The Perimenopause Show with Jennifer Woodward
Hey there, it's Jennifer Woodward, and welcome to The Perimenopause Show – the go-to spot for all things perimenopause. I'm on a mission to demystify this wild ride, sharing stories, laughs, and maybe a few eye-rolling moments. Whether you're knee-deep in hot flashes or just curious, we've got you covered. Expect real talk, expert guests, and a sprinkle of humor because, let's face it, we could all use a laugh during perimenopause. So, grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and let's navigate this rollercoaster together. This is The Perimenopause Show, where we're turning perimenopause into a conversation, not a crisis.
Learn how to gracefully sail through perimenopause with tips on diet, exercise, stress management, sleep, and supplements.
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The Perimenopause Show with Jennifer Woodward
Unveiling the Toxins in Your Beauty Bag and Beyond with Naomi Altman, FDNP
Embark on an eye-opening exploration with Jennifer Woodward and Naomi Altman, FDNP, as we uncover the hidden dangers lurking in your beauty bag and bathroom cabinet. Feel empowered to question the products that promise youth and vitality, yet may secretly disrupt your hormonal harmony, especially through the perimenopausal years. Together, we'll give you the knowledge to reclaim your health, stripping back the layers on unregulated chemicals and guiding you towards a radiance that glows from within.
This episode is packed with revelations, as we address the pivotal role of the endocrine system and its unexpected ally—body fat—in shielding us from toxins. We're delving into the startling world of 'obesogens' and their contribution to weight gain, and we liken the liver to a bathtub, a metaphor that vividly captures the essence of detoxification. You'll leave with practical first steps to minimize your toxin exposure, making each product choice a conscious stride towards a more vibrant you.
As the conversation unfolds, I'll share my personal switch to clean skincare and household products, offering recommendations that range from Whole Foods favorites to online gems like Farm to Skin and Ilia. With summer on the horizon, we've got you covered with Naomi-approved sunscreen picks, ensuring you're well-equipped to embrace clean living with confidence. Join us in this informative journey and uplift your routine for a healthier, more balanced life during perimenopause and beyond.
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See you next time! 💖
Hey, there, it's Jennifer Woodward, and welcome to the perimenopause show, the go-to spot for all things perimenopause. I'm on a mission to demystify this wild ride, sharing stories, laughs and maybe a few eye rolling moments. Whether you're knee deep in hot flashes or just curious, we've got you covered. Expect real talk, expert guests and a sprinkle of humor, because, let's face it, we could all use a laugh during perimenopause. So grab your favorite drink, get comfy and let's navigate this rollercoaster together. This is the perimenopause show, where we're turning perimenopause into a conversation, not a crisis. Where we're turning perimenopause into a conversation, not a crisis. All right, welcome back to the perimenopause show.
Speaker 1:I am Jennifer Woodward and we talk about all things perimenopause Today. I am so excited to welcome my friend and colleague, naomi Altman, fdnp, to the show. Naomi is so fascinating because she looks at functional health from a really deep perspective and this is so important for women. So Naomi's passion is clean ingredients, clean beauty, clean wellness products, and she has taught me so much about what I need to look for, not only for products for my life myself and my family, but also for my clients. So let me introduce Naomi for you. She is an FDNP. She's certified in environmental toxins and ingredient safety. She went from tired to fired up when learning just how much the products we use affect our health and hormones.
