I have been in the clean beauty camp for roughly 20 years. What exactly is clean beauty? Clean beauty means products don’t have harmful chemicals in them, as well as synthetic fragrance. Did you know that skin is our largest organ? Imagine putting some of these harmful products right on your liver. We wouldn’t consider doing that, so let’s carefully consider what we put on our skin. Did you know the last major law passed for safety of skincare was in 1938?

After trying many brands and many products, BEAUTYCOUNTER seems to come out on top over and over again. Having a chronic illness like Lyme disease I work really hard at limiting my exposure to unnecessary environmental toxins. Products we use on our skin and in our homes are critically important. Just by making a few small changes in those areas you can decrease your toxic load and increase your health.

BEAUTYCOUNTER has a NEVER LIST, which is comprised of a list of 1,800 questionable ingredients they will never use in their products. On their website you will also find a full list of ingredients and where they are sourced. The transparency is refreshing!

Why I Chose BEAUTYCOUNTER

Before I got sick I had really nice clear skin. After a year of antibiotics (which I regret!) and years of trying to process toxins out of my body, my skin has taken a hit. I have mentioned before melasma and acne being something I am super self-conscious about.

• I like that you can order directly from their website, not just through a consultant. Do I appreciate you ordering through me? Yes, I do, but I don’t want people to feel like they have to.
• I feel safe!
• Products that are safe for me AND they work! Although, I am still struggling with melasma my skin is looking clearer, softer, and brighter.
• Offer Band of Beauty rewards

Favorite BEAUTYCOUNTER Products

Counter + All Bright C Serum – I use this after cleansing and before my facial oil in the morning. It really does make my skin look brighter and glow. Also, for people sensitive to smells, this product won’t disappoint.

Counter + No.1 Brightening Oil – I use this oil for morning and evening cleansing routine. My melasma is still there, but this has started making a difference on my forehead. It goes on light and quenches my dry skin. I have used other oils that feel like I am just rubbing olive oil on. The only other oil I would ever recommend is True Botanicals Pure Radiance oil. On my Resource page you will find other clean beauty websites as well.

Counter + Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm – This stuff is amazing! It takes off all my makeup and mascara without harsh rubbing. To remove it you use a warm washcloth which always feels so good. In addition, you can use this as an overnight mask. This past winter when my skin was super dry, I loved using this 1-2 times a week to keep my skin healthy and following.

Counter + Overnight Resurfacing Peel – Instead of the Counter + All Bright C Serum I use this in the evening after cleansing and before my facial oil. It feels a little stingy at first, but not in a bad way. In the way that you feel like it is doing something good for your skin.

Counter + Charcoal Facial Mask – This mask is awesome! It also will last you awhile because you really only need to use it once a week. My 16-year-old daughter was amazed by this one. She has oiler skin because she is young and youthful, and her pores have a tendency to get clogged up. She instantly saw the effects after using this mask.

Reflect Effect AHA Smoothing Mask – This is a bit spendy but truly does work wonders. It is as if it “plumps your face up”. I didn’t have the tool but wish I would have. It is also very soothing to my skin. You put it on and let it set for just 10 minutes. It is clear going on but once dry you see the little white flecks, which are bamboo particles. This is a hydrating and exfoliating mask.

Now Is the Time to Try BEAUTYCOUNTER

The month of April BEAUTYCOUNTER is offering 30% off your FIRST order. You do need to sign up for emails and use code CLEANFORALL30. Sign up for Band of Beauty membership and receive a free gift with your purchase of $50 or more.

Comment on this post or email me if you have any questions! I would love to help you pick your new favorites.

Being “healthy” is a popular topic these days. From mental health to healthy eating. Most of us would agree that eating nutritious foods, exercising, and focusing on are overall health is important. However, we often forget about the health of the air inside our homes. What does healthy air in our home even mean? Keep reading to find out more. As we prepare for the colder months of the year and more time inside here are 5 small changes to make to improve the health of your home.

For those that are reading this, are most likely people that take the health of their bodies very seriously. Meaning, Lyme Revival is targeted for the chronically ill population. However, you don’t have to be chronically ill to make these changes. Furthermore, it would be a great idea to start before you have a chronic illness.

