Happy Juice is all over social media… but what is it and why is it trending?
Is it really all natural, and does it really work?
Is it really worth it??
I am skeptical by nature, especially with these “trending” things that seem too one-size-fits-all to be true…. but the reports I’ve seen from real people who have seen tangible, lasting benefits had me curious–so I jumped down the rabbit hole and researched everything I could find about “Happy Juice.”
Happy juice comes in a variety of flavors, all naturally sourced from fruit, according to the website
What is Happy Juice?
Smiling, bubbly, picture-perfect tiktokers, IG stars and other influencers are all over social media with their brightly colored Happy Juice, raving about how naturally delicious it is and how it’s helped them ward off mental health struggles, improved mood and eliminated brain fog, helped them lose weight and improve digestion as well as given them energy and mental focus!
But is it true?
And are the ingredients as natural as they say?
Research
When I first came across the company that makes Happy Juice, it was before Happy Juice was a product. I was interested in learning more about them because I had been researching the gut-brain communication system for years, and they have a simple protocol that addresses this connection, optimizing the communication between the gut and the brain along the vagus nerve.
Though I had been researching this connection for several years and was convinced of how powerful it is, I had yet to find a reliable protocol on the market that could restore and heal this connection, and help people heal physiologically and holistically both physically and mentally.
The gut-brain connection has so much potential: for mental healing, physical healing, and addressing chronic issues that have been difficult for the medical industry to effectively and reliably treat (mood, brain fog, psychiatric issues, spectrum disorders and focus, attention, behavioral and developmental problems).
I was impressed with their gut-brain connection protocol because the formulation had clean ingredients using only herbs, food and biotics, and there were thousands of people raving that they had been able to eliminate or avoid meds for issues ranging from mental to physical health, allergies and chronic illness.
And the more I learned about this gut-brain connection protocol, the more impressed I was. The ingredients were clean, the formulations were truly groundbreaking, and people were getting real results! I had to try it myself, and if it was really helping people, I had to work with this company.
To this day, I recommend this protocol to get to the root of all kinds of problems from depression to anxiety, brain fog, irritability, memory and focus issues (for adults and children!) and allergies! Over time, it even addresses other deep-seated issues like hormone imbalance, blood sugar regulation and auto-immune problems. That’s what happens when you address the root.
But there was one problem.
The protocol is amazing and it gets to the root of so many things! It’s essential to restoring those connections lost for so many people.
But it doesn’t taste amazing. It’s a flavorless drink and some capsules.
Just a little bit… Boring.
Then something amazing happened.
The same company came out with a new drink called Edge… it was marketed all on its own–a delicious new drink that is proven to improve mood, motivation, and metabolism.
This drink went viral–finally we had a truly clean “energy” drink, pre-workout… something that tasted great and provided truly tangible benefits. People were noticing more energy, more mental clarity, more patience with their kids! They were even losing weight and actually wanting to eat better and get more exercise. Some reported their blood sugar levels stabilizing… it seemed miraculous!
The origin story of Happy Juice is actually kind of fun.
The gut-brain axis healing protocol was helping thousands of people… but Edge tasted amazing, and people loved the Energy drink too, because it was clean, tasted great and was replacing coffee or store-bought drinks with better results.
Current customers took matters into their own hands, and started mixing everything up, and Happy Juice was born.
Happy Juice is actually the combination of 3 stand-alone products: Mentabiotics (root cause healing for the gut-brain axis), Edge (mood, motivation & metabolism) and Energy+ (energy, focus, mental clarity, hydration).
Customers found when they combined these three things, they discovered
something that not only helped them heal naturally, but made them feel good now. They dubbed it Happy Juice (customers did; not the company itself) which is so cool–so grassroots!
The company that makes these three products realized what had happened and took their lead, creating a discounted pack with these 3 products so people could get their own Happy Juice easily and affordably.
Cool story, huh?
So now that we know the back-story, let’s look at the claims and what the research says.
It’s healing from the root, and feeling great NOW, all wrapped into one beautiful drink.
Happy juice is proven (in research documented on the website) to:
Decrease irritability by 60%
55% decrease in anxiousness
49% reduction in overall distress
70% increase in good bacteria
211% increase in positive mood
105% decrease in negative mood.
If you need help with focus, mood, patience with your kids, all day sustained energy, mental clarity (bye bye brain fog!) and digestion (some people even lose weight because it balances digestion and helps to balance hormones!)
It’s a drink designed to help the gut heal, and assist with mood, focus, concentration, energy, hormone support and immune support.
Sounds too good to be true, right? But worth trying, since the company offers a 90 day money-back guarantee.
That’s 3 months to see if it works for you, with no risk.
Questions? Text HAPPY to (802) 227-7051
Try it
So what do you think? Would you want to try a delicious drink that not only helps your body to balance and heal from the root, but that has proven, researched benefits and could help you kick that coffee or store-bought energy drink habit?
Happy Juice is delicious, hydrating, natural, clean and healthy–and it costs less than most store-bought energy drinks and coffee shop coffee-drinks.
Isn’t it time to take care of yourself?
Isn’t it time to heal?
Happy Juice is the combination of 3 products, and with the flavor options available, there is a lot of variety to choose from:
And now, the brand new Kids Happy Juice, which is an all-in-one, delicious drink that combines all of the above elements (without any sugar or caffeine), specifically formulated for growing children through their teen years.
When you use the links above, you get $10 off your order. If you’d rather build your cart yourself, see the links below and use coupon code 53125 ($10 off).
And remember, they offer a full 90 day guarantee for everything on their site–so it’s risk free. If you don’t like it for any reason, just return it within 90 days for 100% money back!
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
If you would like to bundle these items in a different combination than shown above for the best price, please text Text HAPPY COMBO to (802) 227-7051
Other Questions? Text HAPPY to (802) 227-7051
Medical Disclaimer: Information found on the Freedom & Coffee website is created and published online for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please seek the guidance of your doctor or qualified health professional with. Please don’t disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, it is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Freedom & Coffee responsible for the claims of third party websites or educational providers linked to from this website.
That may be surprising, given how much I talk about parasites and getting rid of them.
But no, parasites are not the actual root.
Do they cause (probably) all of our problems?
Yes.
Are they opportunistic, stealing our nutrients, causing deficiencies, and resulting in allergies, digestive problems, mental health issues, autoimmune problems and chronic disease?
Absolutely.
Should we not regularly address parasites and eliminate them as best we can with antiparasitic foods and herbs?
Of course we should.
But here’s the crux: They are there for a reason.
That reason is the actual root cause of all of the problems.
People declare all kinds of things to be “root cause.”
Inflammation
Parasites
Trauma
Toxins
Mold
Yeast
Viruses
Bacteria
Genetics
But none of these things is root cause.
There is only one root cause, and from it all other issues spring.
How healthy or unhealthy, balanced or imbalanced your inner ecosystem is… dictates everything else.
Maybe you don’t believe me.
Well… I can prove it:
Look at the list of things above, or anything else you believe to be the root of disease (or your particular issues)
When different people are exposed to the same thing: parasites, toxins, viruses, etc: do they respond differently to it? Does everyone get sick, and in the same way?
If not, it’s not the root. There is something else that causes person to react differently to a particular exposure than someone else.
Take trauma for instance: if you think of it, all humans experience trauma in their lives. Most people can point to singular events that were devastating and changed them forever.
Why is it that some people are able to process that trauma, work through it, and live happy, healthy productive lives, while others just can’t do any of those things, and it drives them to all kinds of other issues, both mental and physical?
And food: Why are some people able to eat whatever and have a healthy weight, healthy mind, good digestion? And others can’t even be in the same room as certain ingredients without reacting?
The ingredient is not the root. Just avoiding that ingredient is not the solution.
Take the society-wide trauma that occurred from 2020-2022… why were some people affected in devastating ways while it affected others not at all? (This is why avoiding a v!rus, or bacteria, or parasite at all cost is not the answer… getting to the root of why some were vulnerable is a much more appropriate solution).
To discuss your situation or ask questions, text ROOT to (802) 227-7051
When you are confronted with a statement: THIS THING is the root of all disease! Ask yourself this: did something cause THAT THING?
If so, it’s not the root.
Inflammation is a reaction. Therefore it is not the root. The question to ask is: what is causing my inflammation? (Inflammation, in fact, is a protective mechanism by the body. It is not our enemy).
This is why I developed a 3 step protocol… and why only targeting and eliminating parasites is not a sustainable solution.
This is why people remain on parasite cleanses for years and never feel fully better.
This is why you might feel great for a month or two after a parasite cleanse and the issues return, sometimes even worse than before.
Does that mean your “cleanse” didn’t work? Of course it worked… the problem is, you didn’t get to the root. You didn’t finish the job.
You have to address the REASON that thing was affecting you the way it was.
You have to heal your terrain.
Addressing parasites is step 2 of the 3 step protocol.
In my opinion, step 3 is the most important step. If you do NOTHING else, do step 3 and you will achieve healing. It is more efficient and more quickly effective to do all 3 steps, which is why i recommend them. But the problem i see with most parasite cleanses is that they address ONLY step 2.
The reason this doesn’t work is because parasites are NOT the root.
To discuss your situation or ask questions, text ROOT to (802) 227-7051
Step 3 works to balance and restore the ACTUAL root: your body. Your microbiome. Your immune system. YOU.
Make YOURSELF healthy and parasites cannot thrive in your body.
Make YOURSELF healthy and balanced, and viruses, bacteria, yeast, mold: they cannot take hold.
Focus on YOURSELF. Not a symptom or a parasite or a toxin or a food. Does eliminating and avoiding these things as much as possible help? Of course. But doing that is only managing the problem, not getting to the root of it.
Do you want to heal?
You must get to the root.
You must heal and balance your terrain.
