Empowering Your Business and Well-being: Why Female Entrepreneurs Should Prioritize Toxin-Free Living and Holistic Health

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Have you ever considered how closely linked your health is to your business's success? I certainly have.

Even just struggling with a cold can impact my work—or my desire to work. Thankfully, I rarely get sick. Managing the demands of entrepreneurship alongside personal health is not just beneficial—it's crucial.

Let’s explore why embracing a holistic, toxin-free lifestyle is vital for both your well-being and your business achievements.

The Risks Hidden in Plain Sight

Consider this: the average woman uses about 12 personal care products daily, exposing herself to approximately 168 unique chemical ingredients (EWG).

From the moisturizer applied in the morning to the makeup remover at night, each product may contain a cocktail of chemicals, many of which have never been tested for long-term health impacts. This exposure is not just about the quantity but also about the combination of these chemicals, which can interact in ways that are not fully understood nor tested.

The cumulative effect of daily chemical exposure through personal care products is a critical health consideration, especially for women who are natural multitaskers, managing both business and personal life.

The Holistic Health Advantage

The continuous exposure to these chemicals makes it imperative to eliminate your exposure to toxins in your food and home and adopt holistic health practices that do more than improve physical well-being—they enhance your mental clarity, creativity, and vitality, all crucial for effective business leadership.

Instead of the usual indoor exercises, why not immerse yourself in nature? A simple walk outside can act as a natural detox, helping to clear your mind and rejuvenate your body. Embracing the curiosity of a child, try to notice the small wonders of the natural world—a unique flower, an interesting piece of tree bark, or a hidden creature. This practice not only connects you with the environment but also elevates your focus and mood, directly benefiting your professional performance.

Making the Shift: Practical Steps for Toxin-Free Living

Ready to begin? Here are some manageable steps:

  • Go Organic: Opt for organic foods to minimize exposure to harmful pesticides.

  • Choose Natural: Replace conventional cleaners with natural alternatives.

  • Connect with Nature: Try planting your favorite herb in a pot on a sunny windowsill. This not only brings nature indoors but also offers the rewarding experience of growing something you can use in your kitchen.

If you're looking for an easy way to start, consider joining my 5-Day Green Living Challenge. It’s designed to help busy entrepreneurs like you make manageable changes toward a greener lifestyle. And if you're pressed for time, check out my Hidden Dangers Guide to quickly learn which harmful elements to avoid. Join the FREE 5-Day Challenge & Start Living Toxin-Free Today!

The Business Case for a Health-Conscious Brand

Think about this: demonstrating your commitment to health could significantly enhance your brand's appeal. In today's marketplace, authenticity and meaningful values attract customers. Showcasing your commitment to health and sustainability can not only resonate deeply with like-minded consumers but also differentiate your brand in the crowded market.

Conclusion: Leading by Example

By prioritizing your health, you’re not just investing in yourself—you're setting a powerful example for your team and inspiring your community. Let’s be the pioneers in creating a healthier, more sustainable world through our businesses. Are you ready to make a change?

Are Food Companies Secretly Approving Their Own Additives? The Truth About the GRAS Loophole

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Did you know that thousands of chemicals in our food supply have never been independently tested for safety?

Worse yet, food companies can decide for themselves whether an additive is safe—without the FDA’s approval. What the heck?

If that sounds shocking, it's because it is.
Welcome to the GRAS loophole, one of the biggest failures in U.S. food safety.

Let’s break it down in plain English, expose what’s really happening, and—most importantly—talk about what we can do about it.

What is GRAS?

Back in 1958, Congress passed the Food Additives Amendment to make sure new food ingredients were evaluated for safety before being used. But they included an exemption called GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) for everyday ingredients that people had been using for generations—things like salt, vinegar, and baking soda.

Maybe it made sense at the time. If something had a long history of safe use, why go through unnecessary red tape?

But here’s where things went off the rails…

How the GRAS Loophole Became a Corporate Free-for-All

Fast forward to today, and companies are using this same exemption to introduce new, synthetic chemicals into our food supply—without any independent testing.

Here’s How the Loophole Works:

  1. A company creates a new food additive (flavoring, preservative, emulsifier, etc.).

  2. Instead of submitting it to the FDA for approval, they hire their own experts (often tied to the food industry) to say it’s safe.