1) Small Change – Switch To Unscented Laundry Detergent

Studies have shown there is a significant part of the population that has sensitivities to synthetic fragrances. What is a synthetic fragrance? Synthetic fragrances are high performing scents composed of synthetic material. That synthetic material can range from any of the following chemicals. Petrochemicals (petroleum-based), phthalates (which are endocrine disruptors), benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and toluene, which are all known carcinogens. Some fragrance compounds are neurotoxicants and others are linked with reproductive birth defects. Yikes! Essential oils are pure and not synthetic, yet are powerful and should be used with care.

And we use these on our clothes and in our houses. It is challenging for me to go for a walk through my neighborhood when everyone is doing their laundry. Or even do yard work in my own yard due to the intense smell of laundry detergent. This being said, I am not suggesting you make changes for your neighbors. Make them for yourselves and your family. Make the easy switch to fragrance free laundry detergent, most name brands now carry them, this can improve the health of your home. Over time sensitivities can develop in anyone, not just people with chronic illnesses. In addition, it lowers your toxic exposure in your home and air when windows are shut and your family are all inside breathing that air.

Between attraction and avoidance: from perfume application to fragrance-free policies – PubMed (nih.gov)

Metabolites of the fragrance 2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)propionaldehyde (lysmeral) in urine of children and adolescents in Germany – Human biomonitoring results of the German Environmental Survey 2014-2017 (GerES V) – PubMed (nih.gov)

Fragrances – Children’s Environmental Health Network (cehn.org)

Five ‘Must-Knows’ on the Dangers of Synthetic Fragrance | HuffPost

Dangers of Synthetic Scents Include Cancer & Kidney Damage – Dr. Axe (draxe.com)

2) Small Change – Say Bye To Scented Plug-Ins

The second way to quickly improve the health of your home piggy backs on the first one. Say bye to those scented plug-ins, synthetically scented candles, and pretty much anything but diffusing essential oils in your home. There are candles that are made of soy or bees wax and scented with essential oils that can be a safer choice.

Anthony William from Medical Medium states, “these vaporized toxins then burden the lungs, building up a waxy, oily, chemical residue in your lung sacs and this may potentially reduce oxygen capacity.” I noticed I can not tolerate candles or smells anymore. After battling with chronic Lyme disease for a handful of years, I noticed I intuitively stopped using them. Even the “natural” candles as mentioned above. They give me and instant headache and I feel nauseous immediately.

After the last two years we have experienced in our world it seems very important to take care of our lungs. Kick these to the curb in the trashcan.

004 Air Fresheners, Scented Candles, Colognes and Perfumes (medicalmedium.com)

3) Small Change – Inventory Cleaning Supplies

Even though I am chronically ill I was guilty of having bleach in my house. Our home is older and the toilet and sink get dingy looking. When thinking up this post I was convicted that I too needed to make sure my cleaning products were not just safe for me, but my family.

I threw out the bleach and started scrolling Pinterest for DIY recipes that substitute bleach. Let me tell you, there are a plethora. Here are the two I liked…

Mommypotamus, How To Make Natural Soft Scrub

Savingdollarsandsense, How To Make Homemade Bleach

There are many safer choices when buying cleaning supplies, but what I have noticed is it’s super easy to make them. You can’t go wrong with Briotech!

Briotech Sanitizer & Disinfectant

See my Resource page for more clean living supplies.

4) Small Change – Consider An Air Purifier

If you visited my Resource page then you saw air purifier I use. My Molekule Air makes such a difference in my bedroom. I have used it for 4 years and absolutely love it. It also makes the Top 10 Air Purifiers for 2021. If purchasing an air purifier isn’t in your budget, just be sure to open up windows often and air your home out, even throughout wintertime. In updating this post, we have also added two Air Doctors, which we are loving.

