My favorite items, brands and stores– from supplements to food, hygiene to beauty, and clothing— from head to toe.
Diatomaceous Earth-
This stuff is seriously incredible! Diatomaceous earth has saved me from a variety of woes you wouldn’t even imagine. This mineral rich substance is 80% silica and comes from something called fossilized diatomes, or in other words, fossilized algae! I thought that was pretty cool– which might be the understatement of the year. This magical powder has been reported to work for just about every problem under the sun, from hair falling out, to skin problems such as even eczema or psoriasis, parasites and heavy metals– just to name a few. I continue to be amazed by all of the things this stuff has fixed for people. For me personally, it completely took away an auto-immune skin reaction for me that lingered long after the chronic, toxic chemical exposure that caused it (blog post). This powder has been shown over and over again— not through research of course because no big- box company or pharmaceutical brand stands to profit from it— to help regulate digestion substantially for people who otherwise found no relief. This makes so much sense because parasites can go in and literally get in the way of elimination pathways and cause cramping, gas and other forms of indigestion which can even become crippling when allowed to progress. Diatomaceous earth negates this process by normalizing and cleaning the digestive tract in a gentle, functionally supportive way. This mechanism has helped me immensely long term to be able to get rid of pathogens while simultaneously taking in nutrients. Not many substances can do both of those things at once. DE does all of this at a very affordable price for all that it accomplishes. Diatomaceous earth is rich in silica which is not only good for hair, skin and nails but also has an affinity for aluminum which has been repeatedly found to be a likely cause of alzheimers and other profound, increasingly common psychological conditions (R),(R). Not only that, but, largely due to the silica, it can help in a major way to support joints, bones, and teeth. Silica is a little-known necessary cofactors for collagen production, in addition to the proper metabolism of calcium as well as all other minerals! It’s no surprise, then, that people have uploaded their accounts onto youtube en masse discussing how their arthritis had been “cured” by this incredibly inexpensive substance! This makes sense, too, because silica is a necessary cofactor for the formation of collagen as well as the bones. Silica is also needed for our healthy hormones, including sex hormones (R). This might explain why so many people have gotten their hair back that they thought they’d lost forever (balding is often a hormonal problem) with this mineral rich powder. You might not believe this, but there’s more. You can use this combined with a small amount of water or apple cider vinegar to create a paste for use as a face mask, or even a hair mask. You can also use this in your bath as a substitute for bentonite clay. The diatomaceous earth, with its negatively charged, binding abilities, will help pull toxins out of your body as well as the water. For this same reason, diatomaceous earth can even be used to filter filter water. This is why the non food- grade kind is commonly used as a pool filter, even negating the concern of the highly detrimental parasite called cryptosporidium (R). DE prevents pests in and outside of the house as well. You can use it on your garden to keep away bugs and all things crawly that might prey on your delicious produce. It has commonly been used to get rid of lice on humans, and fleas on pets. It’s so safe that it can even be used for internal critters like viruses, parasites or fungi for children, and for pets. Possibilities are seriously endless with this stuff. My suggestion for an adult person would be to start with about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of the diatomaceous earth in water, juice or a smoothie (my favorite method as it caused the small particles to get suspended and become undetectable, and there is no difference in taste). Work your way up by doubling this dose each week until you reach 2 tablespoons. Pay attention to be sure you aren’t having die- off symptoms like headaches, increased fatigue or acne. In any of these cases, it would be wise to support the detoxification pathways by using things like beets, lecithin, and/ or choline for gallbladder support, and things like milk thistle, molybdenum and msm for the liver. This ensures any toxins you’re binding or microbes you may be killing are actually removed and taken out of the body rather than just circulated. While some people do fine starting with 2 tablespoons right off the bat without any other precautions taken, I would highly recommend starting slow and being sure to support the detoxification pathways, which should be a regular, daily occurrence anyway.
This stuff is delicious and makes me feel really good. As the name suggests, it’s incredibly nutrient dense. At the same time, amazingly, it provides a nutty, cheesy and umami (or meat-like) rich flavor. This stuff makes broccoli and kale into some of my favorite foods to eat! Even when unfortified, which is the kind that you want, this naturally provides a whole-food complex of a ton of vital nutrients like vitamins B1 that is necessary for nervous system health (which controls all of what you perceive by the minute), B6, a necessary cofactor for optimal brain function including mood support by way of processing feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine, and B5 which we need for energy and adrenal (survival gland) support. But wait, there’s more. This is full of minerals ranging from blood- sugar regulatory molybdenum to calming and nervous system supportive potassium and immune boosting and reparative the zinc. You’ve got to get your hands on some.