Speaker 2:So welcome, Naomi. Thanks for coming. Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 1:I've been looking forward to this for quite some time because we've known each other for a couple of years. We were together at FDN and we did the Graduate Association Business School together over there, and now we get to work together on Tina Halpert's team over at Carrots and Cakes doing functional lab testing and coaching over there, and it's just been such a joy to get to not only spend time with you but also learn from you on this really important topic.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness. Well, thank you so much. It is really important and I think it's kind of a blind spot for women families you know everybody, but really women because we are so inundated with products and we love products. But it is such a blind spot when we look at our health and how that does impact what is going on inside our bodies. You know it's not always the sexiest topic because we want the great new mascara or on trend cleaning product or things like that, but there really is a lot to know about it and how much it does affect our health and hormones. So I'm so excited to talk about this.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Well, and we know too, as FDN practitioners. You know great skin and like true beauty that really does come from the inside in so many ways metaphorically, but also physically. You know, eating enough protein, drinking clean water, making sure that you know our food supply is free of toxins is definitely the foundation. And you guys, I've seen Naomi in real life. Her skin radiates. You know what she lives. You can tell that her body is non-toxic, and so you know, getting those foundations are in place for, or getting those foundations in place, are important for a lot of women, but then they still continue to, you know, struggle with skin issues, or struggle with skin that maybe doesn't look as perky or, as you know, vibrant as we want it to, and I think that might be the catalyst for a lot of women to start investigating their skincare, their personal care products and even, maybe you know, the soaps and laundry detergents that they're cleaning with. What was your personal story that got you interested in clean products?
Speaker 2:I love this question and I really thought I was doing it right. I really did. I we used to use like palm olive free and clear, and you know I just was using Lubiderm, cetaphil, you know, all these things that dermatologists quote unquote recommend. And prior to becoming an FDN, I did become a certified health coach and I would guide people through a popular 30 day to healthy living program, which was really really great at the time, you know, really cleaning up our diets, and that area really introduced me to ingredients. I didn't really think of it before. If somebody told me it was a good product, I believed them and I think that's really where a disconnect, you know, can be. Once I started learning about ingredients and what some of these can actually do to our health and our hormones, I got really into it and I see such a change in myself, in my family clients, you know, when they get this like light bulb, like oh my goodness. And I think one of the things that we don't really realize is how unregulated ingredients are.
Speaker 2:The Food, drug and Cosmetics Act has not been updated since 1938. Wow, so it's like no wonder, right, and just think how many products have come across the aisles since then, and I think another interesting point is that, you know, according to the National Institute of Health, only five to 10% of cancers can be attributed to genetics. The remaining 90 to 95% is due to environment and lifestyle. So it is scary, but it's also encouraging, because we can take the reins of our own health, and I think it's really important. There's, like you know, in the US approximately 86,000 chemicals that are registered for use. This includes 62,000 chemicals that were grandfathered in when the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed. So what that means is 62,000 chemicals were basically given a free pass and an automatic presumption of safety, without any requirement to actually test to see if they were indeed safe.
Speaker 2:That bothers me. I don't think that's right, you know. I think that when somebody tells you something, you want to believe them and these companies and what ingredients are in them. But we have to take a step back and just ask the questions and know, kind of, what you know to look for, because you know women especially, we just use a lot of products Like by the time we you know to look for, because you know women especially, we just use a lot of products like by the time we, you know, walk out the door. We've already probably used 14 things, right? What are in those 14 things? You know it really does make a difference. We look at how we're moving our body. You know some of the things that you said in the beginning getting sunlight, eating nutrient dense foods, making sure our minerals are served in, our adrenals are loved on and everything like that. What are we using? What is making a difference in our health?