To discuss your situation or ask questions, text ROOT to (802) 227-7051
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
Medical Disclaimer: Information found on the Freedom & Coffee website is created and published online for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please seek the guidance of your doctor or qualified health professional with. Please don’t disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, it is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Freedom & Coffee responsible for the claims of third party websites or educational providers linked to from this website.
These are just a few of the most common symptoms of parasites.
Have you suffered from any of these?
Have your kids?
We would do anything for our kids. So when they have unexplained health problems and a doctor can’t fix them, we feel helpless. What do we do?
We’ve been learning about how we all have parasites.. but you may not realize that our kids have them too, and there is a lot we can (and should) do about it. People have been pro-active about parasites for as long as humans have lived, and that includes keeping their kids parasite-free!Recap: Parasites and Our Health
But what can we do about our kids? It’s a good idea for everyone in the house to cleanse at once, but can kids do the same cleanse as an adult? And what if they can’t swallow capsules yet?
How Do Kids Get Parasites?
As we’ve discussed, there are a lot of ways we are exposed to parasites: in fact, it is inevitable. We can get parasites from food (any food-even fruits and veggies), water, dirt, pets, and other people. Parents can even pass parasites to kids at birth, and family members and pets can pass them to each other!
So now that we’ve established that all people (and pets), even kids, have parasites, and that they are causing most if not all of our health issues… what do we do about it??
Kids are Resilient
Generally speaking, children’s bodies respond more quickly and efficiently to anything we do than adult bodies do. (The younger they are, the faster they respond, it seems).
For this reason I don’t generally recommend strong anti-parasitic herbs or meds for very young children because I don’t find it’s usually necessary.
Since young children do sometimes have parasites and we do need to do something… what do we do?
Whether for adults or children, killing parasites is great, but let’s rewindand think about why the parasites were able to live there in the first place.
We all have an inner balance of good and bad bacteria that contribute (more than we realize) to our overall health. This balance is either in our favor or it’s not–either we have an abundance of “good” microbes that benefit us, or we have an over-abundance of “bad” microbes and parasites that steal our nutrients and poison us from within.
If we have an imbalance of good to bad, we will have troubling symptoms, poor health, and will not feel our best. This goes for children just as much as it goes for adults.
We have to change the environment of our bodies that is allowing parasites to thrive… and the only way to do that is to change that balance and make ourselves “bad hosts” to parasites. (Which means our bodies are strong and our immune systems can fight off anything that we are exposed to.)
Where do children get their gut microbiome? Initially, it’s all from their parents–and we can pass not only good & bad bacteria to our kids, but we can also pass along things like heavy metals, mold, and parasites.
When we realize that many of our problems stem from these parasites in our bodies and that we can pass these to our kids, it puts a little different perspective on “genetic” illnesses that “run in the family” doesn’t it?
I’m not saying genetics don’t have anything to do with it, because of course they do… but we all have damaged genes in one way or another, so why are some people ill and some people are healthy throughout their lives?
That all comes down to epigenetics… basically which genetic expression do we turn ON and which do we turn OFF?
THAT is up to us… and it’s based on the choices we make in this life: what we eat, what we do, what toxins we expose ourselves to, how we detox, and how we balance ourselves and fight parasites.
It’s always possible to heal, but the sooner in life we do that the better–so get your kids on this path now!
So what do I recommend?
For most kids under 10, I’d recommend just root cause healing: half of the step 1 reboot and the kids step 3. Because they respond so much more quickly than we do, for most kids this will be enough to push out any parasites they are dealing with and rebalance their bodies going forward so they are less susceptible to them in the future, even when exposed.
This is the best way because it strengthens our bodies, balances our microbiomes, and makes our immune systems a fortress that is not easy for pathogens to penetrate.
Step 1 is very gentle, but for kids under 10 I recommend giving them half the recommended dose (one capsule at each time designated on the schedule in the package). The capsules can be opened and put into a drink or food if the child doesn’t swallow capsules. For children over 10, a full step 1 reboot is great (2 capsules at each time designated). If the child is particularly small or large for the age, you can make a decision of whether to give half or a whole step 1 reboot (save the other half for next time, or you can split one step 1 reboot between 2 kids). Regardless, the herbs are safe for all ages, and even for pregnancy and breastfeeding. See the ingredients here (scroll down).
If you want to get the 2-step kids protocol, I’ve put it here in a cart and included $10 off: Click here.
Got Questions? Text KIDS to (802) 227-7051
Is it Safe for Kids?
When I am concerned with the safety of a food, herb or remedy the first thing I do is look at how it has been used traditionally.
For example, castor oil has been given to kids 1-2 times a year traditionally to ward off parasites. Other foods like pumpkin seeds, oregano, clove, and black walnuts are also great because they are food we eat anyway and can help ward off the critters.
The kids step 3 has been specifically formulated for kids so you can rest assured that all ingredients are thoroughly researched and known as safe for kids: and they are all made from actual food ingredients as well.
Got Questions? Text KIDS to (802) 227-7051
What About Moms Who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding?
I am constantly asked what moms can do if they are pregnant or breastfeeding but want to start healing without endangering their babies. Most think they just have to wait until they are past this season of life… but it’s not true! There are things you can safely do now to start healing which are very effective and safe for both pregnancy and breastfeeding. Not only that–it may actually help your baby to heal indirectly!
My friend Aleesha came to me recently because she was suffering. She has been diagnosed with lyme and has debilitating symptoms like pain, inflammation, brain fog and low energy she deals with every day as a result. Since she is currently breastfeeding her son, I advised she do just Step 1 & Step 3of the 3 step protocol, because step 2 is what actively targets the parasites and can cause some die off toxins to enter the bloodstream, which she didn’t want to expose her son to.
She started feeling a difference just in the first 2 days of this protocol, and now she’s on her 3rd month of root cause healing and she has been feeling so good she no longer needs to take the daily homeopathics she was using to give her relief from her symptoms! She actually forgets to take them because she’s feeling so good!
Is There Anyone Who Should NOT Do a Parasite Cleanse?
Since we know we all have parasites and they might be causing all of our problems, I believe everyone should be addressing parasites in some way. There are, however, circumstances and seasons of life when you want to be careful. As in the above examples, when a child is very young, or a mom is pregnant or breastfeeding, I don’t recommend doing step 2, but step 1 and 3 can be done safely.
The only other situation when I would advise caution is with someone who is in such a precarious health situation that almost anything could set them off (close to kidney failure or with stage 4 cancer, for examples). If you think you fit this category, please reach out to me via text and I can discuss your situation and may be able to provide insight and suggestions. Watch this video for more of my thoughts on this topic.
To discuss your situation or ask questions, text me at (802) 227-7051
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
Medical Disclaimer: Information found on the Freedom & Coffee website is created and published online for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please seek the guidance of your doctor or qualified health professional with. Please don’t disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, it is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Freedom & Coffee responsible for the claims of third party websites or educational providers linked to from this website.
If you have been looking into parasites you know that they are probably causing the physical and mental health issues you are experiencing.
You may be ready to address parasites in your life and heal, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed–there is so much information, some of it contradictory, and it’s hard to know exactly what to do, how, when, and in what amounts.
START HERE
If it’s your first time doing a parasite cleanse, you may be intimidated, scared or overwhelmed.
Don’t be afraid! It’s very simple and straightforward and soon you will be a pro and as your symptoms improve you will gain confidence. You may even be able to help others start their own healing journeys. (I’d love for you to invite people here when they are ready to get started).
When we start something new it can be scary, but all you have to do is take the first step, then the next step and then the next. Before long you are further down the path than you could have imagined!
Are you ready? Take a deep breath, and let’s go!
Gathering Supplies
Before you can begin, you need to get all of your supplies.
Below is listed exactly what you need to buy for the 3 steps (for an explanation of the 3 steps and why all 3 are crucial, read this).
Step 1 is vital: you must prep your body and open your detox pathways BEFORE you start killing parasites. If you don’t, you will likely get sick from die off reactions because the toxins and parasites cannot leave your body fast enough.
Trust me: don’t skip Step 1.
Step 1 is a 3 day “gut reBoot” that consists of encapsulated herbs and a restricted diet for 3 days. This reboot is remarkably effective at opening your detox pathways, sealing leaks in the gut and supporting your liver and kidneys in just 3 days. Make sure you do it right (including the restricted diet!) for best results. Detailed instructions and a schedule for taking the encapsulated herbs is inside of the package.
Additionally you will need binders. Binders are what will prevent ill symptoms like headache, nausea, etc. You can take binders throughout the day and before bed at night. If you feel symptoms coming on, take your binders! Binders will be your best friend.
The binders i recommend for your first cleanse are:
All 3 steps are important but if I had to pick the MOST important step, it’s step 3.
Why? Because if you do step 3 long enough it can accomplish the other 2 steps on its own just by balancing and healing your body from the root. But we all want to heal as quickly and easily as we can, right? So let’s do all 3 steps.
Step 3 is vital because you’ve just done all of this hard work to eliminate parasites, and if you skip step 3they can grow right back.
Why? Because you never addressed the reason they were there to begin with! You have to HEAL from the root and change the environment of your body so you are not a good host for parasites. This will strengthen your immune system and make your body inhospitable to parasites–preventing future attack. Who doesn’t want that?
If you know what’s good for you, do NOT skip step 3.
Okay, now that you’ve ordered all your supplies, you are almost ready to begin!
Once you receive everything in the mail, lay it all out by step, so you can easily see what you are going to do.
Next, open up the package for the reBoot and look through the instructions and schedule.
Then, calculate the day you need to start step 1 (Look up the next full moon; you will start step 1 exactly 6 days before that). Write this date down and make sure you have groceries and a plan ready to start the reBoot on that day.
Empty your bottle of castor oil capsules into a ziploc bag and spread them out into a thin layer, then place them in the back of your freezer. You will need about a week for them to freeze solid, so ensure you receive them at least a week before the upcoming full moon.