Evaluation on Air Purifier’s Performance in Reducing the Concentration of Fine Particulate Matter for Occupants according to its Operation Methods – PubMed (nih.gov)

Assessment of air purifier on efficient removal of airborne bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis, using single-chamber method – PubMed (nih.gov)

An Experiment with Air Purifiers in Delhi during Winter 2015-2016 – PubMed (nih.gov)

5) Small Change – Turn WiFi Off At Night

This small change if FREE! The discussion of EMF’s and how they affect our health is on the rise. What are EMF’s? EMF stands for Electromagnetic Fields. Studies have shown that EMF’s can have adverse affects on our health. Especially for those of us that have chronic illnesses. I took this exert out of the article linked below, and this was in 2016, before 5G.

“On the one hand, there is strong evidence that long-term exposure to certain EMFs is a risk factor for diseases such as certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and male infertility. On the other hand, the emerging electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is more and more recognized by health authorities, disability administrators and case workers, politicians, as well as courts of law. We recommend treating EHS clinically as part of the group of chronic multisystem illnesses (CMI), but still recognizing that the underlying cause remains the environment.”

EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems and illnesses – PubMed (nih.gov)

What does sensitivity to EMF’s look like?

• chronic fatigue
• anxiety/depression
• poor sleep’
• loss of concentration
• inflammation
• chronic pain
• lowered immune response

For years my household has turned off WiFi at night. It is like putting your house to sleep. Our bodies need a break to recover and rejuvenate from the constant exposure.

You may or may not experience better sleep after doing this for awhile, but it’s simple, easy, and free so why not try? For more easy sleep improvement ideas check out my post on improving your sleep.

Small Changes Make Big Impacts

All of these are very small changes that you can make to improve the health of your home. Not just your home, but the people living inside of it. My expertise comes from my own personal research and experience. As a part of my undergraduate degree from Bastyr University we learned many aspects of health.

If you like the simplicity and great topic of this post sign up for my newsletter so that you won’t miss a post. I strive to make sure I am offering useable and effective advice on many health topics. There are also lots of posts from the kitchen. Leave a comment below on what your favorite tip is to maintaining a healthy home.

***Disclaimer: Please note this is my educated opinion based on scientific data presented above. This is not meant to replace medical advice from your health care practitioner.

One of the best ways to reduce your toxic load is scrutinize what you put on your skin and body. When suffering from a chronic illness such as Lyme disease, limiting toxic exposure is key. Our livers are already burdened and adding more to the liver’s load only slows healing down. This applies to all kinds of illnesses and honestly just overall healthy living. Fortunately I have been living mostly clean when it comes to my beauty routine for the past 20 years. There have been many clean beauty products I have tried but this year landed on my absolute favorite thus far. True Botanicals! Find out how to get a free serum at the end of this post.

This blog post contains non-affiliate and affiliate links. Partnering with brands that I trust, believe in, and that actually work help me to provide free content to readers.

TRUE BOTANICALS CLEAN BEAUTY ROUTINE

The end of 2020 I finally took the bait and ordered my first True Botanicals order. Based on their awesome skin care quiz, I ordered the Clear line.

• Starting with the Clear Nourishing Cleanser

• Next I go over my face with the Clear Nutrient Toner on a cotton pad.

• Then slathering on the Clear Pure Radiance Oil – This smells like a luxurious wildflower blend and sends me straight to a “spa like” feeling on a sunny day. Literally OBSESSED with this oil!

• Every night I follow this step with the Clear Repair Nightly Treatment.

• 2-3 times per week I use the Resurfacing Moisture Mask after the toning step and before the oil step.
• I always follow my morning skin care routine with SPF. Currently I am using Beautycounter’s Countersun Daily Sheer Defense For Face. This helps the hyperpigmentation not get any worse from sun exposure.

HOW TRUE BOTANICALS HELPS ME

The year of 2018-2019 I spent 9 months on anti-biotic therapy to treat my Lyme disease. Looking back I would have NEVER started anti-biotic therapy at the late and very chronic stage of Lyme disease. This literally destroyed my skin which made me super sad. It is hard enough to feel sick all the time, I don’t want to look sick too. The acne started first during hyperbaric treatment then the hyperpigmentation (melasma) settled in. Thankfully with continually cleansing of my body the acne cleared up, but the melasma is still going strong. All this being said, using the Resurfacing Moisture Mask and Clear Repair Nightly Treatment is helping to fade more of the melasma than other skin care brands I have tried. In addition I am adding the Vitamin C Booster to my routine for to enhance further fading of melasma.