Speaker 1:So many amazing things to think about and I had no idea that the standards have not been updated since the 1930s. That is mind blowing to me and you know you talking about cancer and hormone disruption. Those are really important things, I think. Before we get into specifics, let's talk about some of the ways that these chemicals and substances can alter just the balance and homeostasis of our body. Like I said, cancer for sure, but then also for women, you know, especially in perimenopause, how can some of these products and what specific chemicals can really start altering, you know, hormone balance for a woman in her forties.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I think when we look at the endocrine system and how much endocrine disruptors, their chemicals that can block or mimic natural hormones in our body, that in and of itself is enough to make us like pause. So there's over 1500 chemicals that are identified as endocrine disrupting. So that's like oh my gosh. I mean they can do anything from like behavioral or cognitive issues, increased aggression, hyperactivity, the loss of IQ points. We can see it in fertility, cancer. You know all of these things that really shift the way that our hormones behave in the body and that can be really tied to so many different things such as, you know, weight gain, thyroid issues, you know neurotoxins, how things are affecting us neurologically, what is really going on on how women are actually passing things to the babies through the umbilical cord and things like that. So it can be really overwhelming. But I think if we just look at it in the endocrine system alone and how much that affects our overall health, you know that is a place to really start.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Well and and our fat is part of our endocrine system, right, like it really has a mind of its own. And this is sort of something that's come into play in the last like 20 or 30 years, where we realized fat is not just this inner substance, it actually has a way that it talks to the body. And from my understanding, you know, a lot of these chemicals have to go into sequestration in the body, like they have to be encapsulated in fat so the body doesn't become overrun with toxicity. And again, correct me if I'm wrong, but that's that's my understanding. And so it seems that maybe some of that belly fat or some of the, you know, cellulite that we have might not necessarily be just from food or, you know, hormone imbalance alone. It could also come from these substances and chemicals that we're putting in our body and our body has no idea what to do with it, so it's kind of safely trying to store it in the fat tissue is that about right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would say so, and there are. It's a little bit of a tongue twister, but obesogens are a class of chemicals that can trigger weight gain by disrupting metabolism, altering hormone production and predisposing people to gaining weight. So there is that component to what is actually happening with our fat and to our fat. So having these toxic overloads that not only affect our hormones but actually the liver as well, I think we know that the liver is a primary source of detoxification and if it is overloaded, that's a real issue. You know, think about how much you can really put in a bathtub. If you think of that analogy which a lot of people have heard before, you're just kind of letting that water go into the tub and if it is not draining, what happens? It overflows, and that can be something that is attributed to our you know chemicals that we're using and how that is affecting our body.
Speaker 1:That totally makes sense. Yeah, you don't think like oh, maybe some of my belly fat is due to my moisturizer or my hand cream.
Speaker 2:I'm using that's kind of a scary proposition to think about it just it adds to this toxic overload and the toxic burden on our body because it can come from anywhere and there are things that we can't really do anything about. You know air quality you can't live in a bubble, right? We can't stay inside our house all the time, but it's just like you want to get out and breathe the air, and air quality is something I mean. Maybe inside our house we can help with filters and opening the windows and things like that, but by really paying attention to what we can control is something that's really important. You know, our skin is our largest organ and it's an important component of our immune system and keeping our skin healthy, you know, as we kind of transition, the discussion here is so critical for our overall health. So you know, many chemicals that are used in our personal care products are easily absorbed into the skin and enter the bloodstream, where they are, like distributed throughout the body, and the chemicals that we absorb through our skin enter our bloodstream before being metabolized by the liver that we were just talking about, making them an important exposure source. So a lot of these personal care products that we're using contain ingredients that increase the rate at which they, or other chemicals enter the bloodstream. Those are like penetration enhancers, you know. So it just escalates things.
Speaker 2:It's really hard because, like the cosmetic industry, like is a $500 billion industry worldwide and you know, the average American woman spends about $3,000 a year on personal care products and treatments, and you know all the things that we love and want to do. But it's really important to look at what we are using. And it's hard because we'll see things that may or use things that may work right. So it's not necessarily efficacy, it's what is the safety around them. And when there's really no checks and balance system, it's hard. I mean there's, like you know, 10,000 chemicals and personal care products and the majority of them have not been evaluated for safety. And also like long-term use, because it's like we can use a product that we love for a really long time, and then maybe they change the color or you have to pick something else.
Speaker 2:But I just think it's important to really be mindful of what is going on with the products that we're using.
Speaker 1:Okay, I have a couple of questions on specifics, but maybe before we even get into specifics, we can talk about what are good ways to just begin educating yourself. Let's say a woman starting to hear about this for the very first time and she's like, oh no, like how would you go about and do an audit of your day or your products and start to really, you know, incorporate some of this information into your life?
Speaker 2:I just say to first take a really deep breath. When people start to sort of navigate the low tox or no tox world, it can be a little toxic because you have people that are really extreme, is I don't really like to use that word. But you know, there's like different sides where people are very informed to people who really I don't want to say they don't care, but they just might not be aware yet. So where is the pendulum going to? You know land? So I would say, first just take a deep breath and understand that you don't have to change everything at once. One, it can be overwhelming, and two, it can be quite expensive, you know, to just throw out everything. So I would say, maybe prioritize certain areas where you can, you know, make those changes. But I would say that there are a few ingredients to look out for.