When the day to start the reBoot comes, make sure you follow the reBoot diet all 3 days and take the encapsulated herbs on the schedule provided. Avoid the foods on the “avoid” list for these 3 days as best you can–the better you follow the reBoot approved diet, the better results you should get.
Once you have completed the 3 day reBoot, wake up on the 4th day and take 3-4 frozen castor oil capsules about an hour before you eat any food. Only drink enough water to get the capsules fully down (too much water can melt them too fast before they get where they are going).
At night before bed, put 1/2 teaspoon of diatomaceous earth in a large glass of water. Stir and drink the entire glass.
Throughout each day of the cleanse take chlorella 3-4 times.
Snack on the pumpkin seeds throughout the day during your cleanse.
At night just before sleeping, take one serving of activated charcoal. Additionally, if you start to feel any negative symptoms during the day, take another serving of activated charcoal and you should feel better. (Activated charcoal is a powerful binder, so if you are taking any pharmaceutical meds, separate those from activated charcoal by at least 2 hours).
Continue the frozen castor oil cleanse for 7 days straight. This should center on the full moon (starting 3 days before through 3 days after that day).
After you have completed the 7 days of step 2, begin step 3 by taking one purple capsule of GBX fit before eating, 2 capsules of Restore with your first meal, and 2 capsules of GBX Burn with your biggest meal of the day. I recommend continuing step 3 for 3 months.
Congratulations! You’ve completed your first parasite cleanse! I’d love to hear about your results. Please come post all of your results in the group The Truth About Parasites: How We Heal, from symptom improvements to pictures of anything you’ve passed during the cleanse.
Now What?
After 3 months, it’s a good time to do another parasite cleanse. This time you can use different anti-parasitics, and rotate, mix and match anti-parasitics every time from now on, doing 3-4 cleanses per year to maintain your results and your health.
Read this article for a list of other anti-parasitics you can use, with links of where to get them (most of them are on Amazon, and how to use each one.
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
Medical Disclaimer: Information found on the Freedom & Coffee website is created and published online for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please seek the guidance of your doctor or qualified health professional with. Please don’t disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, it is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Freedom & Coffee responsible for the claims of third party websites or educational providers linked to from this website.
If you have any unexplained health problems, you may have considered (or been told by a doctor) that a parasite could be to blame.
Indeed, after much research I have come to conclude that parasites are probably a culprit of most (if not all) of the health problems we deal with.
Denial
If you live in America, or any other first world country, you may scoff at this idea.
Many people think, “I don’t have a parasite. I am clean and I live in America.”
Not so fast.
It is well-established that everyone is exposed to parasites. Many people think that traveling out of the country is the only way to get them, but parasites know no borders.
We can’t live in denial. We all have them.
No matter how clean you are, and no matter how good your diet is… we are all exposed to parasites in many facets of our lives.
We can get parasites from:
Food (especially anything raw or undercooked, but even well-cooked food–meat AND veggies–can expose us!)
Water (water treatment can’t get them all)
Walking around barefoot or touching dirt
Proximity to or contact with pets or other animals
Intimate contact with other people
Swimming in any body of water.
Insect bites
Touching everyday surfaces
Even in the air we breathe!
Of course we should all take appropriate precautions to avoid exposure as much as we can.
Cooking food well, avoiding foods that are notorious for parasites, washing our hands and drinking high quality filtered water are things we should all be doing.
However we also have to face the fact that EVERYONE has parasites.
The sooner we accept that as fact and do something about it, the better.
And there are many things we can do.
The Reality
If you have any health issues at all, I urge you to consider the fact that the health of our gut and its communication with the brain is the root and foundation of our health, both physical and mental… (I talk more about that here).
…and that when the gut micro-biome is imbalanced, it opens the doors to parasites: including pathogens, bacteria, intestinal worms, mold, yeast, fungus and other overgrowths that cause many symptoms.
This can lead to “holes” or permeability in our gut lining (sometimes called “leaky gut“) which can then cause allergies, digestive problems, autoimmune issues, chronic illness, unexplained health problems, food intolerance and sensitivity, brain fog and even mental illness and intrusive thoughts.
Doctors may or may not have answers. Tests may or may not come back conclusive for a disorder or diagnosis.
Regardless, parasites are almost inevitably wreaking havoc on your health and causing your issues.
That may sound scary, but the good news is: there are a lot of easy, effective, inexpensive natural things we can do about it.
I host a group on Facebook where we do monthly parasite cleanses together. If you want to join in or just learn more, please join us or follow along here.
I have put together a simple 3-step protocol to eliminate parasites and heal, for GOOD.
A parasite cleanse is a big detox. When you do this your body will push out waste, toxins, mucus and parasites. You want this process to be as quick and efficient as possible, which means your body needs to be sufficiently prepared.
If your liver or kidneys are clogged, things may get backed up and this can make the process very unpleasant for you (anything from a headache to nausea to flu-like symptoms, and often constipation, which further exacerbates these symptoms).
Opening your detox pathways is so important before any detox, but especially before a parasite cleanse. Please don’t skip this step. You will thank yourself later for taking the time and effort.
Additionally, step 1 is the best thing I’ve ever found to seal over holes/permeability in the gut lining (also known as “leaky gut”). It uses herbs to seal over the holes so toxins and food can’t leak out and cause a reaction–and so the body can heal and balance itself while the gut lining is replenished so it stays sealed.
The 3-day gut reboot I recommend for step 1 is gentle, effective, affordable– and it only takes 3 days to do all of these things! You do NOT want to skip step 1!
Step 2: The Parasite Cleanse
This is the fun part: targeting and eliminating parasites. The full moon is the best time to do this (see below why) so you have an opportunity every month. I do one about once a quarter.
I have put together an amazon store of all the anti-parasitic ingredients I have used in my parasite cleanses. I have also been doing a series on each ingredient, what it is, what it does and how I use it. This series can be found in my group The Truth About Parasites: How We Heal (click to join the group!) and on my TikTok and YouTube channels.
If this is your first time doing a parasite cleanse, I suggest following this step-by-step guide which will walk you through exactly what to do every day of the protocol.
Step 3: Maintain (IMPORTANT)
You may think, ok great, once they’re gone they’re gone, right? One & done–I’m set for life!
Absolutely not.
Remember I mentioned we are constantly exposed to parasites? And that they lay eggs?
There are manytypes of parasites. So the anti-parasitic you use for your parasite this cleanse may not get all of them (or all of the types of them) that you need to address.
Depending on your situation (if you have a serious health condition or diagnosis, or you suffer from an autoimmune condition or chronic illness) you may want to do the 3 step cycle a few times in a row until you feel like you’ve “gotten your life back” and can easily maintain with one cycle every few months.
This brings us to the most important part: maintenance.
Maintenance may seem like not a big deal, but it’s everything.
We don’t want all the hard work we’ve done eliminating parasites to go to waste… and if we don’t maintain, they will grow back even faster than we can kill them.
By changing the ecosystem of your body (beginning with the health and balance of your gut) you can make your body inhospitable to parasites. That means they can’t easily live or thrive inside of your body… and that is the goal.
How do I change my body’s ecosystem?
This isn’t just one thing: we have to be pro-active with our health. Diet is foundational, so eating as many whole, organic, unprocessed foods as possible and as few sugars, processed foods, junk foods and CAFO meats as possible is one of the best ways to keep parasites from thriving in your body’s ecosystem and promote good overall health for life.
Moving your body regularly increases blood flow and assists with detoxification. I’m not talking about hard, strenuous exercises in the gym for hours every day. Just move your body! Go outside and take a walk, go on a bike ride around the neighborhood, or do a quick 10 minute exercise inside. Any movement counts, and…
Something is always better than nothing!
In this day and age, with all of the contaminants in our food and depletion of our soils, unfortunately diet can’t be enough for most of us to maintain optimal health and keep the parasites away for good.
My Step 3 Maintenance Protocol helps people easily and effectively maintain a good microbiome balance so we can fight off parasites, pathogens and bacteria that would harm us in any form–and it keeps me from getting sick throughout the year too because our gut microbiome is at least 90% of our immune system!
I appreciate the company that created the Step 1 and Step 3 (in that link I have bundled steps 1&3 and step 1 only adds $5 to the cost with the first order and coupon) because they offer a money-back guarantee for a full 90 days. That’s confidence, and it tells me these products work for pretty much everyone. But if they don’t, you can just return them (all of them). For 90 days!
Give your body all the tools it needs to fight off anything that comes your way, from pathogens to viruses to bacteria to parasites. You’ll thank yourself later.
If it’s your first time doing a parasite cleanse, click here for step-by-step instructions so you know exactly what to do!
You may have one more question…
Why the Full Moon?
I only do parasite cleanses over the full moon. Why? Because that’s when it’s most effective. If I’m going to go to the effort to do a cleanse I want it to be as thorough and effective as possible.
Parasites have hormones that prompt them to migrate from wherever in our bodies they are to the intestinal tract during the full moon (this is also triggered by our internal levels of serotonin and melatonin during the full moon time). While they are there they lay eggs.
There are several reasons cleansing during the full moon is most effective:
They are all in one spot: the intestinal tract. So anything we take will hit them directly (during other times of the month they could be almost anywhere in our bodies).
They are more vulnerable because they have focused their efforts on procreating and laying eggs, not hiding themselves and avoiding detection or efforts to eliminate them.
If I start before the full moon, I can potentially flush them out before they lay their eggs–so I don’t have to worry about as many babies later.
The good news is we have a full moon every month–so every month we have an opportunity to cleanse!
Does that mean we cleanse every month? Probably not. But if we know this and keep it in mind we can be aware of how parasites are affecting our physical and mental health during the full moon and we can eat snacks and take supplements that keep them at bay.
If it’s your first time doing a parasite cleanse, click here for step-by-step instructions so you know exactly what to do!
Here is a quick list of parasite cleanse ingredients (find them in this amazon store) I use regularly. I will link them to explanations I have done on why and how I use them:
Are you on TikTok®? Recently I’ve been having a great time on the “education side” of TikTok, and i read recently that TikTok® has surpassed Google® as a search engine! Can you believe it?
