Resources - Shine Functional Health

Resources

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Low Tox Lifestyle & Nutrition Resources

Why Does It Matter?

Our health is determined by:

40-50%

Diet & Lifestyle

30%

Genetics

20%

Social & Physical Environment

Introduction

Reduce Your Toxic Burden

Everything that enters the GI system is filtered through the liver before it ends up circulating to the rest of the body. Toxins that enter via other routes eventually will be filtered by the liver as well. Reduce the liver’s work load and let it focus on its real jobs like bile production, hormone excretion, etc… The modern world puts a big demand on our humble liver. Eliminating toxins from your life serves to supplement your efforts on all fronts: diet, exercise, sleep, gut health, and stress management. It makes the rest of your efforts that much more impactful. You might as well go all in if you’ve already committed to the hard parts!

Reduce Inflamation

Most toxins drive up inflammation in one way or another. Why eat all that organic broccoli & wild caught salmon just to expose yourself to crud that sabotages your work, like Teflon, microplastics, and sodium benzoate?

Support Endocrine Function

So many of these toxins are endocrine disruptors. Imagine if your sex hormones just did their job without having to compete with imposters? What if your pancreas just hummed along without being hassled? How about a thyroid that simply produced T3 & T4?

Improve Gut Health

keeping the bad stuff out helps our small but mighty allies flourish.

Make Incremental Changes

You don’t have to go buy ALL new stuff ALL at once. When you run out of shampoo, upgrade to a cleaner brand.  Save up for a water filter. Ask Santa for new cookware for Christmas.

Dhru Purohit says “either you have a filter, or you become the filter”. We must intentionally select our foods, personal care & household cleaning products, filter our water & air, and minimize plastic use or our body must filter it all out. Simple swaps can result in a significant return on your investment.

If you don’t recognize an ingredient your body won’t either.

Shopping Resources

Thrive Market

Misfit Market

Zero Waste Store

Topics

Quick Links

Cigarettes, Alcohol, & Soda

It’s not popular, but these toxins are overwhelming your system.

Cigarettes

They’re so bad that even the US government agrees! Nicotine is highly addictive and functions as a stimulant. It can impair brain development in adolescents and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. It exerts its disease causing effects in part by ramping up oxidative stress.

Vaping

  • Regular old cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic. Experts believe that vaping probably exposes its users to fewer toxic chemicals, but many ingredients in vape pens are “unknown”. Do manufacturers know and refuse to share? Or is it a mystery to everyone? Give it a google and you’ll find many research studies with the primary goal of determining exactly which chemicals are in vape fluids. This is frightening at the least.
  • Vape pen ingredients are just as addictive as regular old cigarettes & it is possible to get a much greater dose of nicotine in a vape pen than in a traditional cigarette.
  • Flavorings: Many of these flavorings are meant to eat or drink, but not safe to inhale. (I’d argue they’re not safe to eat or drink either) One such flavoring, diacetyl, can cause respiratory problems and lung damage. Many of the flavoring ingredients are the same chemicals commonly found in nail polish remover, weed killer, cleaning products, and bug spray.
  • Propylene glycol is a solvent used to dilute other ingredients in vape liquids. Propylene glycol may trigger asthma attacks when heated and inhaled. It is also used in food, medicine, cosmetics, and toiletries. It adds taste, texture, and thickness as well as functioning as an anti-caking agent, emulsifier, and moisture preserver. It is used as a deicer, in antifreeze, and in artificial smoke.
  • Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, nickel, and tin are found in vapes and can accumulate in tissues. These cause cancer and damage a developing brain.
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also found in paint, antifreeze, and other industrial products.
  • Vitamin E acetate: found in pens containing THC, used as a thickening agent, and found in all tissue samples from patients with vape associated lung injuries.
  • Aldehydes: such as acetaldehyde & formaldehyde, are known carcinogens. Aldehydes damage the lungs, contribute to cardiovascular disease, and are known to cause cancer.
  • Vapes may also contain pesticides
  • Herbicides/weed killers like acrolein which can damage the lining of the lungs and the tissues inside the nose

Alcohol

It’s often straight up 100% refined carbs. It will encourage fat storage and wreck your blood glucose (in part because of the burden on the liver), not to mention the abundance of useless calories. The mixers are all anti-nutrients (it takes more tinder to burn them than they provide). In addition to the metabolic chaos, a lot of wines test positive for glyphosate which is carcinogenic and was patented as an antibiotic in 2010. Booze falls into the same category as cookies. Enjoy only on occasion unless your gut is freaky healthy, and your blood glucose is stable as a rock.

Calpirg beer wine report

Glyphosate Free American Wines

Right now, two wines are certified “glyphosate residue-free” proving they are non-detect under 10 ppb detection level.

Biodynamic Wines

Biodynamic farming is similar to organic farming in that synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are forbidden. But biodynamic farming has additional requirements per an organization called the Demeter Association. There are no manipulations such as yeast additions or acidity adjustments. (yeast manipulations mean that your wine might not be gluten free). Good choices include

Those that are not labeled are French

You can also ask at your local wine store if they carry biodynamic wines.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Seedlip: they use natural flavorings (not natural flavors). They are different and flavorings aren’t as bad as flavors. Complicated, yes.

Soda

The real deal is full of pro-inflammatory ingredients that harm the microbiome, are corrosive to tissues (and metals), can convert to benzene (which is a known carcinogen) or otherwise contribute to the development or cancer &, upregulate cortisol production

When trying to transition away from sodas to better options it might be nice to try some alternative fizzy drinks. They are not “healthy”, but they are better, and can function as a bridge to better choices, like straight up plain water

  • Poppi Available on amazon, Thrive market, at Target, Whole Foods, and Marianos
  • Olipop Available at Whole Foods, Jewel, Target, Walmart
  • Betty Buzz available on Thrive Market and sometimes at grocery stores
  • Gerolsteiner Mineral Water This is a carbonated water packaged in glass bottles. It can be flavored with electrolyte powder (LMNT, etc…) or a slice of citrus. It is not listed on Trader Joe’s website but I have bought it there.