Speaker 2:Now I'm going to tell you that this may change your shopping and buying habits, because it's very, very difficult to go to Costco or Walmart or Target and pick up laundry detergent. The good thing is, many of these stores are starting to understand the safety issue and how much it can impact our health and hormones. So it seems as though they're kind of starting to maybe think about having different things on the shelves. But I would be mindful, first and foremost, that what you see on the front of a label really is more marketing. They can say we're BPA free or you know, no parabens or things like that, but the true meaning really is on the back of the label. So I would say first take a deep breath. Second, don't necessarily, you know. Again, I wish we could believe what we are told, but you kind of have to take this into your own hands, because what's on the front of the marketing is not necessarily reflective to what the true ingredients are.
Speaker 1:So that's number two, and I'm a sucker for a pretty label, so that is really helpful.
Speaker 2:Like green and you know free of this and we don't have that and it's like that's great. I love that you don't have parabens.
Speaker 2:I love that you're BPA free, but let's turn it around and see, like what else is actually on there. So I would say when you're looking at labels, the first thing you want to knock out is an ingredient called fragrance or fragrance slash parfum. And this is a little confusing because it can just be like, oh, that's just the scent, that's the smell, but really think of it as an ingredient because it's really connected to an ingredient called phthalates, which you won't see that name necessarily on a label, because there can be like 3000 chemicals that are under the term fragrance, that are like proprietary, where the recipe, the fragrance recipe, does not have to be revealed. So a single fragrance recipe that is labeled just fragrance or fragrance slash perfume can have up to 300 different fragrance ingredients, including known irritants, allergens and carcinogens. And there's no like federal regulation requiring companies to disclose that recipe or formulation for their fragrances because they're considered trade secrets.
Speaker 2:We don't know what's in there and phthalates are wild and you will see it on everything. Now that you know, you're going to see it on everything, but it doesn't mean that that is the scent. So like you might see something that's fragrance with like organic apple peel or something. Well, they're disclosing that. That's in there.
Speaker 2:But when you see fragrance or fragrance slash parfum or just parfum, that should be like an automatic no, because phthalates are linked to, like early onset puberty in girls and early puberty is a risk factor for breast cancer and as a woman's risk of breast cancer is directly related to how many years she is exposed to estrogen, so the earlier puberty, the more exposure to estrogen. So we want to think in those terms. You know phthalate exposure is associated with also with like allergies and asthma and immune system suppression. It can be linked to developmental and behavioral disorders, also linked to obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. So we've got all of these things that phthalates are related to. All you guys really need to know is that if you see fragrance or fragrance slash perfume, that is a hard no, that's a no. Fuck stops here.
Speaker 1:I love it. Okay, that is a really clear action step and I know like when in the past they've been taught the prefix benzo or methyl also denotes a possible estrogenic substance in the personal care product. Is that correct? That can be, yeah, okay. So I've tried to not purchase any products if I see, like you know, or phenol I think phenol was the other one so phenol, methyl or benzyl that I try to stay away from.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think too, it's like you know, when you get also into, like the preservative category. You want to be aware of that as well. Now, parabens I think many people kind of have their ears up when they hear parabens, because it was a widely used class of preservatives in personal care products that have been linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, immune system issues, neurotoxicity, skin irritation and I know, like Lubiderm, I used to use that all the time. I think they did change their formulation, but they have parabens and you will see parabens on the label, whereas like phthalates, you won't necessarily see that. But if you see fragrance or fragrance slash perfume, you can pretty much guarantee that. But parabens you will see on the label and it might have a prefix. So you want to be aware of that. That's really important because some studies have shown that parabens can increase the rate at which cancer cells grow. So that is something that you definitely want to stay away from. You will still see it, but what you'll see in its place? So this would be the next thing. So we've got fragrance or fragrance slash perfume to stay away from parabens.
