Why I Never Buy Products with Fragrance

I’ll start by saying I KNOW this is not a popular topic. People like what they like and they don’t want to budge.
 
That’s fine. I get it. BUT you should at least KNOW what you’re buying.
 
FRAGRANCE is listed as an ingredient on probably every single personal care product in your home as well as in cleaners, candles, air fresheners & fabric softener.
 
It’s quite literally EVERYWHERE, but here’s the thing: This is the FIRST ingredient I look for when I’m shopping. If “fragrance” or “parfum” is listed as an ingredient – back on the shelf it goes.
 
Why? Because “fragrance” itself is NOT an ingredient. I used to think it was just something added to the product to make it smell pretty and asked no questions. Then I found out “fragrance” is a term used by companies as a catch-all for thousands of different harmful chemicals; and they don’t even have to tell you what those chemicals are, because it’s considered “proprietary information.”
 
We do know, however, many of those chemicals are phthalates which are ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING chemicals.
 
What does it mean for a chemical to be disruptive to the endocrine system? Simply put, it changes the way your body works. It gets in the way of natural, normal body functions. When you think endocrine system, think hormones. It also controls your reproductive system & your metabolism. These are not things you want to mess with!
 
These chemicals are also taxing to your gut health, and your gut houses 70-80% of your immune system! We want to love on our gut – not contribute to its toxic load.
 
Long story short, when you buy something that has fragrance, you really don’t know what you’re getting. You can be sure it has harmful chemicals in it, but there’s no way of knowing exactly which ones.
 
You may not realize it, but you’re washing your hair with fragrance, washing your hands in fragrance, washing your clothes in fragrance, applying fragrance to your face, applying fragrance throughout your hair, spraying fragrance all over your body – and not only are you breathing in all the toxic chemicals, but they’re going STRAIGHT to your bloodstream to be carried to every organ in your body.
 
So, how do you avoid this? It can be hard and frustrating at times trying to find items that DON’T have fragrance, but start by looking for products that call out things like “fragrance-free,” “unscented,” & “free & clear” on the label. Make sure you still flip it over though to make sure you don’t see fragrance in the ingredient list! It’s usually toward the end of the list, so I usually start at the end and work backwards to save time.
 
Apps like “Think Dirty” and “EWG’s Healthy Living” can help you find cleaner products as well – but still make sure you’re double checking the ingredients.
 
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How to Eat Well Without Breaking Your Budget



What if I told you there’s a way to not only SAVE MONEY but also EAT HEALTHY?! Would you do it? Heck yes you would, right??

 

It’s really not complicated – it’s actually very simple!

Two words: Meal. Planning.

 

That’s it! Although I recognize this is easier said than done. It takes time and effort, but aren’t you worth it? Yes! Yes, you are.

 

Meal planning is self-care. A well-balanced diet is self-care.

 

Meal planning is setting yourself up for success! You know what you like, you know where you shop, you know what you usually buy. Come up with your meal plan for the week (or the next two weeks) and set your grocery list from there!

 

You’ll find you already have ingredients for some of your meals in your pantry. Other ingredients you’ll be glad you wrote on your list because you definitely wouldn’t have thought to pick them up otherwise.

 

The weeks I have a meal plan & go shopping off the grocery list I compiled based off that meal plan – those are the weeks I come up UNDER budget on our grocery bill. YES. EVEN BUYING THE ORGANIC STUFF.

 

It truly pays to have a plan. But there are more than just financial benefits!

 

There are weeks I completely FAIL at meal planning. I’ll admit it. Meal planning has been my nemesis for YEARS. I do not feel creative when it comes to food, and most of my life I’ve had a very restricted diet so that limits my options even more. Because of this, I usually end up coming up with the same 3 meals ALL THE TIME much to the dismay of my husband – but I don’t enjoy it either!

 

Mix it up. Try one new recipe a week. Try one new vegetable a week! Make Saturdays meal planning days and Sundays grocery shopping days. Do not skip this! Work it into your schedule. Make it a priority. Because if you don’t........

 

You’ll end up snacking on chips and chocolate before dinner because you have no idea what to make, but you’re hungry NOW. You’re hungry NOW because you didn’t plan your lunch, so you didn’t have much to eat. You didn’t have much to eat because there isn’t much in the house. There isn’t much in the house because you didn’t go grocery shopping according to your needs! And you didn’t go grocery shopping according to your needs, so you end up snacking on chips and chocolate!!! Trust me. Been there.

 

Do you see how IMPORTANT meal planning is?!

 

It truly sets the tone for your entire week. It’s the difference between feeling nourished & happy or hungry & dissatisfied.

 

SO! Do yourself a favor, and DON’T. SKIP. MEAL. PLANNING.

 

You can find an affiliate link for my favorite meal planning/grocery list guide here. 


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How to Lose Weight Without Stepping Foot in the Gym



I struggled with my weight for years. I’d see the other girls my age walk by in their size 0 (or heck – size 8) jeans silently cursing myself for being a size 12. I ate moderately healthy (you can only be so unhealthy on a gluten free/dairy free diet – but gluten free cookies are still cookies) but for most of my life I felt like I was one of the “bigger” girls, and I didn’t know why.
 
It wasn’t until YEARS later I discovered the concept of Gut Health and how instrumental it is to overall health – including weight. I was trying to get eczema under control, but along the way I dropped 15 pounds, KEPT it off (check out my before & after at the bottom of this post) & these are some tips I learned along the way:
 
1. Eat your veggies first
There’s a term us Health Coaches use called “crowding out.” This is the idea that you don't deprive yourself of a food, but you simply fill yourself up on the healthy foods so you eat less of the unhealthy foods. Finish your veggies first. There’s a reason you weren’t allowed to have dessert until you finished your dinner as a kid!
 
2. Then eat MORE veggies
Your gut LOVES veggies. And the more veggies you eat, the better your body will function. When I started dropping all that weight, I was asked how. My response? “Honestly I’ve just been eating a lot more vegetables lately.” It really can be that easy. Everyone has a different starting point. Acknowledge where you are without judgment and work toward filling half your plate with veggies.
 
3. Make easy, healthy shifts
Get the brown rice/quinoa or veggie noodles (low glycemic!), opt for the sweet potato fries (also low glycemic!), try homemade banana ice cream instead of the pint at the store (just toss a few bananas in a high-speed blender with a splash of liquid! – two ingredients and no refined sugar!) or have a smoothie instead! Don’t be afraid to experiment with foods you already love and see what you can shift to make them better for you. Also remember: the fewer ingredients the better.
 
4. Find your trigger foods
For some people this is easy. You know which foods make you feel bloated or just plain gross, so you avoid them. To identify less obvious culprits, keep track of the food you eat and how you feel right after & 3 hours after you eat it. Is that food serving you or should you find an alternative? In more challenging cases, you may have to outsource – like I did. I found a local Naturopathic Doctor who tested me for food intolerances, and that took out all the guesswork. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
 
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