Ditch the Toxins: A Simple Clean Laundry Detergent Recipe

Did you know that most store-bought laundry detergents are full of chemicals that mess with our hormones? Things like fragrance (which hides phthalates), optical brighteners, and harsh surfactants (like sodium laureth sulfate) are often in the mix. These aren’t just hard-to-pronounce words—they’re linked to hormone disruption, skin irritation, and even long-term health issues. And since our clothes sit on our skin all day (and night!), it’s worth paying attention to what we’re washing them in.

The problem is, finding a truly clean laundry detergent at the store is way harder than it should be. You start reading labels, only to realize even the “green” or “eco” brands sneak in questionable ingredients. It’s frustrating and honestly exhausting—like, who has time to be a detective in the laundry aisle? A lot of it is just greenwashing (marketing something as clean when it’s really not).

That’s why I love making my own. It’s ridiculously easy, budget-friendly, and I know exactly what’s in it. Here’s my go-to 3 ingredient recipe:

Homemade Laundry Detergent

• 1 3/4 cup washing soda
• 1 3/4 cup borax
• 1 bar unscented castile soap, grated

Mix it all together and store in a jar. Use about 2–3 tablespoons per load. If you want a little extra freshness, add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil (like lavender or lemon) right into the wash.

That’s it! Fresh, clean laundry without the toxic junk.

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As the weather cools and sniffles start to make their rounds, I always turn to one of my favorite natural remedies: fire cider. This spicy, tangy, immune-boosting tonic is something I keep on hand all season long. At the very first sign of a scratchy throat or a runny nose, I start sipping. It’s a recipe a dear friend shared with me years ago, and it’s been a staple in my home ever since.

What makes fire cider so powerful? It’s packed with antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory ingredients like garlic, onion, ginger, and horseradish—all infused in raw apple cider vinegar. Together, they create a warming tonic that helps your body fight off illness naturally while giving you a little extra energy and circulation boost.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 fresh jalapeños, sliced
• ½ cup fresh horseradish root, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 15 fresh garlic cloves, smashed or minced
• 1-2 lemons, sliced 
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• Raw apple cider vinegar (enough to cover ingredients)
• Raw honey (to taste, added after straining)

Instructions

1. Layer all ingredients (except apple cider vinegar and honey) in a quart-size mason jar.
2. Cover ingredients with apple cider vinegar. Close the jar with a silicone lid and store in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks.
3. Shake the jar daily.
4. After one month, strain the liquid into another jar, squeezing as much liquid out as possible.
5. Sweeten with raw honey to taste.
6. Store in the refrigerator and shake before each use.

How to Use Fire Cider

Whenever I start to feel sick (or if I was in a large crowd), I take a shot of fire cider. You can also mix a shot into hot water for a tea.

I love that this recipe is simple, natural, and deeply rooted in traditional herbal wisdom. Every batch feels like a jar of comfort, ready to support my family through the winter months.

Here’s Exactly How I Did It 👁️✨

For years, I thought the only way to “fix” my eyesight was to rely on stronger glasses or eventually consider surgery. But instead of going down that road, I started experimenting with natural, daily habits that support the eyes and circadian rhythm.

The result? Clearer vision, less strain, and healthier eyes — without surgery or new prescriptions-- actually my prescription is now weaker than it was at my previous optometrist appointment last year. Here’s exactly what I did:

Step 1: Sun Gazing at the Right Time 🌅

I spend a few minutes outside looking toward the rising or setting sun.

Why it works:

• Helps regulate circadian rhythm
• Stimulates dopamine (the “feel good” neurotransmitter)
• Nourishes the photoreceptors in your eyes

This practice not only helped my eyesight but also improved my sleep and energy.

Step 2: Daily Eye Exercises 👀

Just like the rest of your body, your eyes have muscles that need movement. I committed to just a few minutes a day of exercises to strengthen the eye muscles, improve flexibility, and reduce strain after long hours of reading or screens.

👉 Want a guided routine? Watch this video with eye exercises.

Step 3: Red + Near Infrared Light 🔴

I use a red/near-infrared light panel near my eyes (not directly in them) 3–5x per week.

Benefits include:

• Boosting mitochondrial energy
• Reducing inflammation
• Supporting night + low-light vision

Red and near infrared light is one of my favorite “biohacks” because the effects go beyond the eyes — it supports whole-body health.

Link for the red light I use.

Step 4: Limiting Screens After Sunset 🌓

One of the hardest habits, but also one of the most effective. Blue light from phones, TVs, and tablets tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime.

That means:

• Melatonin gets suppressed
• Circadian rhythm is disrupted
• Eyes stay overstimulated when they should be resting

Now, I either stop screens after the sun sets or switch my iPhone screen to red light if I need to be on a device (this also makes it harder to scroll social media, which is GREAT!) The result? Better sleep, less eye strain, and healthier eyes in the morning.

Here's how to use the side button on your iPhone to easily make the screen red:

• Go to settings and select Accessibility
• Tap Display and Text Size
• Tap Color Filters and toggle on
• Select Color Tint and slide Intensity and Huge all the way to the right.

To easily switch the screen back and forth with the side button:

• Go to settings and select Accessibility
• Select Color Filters and now you can use the side button (quickly press 3 times) to turn the filter on and off.

Step 5: The Right Supplement 💊

Use a supplement that supports the retina, reduces strain, and protect against oxidative stress. Link for the one I use:

• Contains 750 mcg (2,500 IU) of vitamin A per serving to support night vision and healthy tear production.
• Provides the naturally occurring, universally metabolized form of folate.
• Helps maintain macular and retinal health with lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene per serving.
• Supports visual function and healthy photoreceptor activity with taurine, alpha lipoic acid and resveratrol

Consistency is Everything 🗓️

The real “secret”? Doing this every single day.

Tiny habits ➡️ long-term change.

None of these steps are overnight fixes, but stacked together, they added up to real improvement.

It's breast cancer awareness month-- it is important to get proper screening, but this is why I don't get mammograms.

LINKS ARE AT THE BOTTOM- SCROLL DOWN

My mom had breast cancer. She did everything the doctors told her to do. 5 years later, she got leukemia. The oncologist told us she probably got it because of the breast cancer treatments that she probably didn't need 😡 Before my mom got leukemia, doctors told me I needed to be screened regularly. I used to get mammograms and have had 5 lumps removed (starting at the age of 20) -- all benign, thank God. I have fibrocystic breasts, which about 50% of women have. This makes mammograms difficult, if not impossible, for radiologists to differentiate cancerous masses from dense breast tissue because they look similar in the images. Breast density laws exist in some states (CA included) that require radiologists to inform patients with dense breast tissue that a mammogram is not helpful for them. When I realized mammograms were useless for me because they were producing false alarms, resulting in surgery, I stopped getting them.

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