That said, Tiktok® has it’s drawbacks and dangers as with any media platform, but I have learned a lot on TikTok® and it’s quickly becoming my favorite educational platform!
I have been sharing knowledge, tips and resources about how to heal naturally with a parasite cleanse on TikTok lately on my channel @thetruthaboutparasites so I’d love to see you if you are inclined!
If it’s your first time doing a parasite cleanse, click here for step-by-step instructions so you know exactly what to do!
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
They didn’t let me have any type of sugar until after I was 5 years old, and the only sugar in our house was in the ketchup (my dad loves ketchup on everything).
They drove to the local farm for raw milk before it was cool.
My earliest memories are with my mom, walking into the local health food store. They had individually-wrapped carob sticks that were the closest thing I ever had to chocolate before I started school.
So I suppose you could say my teeth (and my health) got off to a pretty good start.
(Ironically my mom later became the manager of a candy store in the mall and I worked there in high school… but that’s another story).
Even growing up in such a natural, sugar-free environment, however, I still had a very mainstream view of teeth and cavities: The only way to fight cavities and keep your mouth healthy was to prevent them: eat less sugar and brush your teeth with modern toothpaste twice a day, and rinse with a drugstore mouthwash to kill all the germs.
Once you get a cavity the only thing you can do is go to the dentist, get it drilled out and filled with metals or ceramic (at least I knew better than to get mercury).
Most dentists will still tell you these things, and laugh if you ask how to actually heal cavities, so imagine my shock when I learned that not only is healing cavities possible, it’s actually pretty EASY.
Questions? Text TEETH to (802) 227-7051
3 STEPS TO HEAL CAVITIES AND REMINERALIZE YOUR TEETH
1. Oil pulling
2. Remineralizing toothpaste
3. Deep Nutrition
Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is an oral health practice that originated in India, and it’s one of the best things you can do not only for oral health but for the health of your whole body.
Simply put, oil pulling is swishing oil in your mouth for 5-20 minutes at a time.
That may sound strange, but the benefits of oil pulling can’t be understated.
Oil pulling not only kills “bad” bacteria in the mouth and improves pH, it actively draws toxins out of other parts of your body, including your sinuses, your brain, your organs and other areas.
I find if I feel a sinus issue arising, a good oil-pulling session will usually knock it right out.
Oil pulling is also believed to draw chemicals, toxins, free radicals and even heavy metals out of the body.
Oh, and it kills the bacteria that cause cavities, so you can heal them.
How to Oil Pull
In India Sesame Oil is generally used, but I always use Coconut Oil. Both have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.
Step 1: One spoonful of oil
Put a spoonful of your chosen oil in your mouth before you eat anything in the morning. Depending on the size of your mouth, you will want between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of oil (don’t worry; you won’t be swallowing it).
Step 2: Start Swishing
Swish the oil all around your mouth for at least 5 minutes, up to 20 minutes (you will probably have to work up to that).
Sometimes I put oil in my mouth before I hop in the shower so I don’t have to worry about talking or trying to eat something for the next few minutes. Try to swish as forcefully as you can: getting between your teeth if possible. The longer you swish, the “thinner” the oil will feel, until it just feels like water.
Step 3: Spit in the TRASH
Do not spit this in the sink and do NOT swallow the oil.
The oil is now full of toxins, chemicals, and possibly even metals from your teeth or other parts of your body. (The oil can clog the drain so always spit in a trash can).
Step 4: Brush your teeth
The oil pulling process draws toxins out of your mouth and from between your teeth, but it also pulls toxins from other parts of your body. After spitting the oil in the trash, be sure to brush your teeth to eliminate any residual toxins left in your mouth from the process.
Questions? Text TEETH to (802) 227-7051
Remineralizing Toothpaste
If you think drugstore toothpaste is the healthiest option for your teeth, you are not alone.
But mainstream toothpaste is one of the worst things you can use. It’s full of toxins, chemicals, antibiotic agents and other harmful ingredients (not to mention fluoride), and putting these things in your mouth is one of the fastest ways to get them in your bloodstream.
The toothpaste you use matters, particularly when you are trying to heal cavities and remineralize your teeth.
How do I know which toothpaste to use?
In order to remineralize your teeth, the toothpaste needs to contain minerals.
Look for a clay-based toothpaste or tooth powder that does not contain glycerin.
Glycerin coats the teeth and the idea is to protect your teeth as you eat… but it also prevents remineralization.
My favorite remineralizing toothpastes are Earthpaste and My Magic Mud, but there are a variety of options.
Questions? Text TEETH to (802) 227-7051
Nutrient-Dense Foods
Whenever you seek to heal from the inside-out, diet is of supreme importance.
The only way to fully heal your teeth is to make sure you are eating nutrient-dense food.
What is nutrient-dense food?
Most holistic dentists recommend Cod Liver Oil as the most nutrient-dense supplement you can take to increase nutrition and heal your teeth (and your body) from the inside out.
Other options are to add organ meats (get pastured or organic whenever possible) to your diet as well as a large variety of organic fruits and vegetables.
And PLEASE cut out sugar as much as you possibly can.
Most people struggle with sugar addiction.
Learn how to break that here.
Make Your Own Mouthwash
Drugstore mouthwashes are full of undesirable ingredients, including chemicals and antibacterial agents to kill everything in your mouth.
But like every other part of our bodies, the mouth has a microbiome, which can include both “good” and “bad” bacteria.
The food we eat feeds either the good or the bad, and as a result our mouths can be in balance or out of balance.
When the bad bacteria (fed by sugar and processed food) is overgrown, we end up with issues like bad breath, a white coating on our tongues, cavities and other issues.
(And just in case you think the mouth microbiome is completely distinct from the gut microbiome and the rest of the body, newsflash: everything is connected and each part of our body (and the balance therein) affects every other part).
It’s basically impossible to have a healthy, balanced microbiome in one part of the body while having an unhealthy, imbalanced microbiome in another part.
When you heal one it contributes to the healing of all.
It makes sense, because everything we put into our mouths ends up in our digestive tract, so really healing for one is healing for both.
Questions? Text TEETH to (802) 227-7051
Our goal when cleaning our mouths (with toothpaste or mouthwash) should be balance and increasing the populations of good bacteria.
We should try to always feed the good and starve the bad (because the “bad” are opportunistic and will overgrow and cause disease whenever possible… our “modern” diets of processed, chemical-laden, sugar-full food does not help us here).
It’s of utmost importance to eat the best, highest quality whole food we can most of the time. These days it’s impossible to have the perfect diet, but when you consider everything we eat on a daily basis, it starts to make sense that what we are eating is really impacting our oral (and overall) health in big ways.
We all have times when we can’t help but eat something that isn’t ideal… at birthday or holiday parties, when we go out to eat with friends or when we’re a guest at someone’s home.
Questions? Text TEETH to (802) 227-7051
What I try to keep in mind in these situations is that it’s an occasional treat and the relationship is more important than being strict with what I eat. If I can keep myself on track most of the time (when I’m at home and on my own) then these occasional indulgences will happen and I don’t need to stress out about it.
What Do I Eat for Optimal Oral Health?
The advice is always the same: what is good for overall health and gut health is also good for oral health. (That keeps it simple, right?)
Here are some general guidelines for optimal oral health. Most of the time, try to eat foods that are:
Free of added sugars
Unprocessed (whole foods)
Not sugary drinks
Organic whenever possible
Fermented (like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha…)
RAW milk/dairy
As you probably know, our modern industrial diet lacks the nutrients it used to have. Depletion of the soil, fertilizers and other farming conditions have resulted in foods that just aren’t giving us everything we need any more, so unfortunately supplementation is necessary in this day and age to prevent nutrient deficiencies and keep us as healthy as possible.
Supplements can be dizzying, however. There are so many options!
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
Medical Disclaimer: Information found on the Freedom & Coffee website is created and published online for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please seek the guidance of your doctor or qualified health professional with. Please don’t disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, it is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Freedom & Coffee responsible for the claims of third party websites or educational providers linked to from this website.
Any and all of the above stem from an imbalance in the gut microbiota.
If you suffer from skin issues, that is a SIGN–a symptom of a deeper underlying issue.
The only way to truly fix your skin is to heal that underlying issue.
And that always starts with improving gut health and balance.
Want to chat? Text SKIN to (802) 227-7051
Meet Sarah
Click to follow Sarah’s Journey
My friend Sarah is amazing. She is fit, healthy and vibrant.
She has a great diet and is always studying and learning about food as medicine.
But she had a problem with her skin. Adult cystic acne was plaguing her and she couldn’t figure out how to fix it.
I met Sarah because she was interested in healing her son who had signs of ADHD and behavioral issues. He wasn’t happy and she wanted her joyful child back.
And one more thing: Sarah’s son also had Keratosis pilaris… the tiny hard bumps on his skin behind his arms and on his back. After a few months of this gut-brain axis healing protocol, she was shocked to realize his keratosis pilaris had resolved as well–his skin is smooth!
Here are a couple more people who experienced the same skin benefits from healing from the root (each about 6 months from the “before” to the “after.”)
I have tried dozens of probiotics, protocols and diets, including fermenting my own foods at home, and nothing has been as effective for resolving a variety of issues from the root, from skin problems to thyroid numbers to blood sugar and hormonal balance… as this protocol.
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
Medical Disclaimer: Information found on the Freedom & Coffee website is created and published online for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please seek the guidance of your doctor or qualified health professional with. Please don’t disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, it is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Freedom & Coffee responsible for the claims of third party websites or educational providers linked to from this website.
From the tiny “bad” bacteria in our gut microbiome to liver flukes and intestinal worms… every human being has them to one extent or another.
And honestly, from the research I’ve seen and all the things I’ve read… parasites may be responsible for virtually all of the health problems we experience.
So what’s the deal with parasites and how do they tie into gut health?
