up your body odor is
to change your focus from covering it up
externally to cleaning it up internally.

manuka essential oil

Manuka essential oil from Plant Therapy
has been my fave for "deodorant."
save 10% off 1st order with code
DRCOURTNEY

smear
I use the Clean Whip as a carrier with
manuka essential oil to moisturize my
armpits!

*
armpit detox
An armpit detox can help your body get
back to its natural state of clean
perspiration faster. To do an armpit
detox, discontinue use of your current
deodorant. You can detox with either an
ACV spray or bentonite clay mask or
both. Give the detox about two weeks
ARMPITS

before trying any new deodorant. Doing

a detox will make switching to a natural
deodorant easier!
110
 all about armpits drainage pathways
DR. COURTNEY KAHLA DR. JESS
Blog Post E-Course
A blog post that includes in-depth Dr. Jess is a great resource for more info on
information and research on deodorant, opening up detox pathways and making
armpit health, and more. You can find the sure you're sweating!
armpit detox recipes here as well!

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

mhc-dependent mate master your minerals

preferences in humans
AMANDA MONTALVO, RD
111

PUBMED
ARMPITS

E-Course
Article
Learn how to heal your hormones
The original "T-Shirt Study" research (and clear up your body odor) with
that sparked my interest in the subject this course by Amanda Montalvo, RD.
of pheromones and armpit care.
feet
I love feet! This is one of my favorite ways to explain how
common modern practices often circumvent normal human
physiology, to our detriment. Feet are supposed to be fan
shaped, but most people box them into a pointy shoe from the
time they can walk. This impacts the alignment of your entire
body and leaves you vulnerable to strain, injury,
and fascial dysfunction. There’s a better way!

r
fo
g
in
look

wide toe box

zero drop & flexible sole
ankle strap
grounding

g
in
d
oi
av

arch support
rounded/pointed toe
heel lift
orthotic inserts
FEET
112
 in our
home
I would live my life 100% barefoot if I could! We have a no-shoes policy at home and at Our Well
House, so most of my waking hours really are barefoot. For the times I’m out and about and
footwear is needed, barefoot shoes allow me to maintain the normal fan shape of my foot! Most
shoes on the market compromise that natural shape and leave feet functionally weak. You can
wear those cute heels or narrow dress shoes on occasions without much consequence but
wearing them as your primary footwear for long periods of time can cause major problems to
develop. If your feet aren’t strong enough to support you then your body has to overcompensate,
leading to a cascade of painful issues for many people that they may never associate with their
shoes!
113

A great barefoot shoe will have a wide toe box, zero drop (meaning completely flat from heel to toe
FEET

— no arch support or heel lift), and be flexible enough to roll up.

Now don’t get me wrong — I’m not a barefoot shoe extremist. I do own cowboy boots and a few
other fun pairs of shoes for certain occasions. But I can only wear them for a few hours before my
feet are screaming at me to stretch out and get back to my normal, barefoot existence!
looking for
wide toe box zero drop & flexible sole
Our feet are naturally wide and fan- We have 3 dynamic arches in our feet. Zero
shaped. Wearing shoes that are drop shoes allow your foot's natural arch to

the research
narrow in the toe consistently strengthen. Skipping the heel (even the tiny
changes the shape of your feet! You ones) relieves your body of the constant stress
can restore the natural wide, fan- on your back and legs. With thousands of
shape of your feet by wearing toe nerve endings in our feet, zero drop shoes are
spacers and opting for shoes that also great for proprioception. You should be
have a wide toe box on a daily basis. able to feel the ground underneath!
grounding
ankle strap
I advocate for going barefoot as often as you
Shoes without an ankle strap, like flip flops, cause stress can. Grounding, or touching your bare skin to
on your feet all day. When you don't have a strap, in order the ground, outside in the first hour of waking
to keep the shoe on, you have to crunch your toes to the has been shown to set your circadian rhythm
ground — which our body was not created to do. The (your body's internal clock) — which also
human foot is designed to push off from the ball and big regulates your mood. Grounding reduces
toe (the axis of leverage). The flexibility and strength of the inflammation and can improve sleep. Earth
big toe is crucial for healthy natural locomotion. It's all Runners have grounding kits you can install on
about the big toe! your barefoot shoes so you can ground even
when you can't be barefoot! (These are
naturally on all Earth Runners).

avoiding
arch support rounded or pointed toe
All conventional shoes have artificial arch If I put my naturally wide fan-shaped foot into a
supports. So, unless you are intentionally narrow pointy-toe shoe, it's going to squish the
spending most your days barefoot and/or have normal human physiology of my wide foot. This
invested in barefoot shoes, your arches are being creates unnecessary pressure that causes
artificially supported, meaning your muscles bunions, low arches, flat feet, plantar fascisits,
aren't having to do their job! You are actively and other foot dysfunction.
weakening the 33 muscles in your feet. If your core heel lift
was weak, would you wear a corset to strengthen
Imagine if you stood up straight with
it? That wouldn't make sense!
no shoes on in perfect alignment and
orthotic inserts then froze like that. If you added heels
Orthotic inserts create the same issues as the to your feet, your body would have to
FEET

arch support that comes in the conventional lean forward and the only way to
shoes you buy, but are marketed to you as a stand up straight again would be to
114

lean back, causing stress on your

medical device so they're custom and cost
lower back and calves.
more.
 change
Are the heels of
your shoes
elevated?

Do your toes point

inward instead of

for
fanning out wide?
ns
io

Are the soles of your

a t shoes too stiff to

easily bend?

e r
s i d
con Do you wear shoes
24/7 without taking
the time to walk
did you
barefoot?
answer yes
Do you have
bunions or other to any of these?
115

foot dysfunction?
FEET

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
* going barefoot
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

As often as you're able, stand on your

own two feet with nothing between you
and the ground below. (Don't go
running through parking lots with
broken glass, obvs. Just had to say it.)

*
toe separators
These little guys are less than five bucks
on Amazon, and help you retrain your
feet away from a pointed toe (shoe
shape) back to a natural fan shape.

vivobarefoot
Footwear for the whole family that is
zero drop and foot shaped. Watch for
more boot styles in the fall / winter
months! save 25% with link
no code needed

earth runners
These are my daily barefoot shoes
majority of the year. I started with the
12mm thickness with performance
laces. save 10% with code
FEET

DRCOURTNEY10
116
 shoespiracy physio fix foot & ankle course
VIVOBAREFOOT VIVOBAREFOOT
Documentary E-Course
A short film encouraging you to think A 12-week course helping you with your foot
carefully about what you put on your feet and ankle strength, mobility, and health.
each day and why.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

@myfootfunction earthing
MY FOOT FUNCTION CLINTON OBER
117
FEET

Instagram Book
For more about the science behind Learn about grounding, or earthing,
choosing barefoot shoes and the and its role in fighting inflammation in
implications of choosing non- the body from one of the pioneers of
barefoot, check out this field of stufy.
@myfootfunction!
clothing
Did you know that fabric has frequencies? Natural fibers like
cotton, silk, linen, and wool have synergistic qualities when they
come in contact with our skin. But synthetic fibers like polyester,
rayon, spandex, and acrylic do not have that same harmony with
our bodies. Combine that with our society’s propensity to “fast
fashion” and we may find that what we wear matters more
than we might think.

r
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look

100% natural fibers

off-gassing,
organic cotton,
sustainable,
fair trade

g
in
d
oi

synthetic fibers
av

underwire bras
tight fitting
CLOTHING

toxic chemicals & dyes

118
 in our
home
I really like fashion! I have a very specific style and I'm also a larger human — I wear extra large in most things,
since I prefer an oversized look and feel. Unfortunately, that means a lot of organic clothing items just don’t
fit me as well. Trust me, I’ve tried a wide variety of brands! I specifically remember finding an organic tee at
Whole Foods and thinking how amazing it was that organic clothing was being sold in stores! But I tried it on
and hated the way it looked on my body. Is it accomplishing anything to own something organic that I really
don’t like and won’t ever use? Or am I better served buying something I absolutely love that may not be
organic, but gets consistent use? I’m team Buy What You’ll Actually Wear. This hasn’t always been easy for
me. I do tend to get stuck in a fast fashion mode, so I have learned that I need to set some strict parameters
on my purchases to ensure I’m only keeping pieces that are comfortable, flexible, durable, and neutral.

Did you know that neutral colors are proven to improve your nervous system functioning by up to 15%?
Just kidding! My reasons for choosing neutrals are purely because I like them, and because having a neutral
color palette keeps me from buying literally everything I see and like. It’s a boundary I set for myself a long
time ago to reign in my tendency to overspend in this area. One area we absolutely do prioritize organic is
our undergarments. Underwear for our entire family is 100% organic cotton.
119

I have yet to find an organic cotton bra that I feel super comfortable in all day, but True & Co. is my bra of
CLOTHING

choice for now. I love that they are seamless and have no underwire, even though they are made of synthetic
fabrics. But that’s what it looks like to commit to an ongoing lifestyle of wellness. Continue to learn, continue
to seek out better options as your standards change, and have grace for the journey.