  3. They can skip notifying the FDA entirely and start using the chemical in food.

That’s right—there’s no requirement to tell the FDA, no public transparency, and no independent review.

Wait… What?! How is This Legal?

It all comes down to lax regulations and corporate influence.
Here’s why this system is so flawed:

🚨 No FDA Oversight: The FDA doesn’t approve GRAS additives, so companies are essentially regulating themselves.
🚨 Industry Hires Its Own Experts: Most safety reviews are conducted by people with direct financial ties to the food industry.
🚨 The Public Has No Say: Unlike drug approvals, there’s no public review process for food additives.
🚨 Once It’s In, It Stays In: Once a company deems an additive GRAS, it’s nearly impossible to remove it from the food supply.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) even admitted that the FDA has no idea how many additives are currently being used in U.S. foods because companies don’t have to report them!

The Real-World Consequences

Because of this loophole, thousands of untested additives have entered our food system. Some of them have been linked to serious health issues.

Here are just a few examples:

  • BHA & BHT (Preservatives) – Linked to cancer in animal studies. Banned in Europe.

  • Artificial Food Dyes – Linked to hyperactivity in children. Restricted in the EU.

  • Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) – Can build up in body fat and cause neurological issues. Banned in Europe and Japan.

  • Ractopamine (Meat Additive) – A growth drug used in U.S. livestock but banned in 160+ countries due to health risks.

What Can We Do?

While food companies fight to keep this loophole open, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves and push for change.

1. Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods

The more processed a food is, the more likely it contains mystery additives. Stick with real, whole foods as much as possible.

2. Buy Organic When Possible

Organic standards prohibit most synthetic additives, making organic foods a safer choice when it comes to avoiding untested chemicals.

3. Read Ingredient Lists & Watch for Red Flags

If a product has:
❌ Ingredients you can’t pronounce
❌ Artificial flavors & colors
❌ Preservatives like BHA, BHT, sodium benzoate
❌ ‘Natural flavors’ (a catch-all term that can hide 100s of chemicals)

…it’s best to put it back on the shelf.

4. Push for Policy Change

We need stronger food safety laws. Here’s how you can help:

Support organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Tell your representatives to push for stricter food additive regulations.

Spread awareness—the more people who know about this, the harder it is for food companies to keep hiding behind the GRAS loophole.

Final Thoughts

Most people assume that if a food ingredient is on store shelves, it must have been tested for safety. Sadly, that’s not the case. Thanks to the GRAS loophole, food companies are making the rules themselves—and putting profits over public health.

But knowledge is power. By making smarter food choices and demanding better policies, we can protect our families and push for a food system that actually prioritizes our well-being.

What do you think—should the GRAS loophole be shut down? Let me know in the comments!

Exciting Updates: My Blog is Back!

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My Blog is Back! Toxin-Free Living, Organic Food & Holistic Wellness

It’s been a while since I last posted here, but I’m thrilled to be back!

Off and on over the years, this blog has been a place to share practical green living tips, insights into toxin-free living, and my passion for helping people create healthier homes and lives.

While I stepped away for a bit to focus on some exciting projects, I knew I’d be returning—because there’s so much more to share with you!

What’s Been Happening?

A lot has been unfolding behind the scenes! Here are some of the biggest updates:

New Courses – I’ve created in-depth programs to help you transition to a healthier lifestyle, including:

  • Organic Food Blueprint: Eat Cleaner, Feel Better, Live Greener – a step-by-step guide to navigating organic food, decoding labels, and reducing toxins in your diet.

  • Creating a Non-Toxic, Eco-Friendly Home: Room by Room Guide – a deep dive into eliminating hidden toxins in your home and making simple swaps that have a big impact.

  • Holistic Health Basics: Embrace Natural Wellness – an introduction to holistic healing practices that support overall well-being and reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals.


    New-The Green Living Now Podcast – I’ve launched a podcast to bring these topics to life in a new way! Expect conversations about toxin-free living, holistic healing, sustainable choices, and real stories from people who’ve transformed their health and homes. Each episode is designed to educate, inspire, and empower you to take action. You can find it here on Apple Itunes, and here for the video version on YouTube.

5-Day Green Living Kickstart Challenge – If you’re looking for an easy way to start making small but powerful changes, this free challenge is for you! Over five days, you’ll get simple, actionable steps to detox your home, food, and lifestyle. Join the challenge here.