Since parasites are generally defined as any organism in our body that harms us (they eat our food and secrete toxins into our bloodstream) they come in all shapes and sizes, and can get into our bodies in a variety of ways: through the skin, through food or water, or from contact with animals or other people.
Questions? Text “Bad bugs” to (802) 227-7051
The parasites inside of us aren’t this cute…
Parasites thrive off of the food we eat and give us nothing beneficial in return. They can starve us of nutrients (causing nutrient deficiencies of all kinds) and poison us from within. They can get into our organs and under our skin and even into our brain, and eventually they can kill us.
For this reason, improving gut health will automatically make us less susceptible to parasite infestation. Another great reason to improve gut health!
How do I know if I have parasites?
While we all have parasites, everyone has different ones, and to a different degree. If you have any of the following symptoms, there is a very good chance you have parasites and should deal with them to resolve these issues (and to prevent more problems):
Constipation
Skin rashes or itchy skin
Brain fog
Teeth clenching or grinding at night (resulting in tension headaches)
Bloating and/or gas
Digestive problems
Stomach pain
Anxiety or depression
Chronic nausea
Other unexplained issues or problems
If I want to heal my gut do I need to kill parasites first?
Killing parasites can be a tricky business.
First of all, parasites are really good at hiding and avoiding our attempts to kill them. They can hide a lot of places: first of all our intestines, but they can really go anywhere in our bodies.
Second, when you take drugs or herbs to kill parasites, they get very angry. When they are being attacked they start spewing poison into our bodies, which makes us want to stop what we are doing. This is called a Herxheimer reaction, and can range from congestion to severe flu-like symptoms to (very rarely and only in very extreme cases) death. I’m not trying to scare you, but it’s important to understand the worst that could happen and learn how to prepare properly for a parasite cleanse.
Third, even if you kill parasites and eliminate them first, it’s important to improve gut health at the same time or directly afterwards, because good gut balance and health creates an inhospitable environment for parasites and bad bacteria. That will not only prevent future parasites from growing, it will help expel any current parasites that your cleanse doesn’t fully remove.
Questions? Text “Bad bugs” to (802) 227-7051
Good bacteria (unlike parasites), eat the things we don’t eat (fiber) and secrete beneficial substances like vitamins, enzymes and nutrients that our bodies can use. The more of these “good guys” we have, the healthier we are, and the fewer parasites can survive in our bodies.
How do I kill parasites safely?
In my opinion, the safest way to kill parasites is to take a pro-active approach: improve gut health by making better dietary choices and finding a great gut healing protocol.
Want to get to the ROOT of your issues?
You probably already know I am not a fan of meds because of all of their short- and long-term adverse effects. But even herbal parasite cleanses (which are very effective) can make people very sick because of how parasites react when they are being targeted.
Gut healing, in contrast, is a more passive approach. It’s gentler and safer. It’s generally safe even when pregnant or breastfeeding (and for small children) because it’s so gentle.
When you add in good bacteria it changes the environment of the microbiome. The pH improves and the good bacteria start crowding out the bad. This weakens parasites and they can be more naturally flushed from the body. They don’t usually release toxins because they aren’t being attacked. They just become weaker and let go of the intestinal walls and leave the body.
The quickest way to kill parasites is not necessarily the best way. The quickest way is probably to kill them with herbs or meds… But the BEST way is to balance your gut microbiome so that it is sustainable and lasts.
If you kill parasites/candida you will feel better… until they grow back.
if you balance the gut microbiome they can’t grow back because you have targeted the root and grown an army of “good guys” that will fend off overgrowth of any parasite, mold, fungus or yeast in the future.
Questions? Text “Bad bugs” to (802) 227-7051
Starting with gut healing is an effective approach because improving gut health has to happen anyway: even if you kill parasites and do a cleanse, you still need to improve gut health to ensure they don’t come back.
Herbs like wormwood, black walnut, cloves, pumpkin seed, garlic, and oregano oil are very effective anti-parasitics.
If you decide to use one of these (either in drops or capsules) just be sure to start slow if you’ve never done a parasite cleanse or have reason to believe you have a severe infestation.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth powder is very fine: do not inhale!
Another way to kill parasites is diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is (from Wikipedia), “a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder.”
The benefits of diatomaceous earth is that it’s cheap and safe to consume (but don’t breathe it!).
The particles are sharp and they have a scrubbing/cutting action as they pass through the digestive tract. This cuts parasitic worms, which can make them angry and cause die off reactions. Diatomaceous earth is also very good for scrubbing the digestive tract of mucus, so it’s a good idea to take it on occasion to keep things clean as well (don’t worry; it doesn’t hurt at all and it’s beneficial to our intestines).
Castor Oil
The third method I have used to directly kill and eliminate parasites (and it’s probably my favorite) is frozen castor oil capsules. I like it because it’s easy, cheap, effective and there are no side effects.
Castor oil is a traditional parasite cleansing agent. It’s very effective, but when taken as it was traditionally done (swallow the oil on a spoon) it is unpleasant for several reasons. It tastes terrible and you have to stay very close to the bathroom for at least a couple hours.
What I do instead is a frozen castor oil parasite cleanse. There are no side effects or die off reactions, and I like it because it targets a specific hard-to-reach parasite that hides in the small intestines.
Questions? Text “Bad bugs” to (802) 227-7051
These parasites live in the mouth of the small intestine, just behind a valve where the stomach empties food into the small intestines. Because of this hiding place these parasites are often able to avoid other methods used to kill them, so they can be tricky to eliminate.
Next you freeze them. Empty the capsules into a Ziploc bag and put it in the bottom/back of the freezer where it stays coldest. You will need to freeze them for at least 1-2 weeks. You can see they are ready when they look white and translucent.
Now wait for the next full moon (a google search can give you the next full moon). The reason I wait for a full moon is because it is the time when parasites are most active and when they lay eggs. They tend to detach from the intestinal walls during this time so it’s easier to flush them from the body as well. This ensures you kill the most parasites possible.
I have developed a 3 step parasite protocol that will take you from pre-cleanse (opening detox pathways to minimize die off symptoms–step 1) to eliminating parasites (step 2) to making sure they don’t grow right back (step 3).
If you would like support and guidance, or just camaraderie, while you go through this process. please come join the Facebook group where we learn & heal together! All are welcome, so feel free to invite family and friends.
Now What?
After killing parasites (or even if you decide not to directly kill them), improving gut health is key.
Gut health is the root of everything: the gut microbiome produces and regulates hormones, controls how well we absorb nutrients, keeps us regular, helps keep digestion smooth, keeps us at a healthy weight, keeps our organs and blood pressure healthy, regulates adrenals, produces and sends neurotransmitters to the brain so we can sleep well, feel good, be happy and productive… and our gut is almost all of our immune system.
So is gut health important? You decide.
I’ve tried a lot of gut health products and probiotics (most of which did nothing for me), and I finally landed on a protocol I love.
There are probiotics everywhere these days, all at different price points. But no matter how much or how little I pay, to me it’s a waste of money if it doesn’t work. And most of them I tried didn’t work.
Questions? Text “Bad bugs” to (802) 227-7051
I prioritize getting something that will help me over saving money. And besides, I was buying supplements anyway, so this just replaced those and I’m not spending more money.
This is the protocol I like, and it works for almost everyone who tries it (they also offer a one year money back guarantee, so there is no risk to see if it works for you!).
The other great thing about this protocol is the first order comes with a free ReBoot, which sets you up for success. It’s a 3 day protocol you do before starting the gut healing protocol. A modified vegetarian, no grain diet for 3 days while you take the liver-supporting herbs in the ReBoot packet. This “resets” your gut and makes the gut healing protocol even more effective.
So what are you waiting for? Don’t suffer any longer.
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
Medical Disclaimer: Information found on the Freedom & Coffee website is created and published online for informational purposes only. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. If you have questions about your health or a medical condition, please seek the guidance of your doctor or qualified health professional with. Please don’t disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you have a medical emergency, contact a doctor or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, it is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstances is Freedom & Coffee responsible for the claims of third party websites or educational providers linked to from this website.
The holiday season sneaks up faster and faster every year, and we’re caught scrambling for meaningful gifts to choose for our friends and family.
It is important to choose something thoughtful that:
They don’t already have.
They will actually like.
They will use.
THE PERFECT GIFT
Gift-giving is not limited to Christmas or “The Holidays,” though. There are many times throughout the year that we need to come up with a great gift for someone we love: Birthdays, Homecomings, Mothers and Fathers Day, Retirement and other occasions.
It’s always a good idea to have a few GREAT GIFTS up your sleeve.
The past few years I have built my own business, and I have come to appreciate how much work and effort goes into building something from the ground up. Because of this, I am much more likely to purchase from small businesses.
One reason I like to patronize small businesses is because I know how hard small business owners work for every sale, and how much those sales mean to them. Another reason is because the product quality often far exceeds anything I could have purchased at a box store. The value is usually much better than with cheaper, cookie-cutter products as well.
I’ve put together a list of great gifts that prioritize CLEAN & CRUNCHY, and many of them are through small businesses of people I know. Because when we help each other, we all win!
(I’ll also sprinkle in a few gifts you can buy on Amazon–because sometimes we just need a gift within a couple of days!)
The last section will highlight some great “token” gifts and stocking stuffers that are natural, crunchy, and safe–and that are actually very useful!
Here are the top 10 BEST GIFTS for the 2019-2020 seasons.
You’ve probably heard of Himalayan Salt Lamps, which are amazing, health-promoting and gorgeous! But many people already have a Himalayan Salt Lamp, or maybe Salt Lamps are not some peoples’ style… This elegant Selenite Lamp is much more versatile and useful, because it has a dimming switch and it can serve as a bedside lamp!
Ever since I got mine I use it instead of my bedside table lamp–even for reading–because it’s so bright with a clean, white light.