Speaking of cartilage and joints, collagen is another life-saver that can be supportive for many of the things DE can, but in a more targeted and specific fashion for the skin, bones, and joints. It can be added to coffee, tea or smoothies, even water! This stuff can help heal your gut, improve your skin and is purported to help protect against wrinkles. It also supports the bones because bones are actually made up of collagen, more than the minerals and e hear about so often for them! I definitely notice a difference in my skin as well when I run out. Not to make any claims here, but in my personal experience, I noticed that my pores actually look smaller when I’m using it, no joke! Some people like using the marine collagen, which I have yet to use but heard great things about. This is especially helpful if you have some kind of food intolerances currently in which case you’ll want to avoid the stressor temporarily while your body takes time to heal so the guy can be repaired.
HCl
This stuff is important for anyone who needs digestive support, which is the majority of the time. If you experience burping, bloating, or other indigestion of any kind, there’s a good chance you need digestive support and this product might just be exactly what you are looking for. Of course, it’s best to consult a qualified health care practitioner to find what is right for you and your unique bioindividuality, but this stuff has helped me totally overcome the acid reflux I used to experience when I was younger. The acid reflux symptoms I experienced really scared me because poor digestion runs in my family. But luckily, there is a natural solution to this problem! For the vast majority of the population, the cause of one’s digestive problems is actually a deficiency in acid, not too much. This is because we need a very acidic stomach pH to make the valve close that sits in between our throat and stomach. So it makes sense why Tum’s and prescription antacids never work longterm– they actually make the problem worse by delaying stomach emptying because with all that alkalinity, the stomach never reaches the right pH. That can lead to all kinds of problems “downstream” in the body’s processes, from brain issues due to a lack of nutrients. This can even lead to dementia! There is a very good chance that at least one of your health problems can stem back to digestion. Therefore, this is by far one of the very most important supplements you can buy. It’s almost like giving an extra boost to everything else you take in because it makes everything, from minerals to fats and proteins, more bioavailable so your body can use it to make you feel great! Always take this supplement with food as it’s sole purpose is to help you digest food. For those who haven’t tried HCl yet and may have underlying leaky gut issues, this supplement might be the best dose to start with as opposed to the full dosage above (though most people are indeed very low and end up needing a greater amount of HCl) this supplement also supplies helpful cofactors like L- glutamine for gut healing and B6 for enzyme function support.
Professional Grade Krill Oil, 1250mg, 60 Liquid Softgels (Cut One in Half to See the Clear Difference):
Epsoak Epsom Salt 5 lbs. Magnesium Sulfate USP:
A must. Lovely for relaxing for bed, especially worth a try for anyone with aches and pains, restless legs, would like to detox, relax or get more magnesium in your life. This stuff is great to use at night. Epsom salt can also be used as either a poultice or soak to draw out any infection. This is another thing I feel any house should basically have in it. The way this stuff works miraculously for so many things is by combining the mineral magnesium and sulfur and making them available in combination with water to be absorbed seemlessly by the body, regardless of whether your digestion is working or not. This makes it a great option for those with IBS or crohns who are nervous about overstimulating their digestion with various magnesium supplements. The body requires both magnesium and sulfur in order to detoxify from bad ingredients, toxins, pollutants, heavy metals, etcetera, so it is important to get them in abundance on a daily basis.