Oh, and if you know of an incredible organic cotton bra without underwire, will you send me the details?
looking for
100% natural fibers off-gassing
Opting for clothing made from 100% natural I get it. It may be hard to find clothing that checks
materials is the best way to skip many chemicals all the boxes for every occasion. Just like with

the research
hiding in the clothing industry. Linen is a great furniture, you can let clothing off-gas outside in
option for spring and summer because it breathes the sun until it no longer has a scent. (Make sure
well. Wool is best saved to keep you warm in the to turn the clothes inside out and not to leave it
winter! It's best to choose organic when available. out overnight). After sunning, bring it in and wash
it 2-3 times before wearing.
organic cotton
sustainable & fair trade
As with linen & wool, 100% organic cotton is
The "Fast Fashion" industry is rooted in textile
another great option for clothing. However, cotton
pollution, unfair wages and unsafe working
is the most heavily sprayed crop, so it's especially
environments, and excessive water waste in
important to opt for organic cotton when
developing countries where clean water is scarce.
available.
Opting for sustainable & fair trade clothing brands
is a small way we can make an impact.

avoiding underwire bras

When we support our breasts too much with heavy
synthetic fibers duty bras, the muscles become lazy and weak. The
If it's not made from natural materials, where does breasts start to sag and the nipples point downward.
it come from? Chemicals! Synthetic fibers are According to a 15 year study of over 300 women,
made with chemicals like PFAS, and even some Professor Rouillon found that the women who went
that aren't removed with washing like braless benefitted more in the long run. They had
formaldehyde and phthalates. A few labels to developed more muscle tissue in the region that
avoid are wrinkle-free, stain-free, polyester, nylon, provided natural support. It was also noted that
acrylic, and polyamide. women who went braless had nipples with a higher
lift.
tight fitting toxic chemicals & dyes
Our bodies were designed to move freely! Tight AZO dyes are a group of dyes used on clothing that
pants affect how we sit, bend, and move. Think have a carcinogenic nature when they break down.
about how differently you sit when you wear Though banned in the EU, you can still find these dyes
leggings vs jeans. When we wear tight clothing, our on many clothing brands throughout the rest of the
CLOTHING

bodies are restricted causing unnecessary stress world. To avoid toxic dyes, look for clothing labeled
and strain on our pelvic floor muscles. For more "natural," "unbleached," "undyed," or GOTS or Oeko-
on this, check out Dallas Pelvic Health on Tex certified. It's also a good idea to give any dyed
120

Instagram! clothing a few washes before wearing.

 change
Is your clothing
made of synthetic
fibers?

Does your bra have

for
an underwire?

ns

Do you buy new

io

a t clothing every
season and barely

e r wear what you

own?

s i d
con Is your underwear
made of synthetic
fibers or did you
conventionally grown

Do your pants
cotton?
answer yes
prevent you from
to any of these?
121

fully expanding
CLOTHING

when you breathe?

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

organic (when possible)

Cotton has one of the highest pesticide
counts, so I make a point to purchase
organic to reduce my exposure.
Thankfully, organic cotton clothing is
becoming much easier to source!

pact
Pact is my standby for organic basics
like socks, underwear, undershirts, and
bras. They also offer kid's clothing!

true & co
True & Co is my go-to for wireless,
seamless bras — even through
breastfeeding! Removable pads offer
some coverage and can be replaced
with nursing pads.

COURTNEY15
CLOTHING
122
 the true cost the price of fast fashion
2015 2019
Documentary Documentary
A documentary film exploring the impact of A documentary film exploring the toll the fast
fashion on people and the planet. This is a fashion movement has on the environment
great pick if you've never researched this and what we can do about it to make an
topic before. impact.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

fabric highlight organic cotton environmental

report
@RUACH_WELLNESS
123

THE ORGANIC CENTER

CLOTHING

Instagram
Report
Gabrielle Falks, NTP dives into fabric
frequencies and their impact on Research on the environmental
health and wellbeing. impact of organic cotton.
 feminine
hygiene
Ladies, your period is not the enemy. It’s not normal to have
pain, cramping, mood swings, and all the other negative
symptoms that give our menstrual cycles a bad rap. These are
signs that something is off inside, and your body is trying to get
that message through to you every month. Tracking your cycle
helps you develop a better awareness of your body’s
overall well-being. What an amazing gift God
has given women!

r
fo
g
in

organic cotton
look

blood flow
flannel
natural body hair

g
in
d
oi

FEMININE HYGIENE
av

internal blood
collection,
soap.
fragrance
124
 in our
home
Unpopular opinion alert: I’ve never liked tampons. I used them as a teenager, and thinking back now about
how many toxic chemicals (including fragrance) were absorbed directly into my body every month makes me
cringe. But aside from the toxicity factor, I never felt comfortable in them. They seemed to absorb every single
fluid in my vagina, not just menstrual flow. That didn’t sit right with me. I learned about how important it is to
use 100% organic tampons (outside AND the core), but decided just to switch to a menstrual cup instead.

From the first cycle using a cup, my cramps decreased significantly. I thought I’d hit the jackpot, and continued
to use a variety of different menstrual cups over the course of several years. I read everything there was to
know about measuring yourself for the proper fit, different folds to make them easier to insert and remove,
and the pros and cons of the many available brands. It was a lot. And something started to feel a little off to me
about the concept of menstrual cups in general. Maybe it’s my desire for simplicity in all things. But more than
that, I couldn’t help but think that blood is meant to exit our bodies during our period, not pool inside us for
125

hours at a time.
FEMININE HYGIENE

So now I use organic cloth pads, which allow my body to do its thing with no interference. The cloth pads I
have were given to me, and I love them because they have an opening to add ice packs postpartum. I combine
the pads with full-coverage underwear for a comfortable fit. Period underwear are another option that
supports the body’s natural function — just be sure to look closely at whether they contain any toxic chemicals
that ought to be far far away from your body!
looking for
organic cotton blood flow
Tampons are filled with many chemicals. This is Let yourself bleed. Your body was created to let
directly being absorbed in our bodies! Whether you your blood flow naturally without any product to

the research
choose tampons or pads, skip the chemicals and stop it. Allowing blood to flow from your body and
opt for organic. For tampons, make sure they are either collecting in a pad, period panties, or "free
100% organic cotton- for both the outside and the bleeding" is better for the environment, helps you
core! I also look for organic cotton in my underwear. be more intentional with resting like your body
often needs during this time, and is more
flannel comfortable.
I aim to use natural fibers in most things, but when it natural body hair
comes to body wastes, absorbency is important to
Our bodies were designed to have hair, which
consider to avoid any seeping through. So yes, while
makes me question why we go through all the
flannel is sometimes a synthetic fabric, it is still a
effort to remove it! Razors often include a strip of
good option as an inner liner for reusable pads (and
soap, so I use a safety razor from Leaf Shave. If
even cloth diapers) to ensure absorbency. I would
you desire a wax, I recommend sugar waxing.
look for organic cotton for any layers directly
touching the skin.

avoiding
internal blood collection soap
Your period is a natural detox. I'm all for Your vagina is self-cleaning! Anything put in, on, or
supporting normal human physiology, which is around the vagina can disrupt the flora. When the
why my intuition feels it is best to release blood. vaginal microbiome is healthy, the vagina quickly
Internal collection of blood through tampons can restores itself but when body care products are
cause Toxic Shock Syndrome and menstrual cups used, you're left more susceptible to infections
can cause increased cramping and discomfort. I because you've wiped out your first line of
personally don't use any products that collect defense. Researchers at the University of
blood internally — tampons or cups. Organic cloth Pittsburgh found that the more women douched,
pads are currently my favorite. the greater their risk of getting bacterial vaginosis.
FEMININE HYGIENE

fragrance
Fragrance is an umbrella word that can be made up of over 100 different chemicals that neither have to be
disclosed or tested for safety. The chemicals in fragrance have included endocrine disruptors and some
cancer-causing.
126
 change
Do your feminine
products contain
fragrance?

Do you use tampons

for
or a menstrual cup?

ns

Do you clean your

io

a t vulva and/or vagina

with soap or by

e r douching?

s i d
con Does your razor
have a soap strip or
do you use did you
conventional
waxing? answer yes
Do you get
frequent UTIs or to any of these?
127

yeast infections?
FEMININE HYGIENE

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
reusable cloth pads
Reusable cloth pads are the option I
landed on after trying nearly
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

everything available for menstrual

care products. I love that they are
made from organic cotton or flannel,
and I don't have to keep purchasing
disposable products each month. I
wash them just like I would cloth
diapers, so it takes hardly any extra
time. The cloth pads I own were a gift
so I don't have a link, but you can
find a wide range of great handmade
options on Etsy!

organic cotton pads

Enough women have voted with
their dollars that organic feminine
hygiene products are now being sold
on the supermarket shelves right
next to Tampax. Amazing! This
makes the swap super simple. Just
grab the organic pack rather than the
FEMININE HYGIENE

typical name brand you used to buy.