Speaker 2:And then this is one that people might not necessarily be thinking so much about is phenoxyethanol. Once companies got wise to the fact that consumers were getting wise about parabens, phenoxyethanol became the preservative that has been quickly replacing parabens and it's better, but there's still an indication of its toxic effects. So you want to really be mindful of phenoxyethanol, and you will see that in a lot of clean beauty products. I'm going to tell you that because a lot of brands will defend the use of it down to, I think, like less than 1%. But if you're using a lot of different products that have phenoxyethanol in it, that becomes an exposure issue.
Speaker 1:Okay, just kind of like compounding on top of each other. You're getting wet, yep, aggregate Yep, yep, yep. Okay, so we have fragrance or fragrance perfume.
Speaker 2:We have parabens, we have noxie ethanol.
Speaker 1:It's a tongue twister. We'll try to write all these down in the show notes so people can actually look it up especially the one that I botched.
Speaker 2:Are there a couple? I just can't. I can't say it. I know what it is, but I can't articulate it.
Speaker 1:Yep yep, been there. Are there any other you know top tier ingredients that?
Speaker 2:we should look for Definitely. There's two more that I would like to talk about. One is sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium, it's sister, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium, its sister, sodium lauryl sulfate. So you'll see a lot of these in like shampoos and, you know, laundry detergents and dish soap. It's like the foaming agent and it can be a penetration enhancer. So it just makes makes things go in on a deeper level. So sodium lauryl sulfate is often contaminated with a known carcinogen, one four dioxane. So that is something that you definitely want to stay away from in the community.
Speaker 2:You will hear sls like that's what they'll refer it to, refer to it as but sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate, side note or footnote, really anything ending in F I would not want anything to do with. Okay, okay, good to know. Yeah, those are two others and I think it can be really overwhelming. But if people just start there because you can really go deep and like what's in my leggings, you know what these forever chemicals and PFAS, but I think that can be next level because that is a huge topic and I think it can lead to overwhelm and you know a confused mind says no, it's like, okay, forget it, I'm just going to do what I'm doing, but I, in terms of you know makeup and things like that if, if, if, we can look for at least those, it's definitely a start because, if you think about you know how many products we use just to get ready today. It's a lot.
Speaker 2:You know what we wash our hands with, what we you know our mascara, you know blush, lipstick, skincare routine. You know all of these things. And I think just listeners should also be mindful of stores that label things like Target Clean or Sephora Clean, label things like Target Clean or Sephora Clean. Well, what does that mean? What does that mean? Is my version of clean the same as theirs? Probably not, but I think it's if we can start with those ingredients. There are more for sure, but we got to start somewhere.
Speaker 1:I think this is a good start, probably for most people, and that's kind of what I was going to ask you to, just transitioning into it. We could go on our own and look for some of these products. But then I wanted to ask, like, what does keep it clean? Naomi's morning routine look like Like what are a couple maybe not all of them, but a couple of specific products that you're maybe using on the makeup side or the cleansing side or the moisturizer side? First thing you know, in the morning, the morning, well, the first thing.
Speaker 2:I do is scrape my tongue. Well, first thing I do is go to the bathroom, then I'm done, but when I'm getting ready, like I use to wash my face, I use a brand called luxe beauty, l-u-x-e beauty, and the founder founded this or made this product. She's actually a chemist because her mom was diagnosed with stage four cancer. She is in remission and we made this brand to help support, you know, healthy hormones and lifestyle with these. With these changes, I love her face wash. I use it. I use the moisturizer, the toner, and you can even get that one at Whole Foods, which is great, or you can order online.
Speaker 2:Another brand that I love is called Farm to Skin. That's another one that I really like, and those are what I'm using right now for, like my skincare routine. I also use an eye cream from 100% Pure. That's a great one. And then my makeup. Right now I'm wearing Root R-O-O-T Pretty. I just started experimenting with that brand, and then my mascara is 100% Pure, and then Ilia. Now, ilia is an interesting one because not all of their products are clean, but this particular mascara I think it's called the Limitless or something I use that one, and then my eyeshadow is from Crunchy, so I like to kind of play around All over the place I like it.
