Tips for a cleaner, greener body and yard

Yesterday’s e-letter may have seemed a bit like the “little house on the prairie.” But the truth is, getting back to the basics can spare you the modern dangers of a lot of hidden health threats.   

Since we just talked about safer alternatives for household chores, today, let’s tackle personal grooming.   

Believe it or not, these are some of the most toxic products in our homes—and they leave us with dozens of chemicals to be absorbed directly through our skin every single day.  

Boost your skincare routine 

I recently counted how many personal care products I use each morning before leaving the house—and I came up with 14. That’s an insane number, when you think about it! Thankfully, most of my products are chemical-free. But that’s not the case for a lot of Americans. 

So, let me share some of the swaps I have made, which not only give me peace of mind, but also work just as well as anything you can pick up at the drug store.    

  • Shampoo: Beat one egg yolk and then gradually add in one cup of warm to hot water, as desired, as you beat the yolk. Massage into hair and rinse. (I make this ahead of time for the convenience factor.) 
  • Conditioner: Massage two teaspoons of natural yogurt throughout your hair. If your hair is dry, leave it in. If your hair is oily, rinse with water. 
  • Baths: Add pure bath oils (made from essential plant oils), herbs for relaxation, salt for cleansing and toning, starch (like flour) for skin sleekness, and powdered milk for supple skin. (What a great way to take care of your skin!) 
  • Cleanser: Use oatmeal, which cleans and softens the skin without soap. Wrap your oats in a cloth and gently scrub. 
  • Skin Lotion: Combine a ripe tomato, lemon juice, and glycerin in equal parts.  Massage into skin and rinse with tepid water. (Hot water actually damages our skin.) This sounds strange, I know, but it’s a great natural way to keep skin smooth and radiant. 
  • Toothpaste: Combine baking soda and water until it forms a paste. Brush as you normally would. 
  • Mouthwash: A salt and water solution will disinfect germs and eliminate most odors. You can also do what I do and add some peppermint or wintergreen oil. 

Most of these swaps can be made with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. All without the long list of unpronounceable chemicals you’ll find in most personal care products. 

Battle bugs naturally 

Now that we’ve covered household cleaners and personal grooming, let’s pivot to something completely different, but just as toxic: home insect control.  

Simply put, any chemical designed to kill bugs is almost certainly going to be harmful to pets and humans, too. So here are some safer options to help keep creepy crawlies out of your house: 

  • Moths: Stick cloves into the surface of an apple or an orange until completely covered. Cover with white tissues and let dry for two weeks in a dry but airy place.  Unwrap and hang in the closet. Cedar closets or wood chips also repel moths. 
  • Cockroaches/Ants: In a bowl, mix together confectioners’ (powdered) sugar, finely chopped bay leaves, and cucumber skins. Sprinkle in areas where ants or cockroaches have been found. Remember to fill any cracks around shelves, sinks, cupboards, etc.—and to eliminate any dripping water and piles of old papers—where these pests like to hide.  
  • Flies: Mint plants in pots or in planters near or in window sills are great fly repellents. 
  • Fleas: Add nutritional yeast to your pet’s food as a natural flea repellent. Vacuum floors and furniture thoroughly and often. 
  • Mealy bugs on houseplants: Apply oil directly on the leaves with a small paintbrush. (This works on outdoor plants as well.)  

Finally, let me offer one more related tip: I love to garden… especially in the summer. And I know many of you do, too. But the chemicals we pour on those gardens are known to damage DNA. So while you can’t control what gets sprayed on parks, golf courses, and the like, you should be wary of what you put in your own backyard. 

So, here’s my own recipe for natural fertilizer: Simply chop 3 ounces of garlic bulbs and soak them in 2 teaspoons of mineral oil for 24 hours. Slowly add one pint of water, 2 ounces of oil-based natural soap, and stir well.   

Squeeze this liquid through gauze or cheesecloth and store in a tightly sealed jar. Dilute one part garlic mixture to 20 parts water in a sprayer and voila—you’ll have the greenest (pun intended!) yard on the block. 

P.S. This Sunday, July 25 at 3:00 p.m. (EDT), I’ll be hosting my Ultimate Heart Summit. During this exclusive event, I’ll be disclosing the exact same information that I use to help hundred of my own patients that were once struggling to transform their heart health. This event is FREE, but space is limited. So click here to reserve your spot today! 


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