What’s Next?

Going forward, you can expect fresh content with:

✅ Practical toxin-free living tips
✅ Deep dives into holistic health and healing modalities
✅ Farm life updates and insights from our organic homestead in Vermont
✅ Success stories and lessons learned from my decades of experience in green living

If you’re new here—welcome! And if you’ve been with me for a while—thank you for your patience and support. I’d love to hear from you: What topics are you most excited to explore? Drop a comment below.

Let’s make this the year of healthier choices, empowered decisions, and a greener, toxin-free life

 

Is Glyphosate Really THAT Toxic?

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Yes!
And, here’s some good information about the lawsuits, courtesy of Consumer Notice:

Monsanto Roundup Cancer Lawsuit Update October 2023

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll find below:

  • Latest Roundup Cancer Lawsuit Updates

  • Why Are Roundup Lawsuits Being Filed?

  • Why File a Roundup Lawsuit?

  • Injuries Named in Roundup Lawsuits

  • Does Roundup Cause Cancer?
    (Recent studies that link Roundup to cancer and health problems)

  • Do I Qualify to File a Roundup Lawsuit?

  • How Can You Prove Exposure to Roundup?

  • Roundup Lawsuit Settlement Amounts

“Roundup Lawsuits

Thousands of people have filed lawsuits that blame Roundup for causing non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other related cancers. They say Roundup’s maker knew or should have known of the risks but failed to properly warn consumers.

Latest Roundup Cancer Lawsuit Updates

In December 2023, Bayer lost the latest jury trial in Philadelphia. As of Nov. 16, 2023, there were 4,239 Roundup lawsuits pending in multidistrict litigation in California.

Even though Bayer offered a $10.9 billion Roundup settlement to resolve about 100,000 Roundup cases in 2020, Roundup lawyers are still accepting claims for potential settlement or trial. The MDL remains open.

  • December 2023: A jury in Philadelphia ordered Bayer to pay about $500,000 in damages and $3 million in punitive damages to a woman who said Roundup caused her cancer.

  • November 2023: Four plaintiffs who said they developed cancer after using Roundup received a $1.56 billion jury verdict.

  • October 2023: A San Diego jury awarded a cancer patient $332 million, finding Monsanto didn’t adequately warn of the cancer risks of Roundup.

  • July 2023: There were 4,212 Roundup lawsuits pending in multidistrict litigation in California.

  • June 2023: Active pending cases reached 4,193. Bayer agreed to a multimillion settlement in an environmental Roundup lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General.

  • May 2023: Monsanto won its seventh consecutive trial the latest trial in St. Louis, Missouri. The plaintiff was Sharlean Gordon.

  • September 2022: Monsanto won its fifth consecutive trial in St. Louis, Missouri.

  • May 2021: California Judge Vince Chhabria rejected Bayer’s offer to settle future Roundup class-action lawsuits for $2 billion, saying it wasn’t enough.

  • June 2020: Bayer offered $10.9 billion to settle about 100,000 Roundup lawsuits.

In June 2023, Bayer agreed to pay $6.9 million to the state of New York to settle claims that the company misled consumers regarding Roundup’s environmental safety. Funds will go to mitigating the effects of pesticides on aquatic species and pollinators.

In May 2021, San Francisco U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabriain denied Bayer’s offer of $2 billion to settle future claims, calling it “clearly unreasonable,” according to Reuters. Thousands of Roundup cancer claims remain pending in the California MDL and across the country.

Juries in California have awarded large verdicts to people who claimed Roundup caused cancer: $2 billion in May 2019, $80 million in March 2019 and $289 million in August 2018. Roundup lawyers are still accepting claims to potentially go to trial or to negotiate a settlement.

Why Are Roundup Lawsuits Being Filed?

People heavily exposed to Roundup filed Roundup cancer lawsuits against Monsanto and Bayer claiming the weed killer caused them to develop cancer, specifically non-Hodgkin lymphoma and related cancers. Bayer acquired Monsanto in 2018.

The World Health Organization has classified glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, as a probable human carcinogen. Plaintiffs say the makers of Roundup didn’t warn the public about the cancer risks and engaged in tactics to deceive consumers about Roundup and the safety of its active ingredient, glyphosate.

Why File a Roundup Lawsuit?