Flavored Seltzer Waters

Chewing Gum

Chewing gum is mostly made of plastic. Yup. Polymers like polyvinyl acetate can make up nearly 60% of most chewing gums. They also contain fillers, waxes, and emulsifiers. Why are they sweet? Gum is often made with sugar alcohols like xylitol and aspartame. Xylitol is great in toothpaste and mouthwash, but not so great to swallow. Aspartame is particularly harmful for the gut microbiome. Preservatives like BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are common. There is conclusive evidence that BHT is carcinogenic in rats, though evidence in humans is inconclusive. It might lead to impaired blood clotting and might be an endocrine disruptor. Flavors can be “natural” or artificial, neither is good.

Water, air, and food are the greatest sources of toxin exposure in our day to day lives.

Water Filters

  • What you bathe in, cook in, and drink is of great importance.
  • Filtering your water is a big expense, but worth it if you can afford it.  We aren’t so much worried about pathogens/microorganisms as we are about fluoride, heavy metals, other people’s medications, etc….
  • As a starting point and to better understand the reason that it is important to filter our water, you can learn about the contaminants in your water using the EWG database here and plugging in your zip code.
  • For the reverse osmosis options (top 2) you will need to add minerals back to your water as they are removed in the filtration process.

Best Brands of Water Filters

  • Hydroviv: I use this one but be aware you need separate filters for hot and cold water with a sink set up. You obviously only need one shower head filter or refrigerator water filter.
  • Aquasana – Reverse Osmosis filter that you attach under your sink
  • AquaTru – Offers countertop or under the skin reverse osmosis filtration devices
  • Clearly Filtered Pitcher – similar to the berkey but more convenient. Worth noting that you need to replace the filter often so the price does increase (the berkey filters need to be replaced much less often)

Cheaper Options

  • Clearly Filtered water bottle
  • Whole Foods also sells BPA-free 3-gallon containers that you can fill with reverse osmosis filtered water as an interim cost-effective solution

Travel Options

  • lifestraw.com: filters bacteria, parasites, microplastics, dirt, & sand.
  • Go Pure Pod: eliminates/reduces PFAS, bacteria, microplastics, chlorine, fluorine, lead, & arsenic
  • Berkey: for longer travel times
  • Countertop filters are ineffective against the smaller particles.
  • For goodness’ sake, please don’t carry around a plastic water bottle. Even if it says BPA-free it’s just full of some other nasty plastic. Glass or stainless steel are your best bets and there are lots of options

Air Filters

Candles

Coffee

Coffee is often contaminated with mold. Eww.

Mold Free Coffee Options:

Coffee Alternatives

  • Mud/WTR – mushroom and tea based “coffee” with 1/7th of the caffeine of coffee. Great coffee replacement.
  • Four Sigmatic Reishi Cacao Mushroom – avoid mushroom based teas if you are currently on an ant-candida plan. You’ll just end up killing the mushrooms which is kind of a waste of resources all around.
  • Four sigmatic mushroom mix – no caffeine but contains lion’s main (adaptogenic mushroom) which supports focus and brain health. Just mix the powder with hot water.
  • CrioBru: CACAO: consider brewed cacao. CrioBru is a nice brand, though you can brew finely diced/chopped cacao chips. Brew it in a french press just as you would coffee. Metal french press options are an easy Amazon find. French Press
    • Cacao: is full of a chemical called theobromine. It gives you a little energy boost like coffee without the undesirable effect on cortisol levels. It also gives you a slower, longer burning you can put creamer in it and still have the ritual of drinking coffee.
  • RYZE: Mushroom coffee
  • Roasted Chickory: as with cacao and carob, roasted chicory root can be brewed.  

Teas

Mold Free Teas

Plastic Free Teas

  1. Clipper tea
  2. Harney & Sons
  3. Qi Tea
  4. Higher Living
  5. Pukka Herbs
  6. The Republic of Tea
  7. Mountain Rose

Other Teas

Other Tea Considerations

  • If cotton is used for the teabag or string make sure it’s organic. Cotton is one of the most heavily roundup-sprayed crops in the US.
  • Avoid components made from cornstarch. Corn is also heavily sprayed with roundup.
  • Stainless steel tea egg, Stainless steel tea diffuser

Start Here For The Greatest Impact!

Cleaning Supplies

Laundry Detergent

Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning uses terrible chemicals! The primary chemicals used are PCE (perchloroethylene) and TCE (trichloroethylene). They are carcinogenic, cause reproductive problems like miscarriage and birth defects, respiratory irritation, neurological conditions (headaches, dizziness, confusion), and skin irritation.

**Yashu Washu: utilizes a “wet cleaning” technique. There are locations in the Northwestern Suburbs and in Chicago!

Fabric Softener/Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets are full of no good, horrible stuff, like known carcinogens. Wool dryer balls are a very effective alternative to dryer sheets. .Molly Suds, Smart Sheep, Branch Basics

If you like a scent you can add a few drops of essential oils to the wool dryer balls. Young Living Essential Oils Revive.  These should be purchased directly from Young Living as Amazon has a lot of counterfeits.

All Purpose Cleaner

Branch Basics, Young Living, Unscented Attitude (the scented versions have “fragrance” and are to be avoided), Aunt Fannies, Rosey by Thrive Market, Meliora

  • Homemade cleaner: Mix one part white vinegar to five parts filtered water plus any essential oils you like. Keep this mixture in a glass spray bottle. It can be used for many durable surfaces like countertops, floors, showers, toilets, etc…. Baking soda can be added by sprinkling on surfaces first for extra cleaning power.

Dishwasher Soap

Liquid Dish Soap

Scrubbing Powder

  • Meliora or plain old baking soda

Metal Pot Scrubber

  • Zero Waste Store or sometimes you can find scrubbers at the grocery store that are metal alone, none of that mystery soap in the SOS pads.      

