​This morning, I came down the steps to, Derek, washing dishes, loading dishes, and starting breakfast. Immediately I was elated. I sat down on the island finishing some emails on my phone. He finished up the dishes, washed the sink, and started making our blueberry pancakes. 

In that very moment, I couldn’t help but think about how grateful I am that he’s mine. How grateful I am that he respects my wants, cares for my needs, and helps me whenever he can.
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That also made me think about never ending conversations I have about homelife stress.

I cannot tell you the amount of times I’ve had a conversation with whomever about, Derek, doing x,y,z around the house or with the kids followed up with a comment about ‘how lucky I am.'

Now hold on, Karen, I am not being insensitive, I completely understand the hustle and bustle of life- school, sports, band, homework, reading, grocery shopping, laundry, housework, etc. It typically is a never-ending list.
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However, recruiting help from your partner makes this list a lot more manageable. 

Women are notoriously great at running things at home until they can no longer run anymore. Why at this point do we ask for help?

As women, our bodies were not and are not made to withstand the toxic cesspool of a world we live in. It’s engraved in us to do much more than we physically or mentally can, all with a smile, all while trying to be perfect. It’s engraved in us to order these toxic, miracle creams/serums to help make us feel young. It’s engraved in us that the social media world is real life. It’s engraved in us that this zombie, exhausted from sun up to sun down, mom lyfe thing is ‘normal’. Well, I’m here to tell you that that’s a bunch of crap.

​No, I don’t mean just the food we are eating or the drinks we are drinking. I’m referring to all the negative energy that we consume- the gossip, the negative comments, the negative thoughts. All of it is breaking us down internally. Surround yourself with who brings peace and happiness to your life. I don’t care if you’ve been friends for 25 years- if you aren’t going to make yourself a priority, who is? 

​It’s getting to be the time of year again where extra lotion is needed. Before you grab that Bath & Body Works lotion, do your body a favor and toss it in the trash. Our makeup and skincare routines are FULL of toxins. All the while preaching natural or safe (insert eye roll emoji). Toxins that are linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and the list goes on. One that is very easy to spot and used often is ‘fragrance/parfum’. Anything with this listed in the ingredients deserves a spot in the trash. 

​If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness. If you would like to chat about what Functional Medicine can do for you, please complete our Free Online Health Assessment at the top of this page. 

As always, let's get back to health!
Much love,
​Dr. Taryn

As women, we're a constant target for skincare/cosmetics. We've all noticed the this will help you reduce age spots, diminish wrinkles, reduce the tiresome eye bags, give you voluminous lashes, hide your acne, etc. BUT at what health expense?

Did you have that SEVENTY-FIVE percent of all autoimmune diseases are diagnosed with women? Our bodies were not meant to function with added toxins and stress. 

If you're like me, before I knew better, I dabbled in some of these 'make me glamorous like Beyoncé concoctions.' My skin would break out, my eyes would water, my face and/or body would itch- you know the drill. And I'd sit there thinking, 'it said natural' or 'it said safe'.... These words mean NOTHING on labels. They are just a production of greenwashing.  

I speak a lot about greenwashing. Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company's products are environmentally friendly and therefore ‘better’.
​
L’Bri is a prime example of greenwashing. I did a quick Google search to get to their homepage and immediately saw “PURE n’ NATURAL” further down “NATURAL & SAFE”. Which left me shocked as I looked over their ingredient list…

In their cosmetics they typically use the following blacklisted ingredients:
• EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid)
• GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract)
• Phenoxyethanol
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In their skincare they typically use the following blacklisted ingredients:
• Fragrance (“essence”)
• PEGs ((Polyethylene Glycol)
• Phenoxyethanol
• Retinyl Palmitate

As women, we're a constant target for skincare companies. Did you know that it can take just 26 seconds for certain harmful chemicals to enter your bloodstream after penetrating your skin? We've all noticed the- try this it’s natural, it’s safe, it’s clean… We don’t know better until we know better. And trust me, reading ingredients is a full time job.
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Before I knew better, I dabbled in some of these 'make me glamorous like Beyoncé concoctions.' Especially when it came to sunscreen to ‘prevent wrinkles, diminish sunspots, reduce crow’s-feet, blah blah.’ My skin would break out, my eyes would water, my face and/or body would itch- you know the drill. 

​They also need to be non-nanoparticles or non-nano. Non-nano means the particles do not enter the bloodstream- with nano, they do. 

Secondly, choosing a ‘Reef Friendly’ or ‘Reef Safe’ certified product means it doesn’t contain ingredients that would harm the coral.
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Lastly, be sure to still check your labels for unsafe preservatives.