People exposed to Roundup may file Roundup cancer lawsuits to receive compensation for the extensive medical costs of treating cancer and their wish to provide for their family’s future. Compensation could include lost wages, loss of consortium, loss of future earnings and pain and suffering. Plaintiffs and their families also want to hold Bayer and Monsanto accountable for negligence.

Throughout the course of Roundup litigation, Monsanto’s internal corporate communications, dubbed the “Monsanto Papers,” revealed evidence that the company used deceptive tactics to suppress science and used relationships with regulators to hide Roundup’s cancer links for years.

Monsanto and Bayer continue to stand by the safety of glyphosate, but based on evidence presented at trials, juries have awarded millions of dollars in punitive damages —damages awarded to punish defendants for especially negligent and harmful behavior.

Injuries Named in Roundup Lawsuits

The injuries named in Roundup cancer lawsuits center around non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer that starts in white blood cells in the lymph nodes.

B-cell lymphomas, T-cell lymphomas and rare types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma included in Roundup cancer lawsuits are:

  • Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

  • B-Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

  • Burkitt Lymphoma

  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

  • Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

  • Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

  • Extranodal Marginal Zone B-cell Lymphoma, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue

  • Follicular lymphoma and hairy cell leukemia

  • Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia

  • Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma (Waldenström Macroglobulinemia)

  • Mantle cell lymphoma

  • Marginal zone B-cell lymphomas

  • Mycosis Fungoides

  • Nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma

  • Peripheral T-cell lymphomas

  • Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

  • Sezary Syndrome

  • Small lymphocytic lymphoma

  • Splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma

There are several types of related cancers that Roundup lawyers are accepting in lawsuits, some rarer than others. If you are unsure if your type of cancer or a loved one’s type of cancer is included in lawsuits, contact a Roundup cancer lawsuit lawyer for a free consultation.

Does Roundup Cause Cancer?

Roundup’s link to cancer is controversial because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said that “glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans,” but the World Health Organization has said that the herbicide is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

“There is an extensive body of research on glyphosate and Bayer’s glyphosate-based herbicides, including more than 800 studies submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in connection with the registration process, which confirms these products can be used safely and that glyphosate does not cause cancer,” according to Bayer.

Some recent studies that link Roundup to cancer and health problems include:

  • March 2023: UC Berkeley School of Public Health research found children exposed to glyphosate have an increased risk of “liver inflammation and metabolic disorder in early adulthood, which could lead to liver cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.”

  • February 2023: A 2023 study published in Chemosphere found “glyphosate promotes estrogenic activity in hormone-sensitive breast cancer cell lines.”

  • January 2023: A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found those exposed to glyphosate have cancer biomarkers in their urine.

  • June 2022: A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found more than 80% of urine samples from U.S. children and adults contained glyphosate.

  • February 2019: University of Washington scientists published a review in Mutation Research that found agricultural workers with heavy glyphosate exposure had a 41% increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma over their lifetimes versus people who were exposed to the chemical infrequently or not at all.

Critics say industry-funded research overwhelmingly shows Roundup doesn’t cause cancer, while non-industry studies link glyphosate to cancer and other health problems.

For example, an analysis published in Environmental Sciences Europe found that out of the 36 studies on pure glyphosate, just 2% of industry-funded studies found a link between glyphosate and cancer, according to an article in Popular Science. In contrast, 67% of studies published in peer-reviewed journals found a link.

With the current evidence the EPA cites, glyphosate is not likely to be banned in the U.S. Bayer announced it would stop selling glyphosate-based products on the U.S. residential market by 2023 and come up with glyphosate alternatives “to help close the door on this litigation and ensure that any claims brought by individuals who use Roundup in the future are few in number and unlikely to succeed.

“There will be no change in the availability of the company’s glyphosate formulations in the U.S. professional and agricultural markets,” the company said.

Do I Qualify to File a Roundup Lawsuit?

You may qualify to file a Roundup cancer lawsuit if you were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma or any of its subtypes after June 1, 2018. The reason is that there are statutes of limitations and time limits for lawsuits that start from the date of cancer diagnosis.

Qualifications to file a Roundup cancer lawsuit include:

  • You used Roundup over a long period or were extensively exposed to Roundup at 12 years of age or younger.

  • You received a non-Hodgkin lymphoma or another qualifying cancer diagnosis on June 1, 2018, or after.

  • Your state’s statute of limitations hasn’t passed.