Easy!
128
 period repair manual your gut microbiome
& your vaginal health
LARA BRIDEN
NICOLE JARDIM
Book
Podcast
A book to gain a good understanding on the
role your period plays in your body and how In Episode 83 of The Period Party Podcast
to naturally repair your period and with Nicole Jardim, learn about how your
hormones. gut microbiome affects your vaginal health.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

conversations about puberty the fifth vital sign

for moms & daughters
LARA BRIDEN
129

BODY TALK BASICS

FEMININE HYGIENE

Book
E-Course
Learn about how your menstrual cycle
A mother-daughter course that guides is a vital sign and the information it
you through teaching your daughter provides in your overall health.
about her menstrual cycle and
puberty so she can enter with
confidence.
 home

130 HOME
 cleaning
Walk into the cleaning aisle of your local supermarket and you
will find an endless sea of neon sprays, promising to kill
99.99999% of evil germs in your home and leave your family
safe and protected. Spoiler alert: they’re toxic. You’re probably
not surprised by that…But you may be surprised to know
that killing germs doesn’t even need to be your goal!

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natural ingredients
essential oils
hand-washed dishes

g
in
131

fragrance
d
oi
CLEANING

over-sanitizing
av

bleach
ammonia
foaming agents
hazardous labels
 in our
home
Let’s talk about germ theory vs. the terrain theory, shall we?

Germ theory assumes that germs are all around us and need to be completely eradicated to
promote optimal health. Terrain theory assumes that if our bodies are functioning optimally,
we’re able to handle and adapt to the gross stuff all around us. I believe that God designed us
to be able to adapt, so the terrain theory is my jam. And that affects my views on cleaning
100%.

Yes, it’s important to maintain cleanliness so you’re not breeding mold or folding dirt into your
sourdough. But sterilizing and disinfecting is not necessary because it gets rid of important
microbes! So I don’t bother with that anymore — not even if there’s raw meat on my counter or
if someone has a stomach bug.
CLEANING

Some of y’all just fell over, and that’s okay! If this is shocking to you, I encourage you to check
out the resources included in this section. Dive deeper and come to your own conclusions.
132
 looking for
natural ingredients essential oils
If it's not safe for consumption, is it safe to use for You'll read below on why you'll want to skip
cleaning? I'm not saying it's wise to down a bottle fragrance, and you may wonder what you can use
of a DIY natural cleaner, but I question the safety instead. Along with having many different benefits
of the cleaning products we commonly find that depending on the oil, essential oils are a natural
say, "keep out of reach of children". way of having that freshly-cleaned home scent. Be
sure to look into essential oil safety, as not all oils
hand-washed dishes should be used around kids and pets.

Dishwashers are a form of over-sanitizing! Research has shown that hand dishwashing was associated with a reduced
risk of allergic disease development. Dishwashing machines grow high amounts of pathogenic yeast species and
bacteria. They are also prone to mold — which can be life-threatening in some cases — especially in homes where the

the research
filters and rubber seals are not routinely deep-cleaned. Other hot spots to do deep cleanings to prevent mold growth are:
drains, toilets, bathtubs, and air vents.

avoiding over-sanitizing
2020 taught us that over-sanitizing with bleach is not the
fragrance best way to prevent illness, and even caused an increase
Are you catching on that fragrance is in just about in accidental poisonings! Sanitizing and disinfectants kill
everything? Fragrance is an umbrella word that ALL bacteria — the good and the bad. When we absorb
can be made up of over 100 different chemicals these disinfectants through skin or inhale them, we mess
that neither have to be disclosed or tested for with the diversity of our microbiomes — which plays a big
safety. The chemicals in fragrance have included role in healthy immune systems! (Dishwashers are a form
endocrine disruptors and some cancer-causing. or this over-sanitizing). For example, the use of antibiotics
actually creates antibiotic resistant bacteria. We cannot
bleach sanitize our way to health. We have to learn how to live in
Bleach — even in small amounts — can negatively harmony with unfriendly microbes.
impact your health. If bleach is mixed with things
ammonia
like vinegar, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide,
alcohol, and more, it can become deadly! Though Ammonia is considered a high hazard by OSHA due to it
being many people's top pick for killing mold, the being corrosive to the skin, eyes, and lungs. It is
EPA and OSHA both advice against using bleach considered an immediate danger to life and health in
for mold. large amounts.
133

hazardous labels
CLEANING

foaming agents
If the label includes words like "danger,” “warning,”
Foaming agents, like sodium lauryl sulfate or caution,” "hazardous," or "keep out of reach of children,"
sodium laureth sulfate, are used to create the it's likely not something I want in my home! Bleach,
bubbles you see in many soaps, but they are ammonia, and other chemicals listed here are oftentimes
known skin irritants. the reason these products require hazardous labels. A
good rule of thumb is to skip if the product includes an
extreme hazardous label.
 change
Do you actively try
to sterilize your
surfaces?

Do you wear shoes

for
in your home?

ns

Do you use a
io

a t dishwasher without
ever cleaning the

e r machine itself?

s i d
con
Do your cleaning
supplies come with
warning labels and
the instruction to
did you
keep out of reach of
children? answer yes
Do your cleaning
products contain to any of these?
fragrance?

consider a swap!
CLEANING
134
 making
the swap
* vinegar
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

Vinegar eats away at soaps scums and

brines left on glass, faucets, and other
smooth surfaces. The smell may be off-
putting at first, but it dissipates quickly.

*
baking soda
Thanks to its slightly abrasive qualities,
baking soda can be an excellent cleaner
without needing extra chemicals. It's
also fantastic for absorbing odors.

*
hydrogen peroxide
Great for any sanitizing that needs to
happen (though I don't recommend
frequent sanitization in general). This is
especially useful for cleaning stubborn
dr. bronner's
urine in the bathroom, for all you potty-
We love Dr. Bronner's Sal's Suds for dish
training moms out there.
soap. Since it's highly concentrated, one
large bottle lasts us a long time and
e-cloth ends up being quite cost effective!
The microfibers in these cloths grab and
remove even the smallest particles, so bon ami
you can effectively clean using just
A better alternative to powdered
water.
cleaners when you need a deep scrub! I
135

plant therapy use this on toilets, bathtubs, and even

CLEANING

when I burn food on a pan.

A few drops of your favorite EO added to
your homemade cleaners adds to the
overall sensory experience and
freshness of a clean room.
save 10% off first order with code
DRCOURTNEY
zach bush, md, the landscape let them eat dirt
of chronic health conditions
& what now? B. BRETT FINLAY
VERY, VERY QUITE CONTRARY Book
Podcast A look at our microbiome, and how we can
support those healthy microbes from
Zach Bush, MD talks about the current state infancy. Note: There is a chapter of this book
of our health and how it all comes back to that discusses vaccines that I disagree with.
our microbiomes. Draw your own conclusions!

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

essential oil safety natural household cleaning

ROBERT TISSERAND BY RACHELLE STRAUSS
& RODNEY YOUNG
Book
Book
Learn to make your own cleaning
supplies using natural ingredients you
CLEANING

A book on the safety of essential oils

and how they interact with probably already have on hand.
medications, affect our body, and
more for each essential oil.
136
 laundry
Conventional laundry detergent is the toxic gift that keeps on
giving. First the fragrance assaults you the moment you step
foot in the laundry aisle at the store. Then it binds itself to the
fibers of your clothes while washing them. And then you get
to inhale all that fragrance again 24 hours a day as you
wear those “clean” clothes. Thanks, but no thanks.

Since our clothes sit directly on our skin, this

is something that impacts us all on a
daily basis. It’s important to take a
closer look at what’s in our
laundry products.

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fo
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look

surfactant
natural stain removal
organic wool dryer balls
clean machines

g
in
137

d
oi
LAUNDRY

soap,
av

fragrance,
dryer sheets
& fabric softeners
 in our
home
Back in the day, I was bound and determined to make our own laundry soap. I tried soap nuts.
I tried Fels Naptha and washing soda. I tried a handful of other popular DIY options but was
always underwhelmed.

Our clothes still felt dirty, and there was quite a bit of residue left on the fabric. Once they
started to smell weird too, I knew I had to figure something else out. I don’t know about y’all,
but for a nontoxic swap to really stick in our house, it has to WORK and work well. Homemade
laundry soap just wasn’t cutting it.