All Purpose Cleaners

Bathroom Cleaner

Glass Cleaner

Toilet Cleaner:

Floors

  • Vinegar works, but if you don’t like having a kitchen that smells like pickles, then Aunt Fannie’s is my favorite

Wood Surfaces

Hand Soap

Rubber Gloves

Wear rubber gloves any time your hands are in contact with cleaning products. Look for brands that are made from Latex (if you are not allergic) and avoid PVC and nitrile gloves due to toxicity concern.

Dish Scrubbers

Paper Towels & Toilet Paper:

There are a whole lotta toxins in these products in general, including chlorine, the ink with which pretty designs are printed, formaldehyde, petroleum-based oils, fragrances, and BPA. The better stuff is not true white.

Trash Bags

Always go for the unscented options

Fragrances

  • Avoid all synthetic fragrances like the plague.  Real flowers & lemons? Great. Fake stuff? No way! Products scented with essential oils alone are great too.
  • All synthetic fragrances are ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS, meaning that they bind with hormone receptor sites then do something weird…
    • Sometimes they do the job of the hormone (insulin, estrogen, testosterone, etc…) which effectively means you have more of that hormone in circulation.  
    • Sometimes they trigger no response, which means that receptor site is full and your own “home grown” hormone can’t perform its action.
    • Sometimes they cause the cell to do something entirely different than the intended hormone would do. No bueno.

Perfume

Everything that goes for the fragrance in your shampoo, dryer sheets, and hairspray goes for the perfume you spray on your skin. Fragrance is fragrance. Even the super fancy brands that I can’t afford and wouldn’t know where to buy are full of endocrine disruptors.

Personal Care Products

Feminine Hygiene Products

  • We are putting that stuff right up against our mucous membranes…for hours, where chemicals are easily absorbed. Be mindful ladies!
  • Avoid titanium dioxide and chlorine bleach, which make things white (same goes for toilet paper too).  Read ingredients. These things are full of acrylates, plastics, and all sorts of nonsense.
  • Avoid period underwear as a lot are full of PFAS (AKA Teflon)
  • Look for
    • 100% cotton
    • Fragrance free
    • Unbleached or chlorine-free

Reusable Menstrual Pads (RUMP)

  • Ok, sounds kinda gross, but hear me out. When made from 100% natural fibers like cotton, hemp, or bamboo there are no unwanted chemicals or dyes of any sort. There’s no adhesive layer to keep them in place, just a metal snap which is imperceptible. Rumor is that using these can positively impact severity and duration of a period. If you have basic sewing skills get yourself some 100% cotton, unbleached flannel. If you do not sew, Etsy is a good place to shop. All of the pretty fabrics are tempting, but do you want a mystery dye in that neighborhood?

Lubrication

  • Jojoba oil works well but be aware that there is a very real risk that it will cause a condom to fail.  The desert essence brand can be found at Whole Foods but they don’t list it on their website.
  • Water based alternatives will not cause condoms to fail and are less likely to disrupt the local pH. Options include Aloe Cadabra, Lube Life, Sutil Luxe Lube, Sylk

Hair Care

  • We smear this stuff on our largest organ every day. Be mindful of what you tolerate. There’s a statistic floating around out there that women apply 168 chemicals to their skin daily. And, according to the EWG men apply roughly 85 chemicals to their skin daily.
  • Just because a brand has one clean item does not mean that ALL of their products are clean.

Shampoo

Other Hair Care Products

Dry Shampoo

Most dry shampoos are riddled with synthetic ingredients, propellants, and preservatives. Watch out for options that list cornstarch as an ingredient. It sounds way better than all of the synthetic stuff, but unless that corn is organic it’s laced with glyphosate which will disrupt the microbiome of the scalp. Try these products instead: Hair Dance or Rahua.  Apply these powders with a brush made from animal hair instead of synthetic fibers.

  • Alternatives to store bought dry shampoo products: tapioca starch and arrowroot powder for light hair. Even cocoa/cacao powder can be used for dark hair.

Skin Care

Body wash/Soaps: Acure, Vanman’s Tallow & Honey Soap, Primally Pure, Toups & Co, Chagrin Valley

Face wash: Acure, Three Ships, Primally Pure (this brand has many options for facial cleansers), Toups & Co

Facial Moisturizers: Clover (their makeup is not squeaky clean, but this moisturizer is), Toups & Co, US Organic Jojoba oil, Three Ships, Primally Pure, Osmia, Credo is a website that offers cleaner brands. Everything on this site is not perfect, but you’re more likely to find a variety of better choices in this one stop shopping location.

Tallow: Tallow functions as an occlusive barrier minus all of the nasties that come with petroleum derived vaseline products Rapha Blends, Vanman, Toups & Co, Primally Pure

Make up: Ilia mascara, Araza (at last review every product was clean!), Rejuva Minerals (avoid the lipgloss, it contains titanium dioxide), Toups & Co eyeshadow (non-nano titanium dioxide) 

Make-up brushes: choose those with bristles made of animal hair. I found some on Etsy made from goat hair soul show. Otherwise, it’s really difficult to figure out what the bristles are made of.

Hand Lotion

  • Babo: lotion and fragrance free healing ointment which functions as an occlusive barrier
  • Earth Mama

Both of these are also available at Whole Foods

Hand Sanitizer

  • Primally Pure: this is a nice blend of essential oils that are all anti-microbial.

Sensitive skin topical moisturizer/barrier cream

Topical Probiotics for the Face

Antimicrobial Topicals

  • Silverfern nanogel: silver is broadly anti-microbial
  • Magic Molecule Hypochlorous acid
  • Defense soap (peppermint or eucalyptus)
  • Dermazen
  • Essential oils: tea tree, lavender, lemongrass, basil. These are all broadly antimicrobial and includes the ability to kill demodex mites that cause rosacea Revive, Young Living
  • Use a carrier oil if your skin is sensitive. Dilute 1 drop of the essential oil in a few drops of the carrier oil. Jojoba oil is similar to the oils our skin produces and generally well tolerated.  Coconut oil is nice, but can feed the yeast malassezia that often grows on skin. If you suspect yeast is a problem, stick with the jojoba.