Depending on the state you live in, you may have as little as two years to file a claim. So, it’s important to seek legal representation right away. You are more likely to qualify for a Roundup lawsuit if you worked in commercial agriculture or landscaping because of the high exposure levels to Roundup.

Make sure you tell your attorney when your Roundup exposure began and how often you were exposed. Only a licensed Roundup lawyer can tell you for sure if you qualify, and it doesn’t cost you anything to get a free consultation.

How Can You Prove Exposure to Roundup?

You can prove your exposure by showing evidence that you were exposed to Roundup at work, at home or on a farm. Types of evidence include purchase receipts, used Roundup bottles or landscaping invoices.

If you worked for a company that required you to use Roundup regularly, you can provide documents from your employer, such as operating procedures. Your Roundup lawyer can also help you gather necessary evidence.

Roundup Lawsuit Settlement Amounts

In June 2020, Bayer offered a nearly $11 billion Roundup settlement to resolve tens of thousands of Roundup cancer claims. Lawyers estimate the average payout is about $160,000 per plaintiff.

Bayer set aside additional money to compensate future claimants. Depending on the injuries and damages of each claimant, lawyers estimate Roundup settlement amounts could be between $5,000 and $200,000 per person.”

(All of this information was provided word for word by Consumer Notice – Protecting the Health and Safety of Consumers)

Life on the Farm...with Turtles

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I was fixing the bird netting over the strawberries today.

At one point I looked down and saw a large snapping turtle, in the open field of soil next to me, who had dug her way into the dirt. She was pretty well camouflaged. I wasn't sure she was alive.

Maybe she got hurt by a tractor that didn't know she was there, I thought. Thankfully, all of her body parts were intact. And, then I saw her eyes blink. She was alive!

I called Dave over to see what we could do to relocate her to the nearby pond that she must have come out of. We dug her up and tried to nudge her into an open wooden crate. She was not happy about this. We tried to pick her up, but we were a bit nervous of her potential to snap at us.

I suggested maybe we could pick her up with a big shovel-grabbing the dirt underneath her. As Dave went to get the shovel, he told our new crew members, Forest and Jayde, about the turtle. Come to find out that Forest is a turtle wrangler! Well, that's what I called him.

He knew just how to pick her up--and told us that she was very likely a pregnant mother looking to lay her eggs somewhere. She was getting dangerously close to being too dry. So, Forest carefully carried her over to the nearest pond at the side of our farm, and gently lowered her into the water. Yay!

How wonderful to have fellow nature lovers as our new crew members. Thanks Forest!

What Do You Mean My Food & Water Are Toxic?

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By Amy Todisco

The U.S. government wouldn’t allow toxic chemicals in the food supply, right?

Sadly, yes, they do.

The Environmental Defense Fund tells us that, “Our food contains chemicals that may result in serious health risks, especially for young children. Some of these chemicals are purposefully added to food or packaging to flavor, color, preserve, package, process and store our food. Because of a flawed law and weak enforcement, many chemicals are inadequately tested or not tested at all, and others are never even independently reviewed for safety.”

Yuck. And, none of these things are really done for our health, it’s more about shelf life extension, increased profits, and enticing people to choose and eat these less than nutritious “foods.”

Ok, so what about our drinking water, surely there must be standards that prevent exposure to toxins in our drinking and bathing water? Yes and no.

There are “federal standards”, but often they do not do enough to protect the consumer. What’s considered an acceptable level doesn’t mean it’s safe.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-partisan non-profit dedicated to helping people live healthy lives, “...when some Americans drink a glass of tap water, they're also potentially getting a dose of industrial or agricultural contaminants linked to cancer, brain and nervous system damage, fertility problems, hormone disruption and other health harms.”

You’ve probably heard the cliches, “you are what you eat” and “let food be thy medicine.”

I’ve found both of these phrases to be true and it’s the reason that I’ve been focusing so heavily on what I eat and drink for most of my life. By eating clean, sustainably (certified organic) raised, whole, nutrient-dense foods, and clean drinking water, I’m safeguarding my health, staying out of the doctor’s office, and away from pharmaceuticals as much as possible.

But, these days it can be much more difficult to figure out what to eat.

You might be asking yourself: Which foods are truly healthy?

  • Which foods are best for my unique body and my belief systems
    (e.g. Vegan? Vegetarian? Ominvore? Keto? Raw food? And more…)

  • What’s actually in my food?