When I finally started researching the difference between a soap and a detergent, I knew I’d
found the missing link. Detergents contain surfactants, which have a completely different
molecular structure from soap. That molecular structure is what allows the dirt and other gunk
on your clothes to be pulled out into the water and down the drain. No more residue!
LAUNDRY

Surfactants are now a must-have in our laundry room, and our clothes are much happier as a
138

result!
 looking for
surfactant natural stain removal
Surfactants serve an important role in our I prefer natural ingredients as much as possible. For
laundry detergents. Surfactants have two ends: whitening and stains, the sun is your best resource! I
water-loving and water-fearing. When the love to hang my clothes out on a clothes line. It gets
surfactant comes near dirt or grease, the water- me out barefoot in the yard and watching the sunrise
fearing ends of multiple surfactant molecules most mornings! I also prefer the texture and smell of
get attracted to the dirt. When water is clothes dried outside. For stains, lay clothing in the
introduced, the exposed water-loving ends pull sun until the stains are gone. (Be mindful of sun-
the dirt out of the clothes and into the drain. bleaching!) Hydrogen peroxide also works as a great
Without surfactants, dirt and grease are unable whitener.
to leave our clothes!

the research
organic wool dryer balls clean machines frequently
Read below on why you would want to avoid Do you clean your washing machine? Washing
dryer sheets, but a great alternative is organic machines are prone to mold due to the constant
wool dryer balls! These work just as great to moisture. Mold likes dark, wet places so letting the
prevent static, and can be used for around 2-5 sun in and keeping the air flowing when not in use is
years or 1000 washes —making them a great important. A good habit is to leave the door open for
eco-friendly option as well! fresh air to flow freely. You can even clean your filter
after every cycle or two and remove caps and twists to
clean and air out. Opting for a top-loading washing
machine can help prevent mold as well.

avoiding
soap fragrance
Try washing your clothes in just water with no Just walking down the laundry aisle of a store, you
additives or detergent. Do bubbles from soap first get hit with all the fragrance. And these are sealed
form? Soap molecules cling to the fibers leaving bottles! Fragrance is an umbrella word that can be
behind a soap residue. Your body touches this all made up of over 100 different chemicals that neither
day long! If I don't use soap in my body wash, I have to be disclosed or tested for safety. The
don't want it on my clothes either! chemicals in fragrance have included endocrine
disruptors and some cancer-causing. Try putting a
couple drops of essential oil on your wool dryer balls
139

instead!
dryer sheets & fabric softeners
LAUNDRY

Dryer sheets and fabric softeners have been shown to contain chemicals like benzyl acetate and quaternary
ammonium compounds (QACS). Not only do they contain them, but they are a particular issue here because
they are designed to drive these chemicals into your clothing to make them smell fresh and stay soft —
making them harder to wash out. This means you're exposed 24/7! Some of these chemicals are known to
trigger asthma and skin allergies, cause reproductive harm, or be linked to cancer. For a clean alternative to
fabric softeners, try white vinegar! (The scent doesn't linger). If you want to add scents, try dropping a couple
drops of an essential oil on a wool dryer ball.
 change
Does your laundry
soap contain
fragrance?

Do you use dryer

sheets or fabric

for
softener?
ns
io

Do you use a front

a t loading washing
machine?

e r
s i d
con Are your detergent
or soap berries
missing a
did you
surfactant?
answer yes
Do you wash your
clothes after every
single wear?
to any of these?

consider a swap!
LAUNDRY
140
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

molly's suds
This laundry detergent ticks all the
boxes for me. My clothes are clean and I
don't have to worry about what's
touching my skin.
save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY

country save
Unscented, nontoxic laundry detergent
available for regular or HE machines.
The powdered and baby detergents
work great for cloth diapers. You can
buy in bulk, too!

*
sodium percarbonate
Many popular "oxygen boost" products
are a combo of baking soda and sodium
percarbonate. You can buy these
ingredients on your own and get great
results!

wool dryer balls

Skip the unnecessary fragrance bomb of
dryer sheets and opt for wool dryer balls
instead. Add a drop of EO for scent.

*
sun for stains
141
LAUNDRY

This OG stain remover is FREE y'all! Who

said nontoxic has to be pricey?

*
vinegar
White vinegar makes a great fabric
softener for pennies!
 the chemistry of cleaning the best way to clean mold in
a washing machine
AMERICAN CLEANING INSTITUTE
MOLD HELP FOR YOU
Article Article
An article discussing the difference between A step-by-step guide to clean your washing
surfactants and soaps and what surfactants machine and prevent mold.
do in our laundry cycles.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

compound summary: a crunchy convo with

tetrachloroethylene dr. courtney kahla
PUBCHEM VERY, VERY, QUITE CONTRARY
Report Podcast
A rundown of health risks associated Listen to my crunchy convo with
LAUNDRY

with one of the main compounds in Janny — where we talk about laundry
dry cleaning solution. and discuss the difference between
surfactants and soaps!
142
 home
furnishings
When you think of health and wellness, your mind probably
doesn’t jump to bed frames and couches. But the truth is that
these products are often manufactured with some pretty icky
chemicals that continue to leach into the air of your home
for months (or even years) to come. Not cool.

r
fo
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in
look

safely off-gassing
organic, natural fibers

g
in
143

d
oi

manufactured woods,
HOME FURNISHINGS

av

synthetic fibers,
chemically-treated,
flame-retardants,
toxic paints, stains
& glues
 in our
home
When I’m making a furniture purchase, I make a point to consider the longevity of each item. It can be
tempting to grab those inexpensive manufactured particle board pieces, but those are not going to last
as long as solid wood. I would much rather save up and pay a little more for a great piece that’s going
to go the distance in my home! You’re also more likely to find nontoxic items, free from stains or VOCs,
if you’re looking for solid wood. There are some amazing nontoxic furniture brands out there, but I’ve
also found some great deals on Etsy and Amazon. Secondhand can be a great option too!

When we furnished Our Well House, we weren’t able to choose exclusively nontoxic options….
So we baked the furniture!

Here’s how:
HOME FURNISHINGS

1. Turn your heat on, close all the windows, and leave the house for about 24 hours to burn up all
those toxic chemicals.
2. When you return, open all the doors and windows. Turn on the cool air and get as many fans going
as possible.
3. Get an air purifier involved.
4. Repeat as needed until all smells are gone!
144
 looking for
safely off-gassing organic & natural fibers
Furniture will off-gas VOCs — whether we're To avoid VOCs and pesticide exposure, opt for
intentional about it or not! An important step you fibers made from natural materials like organic
can do to mitigate your exposure to harmful cotton, linen, wool, etc. without labels containing
chemicals is to off-gas your furniture with heat, "wrinkle-free" and "stain-resistant," as these are
fresh air and ventilation. Simply place the item in treated with chemicals like formaldehyde. Similar
the sun, rotating to ensure all sides have been to clothing, you'll still want to avoid AZO and
exposed. Keep off-gassing until the smell is gone! chromium dyes.
(Just be mindful of bleaching from the sun!)

the research
avoiding
manufactured woods synthetic fibers
Manufactured woods like plywood, fiberboard, Synthetic fibers are made with chemicals like
particleboard, MDF, and veneer wood are the PFAS, and even some that aren't removed with
primary source of formaldehyde in home washing like formaldehyde and phthalates. A few
furnishings. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. labels to avoid are wrinkle-free, stain-free,
Avoid the NAUF label especially, as it still contains polyester, nylon, acrylic, and polyamide.
phenol formaldehyde.

chemically-treated flame retardants

Unfortunately, labels that make our lives easier — Flame retardants are associated with heath effects
like wrinkle-free, anti-shrink, waterproof, stain- including endocrine and thyroid disruption,
resistant, color-fast, mildew-resistant, treated impacts to the immune system, reproductive
lumber, weather-proof, and moth-proof to name a toxicity, cancer, and adverse effects on fetal and
few — come at a cost. In most cases, in order to child development and neurologic function.
hold this label, furnishings have to be treated with Children are particularly vulnerable to these
145

things like formaldehyde resins and effects due to their developing brains and organs.
formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.
HOME FURNISHINGS

toxic paints, stains, & glues

Paints are commonly known to emit harmful VOCs. Antique furniture, especially prior to 1978, is particularly
concerning, as it is more likely to contain lead, which can cause health effects such as anemia or kidney and
brain damage. Many home furnishings use toxic glues that release VOCs as well, such as formaldehyde.
 change
Have you recently
bought brand new
furniture?

Do you use new

furniture, drapery, and
building materials

for
without safely off-
ns gassing first?
io

a t Is your mattress
conventional?

e r
s i d
con Do you own
furniture made of
manufactured
did you
woods?
Do you own
waterproof, wrinkle-
answer yes
free, or stain-
resistant home to any of these?
HOME FURNISHINGS

furnishings and
drapery?

consider a swap!
146
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

savvy rest
Not only do they offer nontoxic
mattresses, they also offer nontoxic
couches, tables, bed frames, pet beds,
and more. save 20% with code
DRCOURTNEY

solid wood furniture

We chose this solid wood bed frame
from Amazon for our guest room and it
looks amazing! You wouldn't know that
it was a lower price point.

*
buy secondhand
Used furniture has typically already off
gassed. Verify that it's from a smoke-free
home!