​If you're wondering what brand I personally use and suggest- head over to my 'products we love page'! 

​As always, limiting toxin exposure is an excellent idea.
Let’s get back to health,
Dr. Taryn

As women, we're a constant target for skincare/cosmetics. We've all noticed the this will help you reduce age spots, diminish wrinkles, reduce the tiresome eye bags, give you voluminous lashes, hide your acne, etc. BUT at what health expense?

If you're like me, before I knew better, I dabbled in some of these 'make me glamorous like Beyoncé concoctions.' My skin would break out, my eyes would water, my face and/or body would itch- you know the drill. And I'd sit there thinking, 'it said natural' or 'it said safe'.... These words mean NOTHING on labels. They are just a production of greenwashing.  

I am going to dig deeper into 3 of these blacklisted ingredients that are commonly used in both their cosmetic and skincare products. 

1. BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
2. PEG's (Polyethylene Glycol)
3. Phenoxyethanol (2-phenoxyethanol)

​“A toluene-based ingredient used as a preservative in food and personal care products. There is a lot of controversy surrounding BHT because of its suspected potential endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic effects.”1

​“A  group of ingredients with the prefix “PEG-” followed by a number. They are made by the process of ethoxylation in which carcinogenic ethylene oxide is reacted with other ingredients to make them less harsh on the skin. As a result of the ethoxylation process, 1,4-dioxane is created and can be left behind in the product. 1,4-dioxane can be reduced or removed from a product through the vacuum-stripping process. But independent tests show that many manufacturers fail to do so. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has classified 1,4-dioxane as ‘likely to be carcinogenic to humans.’ FDA studies showed that 1,4-dioxane can penetrate human skin.”1

​“A common preservative used in cosmetics, skincare, and personal care products. It is a member of the glycol ether family and is the product of the reaction of highly corrosive phenol with carcinogenic ethylene oxide. As a result, it may contain residue amounts of both. The American Society of Contact Dermatitis lists phenoxyethanol as one of its core allergens, even in concentrations as low as 1%.”1

As always- let's get back to health,
Dr. Taryn

​Dust mites are microscopic creatures. They are one of the major indoor triggers for people with allergies and asthma. Dust mites are nearly everywhere, and they feed on dead human skin cells found in dust.

Pets, shoes, kiddos, etc. bring bacteria into the home. Carpets create perfect homes for growth of bacterial colonies, especially if it’s cleaned infrequently. Typical carpet contains roughly 200,000 bacteria per square inch on average. That makes your carpet more germ packed than your toilet seat!

​Carpeting is a magnet for pollen and other allergens. They easily get stuck in the carpet fibers. Seasonal allergens enter the house through the windows and shoes, depositing right into your carpet.

Most carpets are treated with chemicals before they even enter your home. Did you purchase your phone from another family? I wonder what they used on their carpets... Remember my ‘no shoe rule’? It makes sense that chemical traces like herbicides, pesticides, gasoline, etc. have found on the soles of shoes.

​I always suggest having your home tested for mold. Ongoing mold exposure is detrimental to your health and well-being. (Blog to come!) People living in humid parts of the world are more likely to have mold in their carpets. The fibers make it possible for mold to develop deep inside the fabric- without any noticeable symptoms. 

​Now, I am a huge proponent for pets being in the house. Having pets, like dogs or cats, are very beneficial for overall health and well-being. Fur sheds and it’s often deposited into the carpet and will inevitably get trapped between the fibers. Pets track in bacteria and feces- shampooing regularly for pet owners is a must. 

​REMOVE YOUR SHOES! Pets, shoes, and kiddos are the main culprits when it comes to mud and dirt hiding in your carpets. 

​Yes, you read that right. This sounds nasty but it’s a normal part of life. It’s estimated that the human your skin makes up about 16% of your body weight, meaning you have roughly 1.6 trillion skin cells. Within 24 hours, you lose almost a million skin cells. These are scattered throughout the home and often deposited in the carpet. Remember, dust mites live on dead human skin cells?

​I’m not sure I need to or want to elaborate on all the different bugs that could be (and are) in your carpets. 

Alright, alright, I'll stop the list. We’re [now] well aware of how dirty our carpets are. So, what do we do about it? Remove the toxic, expensive carpet cleaner you’ve added to your Amazon cart, Karen!
The whole point of this blog is to reduce chemicals in our homes. Spraying toxic concoctions on our carpets to “clean” them sounds foolish, doesn’t it? These chemicals absorb into our skin and wreak havoc on our bodies. My daughter puts ev-er-y thing in her mouth! I definitely don’t want these “cleaning” chemicals entering her system. 

Do you have a favorite recipe?! Please share!​

Happy shampooing,
Dr. Taryn