Emotional Attachments to Food & Getting Healthy
life is hard; food doesn't have to be #103 [vol3, 10.3]
Why is it that we have such emotional attachments to food?
Why is it I can know in my head and spout with my mouth all the reasons I should not eat Velveeta YET when Mom makes her “homemade” mac and cheese with a block of Velveeta I cannot resist?
What is easier to switch?
Sometimes it is easier to switch to cleaner products than clean up the diet.
Food decisions are all day every day. Switching to cleaner products is easier. (In fact, I asked in Instagram stories and this was overwhelmingly confirmed. Lots of you feel passionate about this.)
The Easy Part
Once we switch to cleaner products, the guess work is done. Buy once and just use the product! No more mental gymnastics about "what do I use?" The clean product is under the cabinet, on the shelf, or in the makeup bag.
If you’re a Lazy Genius follower, she calls this “Decide Once.”
The Hard Part
Finding clean products that actually perform can prove to be difficult. How many "natural" cleaners have you purchased that have performed less than the toxic ones? (um, I've wasted so much money!) My youngest son has declared “healthy Doritoes are not, in fact, Doritoes.”
I like to follow like minded people on social media to see what they use and recommend -- people like A Little Less Toxic and Just Ingredients are two that come to mind.
We'll never escape all the toxic slurry that causes hormone disruption. We live in a modern, toxic world. By taking baby steps, we can work to reduce the toxic load on our liver.
Do what you can. It starts with education.
What are endocrine (hormone) disruptors?
They're chemicals *natural and man made* that mimic or interfere with the body's hormones in the endocrine system. These chemicals are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain and immune functions.
What can endocrine disruptors affect?
inflammation
obesity, weight gain, type2 diabetes
stress responses
fetal growth
puberty development, PMS
male & female reproductive health, infertility,
immune function
cardiovascular health
Many people with cancer (or family history of) avoid endocrine disruptors because of the havoc wreaking potential on the body.
Words to Avoid When Reading Ingredient Lists
Phthalates and -parabens
Five different parabens have been completely banned in Europe (isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, phenylparaben, benzylparaben, and pentylparaben), while others are strictly regulated because they are believed to be endocrine disruptors. Source. NONE are regulated in the US. Buyers must educate themselves.
In fact, the European Union has banned almost 1400 chemicals in beauty products. Canada has banned 600 while the United States only restricts 30 chemicals.
Buyers must educate themselves.
Soy is a food that has endocrine disrupting properties. Source. Confused about soy? Amazing resource. It's also a genetically modified food (GMO) that is sprayed with chemicals like crazy. The only soy my family consistently eats is traditionally fermented soy sauce - because soy is GMO I try to buy organic.
One study at UC Berkley showed switching products reduced concentration of suspected chemicals in the body in just three days.
Products I've Slowly Switched Out Over the Years
stop using fabric softener. It is SUPER TOXIC. (Fragrance is a major offender.)
use beeswax candles or essential oils or bake cookies and bread for aroma
I use Charlie's Soap for laundry. Cloth diaper companies recommended it years ago when I was using cloth. I thought, "If it gets diapers clean, it will get my clothes clean."
try cleaning your sink (and even smelly drains) with baking soda. I keep a box under bathroom sinks to sprinkle in the bowl for a quick clean. Since it's not toxic, I sprinkle then use my hands to rub around then rinse. Less than 30 seconds. We have a shower drain that smells on occasion - use 1/4-1/2 c baking soda down the drain then slowly pour white vinegar on top. Watch it bubble. Repeat. Smell is gone!
stop using antiperspirant; use deodorant only. Baby step: now available in Kroger and Walmart are name brands that are only deodorants (no antiperspirant). Natural deodorants are best (without toxic fragrance and harmful preservatives). I've tried countless brands over the years! My husband likes Beautycounter deo the best. I've made one with tallow and equal parts baking soda and arrowroot powder with essential oils that I like quite well (price and performance!).
hand soap/ body wash - avoid antibacterial soaps which are harsh and destroy the microbiome of our skin. Wash away bacteria instead.
lotions - Everyone Brand found at WM as well as natural food stores
tampons - look for organic cotton - it is a highly sprayed GMO crop! Our inside delicate parts readily absorb allll the chemicals!
use glass to store food instead of plastic
buy butter instead of manufactured substitutes
drink from Mason jars/glass instead of plastic
stop reheating food in microwave/plastic
remove teflon from the kitchen. Learn to cook with stainless or cast iron. Once a friend sold teflon pans and the company told her to be sure to remove birds from the kitchen area before the demonstration. If the fumes from teflon can harm birds...will it harm you?
drink filtered water. We have a reverse osmosis filter under our sink from Lowes.