While Himalayan Salt Lamps are great (I have a few!), they are a little bit hippie, and don’t provide a lot of light, so I really love this Selenite Lamp for both health benefits, an elegant addition to any decor, and a useful reading lamp for the bedside.
Whether or not you have jumped aboard the CBD wagon… this is a gift of epic proportions!
CBD-infused massage oil and body butter… this isn’t just any CBD oil. My friends who regularly use CBD oil say this works incredibly well for any kind of chronic or acute musculo-skeletal pain, from neck or back pain, sciatica, sore muscles– both the cream and the oil soak in beautifully and target inflammation for immediate, long-lasting relief!
Heck, I’m jealous! This is a must-have… I will be ordering more, because this exclusive holiday-only set is sure to sell out quick and who knows if they will ever have it again?! This is at the top of my Christmas list and will be remembered by anyone who receives it.
8. Essential Oil Gift Sets
Beautiful and functional Essential Oil Diffuser and Humidifier
Don’t love making your own gifts, but love the idea of helping others cut our harmful fragrances and promoting healing in their homes?
Many people who don’t have children consider pets their “children.”
If you are going to a holiday party or spending Christmas morning with family or friends who don’t have kids but who cherish their pets, it is a great idea to bring gifts for their “children.”
Why not get the best pet care line out there to pamper their kids, just like you would do if they had human children? They will LOVE you for it–you can thank me later!
This fun holiday set is the perfect way to pamper pets: luxurious, concentrated pet shampoo and a deodorizing spray, as well as a multi-functional tote for pet necessities!
6. If they don’t have a weighted blanket yet… Trust me, they want one.
Great Quality With a Washable Cover–and a Discount!
Weighted blankets have become very popular–and for good reason! There is nothing more comforting than to feel its weight cocooning you on a chilly night!
I love this particular weighted blanket because it’s great quality and it has a washable cover and glass beads inside! I don’t know about you, but whenever I get something that I can’t wash I start to worry. So the washable cover makes this a win-win!
I love Epic water filters because not only do they filter out 3000% more contaminants (over 200 of them!) than other leading water filters, they last much longer too (150 gallons) so they end up being much cheaper as well! The no-guess digital filter reader also tells you when to change the filter, so there is no guessing.
Did you know that water quality can vary widely from area to area, and city to city? if your water quality is exceptionally bad, any filter you use won’t last as long (but it’s super important to filter your water in this case).
If your water quality is better, it’s still important to filter it to eliminate chemicals that have been added, such as chlorine and fluoride–but congratulations, because your filters will probably last longer than expected! Check your water quality here to see what kind of water comes out of your tap.
Ok, so now that you know why you should filter your water, which water filter should you choose? The options are dizzying, and range from just a few dollars to thousands. So how do you know which filters are best and how to choose?
Until recently, there were several good options out there, but most could not filter out fluoride, which is a neurotoxin and a huge concern. Your options were limited to Reverse Osmosis systems, which are great, but which also filter out trace minerals that we need (so those had to be added back in). What a hassle! There were a few options that could filter fluoride with extra filters, but that got very pricey, and they are big, bulky, on-the-counter units that take up a lot of room and require a lot of effort in refilling them and waiting for the water to be ready.
Epic water filters use coconut carbon, and can bind to even the smallest fluoride particles, eliminating 99% of them, along with all other contaminants. The good news is that they don’t bind to or filter out necessary minerals, so we still get those in our pure, delicious, clean water!
I also love all of the options, which make them ideal for gift-giving. If you are looking for a no-hassle under the sink option that only needs to be changed once every year or more and doesn’t take up counter space, this is the one for you.
If you
want an easy pitcher that you can refill and store in the fridge,
Need a few stocking stuffers for the kids or a great gift for the outdoorsy type or person on the go? Epic has a wide variety of personal water bottles with filters inside! They can be filled in water fountains or the outdoor bottle can be filled in a natural water source to make it clean and safe for consumption. You can even buy a filter that works with Hydro-flask bottles!
4. The gift of emf protection!
Whole house plug: protects up to 5000 square feet: just plug it in and go!
We are all noticing 5G towers going up all around us, and for many of us this is raising real concerns about what EMF radiation is doing to our bodies and our minds.
If you or a loved one has these concerns, you may have been wondering what you can do to protect your family from any harm that may come from this untested radiation exposure.
This site has research-backed devices, pendants, cups, bracelets and jewelry that has been tested and proven to mitigate and neutralize the documented harmful effects of EMF radiation.
Phone stickers: a must for anyone with a smart phone. Discreet, with comprehensive protection!
Check out the “facts” section of their website for more information about what EMF radiation is and why you should arm yourself with protection against it.
And if you have a “crunchy” family member who seems to have “all the things,” or just really loves to have crunchy gadgets, this site is full of great, functional and attractive items that will also provide health benefits and EMF protection for the user.
I always wear this pendant–it protects a 20-foot radius around me!
For example, how cool is this whole house plug that protects your entire house, office, RV or other building, up to 5000 square feet? Just plug it in and forget about it: it’s the easiest, most effective way to protect your family from EMF radiation exposure for years to come.
Do you have a loved one who suffers from depression? Anxiety? ADHD?
Feel like superman: conquer the world!
Or a child in your family that suffers from focus issues or migraines? Difficulty concentrating in school or other brain issues?
Why not give them the gift of health this year?
Science is discovering that the gut-brain axis is more prevalent than was previously thought… to the extent that they are now uncovering specific microbiota that directly affect brain health and mental wellness!
This is revolutionary because children, women and men can heal their guts and reclaim mental wellness! If you or a loved one suffers from brain fog, fatigue, migraines, depression, stress, insomnia, anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, digestive issues like IBS or reflux, hormone imbalance, weight gain or any number of health issues… the health of your gut is the key.
The children’s protocol is yummy! It comes in a naturally-fruit-flavored probiotic drink, pixie-stick mood pouches and yummy methylated vitamin chewables. The adult protocol is a drink and two supplements to support gut health, brain health, and the pathway that connects the two.
2. The Only Natural High-Performance Skincare on the Planet
Finally! Naturally-based Performance Skincare!Do you struggle with finding a skincare regimen that really works and doesn’t have toxic ingredients? Most people do… which is why this brand new skincare line is going to change your life, and could be the perfect gift for the acne-prone teen or aging mom in your life (or even yourself)!
Check out those results after just one week! What a transformation!
We’ve all heard about anti-aging skincare, and we’ve heard about natural skincare, but for the first time ever, there is high performance anti-aging NATURAL skincare…and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Whether the issue is acne, wrinkles, dark puffy circles, fine lines, dark spots, saggy skin or anything in between–you need to know about this natural skin care line!
She has eczema and after just 4 days of use, she is comfortable going to work without makeup for the first time!
It’s been selling out ever since it was released and has been featured in several fashion magazines and “best product of the year” websites… so get it while you can!
The packaging is gorgeous and will make the perfect gift for anyone!
And did I mention there are discounts available (nobody pays retail!)? I’d love to discuss which line will work best for your needs and how to get the best deal possible! I can also get you a $20 credit towards a (future) 2nd purchase!
1. easy, affordable, whole-food meals all year long: in clay!
Do you have a crunchy mom in your life that is hard to shop for because she is so picky about ingredients and anything she uses?
Do you know a chef who will only use the best materials to cook with, because he knows the material you use makes a huge difference in the final flavor, texture and nutrient content of his creations?
Do you want to get your mother or grandmother something that makes cooking at home easy, quick and non-toxic?
Use coupon code NOURISH10 at checkout for 10% off any purchase!
If you are looking for a gift for the hippie, chef or foodie in your life, you may have just found the perfect gift: a VitaClay Multi-Cooker.
The inner pot is made of organic, unglazed zisha clay, and the muti-cooker machine is very versatile: it has a rice maker, yogurt maker and slow cooker all in one! It can even reheat foods (it re-steams rice so it tastes freshly cooked), steam veggies, create simple one-pot meals, and cook the best bone broth you’ve ever tasted!
Material really does matter when cooking, and using non-toxic cooking materials is key: it’s those little exposures of chemicals, heavy metals and toxins on a daily basis that make the biggest difference in our health.
VitaClay Stock Pot: Great for Large batches of broth, soups and stews!
VitaClay is the gift that keeps on giving–your loved one will not be able to stop talking about this amazing gift! And watch the site for sales and specials approaching every holiday–use code NOURISH for 10% off at check-out as well!
BONUS: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
We’ve discussed cleaning up multiple areas of our lives, from what we put on our bodies to what we use to clean our houses; from purifying our water to protecting ourselves from EMF radiation.
It is important to know the air quality of the place that you live, and also recognize that it can change based on events that happen. For example, I live in Northern California, and we are exposed to smoke and pollution from wildfires on a pretty regular basis. Last year the smoke from the fires several hundred miles away was so bad that there was a red haze settling over the entire area, and we were avoiding going outside at all, wearing masks when we did!
I read that in some places (most notably in Asia) just breathing the air can be the damaging equivalent to your lungs as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day!
The air we breathe affects every cell in our bodies and impacts our health in major ways, so if you want to be healthy it makes sense to purify the air in your home, where you sleep and spend a majority of your time.
Use coupon FREEDOM for 10% off and free shipping
Why not get the best air purifier that money can buy? I like Austin Air Purifiers because they not only purify the air better than any other filter out there, the filters last 5 YEARS and even the filters have warranties! They use coconut carbon, which is not only sustainable, but it cleans the air better than any other material on the market. And Austin Air Purifiers doesn’t even store their filters or their purifiers in a warehouse, so the filters last much longer because they haven’t been absorbing the VOCs and other impure elements in a warehouse environment. These purifiers and filters are shipped directly to you for best air purification and longest life possible.
If you are looking for a great gift for the whole family, or just for yourself… something that will benefit your whole household’s health for years to come, check out Austin Air Purifiers.
Right now use coupon FREEDOM for 10% off AND free shipping through December 18!