Shaving

Razors without a lubricating strip can be hard to find! What’s in that strip anyways? “Polymers like polyethylene glycol (PEG)”: read plastic. And the manufacturing of PEG puts us at risk for exposure to ethylene oxide and 1,4 dioxane which are known carcinogens. The Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) notes that it is “not for use in food, drugs, or cosmetics”. And “after contact with skin, wash immediately with plenty of water.”  Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) may also be used, and is an endocrine disruptor as  well as probably carcinogenic. (BHT can also be found in children’s vitamins and dish soap)

Cotton Swabs

Always look for an organic cotton. Remember that cotton crops are largely sprayed with roundup/glyphosate. cotton swabs

Deoderant

Nail Polish

  • Sadly, non-toxic nail polish does not exist. There are brands that are less toxic, but if we’re being strict they are all bad
  • It’s not the same as a classy coat of red polish, but Tweezerman makes a glass file that will buff your nails to a glossy finish that looks just like a coat of clear polish. It wears better too.

Sunscreen

Face

Body

Kids

Ingredients to avoid

  • avobenzone, oxybenzone, homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate, added insect repellants, disodium EDTA, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, BHT, PEG, & PPG, as well as chemicals beginning with poly-, eth-, oxynol- These are linked to hormone disruption
  • Aerosol sunscreen sprays: can both be inhaled & absorbed more easily through the skin
  • Petroleum-derived propellants: potential source of benzene contamination
  • Fragrance/Parfum: unknown chemical cocktail including endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and allergens.  “Natural” does not mean it’s clean.  
  • Titanium dioxide (TiO2): less dangerous when it’s in a cream because aerosolized or powdered versions can be inhaled. TiO2 does not penetrate healthy skin… but what about skin with a dysfunctional barrier, or a cut or scrape?

Ingredients/words to look for

  • Zinc oxide
  • Broad spectrum
  • Cream or stick formulation
  • Water resistant
  • SPF 15-45 

Insect Repellent

Lemongrass & Citronella essential oils will repel mosquitos. A mixture of Citronella and Thyme will repel ticks. Clove and Cinnamon essential oils are also effective against both mosquitos and ticks. Cedarwood repels spiders. Revive, Young Living

Lip Balm

Oral Care

  • Avoid fluoride as it is a neurotoxin. Choose nanohydroxyapatite instead.
  • Avoid SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & Sodium Laureth Sulfate). These are derived from petroleum and there are certainly traces of toxic chemicals used for extraction purposes in the end product. May be contaminated with 1,4 dioxane which is a known carcinogen. It disrupts the skin barrier and dries out hair (in other products like lotion and shampoo). It also alters the pH wherever it is used, which further impairs the skin barrier.
  • Xylitol is good in oral care products as it supports the oral microbiome.

Mouth Wash

  • Avoid hydrogen peroxide because it will kill the good organisms in your mouth. There is research that those who use hydrogen peroxide products have a much greater risk of developing dementia.
  • Use Risewell or Van Man’s

Toothpaste

Dental Floss

Toothbrushes

Bamboo toothbrushes: it tends to be just the handles that are made from bamboo. Brush with bamboo makes brushes with bamboo bristles but it’s somewhat like brushing your teeth with steel wool. I wouldn’t recommend this brand simply because the bristles are so stiff, but if you’re super duper gung ho then give them a whirl.

Red Light Devices

  • Novaalab (cheaper and effective)
  • DPL red light
  • Primal Life Organics–  there is a dramatic price discrepancy between the manufacturer’s website and Amazon. This makes me question the authenticity of the Amazon product.

Over The Counter Medications

Everything at the grocery store and drug store is full of dyes and fillers.

Go for a dye-free version if you can find one

  • Genexa makes cough medicine, Tylenol, allergy meds, etc… Some are traditional ingredients like dextromethorphan. Some are homeopathic options like arnica instead of ibuprofen.  
  • Guia-aid– mucinex with fewer ingredients/fillers/junk
  • Umcka – we also carry this brand in the office and it’s available at Mariano’s & Whole Foods

Pantry & Refrigerator Staple Items

  • Misfit Produce carries many pantry items at a discounted rate
  • Thrive Market: a better selection of cleaner items that are hard to find in an actual store, from pantry items to make-up
  • Parchment paper: regular parchment paper is covered in PFAS to keep stuff from sticking. If You Care makes a very nice version free from PFAS. They also make cupcake papers
  • Nuts/seeds: look for dry roasted options because many are roasted in cheap, inflammatory oils. Trader Joe’s and Thrive market have some nice choices.  Plus, nuts and seeds come with their own oils anyways. Cashews, pistachios, and peanuts tend to be moldy foods, so watch out if you are battling mold or yeast.

Nuts & Nut Butters

  • Peanuts are a legume, and legumes are great. However, peanuts tend to be moldy. Bummer. Other nuts can also harbor mold, like cashews & pistachios.
  • Look for nuts and nut butters that are dry roasted with no other ingredients other than the nut and perhaps some salt. This is a sneaky place for bad oils, sugar, and preservatives to be added.  

Salsa

Mrs Renfro’s salsa (available at Mariano’s), Siete salsa (available at Target, Walmart, & Whole Foods)

Hummus

Trader Joe’s brand is clean.

  • Ithaca: I found it at Whole Foods. I’ve tried the “everything bagel” and it’s pretty tasty.
  • Cava
  • Little Sesame available at Whole Foods

Crackers: Simple Mills, Flackers, RW Garcia, Mary’s, Brad’s veggie flats

Chips: Jackson’s Sweet Potato Chips

Cereal: Three Wishes, Seven Sundays (also available at Thrive Market)

Chocolate

Always go for dark chocolate to avoid the dairy in milk chocolate..

Watch the added sugar and preservatives.

Hopefully you don’t eat enough chocolate in a week to have legit concerns about heavy metal contamination. You must eat a LOT to worry about this.