*
off-gas outside
Let your furniture off-gas outside in the
sun before bringing it in, especially if it's
brand new out of the box.

air doctor
Air Doctor offers a quality air purifier
that lets you know the current state of
147

your air! save up to $300

HOME FURNISHINGS

with this link

austin air
Our Austin Air purifier has seen many
furniture unboxings through the years!
save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY
 flame retardants volatile organic compounds'
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF impact on indoor air quality
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES EPA
Article Article
An article discussing the different types of An article discussing the many ways we are
flame retardants and their effects on our exposed to VOCs, the harmful effects they
health. have on our health, and ways to minimize
exposure.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

a complete guide to label education: furniture

nontoxic sofa brands
BECAUSE HEALTH & CEH
MY CHEMICAL-FREE HOUSE
HOME FURNISHINGS

Article
Article
An article discussing common
An article reviewing many nontoxic certifications and labels for furniture
sofa brands. and what they mean.
148
 lawn
+
garden
My approach to lawn and garden mirrors my approach to
physical health and wellness: you’ve got to play the long game!
Truly organic lawn care is not about quick fixes with high
nitrogen or toxic bug-killing chemicals. It’s about respect
for the overall ecosystem in your outdoor space:
mineral concentration levels in the soil, a welcoming
environment for beneficial insects to thrive, and
native plants that work together to naturally
deter the pests.

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soil health
vermicomposting

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in
149

d
oi
LAWN + GARDEN

conventional fertilizers
av

non-native grass
lead
store-bought flowers
 in our
home
Repotting plants outside with the sun shining on my face is for sure my happy place. I just love being
outside! Maybe that’s why lawn and garden is one of my favorite topics. We currently live in a more
established neighborhood with a home built in 1983 on 0.15 acres, but my goal is to live simply and be
a good steward of the space we have — no matter how small.

We’ve learned so much from the Organic Lawn Care Manual, by Paul Tukey. Based on his research and
recommendations, we embrace a lot of unconventional practices to support the longevity of our yard:
sprinkling diatomaceous earth to get rid of the abundance of chiggers here in Texas
spraying soap over the yard for soft soil
spraying vinegar on weeds or just hand pulling them
composting and spreading that around the yard
LAWN + GARDEN

I currently maintain a little herb garden to use for cooking and we're in the process of working with
Kenley Larkin, a school garden educator at Grow Garden Grow, for our fall garden plans. Our hope and
prayer is that our next phase of life involves a lot of extensive gardening on a large piece of land with
family and friends. Even though I don’t have the space to make that happen yet, I still find it incredibly
beneficial to begin learning about the skills and practices I’ll be using down the line! The more I learn,
150

the more I realize how many of those skills can be adapted to small spaces, too.
 looking for
soil health
When it comes to gardening and lawn care, soil health is everything! Lawn soil consists of minerals (like
decaying rock and glacial material), water, air, and organic matter (carbon-based materials — living or dead).
When it comes to soil health, we're looking to nourish the soil with organic, naturally occurring foods instead
of making soil dependent on conventional fertilizers. When we encourage healthy soil, we encourage our
lawns to conduct photosynthesis for years to come with not much assistance on our end. To provide fertilizer
value to your soil, utilize these items: grass clippings, homemade compost, compost tea, leaves, seaweed,
wood ash, sawdust, animal manures, green manure, legumes, coffee grounds, and weeds.

vermicomposting
Vermicomposting is the process by which worms eat food scraps and yard waste and turn it into castings (the

the research
polite way to say "worm poop") that work wonders as a soil amendment and fertilizer. To get an extra bang
for your buck, turn the castings into worm tea to spray on your lawn or garden! Vermicomposting is
particularly popular in urban areas because it takes up very little space and can easily be done indoors with
the use of totes or bins.

avoiding
conventional fertilizers non-native grass
Conventional fertilizers encourage soil to become Choosing native ground covers supports the
dependent on them and often results in multiple natural ecosystem and biodiversity of your
chemical steps — weed killer, insect killer, another particular geographic location. Allowing those
weed killer, and winterizing fertilizer. Chemical native plants to grow, such as prairie grasses,
fertilizers can also lead to serious soil degradation, wildflowers, ground cover plants, etc., establishes
nitrogen leaching, soil compaction, reduction in strong root systems that prevent flooding and soil
soil organic matter, and loss of soil carbon. erosion.
store-bought flowers
lead Have you ever thought about where flowers come
There is no amount of lead exposure that is safe. from and whether they are toxic or not? Roughly
151

Lead accumulates in our bodies and can affect 80% of U.S. cut flowers are imports. Due to the
LAWN + GARDEN

almost every organ in our bodies. When it comes U.S.'s careful inspection sometimes resulting in
to lawn and garden care, it's important to look for rejected shipments, flowers are heavily sprayed
lead-free water hoses in order to prevent with pesticides to ensure they are accepted. They
exposure. are not tested for illegal pesticide residue.
Supporting local flower farmers by purchasing in-
season floral or picking wildflowers are much
better options!
 Do you use

change
conventional
fertilizers or weed
killers for your lawn
or garden?

Do you buy store-

for
bought flowers?

ns
io

Are your water

a t hoses lacking
testing for lead?

e r
s i d
con Do you use non-
native grass in your did you
lawn?

answer yes
Is your soil lacking in
healthy nutrients? to any of these?
LAWN + GARDEN

consider a swap!
152
 making
the swap
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

sunday lawn care

Lawn and garden care products that are
customized to the specific needs of your
lawn, thanks to a handy soil test. They
deliver right to your door throughout
the year so you don't have to remember
to apply more product from season to
season. Best of all? The ingredients are
nontoxic! Sign me up.

texas pure products

Compost, Planting mix, potting mix, and
mulch available in bulk for all my fellow
North Texans. We love that the compost
is OMRI listed, so it's safe for organic
gardens.

uncle jim's worm farm

The go-to supplier for worms and
vermicomposting supplies. This can be
a great way to boost the health of your
soil even in a small space!

earth medicine
153

Composted dairy manure becomes

LAWN + GARDEN

pure medicine for your lawn and

garden! Earth Medicine removes the
bulk of bagged manure and leaves you
with a condensed, highly effective
fertilizer for indoor or outdoor plants.
And no, it doesn't smell!
 organic lawn care manual hey it's a good life
PAUL TUKEY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Book YouTube
Create a gorgeous lawn that is free of harsh A worm farming urban homesteader that has
chemicals. This comprehensive guide covers a "Start Your Worm Farm" Quick Start Guide
everything you need to know to "grow and and an "I am a Worm Farmer" E-book along
maintain a thriving lawn using organic with plenty of video content on YouTube and
gardening methods." Instagram.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

@thedirtacademy non-toxic neighborhoods

NINA SHIRLEY NON-PROFIT
Instagram Website
LAWN + GARDEN

A resource for natural gardening, Non-toxic Neighborhoods is a non-

designing raised bed gardens, and profit whose mission is for every park,
more. athletic field, and school to be free of
harmful and synthetic pesticides.
154
tech & travel
155 TECH & TRAVEL
emf
protection
We all have an electromagnetic field around our bodies, but
the amount of radiation we produce on our own pales in
comparison to the shocking amount of radiation that comes
from the wireless tech our society uses for just about
everything. The EMFs that come from devices disrupt our
own electromagnetic fields, leading to damage at a
cellular level that we can’t even see. When this
exposure is constant, the damage is also likely
constant. The research around this topic is
ongoing, but it makes physiological sense
to try to mitigate this radiation as much
as we can.

r
fo
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in

home testing
look

hard wiring
battery-operated
distance
grounding

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in
d
oi

EMF PROTECTION

smart meters
av

Wi-Fi, bluetooth, 5G
anything "smart"
microwaves
156
 in our
home
When it comes to EMF exposure, the ultimate protection is to get rid of it as much as possible rather
than just trying to block it. And that starts with actual EMF testing by a qualified specialist like Shielded
Healing. It was such an incredible experience to have these guys in my home, using their EMF meters to
measure the six different types of EMF in every corner of every room. This helped us figure out the
biggest culprits of EMF for our specific situation.

This was worth every penny because I knew exactly what our EMF-reduction plan needed to be! I
wasn’t just guessing or following generalized advice — I saw the meter readings myself before and after
making changes. That’s peace of mind you just can’t beat.