  • What’s in my drinking water?

Whether we realize it or not, the truth is that we’re all facing the realities of a poisoned food supply, a “sick care” system, and a toxic way of life that is neither healthy nor sustainable. We must make positive changes, and yet it can be overwhelming. I've found that it's a step-by-step process. We aren't striving for perfection, just learning how to choose safer, more environmentally friendly products and practices.

I’m going to share with you the top 2 actions that I tell my clients to start with so that YOU can begin choosing safer healthier food and water.

But first, a little more background...

There are an estimated 2,000 synthetic chemicals used in packaged conventional foods. Food companies don’t even need government approval to use these chemicals. Essentially the companies just declare that their product is safe without any independent testing to prove it. So, unfortunately it’s up to us to do our research. Some of the things that make food toxic include:

  • Pesticides

  • Genetic engineering

  • Irradiation

  • Fertilizing with sewage sludge

  • Adding artificial flavors, food dyes, and preservatives

  • Injecting animals (meat) with hormones and dosing them with antibiotics, and now mRNA vaccines

  • The latest thing is lab-created imitation "meats" and gene edited vegetables.

Conventional food seems more like a dangerous scientific experiment gone awry rather than safe nutritious food.

Pesticides are perhaps the most well-known food-related chemicals intentionally sprayed on our foods.
And, one of the easiest things that you can do to protect yourself is to avoid pesticides.

So, what are pesticides?

Pesticides are poisonous chemicals designed to kill or repel pests. They include:

  • Herbicides (kills weeds)

  • Insecticides (kills insects)

  • Fungicides (kills fungi)

  • and Rodenticides (kills rodents, like rats)

We're going to focus on the pesticides sprayed on food crops in this article.

Certified organic produce is not allowed to use toxic pesticides.

"Conventional" or regular food is.

All food used to be organic before the 1930's.

The use of petrochemical (derived from petroleum) fertilizers and pesticides began in the 1930's.

In a regular supermarket, they typically just label the certified organic produce, the rest is conventional. In a food coop or natural food store, both conventional and certified organic are labeled. Some so-called-experts tell you that you can just wash the pesticides off—and most likely they try and sell you a special spray for that. Unfortunately, some pesticides still remain, even after washing and peeling. That's because they've been sprayed on the produce while it’s growing and become incorporated into the vegetable or fruit.

And, here's an insider secret...which is not related to toxicity but is related to the quality of your food. Choose the produce in the back, not the ones in the front of the display. That's where they put the freshest stuff. I worked in a produce department on Martha's Vineyard one summer during college, so I learned that produce display trick. It's actually true of all products on the shelves too.

What to do?

One of the first things I suggest that my clients do is start switching over their produce to certified organic. Ideally, all of your food would be organically grown or raised. That’s something to aspire towards.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) says the following about pesticides:

"Nearly 75 percent of non-organic fresh produce sold in the U.S. contains residues of potentially harmful pesticides…"
"Research from Harvard University shows that consuming fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residues may lessen the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, including protection against cardiovascular disease and mortality."

"Choosing organic fruits and vegetables can almost immediately reduce the amounts of residues in a person’s body, because the harmful chemicals used on non-organic, or conventional, produce are no longer a factor."

The EWG has created two lists to help shoppers determine which produce is the safest to purchase. One is called, The Dirty Dozen, and the other is The Clean Fifteen.

Here's a printable cheat sheet to take shopping with you.

Personally, I'd pass on anything genetically modified, particularly the sweet corn. Genetically modified corn is designed to withstand a lot of pesticides. It kills the pests on the corn, but not the corn.

What to do?

1. Eat as much certified organic as you can, especially the Dirty Dozen produce.

2. Print the cheat sheet so that you can take it to the store with you to make choosing healthier produce easier.

3. Choose your produce from the back of the display case as it's the freshest.

Now, onto water…

You can survive without food for a period of time, but not without water. Most likely you are being exposed to toxic chemicals in your drinking and bathing water.

Wait, what?

Maybe you thought that the Clean Water Act of 1972 was protecting you from toxins in drinking water. Sadly, no.

I’ve lived in Vermont for 22 years and have been fortunate to have good clean well water, though in some places radium can be an issue due to the large rocks in Vermont’s soil. This particular house that we built has excellent well water.