As weird as it might sound, I can’t live without this stuff! *update: I now use more concentrated potassium bicarbonate I combine with ascorbic acid (vitamin c) to any drink I like, which makes it fizzy, and tastes great. However, this still has unique benefits including blood- cleansing.* It’s full of potassium and allows the body to cleanse the blood properly. This makes sense because potassium is needed for the gallbladder (our main excretory organ) to function. Potassium is also needed for proper foundational digestive actions like HCl production which is what allows us to absorb our nutrients from food. Potassium can have major regulatory blood pressure support benefits. This is because the kidneys and adrenals, which control blood pressure, depend on the proper potassium/ sodium balance for blood pressure and stress hormones to not go to low or high. Potassium tends to be the more limiting mineral, meaning it allows for proper relaxation and parasympathetic processes (like detoxification and digestion). So contrary to what you’ve been told, it’s not the amount of salt that’s villainous, it’s the proportion of sodium to potassium. The only reason anyone feels the need to lower their real (not refined) salt intake is because they’re consuming way too low of an amount of potassium. We as humans need a ginormous amount of potassium compared to the other minerals and what we normally get. We require 4,700 mg which a significant proportion of can’t generally be found in food. As our soil gets more depleted, this becomes even more challenging. Given the existence of rampant EMF radiation, potassium becomes even more necessary for dampening this effect. This is why I always have cream of tartar around. It’s a more concentrated source than even the amounts you will find in supplements on shelves. You won’t believe this, but potassium dosage limits even in supplements is generally a maximum of only 10% the daily value! That’s about the same amount you will find in any one food. The best sources of potassium are greens, coconut water, winter squash, potatoes and sweet potatoes, beans and plantains, followed by bananas; but even with a highly varied diet, many people come up short. This is because when our bodies are under so many pressures like environmental assaults which need to be combatted by the hormone cortisol, which can be life saving in the short-term (to fight a serious disease or predator) it can also be rapidly- aging and detrimental when pumped out long term, we need more sedating minerals to help neutralize and dampen that fight or flight response.
Another mineral that can help relax the prolonged, unnecessary fight or flight mechanisms that lead to anxiety and high blood pressure is magnesium. I like using it in a supplemental, as well as dietary and topical source for this reason. Again, when stress and toxins are so high and soil is depleted, we need more good quality, exogenous nutrients. That’s the world we’re living in. So unless you live in a secluded sanctuary flourishing with biodynamic agriculture, it’s likely you need supplemental support. My favorite source of magnesium is magnesium glycinate. This is because it does two nutritional jobs at once, supplies magnesium for detoxification, digestion and relaxation and glycine for the same purposes but also to heal the gut from the common pollutant and herbacide glyphosate that can take its place of glycine in the body which is needed to seal the gut, calm down and detoxify which are the basis of just about every physiological process we experience. The form shown above which you can purchase on Amazon also includes the amino acid lysine which supports immune system function. Other good forms exist, especially for different needs. Magnesium taurate supplies taurine which also helps calm the nervous system, feeds the heart, eye and brain tissue, and things the bile for better detoxification and digestion. Magnesium threonate crosses the blood brain barrier for very specific brain issues. Some products combine some or all of these ingredients, like Ultra-Mag Hi Efficiency Magnesium Source Naturals, Inc. 240 Tabs
Food -based Vitamin C Supplement, Made with Organic Fruit
Vitmain C is extremely essential for overall health, not only for combatting and warding off bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, but also for shielding oneself against the assaults we see increasing environmentally day by day. This is full of antioxidants and plant compounds that you otherwise might want to end up buying separately as well because of their great benefits. Rutin is a powerful one for instance, which protects blood vessels, and comes in handy during this COVID epidemic. Vitamin C is beneficial for nutrient absorption due to its necessity in the function of digestion, as well as that of energy production. The adrenals are the body’s main stress control glands, and Vitamin C is required to make them function properly, in turn making you more calmly and stably energized.
I also find pure ascorbic acid to be powerful in its own right because of its therapeutic quality that can be taken on endlessly high doses, as required for each bio individuality, in order to fight infection, heal body tissue and prevent suboptimal aging.
I like the liposomal form as well, as this kind gets absorbed to the lymphatic system (due to the lypospheres, processes and separated down to a nano level so they can be absorbed by the cells. For this reason, this is hailed as an alternative, and even equivalent to vitamin C IV, which was used in China with great success during their covid outbreak).
B Vitamins Whole Food Supplement
These are extremely necessary for optimal nervous system function including stress management, brain function and overall endurance as well as mental and emotional wellbeing. If you ever feel your nervous system over- stimulated and jittery, like laying in bed when you can’t get a good sleep, this might be helpful— for me it’s been the missing link in these cases. It’s also helped me with heart palpitations and neuropathy.
Essential oils–
US Organic 100% Pure Lavender Essential Oil (Bulgarian) – USDA Certified Organic – 10 ml – w/ Improved caps and droppers (More Size Variations Available):
This essence is perfect for relaxing and calming down. It also acts as a karminative so it can even be helpful for digestion as well! It makes sense, because the body has to rest in order to digest. I love this dropped on a pillow or in the bath before bed. As with all essential oils I’ll discuss, use a carrier oil or however the bottle instructs for safety and optimum usage.