  • Enjoy Life makes nice chocolate chips but enjoy in moderation because there’s a lot of added sugar. Mariano’s carries them.
  • Just Dates is a good brand of chocolate chips, sweetened with dates.
  • Hu: chocolate bars, chips for baking, and chocolate covered nuts
  • Good Sam: sweetened with allulose!

Cooking Fats

Ghee

Olive Oil

  • look for cold pressed or expeller pressed
  • Look for extra virgin
  • Look for glass bottles, amber in color

Avocado Oil: Chosen Foods

Tallow/Lard: Epic Tallow, Epic Lard (I have also found Lard at Whole Foods)

Shortening: Palm shortening has a similar fatty acid profile to grass fed beef. The smoke point of palm shortening is ~450*. It’s palm oil that will kill us with its crazy high palmitic acid content.

Herbs & Spices

  • Look for organic

Salt

Fermented Foods

  • Most of the organisms in fermented foods will die in our very acidic stomach. Don’t fret! The dose in the foods is a drop in the ocean compared to a probiotic supplement. However, the big benefit of fermented foods is that as the organisms munch away on the food they make the nutrients more bioavailable. The fermentation process also produces short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate.  So, if you hate sauerkraut you can stop eating that single fork-full every morning and just take the pill. If you love your kimchi then carry on! If you need more butyrate then fermented foods can help.
  • Kombucha: I can’t find one without lots of added sugars (read HFCS) or “natural flavors”
  • Sauerkraut, but make sure it’s fermented Wildbrine, Cleveland Kitchen, Olive My Pickle offers many fermented options.
  • Kimchi: Wildbrine kimchi – I like the mild turmeric flavor but they have two other flavors as well. Check out their blog for recipes/ideas on how to incorporate kimchi into recipes
  • Water kefir: you can buy the “grains” and ferment your own (find the grains on Amazon). I’ve had mixed success. Most of the time it molds. One time it went like gang busters for an entire year. Trader Joe’s sells a yummy orange mango variety, but it also has added sugars.
  • Fermented pickles: Bubbies – offers sauerkraut and lacto-fermented pickles. They definitely taste fermented and are not for those coming right off of a standard American diet.

HEADS UP: Here’s the wild part about prepared foods… Sometimes a clean little brand sells to a big company, like Kraft or Nabisco and the ingredients change to cheaper, not so clean alternatives. So, check the ingredients intermittently to make sure they haven’t pulled a switcheroo on everyone.

Fruits & Vegetables

  • The research says we don’t need to shell out the cash for organic to reap the nutritional benefits. However, we will be exposed to more pesticides/glyphosate with non-organic produce.  Organic produce may have been grown in a field next to inorganic produce and the wind might have blown some glyphosate over. And organic produce growers are allowed to use different pesticides.
  • It’s hard to say currently which is best. It’s probably mostly a budgetary decision.
  • Fresh is best, but canned and frozen are great options with a lower price tag. Heads up, cans may be lined with PFAS. But don’t let this deter you from eating more vegetables! The research is clear, eating a lot of produce reduces all-cause mortality. While there is a ceiling, I’d bet most of us have a hard time bumping into that limit. Have you ever had to unbutton your pants because you ate too many raspberries? Me neither.
  • Check out the EWG’s website for their dirty dozen and clean 15 lists.  
  • Do NOT worry about the sugars in fruits. There is plenty of fiber (and sometimes fat) to minimize the effect on blood glucose plus all of the valuable polyphenols!
  • Misfit Produce: discounted produce delivered to your door. Items consistently arrive in very good condition.
  • Try fabric produce bags instead of keeping food in plastic in the fridge. Brush with Bamboo, Zero Waste Outlet
  • Fruit and veggie wash recipes:
    • ¼ -½ cup food grade hydrogen peroxide or food grade hydrogen peroxide to 1 gallon of water
    • 1 cup vinegar + ½ cup salt + ¼ of a sink full of water
    • ½ cup vinegar + 1T baking soda + large bowl full of water
    • Soak x 20mins, rinse well, allow food to air dry or pat dry with a clean dish towel

Animal Protein Sources

  • We’ve all heard it said, “You are what you eat?”  Is it true? Nope! You are what your food eats!
  • Look for pasture raised. Grass fed means the poor creature ate grass once in its life. If the animal ate grains its whole life, it’s much lower in Omega 3s and higher in Omega 6s (undesirable).  And do you want to eat chicken/beef/pork that was fed pesticide laden grains? The same goes for eggs. Look for antibiotic and hormone free labels.  “All Natural” doesn’t mean diddly squat.
  • True Story is frequently available through misfit markets.
  • Diestel: they only sell turkey. I’ve found their products at Misfit Market & Whole Foods. Their birds eat corn and soy, but no antibiotics or hormones. Their burgers & lunch meat are nice.
  • Butcher Box offers monthly meat delivery subscriptions that you can customize each month for one set price. All meat is grass-fed, pasture-raised and all fish is wild-caught. Meat is delivered frozen.
  •  Force of Nature – offers regeneratively raised meat and chicken. Offers a ground beef and organ meat blend here that tastes very similar to ground beef.  Beef and Bison, plain and ancestral blends, are available at whole foods.
  • US Wellness Meats – offer sustainably raised meat and fish. Sells a ground beef and organ meat mixture (see here).
  • Vital Choice sells sustainable seafood, meat, and poultry
  • Wild Fork has a “never ever” line which specifies never fed grains, no antibiotics, no hormones. Theirs is the only chuck roast I can find that meets my specifications.
  • Grass Roots Co-op

Sausage

  • Applegate chicken sausage  – pre-cooked just need to heat up, mix with some arugula/spinach, pre-cooked veggies and avocado.
  • Force of Nature
  • Amy Lu’s: sausages, breakfast meats, burgers, meatballs, etc…
  • Teton, available at Whole Foods
  • There are a few regenerative farms out there that will ship meat to you.