We do not consider our current house to be our forever home, so we took all of the Shielded Healing
157

recommendations with a grain of salt and made changes based on what we felt comfortable investing
EMF PROTECTION

in for the time we do live here. Were we able to do the necessary six coats of EMF blocking paint in our
bedroom? Nope. But we installed non-flicker lightbulbs and started turning them on less frequently.
Ditching WiFi and hardwiring our electronics made sense for us. Grounded outlets were easy to switch
out. Maybe when we are investing in our forever home, we will feel comfortable investing in even more
drastic EMF-reduction measures… but for now, we have a healthy balance between reduced EMF and
a realistic budget!
looking for hard wiring
Avoid EMF exposure and opt for hard-wiring all
home testing
your devices with an ethernet cable — especially if
If you want to effectively reduce exposure to EMFs,
you like to scroll your phone at night! As a bonus,
home testing is your best option. Every home is built
you'll get faster internet! Hard-wiring also applies

the research
differently, and we all have different appliances and
to headphones, baby monitors, and more. For
electronics. You will not know how faulty wires or
Dallas locals, we love working with Thad of
nearby power lines and towers are affecting your
Gateway Home Media for our home and office
home unless you have it tested by someone like
hardwiring: [email protected]
Shielded Healing.

distance
battery-operated Distance is your friend when it comes to EMFs.
Opting for a battery-operated alarm clock at your Radiation exposure drops significantly as you
bedside is a great way to ensure your phone can be move it away from your body. For example, you
further away from you. Switching to battery-operated can talk on speaker phone or put it in your purse
light bulbs in things like salt lamps is also one way to instead of holding the phone to your ear or in your
avoid dirty electricity. pocket. Positioning your bedroom away from Wi-
Fi routers or smart meters is another simple way
grounding to minimize exposure.

Grounding AKA walking barefoot on grass, sand, soil or concrete — has been shown to be anti-inflammatory
to the body. When it comes to EMF exposure, as written by the Director of the Earthing Institute, "Grounding
can help you repair by giving energy to the mitochondria."

avoiding
smart meters wi-fi, wireless, bluetooth, & 5G
Smart meters put off RF radiation, which the IARC Wi-Fi, wireless, bluetooth, and 5G are all worth
deems to be a "a possible human carcinogen." Many avoiding when possible. Wi-Fi has been suspected
people have reported being symptomatic after smart to cause antibiotic resistance, and to have a
meters are installed. Opting out of smart meters is the potential effect on fertility as shown in rat studies.
best option, but if that is unavailable, try looking into Radio frequencies from cell towers and Wi-Fi
a smart meter shield! For example, our neighbor's disrupts melatonin production. Bluetooth low
smart meter was right by our bedroom. So we kindly level radiation, cellphone signal radiation and WiFi
asked if we could put a smart meter shield on to radiation all emit high EMR.
EMF PROTECTION

protect ourselves.
microwaves
anything "smart"
Microwaves give off RF radiation. This is a
In addition to smart meters, it's best to avoid particular concern in situations with faulty
anything labeled "smart" such as smart TVs, microwaves — where especially harmful leaks
158

appliances, etc., as these all run off wireless happen. Best practice is to live microwave-free.
technology.
 change
Do you use
anything wireless or
bluetooth?

Do you own smart

for
appliances?

ns
Do you use devices
io

to "shield" EMFs,

a t such as phone
covers, laptop pads,

e r etc?

s i d
con Is your home
currently setup with did you
a smart meter?

Is your home lacking

answer yes
testing or an EMF
to any of these?
159

assessment from a
EMF PROTECTION

professional?

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
shielded healing
KCIP S'YENTRUOC RD

The Shielded Healing team makes

home visits and tests your house for 5
different types of EMF. You'll be
provided with tips and suggestions for
eliminating or reducing those
exposures. This is my #1
recommendation for EMF mitigation,
and worth every penny!

tech wellness
Education and vetted products for EMF
mitigation. One of my favorite places to
learn about this topic!

*
airplane mode
True airplane mode (turned off in
settings) will disconnect your phone
from all internet and cell service.

*
speakerphone
When you talk on the phone, use
speakerphone and hold it at a distance
from your body. The further away it is,
the less impact the EMFs will have.

somavedic
This is not meant to block or eliminate
EMFs, but harmonizes their effects on
EMF PROTECTION

the body. save 10% with code

DRCOURTNEY

defender shield
The EMF Protection Anti-Radiation
160

blanket is an effective barrier when I'm

working on a laptop.
 emf protection emf detox workbook
TECH WELLNESS BY SOPHIA RUAN GUSHEE
Website Book
August Brice is a wealth of knowledge when Go through your whole house to discover
it comes to EMF protection. Not only do they common causes of EMF exposure — some
offer a variety of products to mitigate the where you least expect.
effects of EMT, their website is full of
information on EMFs and tech safety and
security.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

shielded healing podcasts emfs and your health

SHIELDED HEALING
161

BRIAN HOYER
EMF PROTECTION

Podcast Website
A list of podcasts interviewing Brian A resource for more articles on EMF
Hoyer from Shielded Healing on steps exposure, its effects on our health, and
you can take to reduce EMF exposure ways we can reduce exposure.
in your home.
phones
+
social media
Smartphones and social media have completely changed the
canvas of our culture, likely forever. Whether you love or hate
the constant connection (or fall somewhere in between), it’s
important to find a balance between the virtual world and
the world right in front of you.

r
fo
g
in

intentionality
look

boundaries
airplane & do not
disturb mode
reducing EMF

g
in
d

PHONES + S. MEDIA
oi
av

mindless scrolling
blue light after sunset
app & phone tracking
EMF blocking cases
162
 in our
home
I am in charge of my phone and my social media. It is not in charge of me!

This is the motto I live by when it comes to phone and social media use. As a content creator, I could
easily spend every bit of my free time posting, engaging, sharing, and scrolling through never-ending
messages. My online community enjoys seeing the behind the scenes of my life, and I enjoy sharing —
but boundaries are essential for keeping the proper balance.

To start, I keep my phone on Do Not Disturb mode. This means I receive zero notifications or alerts. I
don’t want any buzzing, dinging, or ringing to pull me out of whatever it is I’m focusing on! I choose to
come to my phone when I am ready and have dedicated time for that. I take that one step further when
I’m at home by turning it on Airplane Mode (meaning it’s not connected to the internet at all). This
163

allows me to shut out the rest of the world and just be present with my family.
PHONES + S. MEDIA

There are times when I do choose to just scroll for the fun of it, but I have boundaries around who I
follow on social media too. I want my Instagram feed to be educational and real. I don't follow anyone
that makes me feel comparison and self-doubt, like I'm not skinny enough or healthy enough. I follow
people that I am inspired by. Phones and social media can be incredible tools when used with
intentionality! That’s always my ultimate goal.
looking for
intentionality boundaries
Time on our devices means time away from our A recent consumer report found that 35% of
loved ones, friends, work, and simply being respondents said their first thought in the morning

the research
present. Keeping your phone on airplane or do is about their smartphone; 10% said it was for
not disturb mode is a way to be more present their significant other. When cell phones start
while being more intentional with your phone taking over our families and lives, it may be time to
usage. When it comes to social media, I advocate set boundaries. Turning off notifications or making
for being intentional about who you follow so you rules to not have phones at the table or in your
don't fall into comparison or self-doubt. Who you bedroom is a great place to start.
follow should inspire, educate, or entertain.
reducing EMF exposure
airplane & do not disturb mode When it comes to our phones, talking on
speakerphone, utilizing airplane mode when we're
Keeping my phone on do not disturb during the
not currently using it or while we are asleep, and
day and airplane mode when I'm home with my
using a stylus are ways we can minimize exposure.
family or sleeping allows me to be present with
It's important to note that EMF protection cases
my family and friends.
give a false sense of security and even increase
your EMF exposure.

avoiding
mindless scrolling blue light after sunset
Have you ever tracked your screen time usage on Blue light may be natural, but it should be avoided
your phone? It can be incredibly convicting. With after sunset. Blue light decreases melatonin, and
notifications and endless content, it's easy to keep increases alertness. Your circadian rhythm uses
scrolling, but we were meant to live life off our light to sync your body to the day and night
phones! I'm not saying never scroll for fun, but for patterns of the world. Exposure to blue light after
the sake of our relationships, it's best to set sunset throws off your circadian rhythm causing
specific amounts of time for that. you to have less REM sleep.

app & phone tracking EMF protective cases

PHONES + S. MEDIA

You know when you shop for barefoot shoes on Cell phones can be a big EMF exposure for many
your phone and the next day there's an ad on your people that carry them around all day —
computer? There's a reason for that! Unless you especially in their pockets! Unfortunately, EMF
disable it, your phone has the ability to track your protective phone cases have not been proven to
location, listen to everything you say, and watch block EMFs and in some cases can make exposure
you through your camera — sometimes even worse! A faraday bag from Tech Wellness is a good
164

when your phone is off! option while you are not utilizing your phone.
Hard wiring is also a good option when possible.
 change
Do you carry your
phone in your
pocket?

Are you on your

phone around your

for
family and friends?
ns

Do you still need to

io

a t hardwire your cell

phone to internet at

e r home?

s i d
con Do you have
location-tracking
allowed on your
did you
phone?
Do you need answer yes
boundaries and
intentionality when to any of these?
165

it comes to your
PHONES + S. MEDIA

phone?

consider a swap!
 making
the swap
* turning off phone
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

This may be a novel concept, but try

turning your phone OFF when you're
not using it! You won't be tempted to
check your notifications and may find
yourself more present.

*
airplane mode
True airplane mode (turned off in
settings) will disconnect your phone
from all internet and cell service.