Stocking Stuffers and Secret Santa Gift Ideas
Sometimes you just need something a bit smaller–whether you are looking for an addition to a gift basket or care package, you need fun stocking-stuffers or even a great Secret Santa gift, here are a few ideas that are clean, crunchy, fun and easy on the wallet.
Massage Roller Ball
This massage roller ball is useful for anyone who ever has musculoskeletal pain. Whether you know a gym rat or someone who loves to play sports, a weekend hiker or someone with arthritis, this massage roller is affordable, but it’s something they probably don’t already have!
There are cheaper versions (get a few for small gifts for co-workers or acquaintances) and higher-end versions that are higher quality and do a little bit more. Either way, your friends are going to love you for this special gift!
Chocolate candy. Real Food ingredients.
Candy–Without the Baddies!
If you are a parent, you probably fill stockings full of candy and presents. But if you are trying to make things more natural this year, you may be wondering if candy is a thing of the past–and how to preserve your children’s childhood without giving them toxic treats.
Organic fruit-flavored candies of all varieties!
Fortunately there are lots of options for occasional candy treats: organic, no toxic artificial dyes or GMOs; they are something you can feel good about putting in your kids’ stockings.
Finally! Real Food Marshmallows that taste AWESOME!
My two favorite brands are Unreal Candy and YumEarth. Between those two I can cover most of the candy options that kids (and adults) love! And if you are looking for marshmallows with great ingredients, check out Smashmallows!
Great (Affordable) Home-made Gifts for Everyone!
If you are even a little bit “crunchy” (natural), you probably have collected a few essential oils. Essential oils are super versatile and also very healing.
Good quality essential oils provide a plethora of benefits, from adding a non-toxic pleasing aroma to yourself, your beauty products and your household, to boosting cleaning power in natural and homemade cleaners, to promoting healing and immune system response during cold-and-flu season, to promoting feelings of calm, courage, and inspiration.
Essential oils are so great because they are so versatile: there are thousands of essential oils, and everyone has a favorite fragrance, whether it’s citrus, mint, vanilla or floral. The combinations of different oils are endless, so everyone can find their own, unique favorites.
Whether you need fabulous stocking stuffers for the kids or a great gift for workout fiend or the hiking aficionado… Epic has a wide variety of personal water bottles with filters inside! They can be filled in water fountains or the outdoor bottle can be filled in a natural water source to make it clean and safe for consumption. You can even buy a filter that works with Hydro-flask bottles!
Every health article I read lately talks about how gut health is the key to everything, and even science around mental health is all about the gut-brain axis and healing the gut to heal the brain and the mind.
If your child had sleep issues, focus issues, ADHD, mood problems, aggressive behavior, headaches, anxiety, or even severe issues like Autism spectrum or other diagnosed mental issues, gut health is key.
I love this yummy drink for kids: they can just drink this once a day and heal their guts, AND their brains! Lots of people are cutting down or eliminating meds just by healing their guts! I’m excited about this… so discuss the results I’ve been getting (for me and for my son), hit me up and we can chat!
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
I am a sucker for natural products. Anything that claims to use the power of nature to work wonders on my skin, my hair, my body, or my overall health has me entranced, and I have to try it.
Hair History
For years, I bounced from shampoo to shampoo, looking for natural products that would make my hair healthy, shiny, thick, smooth and manageable. I tried everything I could find: online, at the health food stores, and even in salons. Nothing ever worked for me: my hair was thin, fine, frizzy, flat, weak and pathetic. It was very frustrating.
About two years ago I found a product that transformed my hair: it is now thicker, longer, healthier, shinier, smoother and so much more manageable than ever before. My shedding is down 80% and my hair is 2-3x thicker than it’s ever been. It would never grow past my shoulders and now it’s half-way down my back. It’s just overall better.
That doesn’t stop me from seeing ads for other products that come out, however.
Apple Cider Vinegar is making people’s hair thicker, shinier, longer, healthier! It’s getting rid of dandruff and build up! (Basically everything my current shampoo has done for me. But this one looks like it might be cheaper, and what if…?)
So when I was offered the chance to try it, I thought this would be a great time to compare it with my current routine.
Full disclosure: I love my current hair products. They have done wonders for my hair. I don’t think I’ll ever switch. But if I found something I liked better, that was just as natural and cost less, I absolutely would switch. And I would promote that shampoo instead of the one I have been talking about.
So let’s see how this one shakes out. I will try not to compare too much with what I’m using, but I’ve been using it for almost 2 years, so some comparison is inevitable: I am used to my hair being the way it is, so I have to compare my experience here with that.
Let’s see how it goes!
First Impressions
Large Bottles, Low Price My first impression is that at first glance it appears to be very affordable. The bottles are 16.9 ounces and I paid $29.99 for a shampoo and conditioner set (they’re about $20 each if purchased separately on Amazon).
Over the past couple of years I have realized that fluid ounces of hair product + price is not always the most accurate indication of value. Most shampoos I’ve looked at are heavily diluted, so it’s necessary to use an entire handful to get a good lather on my head. If that’s the case, 16.9 ounces may not last as long as it looks. If I’m using almost an ounce of product for each wash, it will last me less than 20 washes.
2. The Ingredients
I also had to look at the ingredients. I have become somewhat of a shampoo ingredient guru over the past 20 months with countless hours of research under my belt, and I can recognize the main offenders of toxicity and build-up in hair care products pretty quickly.
BEAUTIFUL, STRONG HAIR: WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo is able to balance the pH level that closely resembles human hair to help obtain the silkiest, softest, glossiest hair. Use twice a week to be less prone to breakage, split ends, and thinning hair.
CLARIFYING CLEANSER: Detox your hair & scalp – cleaning the buildups caused by dirt, dust, filth, dead scalp cells and styling product. Raw apple cider vinegar ensures removal of toxin in damaged hair. Helps rejuvenate & refresh for men and women.
MAXIMIZE HAIR SHINE: Improve your hair cleansing routine with our deep cleaning shampoo to get the best results possible. You’ll reduce dandruff, flakes, and frizz while enhancing shine and gloss to your hair. Get the best hair nourishment available.
SLOW DOWN HAIR LOSS: Saw palmetto helps slow down hair fall and male pattern baldness, reducing the amount of hair strands falling during a shower. With a little patience, your hair will have more volume and will feel softer, thicker and natural.
NATURAL INGREDIENTS: Our WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo is hypoallergenic, sulfate and paraben free for moisturized and hydrated hair. Massage scalp and stimulate hair follicles to be less prone to breakage, split ends, and thinning hair. Cruelty Free.
Sounds pretty good! I did notice that there were no claims to not contain any PEGs or petroleum derivatives, silicones, waxes, gums, phthalates or harmful fragrances.
This distinction is important for a few reasons:
PEGs or Petroleum derivatives are the most toxic ingredients in most hair and body care products. All of the problematic ingredients: sulfates, parabens, phthalates, harmful fragrances, harsh sulfates and other toxic chemicals are most often derived from petroleum. If you see a guarantee that there is no petroleum or PEG (petroleum derivatives), pay attention!
Harmful fragrances (derived from PEGs) cause a lot of problems! Many people have become very sensitive to artificial fragrances and with just a passing exposure can have symptoms like migraines, dizziness, nausea, or worse! Even if you don’t have a fragrance sensitivity, these fragrances can cause hormone imbalance (endocrine disruption) and absorb into our bloodstream, causing more health issues over time (and sometimes building up to result in the fragrance allergies listed above).
Silicones, waxes and gums are not necessarily toxic, but they are deadly for your hair! These artificial (and sometimes even natural) ingredients build up on the hair strands and in the hair follicles. They are in most hair products for a reason: they make hair feel soft, silky and smooth by coating the hair strand with a waxy, plastic-like substance that glosses over the imperfections and damage of the hair cuticle. The problem with them is that they build up on the hair strands and on the scalp over time, causing issues like dry, brittle, frizzy hair, dandruff, oily scalp, and even hair thinning over time! That’s the opposite of what we want from our shampoo!
Phthalates, parabens and harsh sulfates are also commonly derived from petroleum (PEGs) and therefore carry the same health consequences listed above. I have seen some sulfates that can be derived from other sources, like coconuts (as in the case of Dr. Bronner’s Sal’s Suds), but for the most part, ingredients like SLS are toxic and will damage your health and your hair in the long run. Your best bet: find products completely free of PEGs or petroleum products of any kind.
Overall, Wow Apple Cider Shampoo and its accompanying Conditioner are not as bad as many mainstream products, but I was not impressed with them as a whole.
3. Where is it Made?
The bottle indicates WOW Apple Cider Shampoo and Conditioner by Skin Science are made in India. I do like that my current shampoo is formulated, manufactured, processed and shipped from start to finish on American soil. Not only is it a point of pride and provides jobs for American workers, it makes the products more Eco-friendly as well, cutting down on pollution from shipping and other environmental footprints.
4. Is it Eco-Friendly?
As it contains petroleum derivatives, that already makes it less than ideal from an ecological standpoint (as well as a health one). The bottles do have a “1” plastic recycle code, which means they are recyclable. Hooray! But the fact that they are less concentrated means they use more plastic than necessary, and more bottles need to be used and recycled than if it were more concentrated. So overall, not terribly impressed with the eco-footprint, especially combined with the fact that it is made in India and shipped to me across the world, containing mostly water.
Testing the Product
Without further ado, let’s see how the product works!
The First Wash
I followed the instructions on the bottle, which advise to use a “generous amount” of shampoo, lather on the scalp, and allow to sit on the scalp for up to 5 minutes for best results, then rinse and follow with conditioner.
In doing this I noticed I used 5-6 times as much product as I usually do to get a good lather on my scalp. It definitely is not nearly as concentrated as the products I have been using.
The Fragrance
The shampoo smells like apples, and the conditioner smells like coconuts.