Places To Buy Organ Meat

Eggs:

Seafood

Seafood is better when wild caught for the same reasons. Those fish did not eat commercial feed. They caught their own food. Note that the concern for mercury in fish isn’t a big deal because fish have lots of selenium which binds up the mercury. Once bound, it’s harder for us to absorb it and easier for us to excrete. The only exception is swordfish, which is on the maybe list. And shark, but how many of us are eating shark…. like, ever.

  • Wild Alaskan: wild caught seafood- not a massive selection but they have some salmon options, some white fish options, and the occasional crab or scallops. I buy mahi. mahi from misfit markets through a brand called mission driven meat and seafood.
  • SafeCatch Wild Caught canned salmon – rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3s, makes an easy lunch.
  • Wild Planet 
  • Ducktrap Wild Caught Smoked Salmon – best wild caught smoked salmon I’ve found
  • Tuna: look for skipjack preferentially. It has a lower mercury content.

Bacon

Go for uncured, nitrate free, no sugar added. Seriously, why do we have to add sugar to bacon? Is it not perfect already?  Applegate, Coleman’s, Diestel turkey bacon has 5g of protein per slice!

Chicken Nuggets

Bone Broth

Great for gut health.

A lot of protein bang for your calorie buck.  

MSG is everywhere so watch out. It’s usually listed by one of the 20+ alternative names.

  • Kettle and Fire which can be found at Mariano’s and Whole Foods 
  • Trader Joe’s store brand on the shelves is nice for cooking. The chicken bone broth in the refrigerated section is by far the tastiest version I have ever sipped.
  • Fond Bone Broth
  • Bonafide Provisions

“Better broths and healing tonics” by Kara Fitzgerald is a good resource for recipes to make your own bone broth and for ways to get it into your diet without simply drinking it straight

Grass Fed Dairy

Dairy Free Alternatives

  • Most dairy free alternatives are full of soy and/or preservatives. But, they are a nice bridge to a dairy free diet so you don’t have to quit cold turkey.  Use them for what they are worth until it’s time to let dairy go for good. Use them on occasion when you’re making a special recipe.
  • Nut and oat milk work up just the same as cow’s milk in every recipe I have tried.

Milk

  • Nut milk is better than oat milk. Oats are often contaminated with gluten, though they are inherently gluten free. Oats are also often sprayed with pesticides, including glyphosate (IE Roundup). If you still prefer oats, make sure it’s organic and guaranteed gluten free.

Sour Cream: Forager

Coconut Milk & Cream

  • Coconut Milk – can be used in place of cream. Use in soups, stews, sauces, etc.
  • Trader Joe’s makes a very clean option as well (both coconut milk and cream)

Cheese

Most dairy free cheeses contain a collection of undesirable ingredients.

  • Miyokos – clean ingredients, cashew based cheeses

Coffee Creamer

Nut Milk Makers

Ice Cream

  • Frönen is the cleanest option I have found. There are only a few ingredients. No dyes, gums, or other junk (besides the sugar). It’s not creamy, but it’s sweet! Available at Whole Foods, Jewel, Marianos, and Fresh Thyme.
  • Cado avocado based ice cream
  • SoDelicious: cashew and coconut based options

Yogurt

  • Culina – opt for plain yogurt without added sugar
  • Cocoyo – opt for pure plain yogurt without added sugar
  • CocoJune  – coconut probiotic rich yogurt. Opt for the plain as it’s sugar free. Great snack with berries and nuts or add to smoothies.
  • Kite Hill Greek Yogurt: contains soy, but 17g of protein in 1 serving!
  • Forager

Ricotta Cheese

Cream Cheese

Coolwhip

Cheese Spreads

Dairy Free Ice Cream Parlor

Capannari Ice Cream – offers coconut based vanilla and black raspberry that are both gluten-free (see allergen list here)

Gluten Free Alternatives

  • For those with a true gluten allergy, or gluten antibodies “a little gluten is like being a little pregnant”.
  • Gluten will always contribute to a leaky gut, whether it provokes immediate symptoms or not
  • Just because it’s gluten free (GF) does not mean it has clean ingredients. Even flaming hot Cheetos are gluten free.    
  • My experience has been that some things just can’t be substituted. So, instead of searching for that elusive replacement, I have simply found alternatives. However, just like in the case of dairy, DF alternatives help to bridge the gap between a life full of gluten and a life without.
  • It’s mostly all still processed junk, but it scratches the itch for something sweet.

Cookies

Crackers

Pretzels

Quinn makes the most delicious gluten free pretzels. Not the least bit nutrient dense, but it scratches the itch

Bread

  • Base Culture does not have a texture like bread, but if you’re jones-ing for some bread and want to smear something on top of it I like this one. I put apple butter on the plain for a sweet treat. The cinnamon raisin version is nice with nut butter and banana slices.
  • Pacha– made from buckwheat flour and water. That’s it!
  • SRSLY– mail order from California. Dense. But functions like bread!
  • Unbun bagels – low carb bagels
  • Outer Aisle Gourmet Sandwich thins
  • Capello’s buttermilk biscuits (contains dairy)

Pancakes/Waffles

King Arthur, GF Jules & Bob’s Red Mill. Neither are perfect, but they taste and feel like real pancakes. Or make your own from scratch. Cassava flour works well, and the Otto’s brand is easy enough to find.

Noodles & Noodle Alternatives

  • Miracle Noodles – soaks up the flavor of whichever sauce you add them to. Great for a stir fry. Low carb, rich in prebiotics
  • Palmini
  • Kelp noodles: brands- These are a nutrient dense substitute for rice noodles. When the directions on the bag are followed and the prep is done with baking soda they taste & feel just like rice noodles! (They would, however, but totally gross with spaghetti)

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce contains gluten, in addition to glyphosate laden soy. Tamari is GF soy sauce, but still has the glyphosate problem. Go for Coconut Aminos – Nutiva is a great soy sauce alternative as soy sauce contains gluten. Nutiva has no added sugars, where other brands of coconut aminos are chock full of added sugars.