*
screentime limits
Most devices have an option for setting
screentime limits. Search "setting
screentime limits for ____" online and
insert your device name for step-by-step

*
instructions!
ethos intelligence
Have you ever wondered how much of
the light phone
your private information is available on
Several of my friends have recently
the internet? Ethos Intelligence offers
switched to the light phone and report
risk filtering, asset identification,
significantly more mental clarity and
consulting services, cyber
balance.
investigations, and more.
ra optics

*
Protect those eyes from harmful blue safety mindfulness
light on your phone — especially after Stay safe on social media by never
PHONES + S. MEDIA

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showing a photo of full interior rooms or
DRCOURTNEY
the exterior of your house, street signs,
tech wellness or places you routinely frequent — like
your child's school. It's also a good idea
The air tube headphones and Faraday
to avoid posting photos at restaurants
bag are two of my top picks for regular
166

or events until after you leave!

phone use.
 antenna search the social delemma
TOWER AND ANTENNA DATABASE 2020
Documentary
Database
"We tweet, we like, and we share— but what
are the consequences of our growing
Enter your address to see all towers and dependence on social media? This
antennas near you. documentary-drama hybrid reveals how
social media is reprogramming civilization
with tech experts sounding the alarm on
their own creations. "

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

@protectyoungeyes internet addiction self quiz

FAMILY DIGITAL SAFETY TECH WELLNESS
167

Instagram
PHONES + S. MEDIA

Quiz
Chris McKenna is a Family Digital
Safety Expert who created The Learn the signs of internet addiction
Protect App, which helps families and take the quiz to see if this applies
become predator-proof, porn- to you.
resilient, and screen-wise.
office
If you’ve got a computer and an Internet connection, you can
work from just about anywhere these days. But most of the
workforce maintains a 9-5 desk job, whether that desk is in an
office or at home (or on the beach, if you’re so lucky). That’s a
long time to spend on one activity and in one position, so
it’s worth considering how your work
environment contributes to your health.

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proper ergonomics
look

frequent standing breaks

air & water quality
caring employer
balance

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prolonged sitting
convenience lunches
EMF exposure
OFFICE
168
 in our
home
Most people spend more waking hours at work than at home. As a chiropractor, my situation is a little
different but my husband and remote team all frequently work at computers, so this section is for
them!

One of the biggest things to focus on is an ergonomic desk set up. If you're seated at a desk, make sure
that your knees are at a 90 degree angle, sit up straight so your elbows are at a 90 degree angle when
you're typing, and keep your eyes perpendicular to your screen.

If your eyes start to get tired, I recommend the Ra Optics daytime glasses. Blue light in itself is not bad
during the day, but keep an eye out (see what I did there?) for overuse.
169

EMF is also a huge component of working at a computer, so check out some EMF mitigating devices
OFFICE

that could be used in your specific work environment. Hardwiring your computer would be the best
choice! More detailed info is available in the EMF section of this guide.

Air purifiers or potted plants are excellent choices for air quality. I love snake plants because they thrive
with little maintenance and low light, and they’re super affordable. I would add essential oil diffusers to
that list, but many workplaces have banned them since some people are more sensitive to scents than
others.
A few other ways to reduce your toxic exposure at work:

Bring your own water bottle / filter

Bring your own flatware
Pack your lunch
Get up and take a walking break periodically. Fresh air every 15 minutes would be the best, but do
what you can!
Bring a salt lamp for negative ions
Keep pictures of your loved ones nearby
Wear Ra Optics daytime lenses if staring at a screen all day
Utilize red light therapy
Balance your work hours and commitments with life outside of work. It’s not healthy to devote
every waking moment to your career!

If these changes feel completely impossible in your current work environment, ask yourself: Does my
employer want me to be a healthy human? If not, you may find that it’s time to consider a job change.

in our
home
OFFICE
170
 looking for
proper ergonomics frequent standing breaks
When it comes to office ergonomics, you want elbows Aim to take a walk and screen break for 15
and knees to be at 90 degrees with your eyes level. minutes every hour. Most people are checking
Utilizing a desk — especially for laptop lovers — is their phones and scrolling in little increments
important for this! If working at a computer is these days. Being more intentional by stretching
something you're spending hours and hours a day your legs, getting some sun in your eyes, getting
doing, focusing on supporting your body can go a long your blood flowing, and moving your body is a
way. small way you can impact your health.
air & water quality
Research has shown that indoor air quality is worse than outdoors and can even impact our productivity at

the research
work. You can only do so much sometimes, but bringing an air purifier and water filter to work with you are
some ways you can minimize these exposures.

caring employer balance

It's important to do what you love, but I'd challenge Why do we work? It's important to know the
that it's equally important to enjoy who you work for answer to this so we can evaluate the balance we
and with! Your employer and coworkers set the tone have with work in our lives. I love working and
for your emotional and physical health at work — serving families on a daily basis. It's truly such a
where most people spend most of their day! Do you blessing! But work always comes after my role as a
feel like your mental and physical health is valued at follower of Christ, wife, and mom. The way work
your workplace? plays into our lives needs to reflect our priorities.

avoiding
prolonged sitting convenience lunches
Our bodies were designed to move! Prolonged sitting Eating out is suspected to have detrimental health
is believed to increase your risk of certain cancers. effects on our bodies. Eating out means you're
Research has even shown that you cannot workout playing roulette on the types of oils used,
enough to counter the effects prolonged sitting has conventional produces, high sodium dishes, large
171

on your body. A better option is to reconsider your portions, and more. I eat lunches more often at
OFFICE

desk setup by opting for a standing / sitting desk, work than at home — which is why I take the efforts
inflatable ball, or other ergonomic chair. to prepare in advance! Meal prepping once or twice
a week is a helpful option when it comes to time.
emf exposure
It would be amazing if our employers would consider hardwiring, and if yours will — I say suggest it! However,
in situations where this isn't possible, maybe suggestions could be putting a protective cover over the Wi-Fi
router, wearing air tubes headphones, or using a Defendershield baby blanket for laptops.
 change
Do you sit for long
periods of time
without standing?

Do you stare at a
computer screen all
day without yellow

for
or red tinted blue-
light blocking
glasses?
ns
io

Is the air quality at

a t your workplace
lacking?

e r
s i d
con Do you work for an
employer that cares
more about the
did you
company than you?

Do you consistently
answer yes
buy lunches or drink
unfiltered water to any of these?
while working?

consider a swap!
OFFICE
172
 making
the swap
ra optics
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

If I'm working behind a computer

screen, I'll be sporting my favorite blue
light blocking glasses: daytime and
sunset lenses. save 15% with code
DRCOURTNEY

ergonomic desk
Ergonomic desks are a great way to get tech wellness
back on your feet for desk jobs! Hardwiring kits and Airtubes from Tech
Wellness are some of my favorites for
austin air the office!

*
We keep an Austin Air purifier at Our plants
Well House so everyone can breathe Purify your office space air naturally with
easy. save 10% with code air-purifying plants like snake plants,
DRCOURTNEY
aloe vera, peace lilies, and others.

*
air doctor fresh air
A quality air purifier that lets you know Take fresh air breaks as often as you
the current air quality and ramps up can- ideally once every hour. Try going
when contaminants are detected. for a walk during your lunch break!

*
save up to $300
with this link pictures of family
so well made Workdays can be tough at times.
So Well Made has a USB salt lamp that's Surround yourself with photos of those
great for using in the workplace. you love!
173

*
active lifestyle
OFFICE

somavedic
I keep a Somavedic next to our Berkey Living an active lifestyle by being on
at Our Well House to structure the water your feet or routinely working out can
inside. do wonders for your health, especially
save 10% with code
DRCOURTNEY those that work in desk jobs.
 remote. the right way. emf protection
BUILDING REMOTE TECH WELLNESS
Website Website
A great resource for digital entrepreneurs August Brice is a wealth of knowledge when
looking to work remotely, "hire rockstar it comes to EMF protection. Not only do they
talent, or build systems to scale their offer a variety of products to mitigate the
businesses efficiently." Also a resource for effects of EMFs, their website is full of
people wanting to land remote jobs! Check information on EMFs and tech safety and
out their Instagram for quick tips. security.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

how to ask your boss for a 48 days to the work you love
standing desk
DAN MILLER
STAND DESK
Article Book
If you're looking to ask your employer If you're looking for a job change, this
for a standing desk, check out this book is a great tool to walk you
article for tips on the best way to through exercises that will show you
OFFICE

approach the topic. which jobs will excite you and ways
you can get into that work.
174
 air travel
If I have a flight scheduled, you will find me at the airport 3
hours ahead of time! Air travel is one of those events that is
going to be toxic at some level, no questions asked. That’s why
I go out of my way to choose alternatives to as
many exposures as possible — and you can too!

r
fo
g
in

hydration
look

grounding & detox baths

sesame seed oil
separate shoe bag

g
in
175

d
oi
AIR TRAVEL

full body scanner

av

frequent flying
airplane food & water
jet lag
 in our
home
Some of y’all dream of flying off somewhere different every other weekend, but I am not that girl. I’m a
homebody at heart and flying makes me sick — literally! But air travel is often unavoidable for speaking
engagements, family gatherings, and other important life events, so I do what I can to make the best of it.