Speaker 2:I'm not a one brand. I used to be like Mac. I mean everything, like the lipstick and I mean everything, but I like to play around with different things For cleaning products, which is huge. This is a really big area because we're inhaling this and we don't always have windows open right. So what we use in our home is really important. So right now I use a lot from Roe Casa Organics. I really really have been happy with all of their cleaning products. They have a lot of things. How do you spell that?
Speaker 1:How do you spell Roe Casa?
Speaker 2:R-O-W-E Organics. Thank you, really fantastic. And they have a lot of great medicine cabinet swaps, so that's really impactful because those are other things that we're taking that you know there's a lot of parabens in some of the over-the-counter medications, so you want to. You want to look at those things too. We talked a lot about more clean beauty and things like that, but if you do take any OTC things, you know, check those inactive ingredients. There's a lot about more clean beauty and things like that, but if you do take any OTC things, you know, check those inactive ingredients. There's a lot of stuff in there as well. So I like a lot of the Rochasa medicine cabinet things. And then Truly Free is another great like cleaning brand, along with Branch Basics.
Speaker 1:Okay, and Branch Basics I've used. I've not used any of the others. So that is. That is good to hear, and, and a kind of a commentary, that the brands are starting to get it and where people are starting to, you know, use things that are cleaner and better for them. So what about laundry detergent?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I use Rocasa organics laundry detergent. I I love their laundry detergent. They have a liquid and also a powder, so I use the powder and what's different for theirs is you actually just sprinkle it on the clothes in the basin, you don't put it in the little chute. Truly Free also has a really great laundry detergent. I used to use them. But I do like to jump around, yeah, because I like to try things, because I want to recommend things, and these are all like online things.
Speaker 2:You know, unfortunately I have, I have yet to find there might be one laundry detergent. I think it's the whole brands, um, whole food brand three. Are they three? 65? That one, um, they have a laundry detergent that I would use if I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm out of detergent and I'm going to wait for shipping and you know all that kind of stuff. But there's other things like Molly Suds that you can get on Amazon and I mean there are people that just use, you know, vinegar and things like that. You could do that as well. But I think those are some good places to start.
Speaker 2:I hope it's changing more, where things will be more available, but I also like to support smaller businesses that are really investing in clean ingredients. I mean, like Ro Casa, they make everything, everything's in glass, which is great, because we didn't even talk about plastics, because that's a whole nother thing. We'll have to have you back on for another thing, like in the kitchen. We'll have to have you back on for a while. That's a whole other thing, like in the kitchen. You know things in the kitchen. So, and yeah, well, a little review don't reheat in plastic. We don't even use. I mean, I had so many of those great little containers with the lids and you know all that kind of stuff and, just transitioning, now I do mostly use mason jars oh okay, yeah yeah, that's good to know.
Speaker 1:I know I've transitioned to mostly glass containers, but most of them still have a plastic lid. I'm like oh, what is this? Completely defeating the purpose.
Speaker 2:What in the world I know that's the thing about like with the Mason jars is like that sort of coating, but I feel like as long as the food is not hot when I put it in, or, you know, not reheating, obviously with the lid on. But you know, even like you have some great ones even on Amazon that aren't the plasticky type lid, you know the, the bamboo lid or the glass lid that just has the things to kind of snap down. So there are options and it's just better than plastic in general. So we do.
Speaker 1:Okay, Good to know. Well, the one last thing I wanted to ask you about Naomi. As we head into summer, can you give us one or two recommendations for a keep it clean? Naomi approved sunscreen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's a few. Rocasa does have one. I will say it's a little harder to take with you because it is sort of in a bottle with a spout so it's like not so great on the go. But Bobbo botanicals is a great one and that you can get at Whole Foods, that's a great one.