Tortillas & Tortilla Chips

  • Siete – the cassava tortillas have the nicest texture, though they come in almond flour and chickpea flour options as well. Siete – makes clean ingredient GF tortillas and chips. You can also find the almond tortillas at Costco sometimes.
  • Siete Grainfree Tortilla Chips
  • NUCO Coconut Wrap – make a quick wrap with veggies, greens, chicken/fish/eggs and dressing
  • Crepini
  • EggWraps

Pizza Crust

  • Wrawp Veggie Pizza Crust – vegetable based and low carb, great for flatbreads and pizza, this company also makes wraps.
  • Capello’s Naked Pizza Crust – gluten-free pizza crust. Limit to 2 slices and fill up on arugula salad, veggies first. Top with protein.

Oatmeal & Oatmeal Alternatives

Granola

  • Purely Elizabeth – grain-free low carb granola        
  • Thrive Market makes a grain free granola
  • If you have a nut milk maker it’s not terribly difficult to make a granola from the leftover pulp

Protein/Collagen Powder

  • Animal sources offer a wider array of amino acids than plant sources
  • If you like flavors in your powder, watch out for “natural flavors” and other additives like gums, added sugar, sugar alternatives, and preservatives.
  • Many protein powders contain stevia, which is a perfectly fine sweetener choice. Some folks think stevia tastes weird, so just be aware if that’s you.
  • I prefer an unflavored powder because it doesn’t come with all the weird sugars and “natural flavors”… which aren’t natural at all.  These can be added to decaf coffee or tea as well.  
Animal Based
  • Primal Kitchen (contains stevia)
  • Ancient nutrition
  • Paleo Valley, the flavored versions have “organic chocolate flavor”, etc… What that means is somewhat of a mystery. The unflavored version has no fake flavorings, but has a pretty strong beef flavor.
  • Be Well By Kelly (sweetened with monk fruit)
  • Vital proteins available on Amazon & Whole Foods
  • Puori 3rd party tested for contaminants. They carry many whey based options which should be avoided as dairy will contribute to a leaky gut.
  • Equip Prime Protein all flavors contain stevia except for the unflavored. We carry this in the office!
Plant Based
  • Sprout Living
  • KOS (heads up, contains coconut so avoid if you have cardiovascular concerns)
  • Ora (heads up, also contains digestive enzymes)

Collagen taken orally does not directly become collagen in any tissue. We break the collagen down into its constituent amino acids and then our body redistributes as it sees fit.  But you must have a supply of amino acids as raw materials if you ever hope to manufacture collagen. Plant sources do not contain collagen, but they do contain amino acids which are the building blocks of collagen… and any other protein based component of the body (tendons, antibodies, enzymes, etc…)

Protein Shakes (ready made)

Greens Powders

  • Athletic Greens – a bit pricey but a high-quality product packed with nutrients and probiotics
  • Power Greens – this can be purchased directly at the office and is a more cost-efficient option. 
  • Cymbiotika

All are meant to be used as a supplement rather than a meal replacement. Great to add to green protein smoothies or to mix with some almond milk for a pre-workout snack.

Electrolytes & Minerals

  • Trace Minerals Concentrace – great for adding minerals back to RO water
  • BodyBio Electrolytes – low sodium, balanced electrolyte
  • LMNT – can be picked up at the office. Higher in sodium, use only if very active, sweating often 
  • Redmond e-lyte – well balanced electrolyte, comes in different flavors
  • Rayvi – rich in potassium and magnesium

Cookware, Kitchen Tools, & Food Storage

This is a pretty big investment, but if you’re going to start eating clean you’re going to be doing a whole lot of cooking. It’s pretty foolish to be micro-dosing yourself with toxins every time you cook.

Pots & Pans

Bakeware: 360 cookware, Our Place, Pyrex pie plate

Utensils: What are your utensils made of? Wooden and food grade silicone are best. Stainless steel is ok but not recommended for use on ceramic or stainless cookware. I still use my favorite stainless spatula to flip pancakes though. GIR food grade silicone utensils

Measuring Spoons/Cups: Hudson Essentials is just an option. Anything stainless steel is great. Pyrex

Collander: Are you pouring hot water through a plastic strainer? OXO collander

Miscellaneous: stainless steel funnel, stainless steel garlic press, stainless steel simple garlic press, Citrus zester, Citrus juicer

Cutting Board: Are you chopping your fancy organic vegetables on a plastic cutting board? A solid piece of wood is much better than plastic. No varnish. Etsy is a good source for a single piece of wood that is unfinished. Search “no glue, solid one piece cutting board” & the prices are WAY better than from other sources… because if you have the right tools in your basement it’s silly easy to make one of these.  Maple cutting board, Walnut cutting board

Try The Real Milk Paint Co’s product to condition the wood as it is food safe. Also consider stainless steel cutting boards, which won’t allow organisms to grow as wood can. Wood and stainless steel are comparable prices.  

“TUPPERWARE”: Glass is always a safe option for cooking, baking and food storage. Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are easy to find brands. Borosilicate glass tolerates a wide range of temperatures and rapid changes in temperatures. Fine Dine is another good brand that can be found on Amazon.