choose Body Armor to replace artificially colored sports drinks often next to each other on the shelf. Or sprinkle sea salt and squeeze half a lemon in water for electrolytes.
buy organic corn / tortilla chips. Corn, Soy, Cotton and white sugar are GMOs and heavily sprayed.
look for the word CANE sugar when buying white sugar...it's not GMO (most white sugar is processed from GMO sugar beets). Usually CANE sugar is a few pennies more, that will help you remember.
toothpaste - I avoid toothpaste with fluoride (a known neurotoxin)
fill your freezer with local meat - making the decision once to buy healthier meat also makes meal planning easier. Just shop the freezer! Here’s an article I wrote on baby steps for buying better meat.
choose pastured eggs
Did you know?
The average woman ingests 4 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime.
1 in 3 brands of lipstick contain more lead than the FDA’s acceptable limits. Lipstick is not regulated.
Beauty Products
The skin is our largest organ which also readily absorbs everything. The beauty industry is highly unregulated. It is important to be mindful of what we put on our skin, especially the things we use frequently and stay on the skin for hours.
Want clean ingredients, responsible packaging, ethical sourcing, high performing products AND you’re on a tight budget?
Easy! …said no one EVER.
For beauty products, no company compares to Beautycounter when it comes to transparency & testing. There's a Never List of 1,800 questionable or harmful ingredients they will never use. They test EVERY BATCH for toxins. Not just every formula. Beautycounter has the cleanest standards in the industry. And the products perform. The skin care is concentrated so a little bit goes a long way. If by chance you purchase something you're not satisfied with, use it for 59 days to be sure and return on day 60, for a full refund no questions asked!
9 Ways to Save
1. Make a list of skincare & makeup wants and needs.
2. Prioritize. Maybe you have a cleanser that works but not found a moisturizer.
3. Stuck? Let me help you. I've tried almost all the products. We can chat about what you want, what products have worked (or not) in the past. Depending on your skin-type, desires and budget I can ask some questions that will help us decide. Reply to this email.
4. Your favorite products might be available for 10% off with a flexible auto-replenishment program. Brow Gel, mascara, SPF, vitamin c serum, deo refills, and most skincare items are available for auto-replenishment. Band of Beauty Members get free shipping on auto-replenishment orders over $50 and still get 10% product credit on every purchase.
5. Join Band of Beauty! This no-strings attached member program gives you 10% back on every order, free shipping over $100, and a free gift!
6. Take advantage of the sales. I don't always know in advance but when I do, I try to alert you.
THIS WEEK's promotion: get Bright Side Duo FREE ($75 value!) when you purchase $150 or more. The two free products: C-serum is for mornings and the Overnight Resurfacing Peel is for evenings. If you have cleanser/moisturizer routine set, these are great next products to consider adding to the routine. I love them both and they’ve changed my skin for the good.
NEXT WEEK: get Beyond Bright Minis FREE ($65 value) with $150 purchase. The 3 products you'll get are: Mini All Bright Triple Acid AHA Toner—a pore-refining formula. Mini All Bright C Serum for an instant boost of radiance and reduced appearance of dark spots over time, then finish with a few drops of the deeply hydrating Mini All Bright Brightening Facial Oil.
7. Shop the holiday gift guide. Beautycounter releases new products, new scents (without harmful fragrance!), smaller packaging of favs so we can try new products for a fraction of the cost at the holidays.
8. First time order? Use code CLEANFORALL20 for 20% off.
9. Forward this email to one friend (or sister!) who's looking to clean up her products. If she shops with me, I'll reward you for the referral with a fun Beautycounter gift from my stash.
I love saving money almost as much as I love spending,
Food I’m Making This Week
Egg Roll in a Bowl - it was a variation on this variation.
Poached Fish in coconut milk - read here how read labels in a land locked state. I thawed fish, placed in a dish, sprinkled with salt, poured half a can of full fat coconut milk then baked at 400, uncovered (while roasting veggies) until the fish was flaky (or the coconut milk is just beginning to boil.) Last week I added a bit too much harissa /spice for the kids. You could definitely add garlic/ginger to the coconut milk and curry if you like it. Or just plain.
roast - tips for the perfect one.
shakshouka - fancy name for eggs poached in marinara
Deciding Once for Potlucks
Being a part of a Baptist church (and a pastor’s wife!) I’m often called upon to bring food to gatherings. This week it hit me that my “decide once food to bring to potlucks” is deviled eggs (gluten-free + protein) or scalloped potatoes (extreme comfort food), sometimes both. They’re nutritious, crowd pleasers, and I can make either with my eyes closed.
Life is hard, food doesn’t have to be,
Julie
PS - What did I miss? I’d love to know what easy substitutions you’ve made in your health journey.