But not like smelling an actual apple or coconut… more like smelling an apple or coconut candle. Very artificial fragrances. I am not chemically sensitive to most fragrances unless they are in my face and I’m breathing them in heavily for over an hour, but I can usually spot harmful artificial fragrances just by their overpowering, artificial-smelling scent. These products do not even claim to eliminate harmful fragrances, so it’s clear that the fragrances are not natural or safe.
Shedding
My primary concern before using my current shampoo and something that is very important to me is shedding. Since I was a teenager I would shed handfuls of hair in the shower every time I washed, and then I would be shedding hairs all day long: every time I ran my fingers through my hair I would get 4 or 5 hairs. In order to prevent my hair covering everything, I made constant trips to the trash can to throw away the hairs that were inevitably in my hands every few minutes.
Shedding I have experienced over the past two years with my current products and routine, washing 1-2 times per week.
The shampoo I’ve been using for the past couple of years cut that shedding down by about 80%, which also has made my hair much thicker as it’s grown out without all of the constant fallout. I was very curious to see what happened when I used this shampoo, and a little bit worried because I don’t want to lose all that hair again after growing such a thick, healthy head of hair over the past 2 years!
Shedding from shower using WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Conditioner.
In the first wash, I did experience about twice as much shedding as I usually do with my current shampoo. Not as bad as before, but still not exciting to me.
Tangling
My hair type is fine and thin, so I have always had some issues with tangling and knotting, especially when my hair is damaged and I need a haircut. With my current shampoo regimen I almost never have any tangling. If i do have tangling (once every month or two) I use the detangling spray from our junior line and that takes care of it.
Shedding when combing out numerous tangles after using WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Conditioner.
With Wow Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and their accompanying conditioner, my hair felt more coated than I am used to, and it was much more tangled. When using my wet brush to brush it out, I lost about the same amount of hair I had lost in the shower when I was washing!
To be honest, the shedding alone makes me hesitant to use this product again, but I want to use it at least a few times for a fair review.
Results
My main requirements are low shedding, no frizz, manageable, thick, healthy hair with shine and volume, that will grow past my shoulders. Of course I don’t want to add build up to my hair if i don’t have to either.
Knowing the detriment of buildup to my hair health, why would I?
For the purposes of review, I did everything the same as I normally do it with my hair: I most often air dry by twisting my hair up into a bun and allowing it to dry in loose curls that way. So that is what I’m doing with WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Conditioner by Skin Science.
Here are my results:
Shedding. As I discussed above, the shedding has quadrupled in just one wash. Not loving it.
Frizz: More frizz than normal, but not terrible. Definitely not as bad as before I started using my current products.
Manageable: Slightly less manageable overall. My hair felt coated and heavy and didn’t “fall” in the effortless way I am used to. I found myself brushing it every few minutes to try to get it to lay down and look decent. Finally I gave up and pulled it into a pony tail. I can’t remember the last time I needed to do that before day 5 after washing.
Thick: I’d have to use it for a good year to see the difference in how it grows out, but if the shedding is increased, my hair will not be thicker.
Healthy: My hair is already healthy, as it’s been growing out with my current products for almost 2 years, and getting better and better with time. It will probably take a year or more of exclusive use to see if there is a real difference.
Shine: I didn’t notice any difference in shine compared with my current routine.
Volume: Volume was decent in the first wash.
Growth: Again, impossible to say for sure unless I use it for a long time.
Overall, on day 2 (the day after my wash) my hair felt heavy and coated. I was surprised that it didn’t look terrible, but it didn’t feel good either. It was a little more frizzy and less manageable than I am used to, and the artificial fragrance lingered and was nauseating after a while.
WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo by Skin Science promises to remove buildup and resolve scalp itchiness and dandruff… yet, my hair and scalp felt coated and less clean, and my scalp itched a little bit (it usually doesn’t itch at all). So that is a concern with continued use as well, because buildup can have that effect.
Cost Analysis
I had to use a full handful of this product to get a lather all over my scalp. I would say I used at least an ounce of product, but to be fair, let’s say I will get about 20 uses out of this bottle, which means it will last me about 10 weeks if I wash my hair twice per week. 2.5 months for a bottle of shampoo that cost me $15 comes out to $12 per month for both shampoo and conditioner, or $1.50 per wash. Not a bad value!
Also a lot more expensive than what I am currently using and what is giving me much better results. The first bottle of my current product lasted me more than 10 months… roughly 4-5 times the 10 weeks this may last if I can stretch out washes to twice a week (doubtful since I already want to wash my hair on day 2).
Even with a lower cost per bottle, this still makes WOW Apple Cider Vinegar 2-3 times the cost of what I am using now.
Given my current experience and how it compares to my regular shampoo in terms of cost, safety of ingredients and results achieved, there is little chance I would ever use this product long enough to see what happens with continued use.
I will probably use it one more time, for the sake of a reasonable test period, but I really don’t want to. I will probably have to wash sooner than the 4th or 5th day (the soonest I usually have to wash with my current routine), which will be an added cost of time and money (if I’m washing more often than twice a week as I do now, the bottles will not last even the projected 10 weeks, which is much shorter than I’m used to already).
Side Note: My Skin
Another thing… when my hair feels dirty and oily, it makes my skin feel oily and dirty too, which for me usually results in breakouts. As another uncomfortable side effect of using this… definitely not persuading me to continue.
Conclusion
I stated from the beginning that I love the hair products I’m using now, but after using them for almost two years, I thought it would be fun to try something else that claims to do the same things, and might be cheaper.
My hair is noticeably less manageable than normal.
Volume and shine seem about the same.
I will need to wash more than my normal 1-2 times per week. It’s only the 2nd day and I already want to wash my hair because it doesn’t feel clean and it’s making my skin feel oily and clogged.
It is much more expensive than what I am currently using because it is much less concentrated and I will have to wash quite a bit more often. At most, if i wash 2 times per week, these bottles will last me 10 weeks. My first bottle of what I am using now lasted me more than 10 months, 4-5 times longer. Even at retail price, my current products are half the price of these and give me much better results. At the wholesale price I pay, WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Conditioner by Skin Science are about four times the cost of what I am using now.
The ingredients of WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Conditioner by Skin Science are not as clean as the products I am using now. They use toxic PEG (petroleum derivatives), harmful artificial fragrances, and ingredients that build up on the scalp and hair cuticles. After almost two years of researching the ingredients in hair products, these do not impress me, especially for something that claims to be all natural and pure.
Bottom Line: While WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Conditioner by Skin Science is less toxic than most mainstream brands of hair care, it does not match up to my current hair care on any level: not in terms of cost, performance or toxicity.
Many of the product links in this post are affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from any purchase. I only recommend products that I love and this is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our mission with your clicks!
When I first came across the company that makes Happy Juice, it was before Happy Juice was a product. I was interested in learning more about them because I had been researching the gut-brain communication system for years, and they have a simple protocol that addresses this connection, optimizing the communication between the gut and the brain along the vagus nerve.
It’s a drink designed to help the gut heal, and assist with mood, focus, concentration, energy, hormone support and immune support.
Recap: Parasites and Our Health
My friend Aleesha came to me recently because she was suffering. She has been diagnosed with lyme and has debilitating symptoms like pain, inflammation, brain fog and low energy she deals with every day as a result. Since she is currently breastfeeding her son, I advised she do just 
Since we know we all have parasites and they might be causing all of our problems, I believe everyone should be addressing parasites in some way. There are, however, circumstances and seasons of life when you want to be careful. As in the above examples, when a child is very young, or a mom is pregnant or breastfeeding, I don’t recommend doing step 2, but 
A parasite cleanse is a big detox. When you do this your body will push out waste, toxins, mucus and parasites. You want this process to be as quick and efficient as possible, which means your body needs to be sufficiently prepared.
This is the fun part: targeting and eliminating parasites. The full moon is the best time to do this (see below why) so you have an opportunity every month. I do one about once a quarter.
Moving your body regularly increases blood flow and assists with detoxification. I’m not talking about hard, strenuous exercises in the gym for hours every day. Just move your body! Go outside and take a walk, go on a bike ride around the neighborhood, or do a quick 10 minute exercise inside. Any movement counts, and… 
Once you get a cavity the only thing you can do is go to the dentist, get it drilled out and filled with metals or ceramic (at least I knew better than to get mercury).
Step 1: One spoonful of oil 
If you think drugstore toothpaste is the healthiest option for your teeth, you are not alone.
Anti-Parasitic Herbs
The particles are sharp and they have a scrubbing/cutting action as they pass through the digestive tract. This cuts parasitic worms, which can make them angry and cause die off reactions. Diatomaceous earth is also very good for scrubbing the digestive tract of mucus, so it’s a good idea to take it on occasion to keep things clean as well (don’t worry; it doesn’t hurt at all and it’s beneficial to our intestines).
THE PERFECT GIFT
BONUS: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR 
Most of us live in a city or are affected by a nearby source of air pollution, such as a factory. Even if we don’t, we can be affected by pollution from other parts of the world, such as 
Stocking Stuffers and Secret Santa Gift Ideas 
For years, I bounced from shampoo to shampoo, looking for natural products that would make my hair healthy, shiny, thick, smooth and manageable. I tried everything I could find: online, at the health food stores, and even in salons. Nothing ever worked for me: my hair was thin, fine, frizzy, flat, weak and pathetic. It was very frustrating. 
Full disclosure
I also had to look at the ingredients. I have become somewhat of a shampoo ingredient guru over the past 20 months with countless hours of research under my belt, and I can recognize the main offenders of toxicity and build-up in hair care products pretty quickly. 
As it contains petroleum derivatives, that already makes it less than ideal from an ecological standpoint (as well as a health one). The bottles do have a “1” plastic recycle code, which means they are recyclable. Hooray! But the fact that they are less concentrated means they use more plastic than necessary, and more bottles need to be used and recycled than if it were more concentrated. So overall, not terribly impressed with the eco-footprint, especially combined with the fact that it is made in India and shipped to me across the world, containing mostly water. 