Plant Therapy Vetiver Organic Essential Oil 5 mL (1/6 oz) 100% Pure, Undiluted, Therapeutic Grade:
I love this oil for a warming, overall sense of grounding. I especially love this during the winter when things feel so brisk. Has been reported to be great for attention, calming the mind and sleep. This is a common ingredient in commercial, big box perfumes. Only now you get to use it however you want to make any product you want for less of a price and without the carcinogenic chemicals!
Nature’s Answer 100% Pure Organic Essential Oil, 0.5-Ounce, Geranium:
Geranium gives an instant sense of upliftment and bliss. Like walking through a field of flowers any day or time you prefer. If you click the word-link then that will lead you to a smaller bottle that has a controlled dropper spout. But I wanted to add the following option, available by clicking the picture, as well due to it’s exceptional quality (food-grade and organic, with a very good price for the amount given) for those of you who might already have a glass dropper or a replacement dropper spout.
Nature’s Answer 100 Percent Pure Organic, Lemon Essential Oil, 0.50 Ounce:
This can be used for cleaning, making your own body care products (diluted carefully, of course) or adding a bright, fresh and clean smell to your laundry when applied to a small towel or wool laundry ball. This way you can avoid toxic fabric softeners or dryer sheets (source). Again I have included in the picture the highest quality, food grade and least expensive essential oil that comes without a dropper but is a better deal, you can buy or use a dropped that you have on hand to save money, and anything that leads to more essential oils is generally a good thing.
Words of advice when it comes to essential oils:
1. I find MLM companies seem to be spreading fast as far as oils go and though I don’t want to be negative towards any product that seems to have good intentions, though they claim to be testing their products, I, in my own research, have found multiple accounts and discoveries of people online who found per testing in a scientific lab that there were some pretty awful– non-essential– ingredients, in their oils. The ones I’m talking about specifically here are young living. Therefore, I’ve found the ones at the store, that say the latin plant name, are “100% pure” and are organic when possible, seem to work great therapeutically. I just don’t ingest them. If I’m not at the store or just want a really good quality essential oil, I’ll go to mountainroseherbs.com, their company is all organic and even use plant based ink on their labels! I thought that was pretty amazing. Not only that but their prices are extremely reasonable for a wide variety of oils from herbs that can be used therapeutically in food or body care products, to oils and natural perfumes and other premade body products.
2. I like to avoid avoid cooling essences like peppermint, especially during the winter as they can literally cool the body down. Unless you’re one of those people who is constantly hot, I advise reserving the winter use of minty or cooling scents for specific needs like diluted topical application for headaches. However, in other cases, like hotter climates this cooling property can be very useful. I’ve used this to my advantage before when in 100+ degree weather at an outdoor music festival. I applied it to my pulse points and the back of my neck and experienced great belief from the sweltering heat. I was so glad I packed the essential oil for this because I, quite frankly felt like I was going to die (joking, kind of). But for those living in more temperate climates, this is why I tend to stick with more warming spices, except for specific, extenuating circumstances. Especially in the winter, the digestive fire ,or warming energy, which so many people don’t have enough of, is only dampened by these extremely cooling oils such as peppermint and other mint varieties.
Lithium Orotate Kal 120 VCaps:
This natural mineral is fantastic for overall brain and bodily health. This has helped me immensely with sleep, focus and mood. This makes sense because this substance is actually capable of generating new brain cells! How cool is that? It’s neuroprotective, meaning it protects your brain and nerves, helps with memory and overall state of being. I wrote a blog post all about the importance of this mineral but in short, if you’re not hypothyroid or for some reason lithium- toxic (from years of using the toxic, bio-unavailable prescription of form that the body doesn’t recognize and therefore has to be flooded with to accept, for example) then you might want to have this in your cupboard. It’s especially great in times of stress or turmoil in one’s life. This includes illness because this amazing mineral is also supportive to the immune system!