IS TRUE BOTANICALS WORTH THE PRICE?

Healing Lyme disease continues to cost more than our mortgage or food budget each month. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to receive the treatment I do. However, spending that much of our budget on my health alone often leaves me feeling guilty. For example, I tell myself I shouldn’t spend money on skin care. Let me tell you, using skin care that is not only good and safe for me, but effective has been a small luxury and simple pleasure to have in my every day life. Lyme disease stripped away my absolute favorite simple pleasures, running and a morning coffee. When starting the process of fully healing we have to understand this is a part of it. Finding small simple pleasures and joy in our every day lives that actually make us feel good is vital to healing. That is me justifying the cost to not only myself, but to you. Everyone finds joy in different ways and this has helped me to feel overall better about myself and appearance when I go into public. So the answer to the heading question, YES, it is absolutely worth it to me!

You can find all the products listed and talked about above by clicking here. Get a free mini Chebula Active Immunity Serum with orders over $100, while supplies last, from March 21st- 28th! Chebula Active Immunity Serum is a powerful antioxidant and anti-aging serum.

MY OTHER SIMPLE PLEASURES

My hope is you too will find ways to make yourself feel good and in actuality feel more like yourself. Lyme disease changing you and it is hard to find your way back to the land of living sometimes. Other than what I feel is a luxurious spa treatment every day with my skin care routine, here are a few other simple pleasures that have helped me cope with feeling sick more days than not.

• a daily walk outside in the fresh air
• Epsom salt bath every day
• Blue Lotus Chai with raw local honey and a little almond milk
• starting this blog!
• treating myself to a good hair cut

Reach out and let me know what your favorite simple pleasure is and sign up for the newsletter at the top of this page so you don’t miss a post, I promise it is not for spam!

If you are anything like me the word detox and cleanse can be a confusing topic. It seems everyone has the latest and best way to detox and the information in the wellness world can not only be overwhelming, but it can also be misinformation. Especially for those of us that are battling a chronic illness like Lyme disease. Our way of existence is just going to be different than someone who feels 100%. So, take it from me and my years of experience on why we need to continuously be detoxing, and how to incorporate methods into our daily lives to enhance healing and overall wellbeing.

So, grab your favorite tea or soothing beverage and let us simplify this complicated topic together. (My favorite is Blue Lotus Chai with almond milk and a touch of raw local honey)

Find my favorite chai here.

(This post contains affiliate and non-affiliate links)

WHY TO DETOX

We are continuously exposed to toxins. Albeit in our homes, products we use to clean with, new items such as a mattress that outgases, beauty products we use on our bodies, even the radiation that comes through our walls from outside, electromagnetic frequencies (EMF), and the list continues. Some of our exposures are within our circle of control and we can reduce or eliminate what we bring into our homes. However, we are even carrying toxic exposures from our parents, things my mother was exposed to before I was even conceived.

Recently I watched a video of someone testing the radiation levels in their home. It is mind blowing what has been allowed to creep into our neighborhoods and homes, we wonder why so many of us are chronically ill. I personally have not tested the levels in my home, but I am making little changes every day. For example, making my bedroom an EMF free sanctuary for restorative sleep. Maybe I am preaching to the choir on this, so I will move on to how to implement practical detoxing strategies into your daily life.

HOW TO DETOX

I am a simple, practical, realistically minded person. So, I ask myself what do I do the most and how can I change that to be the best for my health?

Water– Drink half your body weight in ounces daily. For example, I weigh 140 pounds, my water intake should be 70 ounces. Our household uses the Berkey water filter. Berkey water filtration system acts more as a water purifier because it removes 99.9999999% of pathogenic bacteria and 99.999% of viruses. I do not know about you, but I think my body has enough bacteria and viruses making me sick, no need to add more through my water. Bottom line drink clean water. Find the Berkey I use here.