Many people don’t realize that a lot of toxic exposures are par for the course with flying. It starts with the
security scans that everyone has to go through before entering the terminal. I always arrive extra early so I can
opt out of the scanners and ask for a pat-down instead. The TSA folks may look at you like you’re nuts, but you
have the right to request this at any time. You can also ask that your snacks and supplements be checked by
hand rather than running through the x-ray machine. I bring my Defender Shield baby blanket to block out
some of the EMF on the flight. (I’ve actually had this blanket tested with an EMF reader and it does a great job
of actually blocking out those frequencies, unlike some other EMF-blocking products that claim protection
but don’t have the readings to back it up.) This is a big priority when pregnant, especially.

Air travel can be very dehydrating, so I like to bring my own water bottle and have a moisturizer on hand.
Digestion issues are common during and after flights as well, since your body isn’t used to going that fast and
gets a bit confused. Pique digestion tea is my go-to, along with some peppermint essential oil. If you have
sensitivities with smells, an enclosed cabin may cause some issues. I keep Good Medicine Beauty Lab Muscle
Balm on hand and dab a bit on my neck and under my nose so I’m smelling good things and not so sensitive
to what’s around me. Intelligence of Nature makes a great nasal spray to clean out your nasal passages in-
flight and afterwards, as does Xlear. If I’m going to be traveling after sundown, I wear my Ra Optics blue light
AIR TRAVEL

blockers. As soon as we land, I try to get my bare feet on the ground as soon as possible. Then the day after my
flight, I get sunlight in my eyes first thing in the morning to reset my circadian rhythm and alleviate any jet lag.
176

There are exposures that are unavoidable with air travel, but if you plan ahead you can keep those at a
minimum!
 looking for
hydration grounding & detox baths
Air travel is dehydrating to both our bodies and skin. Many people have found relief from jet lag simply
Drinking plenty of filtered and structured water before by practicing grounding during their travel. Letting
your flight, staying hydrated with bottled water during your feet touch the earth for around 30 minutes
your flight, avoiding caffeine, and moisturizing your when you arrive can do wonders. Taking a detox
skin well are ways to combat this. bath as soon as possible after flying can help your
body detox the radiation exposure.
compression socks
separate shoe bag
Getting up, moving around, and doing ankle exercises
You may take your shoes off in your home, but do
are the best ways to keep blood circulating during long
you separate them from your clothes when you
flights, but compression socks can be useful tools as
travel? Shoes have been shown to carry harmful
well! They can even help prevent deep vein

the research
bacteria, lead, and more. A simple, separate shoe
thrombosis (DVT) while sitting for a long time.
bag will keep these out of your clean clothes and
belongings.

avoiding
full-body scanner
These scanners use millimeter wave technology, which heats the skin because of the frequencies that create
atomic motion within the cells. It basically microwaves the skin. A WHO report revealed that this radiation
causes eye damage and can cause cancer. Another report showed that it unzips DNA. Although these
scanners are used on humans, they are not subject to the stringent regulations required for diagnostic x-ray
machines. Did you know there are safety regulations for x-rays scanning baggage, but none for x-rays scanning
people at airports?! I share this to say you have a choice! If you don't want to be exposed to this radiation,
simply tell the agent, "I am opting out." Be kind and courteous that they are breaking their routine for you.
Instead, you'll have to wait for an agent of the same gender to get a pat down. For this reason, I aim to get to
the airport 3 hours prior.
frequent flying
The best way to reduce exposure to radiation is to reduce how often you fly. In some situations, such as for
work, this is unavoidable. But if you're taking a family vacation, consider traveling by car, bus or train as a
better option.

airplane food & water jet lag

177

Did you know you can bring your own food on planes? Jet lag can cause disturbed sleep, increased
AIR TRAVEL

Airplane food is loaded with preservatives and additives. fatigue, loss of concentration, and increased
In-flight water (also used for tea, coffee, and ice) has irritability. When traveling after sunset, I wear
repetitively shown to be contaminated during random blue light blockers. When you arrive,
sampling. Instead I bring my own refillable water bottle grounding and getting fresh air can improve
and use the filtered water refill stations once through jet lag. The day after my flight, I also get
security. If that's not an option, I'll purchase LIFEWTR. I also sunlight in my eyes first thing in the morning
bring a travel coffee mug and ask for (free) hot water at a to reset my circadian rhythms and alleviate
coffee shop to make my Pique Tea or Purity Instant Coffee. any jet lag.
 change
Do you go through
airport scanners?

Do you consume
airport food or

for
water?
ns
io

Do you drink

a t caffeine while
traveling?

e r
s i d
con Do you travel by
plane frequently?
did you
Do you go straight answer yes
to your hotel when
you land without to any of these?
grounding and
getting fresh air?
AIR TRAVEL

consider a swap!
178
 making
the swap
* opt out of scanners
KCIP S'YENTRUOC .RD

Kindly ask a TSA agent for a pat-

down instead of exposing your
body to the frequencies of the
scanners. You can ask for your
bags to be examined by hand as
well.

ra optics
If you happen to see me in the
airport after sundown, I'll be
wearing my blue light blockers!
save 15% with code
DRCOURTNEY
defender shield
I've had their baby blanket tested
by Shielded Healing and it did a
good medicine beauty lab
good job blocking EMFs.
Their Muscle Balm is perfect for
cramped, tired muscles after a pique tea
long flight. save 20% with code
DRCOURTNEY My favorite for triple toxin
screened tea, especially while
traveling! save 5% with code
intelligence of nature DRCOURTNEY
179

I use their nasal spray when I

AIR TRAVEL

travel to clean out any purity coffee

contaminants I breathe in while in Purity offers individual instant
such close quarters: fragrance, coffee packets that are great for
mold from the a/c, hand sanitizer, travel! save 20% off first order
etc. DRCOURTNEY

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DRCOURTNEY
 opting out of metal "travel" highlight
detector screenings
DR. COURTNEY KAHLA
TSA
Article Instagram Highlight
Straight from the source! If you're nervous If you're unsure what it looks like when you
about opting out of scanners and don't opt out or are still nervous, check out my
know what to expect, read through the "travel" highlight where I share my previous
procedure here. experiences and even show you what a pat
down looks like.

advocate
be your own

EDUCATION TO FURTHER YOUR RESEARCH

non-yoga stretching emf goes sky high

CAITLIN ENGLEBERT TECH WELLNESS
YouTube Article
For non-yoga stretches you can do
after long flights, check out Caitlin For more ways to reduce radiation
AIR TRAVEL

Englebert's YouTube channel and exposure while flying, check out this
Instagram! Check out her "YogaX" article from Tech Wellness.
highlight to learn why I prefer non-
yoga stretching.
180
 disclaimer
Information provided in this guide is for informational purposes only. This information is not intended
as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any
information contained on or in any product. Do not use the information provided in this guide for
diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment.
Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or
nutritional, herbal or other supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or
suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not
disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something
you have read in this guide.

Information provided in this guide and the use of any products or services related to this guide by you
does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr. Courtney Kahla. Information and
statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This guide contains affiliate links which means that I receive a percentage of commission if any
products are purchased through them. As always, these are brands / products / services I have used
personally, believe in, and support. Receiving a sample(s) of any of the above products in no way
influences my opinion. Thank you for supporting me, Dr. Courtney Kahla, through your purchases!
181
DISCLAIMER
a note about updates

When creating this guide, we decided to offer it

digitally so it could be a living resource. As I
continue researching and growing in my own
wellness journey, I may discover new information
or recommendations that replace the
recommendations in the original version. If or
when that happens, my team will send out an
updated file so you can reference the most
current information.

If you find a broken link or other error, please let

us know at [email protected] so we
can correct it in the new edition!

We'll keep a running list of any edits or updates in

this document, so check there first if you find an
error.
UPDATES
182
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AFFILIATES
here for the guides
nontoxic baby registry guide
Preparing to welcome a new little one to the world comes with a
tidal wave of choices. Our Nontoxic Baby Registry Guide will allow
you to confidently make informed decisions around the products
you choose to use for your baby from Day 1. Spanning categories
like feeding options, clothing, nursery furnishings, postpartum
healing, gear, and more, you'll be able to create a registry of
products that are truly safe for your whole family.

coming soon

skeptical dude's guide

to nontoxic living
For all the dudes out there who may be a bit skeptical of this whole
nontoxic lifestyle, we've got you covered. Tested and reviewed by a
panel of brutally honest fellow Dudes, we aim to offer guidance
around lifestyle changes and nontoxic products that actually work
and won't kill your budget. We've included particularly manly
categories like beards, workouts, sports, pest control, technology,
UPCOMING GUIDES

grilling, and more.

coming soon
184
 COPYRIGHT 2022
DR. COURTNEY KAHLA