A really helpful tool to determine if your drinking and bathing water is free of toxins is to use the Environmental Working Group’s water database. EWG Tap Water Database

My daughter lives in an apartment building about 45 minutes away that is on a municipal water system. So, like any good mom, who is also a green living expert and mentor, I plugged in her zip code to see what was in her water. Eek! Eleven total contaminants were detected, 7 exceeded what the EWG researchers have determined are safe.

On the EWG site it states, “Legal does not necessarily equal safe. Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines. Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.”

So, what was in my daughter’s water? I don’t think that any of this stuff should be in our drinking water, however, I’m going to go with what EWG considers safe limits.

  • There was 50x the safe limit of Bromodichloromethane -may cause cancer.

  • 59 times the “safe” levels of Chloroform -may cause cancer.

  • 60 times the safe levels of Dichloroacetic acid -may cause cancer.

  • A whopping 233 times the safe levels of Haloacetic acids (HAA5) -may cause cancer.

  • 22 times the safe limit of Radium, combined (-226 & -228 -may cause cancer.

  • 178 times the safe limit of Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) -may cause cancer.

  • 112 times the safe limit of Trichloroacetic acid -may cause cancer.

  • The other four contaminants detected were: fluoride, manganese, monobromoacetic acid, and monochloroacetic acid.

How can this happen?

Typically, municipal systems are more focused on microbial threats, and yet 49% of the water-borne outbreaks tracked by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are due to chemicals or toxins.

What else might be in drinking water?

*Agricultural chemicals
*Arsenic
*Chloramines
*Chlorine
*Chromium
*Disinfection products
*Lead
*Mercury
*Microplastics
*PFAS
*Pharmaceutical medicines
*Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC’s)

A few words about bath and shower water.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body and absorbs whatever you put on it. You could be absorbing more toxins from bathing/showering than drinking the same unfiltered water.

What about bottled water as an option? Nope.

According to CNN, more than one million bottles of water are sold every minute around the globe!! They also report that, “In 2021, global bottled water sales reached 350 billion liters and were valued at an estimated $270 billion, a figure expected to soar to $500 billion by 2030.”

Typically ground water is extracted to fill those bottles, which threatens people’s drinking water resources. And, what happens to the bottles once the consumer is done with it?

There is a tremendous amount of plastic produced for bottled water-600 billion produced in 2021. Most of that plastic (I’ve heard reports of 85%) doesn’t get recycled but instead ends up in landfills or out in the ocean. Plastic in the ocean is a huge problem. It gets into sea life—and then us when we eat the fish that actually survive.

Plastic also breaks down into micro-plastics, which can get into our food and water. Plastic also leaches toxic chemicals into drinking water (and other foods). If you leave a plastic water bottle (or juice) in your car when it’s warm (and/or sunny) outside, you definitely don’t want to drink it.

Fossil fuels are the main ingredient in most plastics, which carries a heavy carbon footprint. There’s so much more to say about plastic, but I’ll leave it there for now.

What to do?

1. Find out what’s in YOUR drinking and bathing water: EWG Tap Water Database

2. The main immediate solution is to filter your water with a good quality filtration system.

Just a note though...those popular plastic pour-through pitchers don’t take much out of the water, and you have to replace the filters very frequently. So, though they may seem cheap and easy to use, they’re not very effective.

For many years, before I lived in Vermont and had good well water, I used a brand of tap water filters called Lakota Scientific. They also have a shower filter. In my early green living days, I did a ton of research on all things green and non-toxic. I was very impressed with the founder, Barry, who is a chemist and engineer, and extremely knowledgeable about water and water filtration. They’re a family company, devoted to providing excellent customer service, which I can totally attest to as that has been my experience. They’ve been around for 33 years. Both my mom and sister have been happily using Lakota Scientific filters too.

If you want to check it out, here’s the link: https://www.lakotascientific.com/?afmc=Greenliving (Full disclosure, I get a small affiliate fee if you purchase BUT I only promote products that I’ve researched and used myself. That’s always been my policy.)

There’s sooo much to know about how to reduce your exposure to toxins in food and every-day products. If you’d like to learn more, I’ve got a free live masterclass coming up that will give you at least 9 actionable items that you can start using right away, and the opportunity to ask me your pressing questions. Sign up for the waiting list for the next class here: https://catalystforchangecoach.ck.page/b9e17ee69e

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