Speaker 1:Oh, this is so great. Okay, good, Having action steps. I think it's helpful because, like you said, it's going to be really expensive, really difficult to throw out your entire you know drawer of makeup and personal care products and cleaning supplies. But I heard row organics or row Casa organics a lot today, so that might be a website for you guys to just explore and play around with and see if you can start just substituting a few things that you already have for some of these shiny new, fun, healthy, clean products. Um, and I know Naomi has like a free download that you can use. That will kind of help get you started on this journey. So do you want to tell us where we can find that?
Speaker 2:Naomi. Yeah, hopefully we can just put it in the show notes, but go to my Instagram. I'm at keep it clean, naomi. So it's two N's keep it clean, naomi. It's listed there in my bio so anybody can download that as well. And I just wanted to make one more mention because I know I had mentioned looking at things that end in F that we want to stay away from. Also, if anything begins with PEG, it'll be like three capital letters PEG. Those can also be contaminated with that 1,4-dioxine, which is the known carcinogen. So that's just another thing, because you will see that on a lot of clean beauty or beauty products and things like that.
Speaker 2:I just wanted to share this one quick story. Someone I follow on Instagram and she had shared all the things that her esthetician had recommended. And I love looking at products because I'm like I want to find new things too. Everyone I looked at was problematic and I just I mean, I didn't really have a heart to tell her. But when people like recommend things, I look, I always look and I'm so rarely surprised in a good way that it's something that I would use or recommend. And you know, I would also say that just because an influencer says it's clean, or they think it's clean or a celebrity is endorsing it, does not mean that it's something that you want to use. It's just you know you have to start being your own health detective and by looking for things that you know. This is a great start with the list that we've kind of reeled off and I'm sure it'll be in the show notes, but we'll maybe not.
Speaker 1:I don't know, but we will definitely make sure this is good, good information to get out to people. It will be in the show notes and it's just a good life lesson in general. You know, don't trust everything an influencer says. That's great. Well, Naomi, I have learned so much. I'm sure our listeners have learned so much. I hope this is not the last time that we get to talk to you on this show, Cause I know I want to talk about plastics and preparation of food and now my medicine cabinet. So this is just the start. Everybody you can find, keep it clean. Naomi, like she said on Instagram, do you want to give us any closing thoughts? Just on clean and healthy beauty products and household products?
Speaker 2:You know, I would just say, just start somewhere. You know, just start, and it might seem overwhelming. But if your laundry detergent is starting to need to be replenished, maybe that's where you start. Or your dish soap, or your skincare, you know those, those types of things. I think it can be really overwhelming. But we have to ask ourselves do we wanna live in the matrix, where everything is like bright and shiny and wonderful, or do we wanna maybe take a little bit of time to be informed and create a better environment for our health and hormones? Because we want our hormones to behave appropriately and we wanna give them and give our health and give our thyroid. Want our hormones to behave appropriately and we want to give them and give our health and give our thyroid all the things it needs in order to, you know, keep us going, because we're in midlife right, we're women in midlife and we're struggling with so many things. We don't need to add this to the list, but it's an important topic. So thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1:Oh, naomi, thank you so much and just so well said yeah. Especially in a time in our life where so many other things are, you know, feeling a little bit out of control, this is one area of your world that you do have control over and can pay, you know, not not only immediate but definitely far reaching dividends too, as you protect yourself from cancer and further hormonal chaos. So this has just been invaluable, naomi, thank you so much, and I cannot wait to have you on again, thank you.
Speaker 2:I can't wait to be here. Thank you.
Speaker 1:Well, that's a wrap for today's episode. I hope you enjoyed our candid chat about perimenopause the good, the challenging and everything in between. If you found this episode as enlightening and entertaining as I did, be sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a dose of perimenopausal realness. Before you go, remember that you're not alone in this journey. We're building a community of kick-ass women embracing the changes and supporting each other. Connect with us on social media, share your stories and let's keep this conversation going. And hey, if you have a burning question, a topic you'd love us to tackle, or just want to say hello, shoot us a message. Your feedback keeps this podcast fueled and fabulous. Thanks for hanging out with us today. Until next time, take care, stay fabulous and remember perimenopause is just another chapter in the adventure of being a woman. Catch you on the flip side.