Organic Coconut Oil
This is another must for me. For everything from my coffee, to cooking, to baking, coconut oil is beneficial to have in nearly any situation. It contains capryllic acid and monolaurin, both of which can help the body to fight and neutralize fungus, bacteria and biofilms. This luscious oil makes a perfect moisturizer for the skin! I used to be one that got dry skin during the winter, and coconut oil has entirely rescued me from that woe. It’s no wonder coconut oil is used in so many beauty products, as it in itself is a phenomenal one. It can even be applied to the hair for moisturization as a hot mask or overnight, especially for those with thicker hair. This beneficial source of lipids has shown to have healing effects on the gut as well as the brain. Coconut oil is full of medium chain triglycerides which are easily absorbed through digestion with minimal effort from the gallbladder, and helps sustain your energy, fueling your brain and body with ketones. These ketones are what make bulletproof coffee so beneficial, as they give the mitochondria, our cellular battery or powerhouse, a new way to burn fuel than it’s used to with carbs, allowing one to fight disease and feel amazingly energetic throughout the day. I love having bulletproof coffee in the morning and when combined with intermittent fasting it can help your body move from sugar burning to fat burning. This alone is the step many Americans’ need to train their body to do in order to address our mass epidemic of metabolic syndrome, hypoglycemia or pre-diabetes. Studies have shown it can benefit those with Alzheimer’s and consume at least 2 tablespoons of coconut oil a day (R), this makes sense because fat normalizes and regulates blood sugar. As blood sugar rates increase, as does one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease . In fact, the condition is even now being called “type 3 diabetes” by many renown health professionals (R). With such blood sugar regulation comes a more ideal weight. Coconut oil has even been shown in studies to lead to a reduction in waist size (R). Indeed, this was shown to be true even with no other changes to the diet! And because coconut oil is a saturated fat it gives us an option that’s actually safe to fry in. Contrary to popular believe, refined vegetable oils are not a safe frying medium. This is because, especially with polyunsaturated fats, the carbon-hydrogen bonds are not fully saturated. Therefore, the polyunsaturated— and monounsaturated fats when cooked too hot— will change from their -cis form to becoming a trans-fat. So those fats that were made illegal for causing heart disease long ago, what most fast food places and large restaurants will use over and over and over which just makes the oil less and less stable, are much more likely to cause damage for you. In fact, these polyunsaturates are what are largely found in the arteries after heart attacks, in addition to the especially deadly calcification on top that results from a deficiency in calcium cofactors, like other minerals, fatty acids and proper digestion. These kinds of fats will also congest the gallbladder and take the place of healthy fats in the membrane of all of your cells. Not to mention, most of the brain is fat, so be sure to cook with saturated fats, which is anything that’s solidified at room temperature (except for crisco which is already hydrogenated and should be avoided at all costs) especially at high temperatures. And be sure to incorporate plenty of coconut oil into your diet any way that you can in order to feed your brain more of what it is mostly made of– saturated fat!!
This is a natural hair dye that actually replenishes and is good for your hair and scalp. And I’m not talking about a chemical cocktail with some conditioning agents added, I mean full on, plant- based, nourishing ingredients. Pure ingredients are all you’re going to find in the ingredients list for hair dye. Like most dyes, it can get a little messy and requires patience, but it’s most definitely worth it to know that you’re actually being good to your hair long term and the world! This stuff even helps with dandruff! The product adds tint, though, rather than takes it away and adding a new one on (what most dyes do). So you’ll not want to use it too soon after using some chemical dye, and make sure you read the recommendations on the box for hair tint. If you’re looking to lighten hair, there are many other options out there for you. Some have had success with honey, cinnamon, and lemon, for instance.
Ecovibe Apparel:
This clothing store is all environmentally friendly, and extremely cute! Their shirts are so comfortable and many of them are made out of reused plastic! They have a ton of adorable rings, accessories and Jewelry as well. They have some really amazing options for any season. You can even shop online for anything they offer in store.
Pact socks & other clothing: I love this company because it’s online, all organic, and you get free shipping on any order over $59! I’ve come upon some pretty awesome sales on this site and after a big order they sent me a ton of free socks certificates with my package, which may came in handy around Christmas time.
The People’s Movement shoes: This brand blew me away! Seriously. They have some amazingly cute, and surprisingly inexpensive shoes! Not only that, but they gave me a free natural and eco friendly chapstick with my already drastically discounted order of shoes. They have a variety that look just like Vans but are, um… good for the world! Can you ask for any more?!
Many of these links are from my personal Amazon Associates, LLC. account. That means I get to make a small commission on purchases of certain products which I have found to be most supportive to optimal wellbeing.
****Dislaimer: nothing in this post intends to cure, treat or diagnose any illness, Disease or disorder.