  • ZIPLOCKS: Stasher – Stasher Silicone Reusable ziplock, food grade, leakproof. These take a little extra effort to wash and dry, but won’t add anything harmful to your food. It’s ok to place cold items in a ziplock, like a half of an avocado, but if you keep a lot of food in ziplocks this is the way to go.
  • WAFFLE IRON: Are you making yummy, gluten-free waffles in a waffle iron covered in Teflon (aka PFAS)?  They make reasonably priced ones that are coated in ceramic. You have to be just as gentle with this ceramic as the ceramic coating on pots and pans, but hopefully you use a waffle iron considerably less and it lives a long, happy life. Ceramic Belgian Waffle Iron, Greenpan
  • COOKIE SHEETS AND COOLING RACKS: both are available in ceramic and stainless. The ceramic options have the same drawbacks as ceramic cookware and require hand washing. stainless cookie sheets & cooling racks
  • PLASTIC WRAP ALTERNATIVE: beeswax wraps work relatively well, just don’t get them hot! It melts the bees wax then you’re left with a weird, gooey, but no longer sticky fabric. Bee’s wrap, or Honeybee Wrap
  •  PORTABLE, REUSABLE CUTLERY: good for packed lunches or other times when you need to travel with meals w&p Porter utensils, ZWS Reusable Cutlery Set
  • REUSABLE PAPER TOWELS: Unbleached 100% cotton
  • SPICE GRINDER: Cast iron spice grinder – can use to grind flaxseeds
  • AIR FRYER- avoid teflon at all cost! These are basically countertop convection ovens. They make everything crispy on the outside & juicy on the inside. They do not require additional oil.
    • Big Boss glass bowl, huge capacity. I wish I had purchased mine sooner!
    • Our Place stainless steel and ceramic components
    • Greenpan
  • GLASS BOTTLES: Glass Milk Bottle with airtight lids – can order these and use them to store your homemade cashew or almond milk in

Frozen Meals

Primal Kitchen Chicken Pesto Bowl

Primal Kitchen Beef and Mushroom Bowl – check out their other bowls and skillets for more options

Daily Harvest – their harvest bowls are vegetarian based meals – they come frozen, and you just need to heat them up in a pan. I recommend adding a protein source & a healthy fat (e.g., olive oil, avocado) to round out the fat, fiber, protein trio.

Meal Delivery Services

Sunbasket – great meal delivery service with all organic produce and clean ingredients. Offers 2-person meal sizes so great to have leftovers and it allows you to filter by gluten and dairy free.

Heat & Serve

  • Daily Harvest www.daily-harvest.com
  • Sakara www.sakara.com
  • Fresh N”Lean www.freshnlean.com
  • Factor www.factor75.com
  • Nutrition for Longevity www.nutritionforlongevity.com
  • Real Eats www.realeats.com
  • Bistro MD www.bistromd.com
  • Pete’s Paleo www.petespaleo.com
  • Trifecta Nutrition www.trifectanutrition.com
  • Veestro www.veestro.com
  • The Good Kitchen www.thegoodkitchen.com
  • Tom Brady Meals www.tb12meals.com

Some Cooking Involved

  • Urban Remedy www.urbanremedy.com
  • Sun Basket www.sunbasket.com
  • Hungryroot www.hungryroot.com
  • The Purple Carrot www.purplecarrot.com
  • Home Chef www.homechef.com
  • Green Chef www.greenchef.com
  • Gobble www.gobble.com
  • Martha and Marley Spoon www.marleyspoon.com

Better Restaurant Options

  • Cafe Zupas – their salads and bowls are healthy options. I recommend removing the cheese and opting for bowls/salads that have veggies instead of fruit/dried fruit.
  • Roti – Mediterranean food with a similar setup to Chipotle. Opt for their salad or rice bowl with meat and veggies.
  • Sweetgreen – salads and bowls
  • Whole Foods – can grab some meat and veggies from their salad bar
  • CAVA– salad based restaurant with a build your own option. Ingredients are clearly stated for all options.

Recipe & Meal Prep YouTube Videos

The easiest meal is roasted veggies, meat of choice, and a salad – it’s my go to meal!

Snack Ideas

Baby Food

Serenity Kids – Offers several different nutrient dense pouches to sneak in more protein, veggies and healthy fat, I linked a few below but there are a bunch more options on Thrive, including veggie only options.

Guided Meditation & Breathing Exercises

SAD Light Therapy

Infrared Sauna

Blue Light Blocking Devices

Brands with colored lenses:

Clear lenses:

  • Felix Gray: they advertise that >50% of all blue light is blocked, with nearly 90% of the most impactful wavelengths (which they state is 380-440nm) being blocked.
  • Warby Parker: they advertise that up to 34% of blue light at the 420-455nm wavelengths are blocked. This is the frequency of LED screens. They also filter 100% of the 400nm wavelengths in natural light.

Screen Protectors

Grounding Mats

Social Media Inspiration & Education

30+ healthy lunch ideas – lots of batch cooking ideas in here

Instagram Accounts for inspiration and education

1) drsarahballantyne – She’s my science crush. There is SO much free information available on her new website, nutrivore.com. Follow her on the social media platform of your choice and you will be rewarded with a wealth of nutrition information that is based on the most up to date scientific literature. You’ll also get some humor on a regular basis and a whole lot of common sense.  

2) wendykathryn.com and toxinfreeish.com – She’s an environmental toxins lawyer turned clean living coach.  I like that she calls herself “crunchy-ish” and still colors her hair.  She has a beautiful list of ingredients to avoid and numerous product recommendations.

3) dryvonneburkart – She is a toxicologist turned low tox expert. https://dryvonneburkart.com/

4) chriskresser.com – Lots of useful information on his site, all with supporting references/research studies

5) https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/ – Lots of recipes, all clean

6) Dr. Vivian Chen, https://www.platefulhealth.com/ – She’s a physician with some good low tox living suggestions

7) EWG.com – you can search up a multitude of products with ratings based on how “clean” the ingredients are. It’s not perfect but it’s a good resource.

EWG – offers several different consumer guides to help make cleaner, non-toxic choices. 

  • Their guide to healthy cleaning allows you to search cleaning/household products to understand their “toxin” level and find alternative/cleaner products

8) nontoxic dad.com – He tends to say what’s going to kill us tomorrow, but only occasionally provides a clean replacement. I like him anyway.

Books

[a]also like seventh generation, often used in mold remediation protocols

[b]seventh generation contains methylisothiazolinone. It can cause skin irritation, eczema, and contact dermatitis. It may be neurotoxic. It may be an endocrine disruptor. It’s restricted in rinse off products in Europe but banned in leave on products. 

Here’s my big problem lately… I newly no longer trust the NIH, FDA, CDC, etc… so I’m not entirely sure which research studies to trust. I also tend to take things too far so I might just end up living on tallow and essential oils? 

But stuff that kills mold sounds really awesome.

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