EPSOM SALT BATHS– This is something so basic and yet is often overlooked. Literally every night I take an Epsom salt bath. My body already hurts, and I am usually cold, so this is my biggest treat of the day. A therapeutic dose requires two-three cups of Epsom salt per bath and soak for fifteen to twenty minutes. Caution, make sure you are buying scent free! Fragrances are amongst the most toxic to our bodies that we allow in our home.

SWEAT– This is going to look different for all of us. Some stages of healing can be debilitating enough that movement is nearly impossible. Trust me, I have been there. Thankfully, I am walking most days a week two to three miles and sweating. Also, movement promotes lymphatic changes in your body as well promoting elimination of toxins. If you are unable to move your body Infrared sauna is a great way to sweat out impurities. Check with your local health clinics to see if one may be available. I investigated buying a Clearlight Infrared sauna for our home, but that must wait until we have a large enough place to accommodate one. Like I said before, baby steps.

FOOT BATHS– Ion Cleanse foot bath purifies the body through the electrolysis of the water. Go check out their website for the details on how this works. You can purchase for home use or check with your local health clinics to see if one is available for use. I am fortunate enough to have the ability to go to a clinic here in my city to use this. Again, feet are always cold, and this is borderline a spa treatment to me. What comes out into the water is unsightly. There is a chart that coincides with the colors that are in the water, each meaning something different. Anything from joint meridians to heavy metals.

Ionic Footbath Prior to Treatment

Ionic Footbath Post Treatment

SUPPLEMENTS– Taking a binder daily can assist your body in riding itself of toxins. Binders are exactly what they sound like, they bind to the “bad” stuff and help remove it safely from your system.

CellCore Biotoxin Binder – possibly not available for direct purchase without a professional account. It is so good I could not mention it.

SunChlorella

Spirulina- I use the Vimergy Spirulina

Zeptil Melatonin Suppositories– high doses of melatonin have been linked with detoxification. This is not for sleep.

ecoNugenics Pecta Clear

Quick Silver– multiple protocols for detoxification. Their PushCatch liver detox is a great place to start. They even have mold detox programs, and if you are not aware yet, Lyme disease and mold exposure are often linked together.

Incorporate just one to start if you are not doing so already. Make small changes along the way to get a deeper detoxification. Keep it simple if you are sick you need simple in your life. Reach out if you have any questions, I would love to talk detox with you.

START DETOXING YOUR LIFE

Here are some small things to incorporate into your life and home to start reducing your toxic exposure and start living in a clean environment.

Examine your beauty products. Beauty Counter has a never list. You can use this for a guide when reviewing your products. Slowly start to replace your beauty items, it can be expensive to do a one time overhaul. I am currently obsessed with True Botanicals Clear line. Their products make me feel like I am giving myself a little spa treatment. I recently added their shampoo and conditioner to my collection.

Examine what cleaning products you use. I have been Seventh Generation for years now. It’s widely available so I can get it at stores like Target. They also make unscented which I love, although their scents are not synthetic most of the time I use scent free. This includes laundry detergent. When I am walking down the street I can smell people’s laundry soap…that can’t be good for us.

Back to the basics, eat clean food. Buy organic when possible, but this list shows you when it’s most important to buy organic produce and when you are safe to buy conventional (non-organic) produce. Meat and dairy should be organic based on the fat content. Toxins in the animal are stored in the fat. Eat whole foods, foods you can imagine actually growing in the earth.

If you are going to start in one room in your house, start in your bedroom. Buying a non-toxic mattress in an investment, but worth it if you consider the amount of time you are in it. If you are anything like me chronic Lyme disease has forced me into bed for ten to twelve hours a night. It makes me feel happy to know I have lowered my exposure in my bedroom. A few years ago I purchased an Avocado Mattress. I do recommend a mattress topper if you go with this brand.

This is your health, body, and wellbeing at stake. Make a few small changes every month to create a non-toxic home and an environment your body can heal in. Subscribe to our newsletter at the top of this page so you don’t miss out on a post!

Sources: Ion Cleanse Foot Bath, QuickSilver Scientific, Environmental Working Group