I’ve spent extensive time over the last five years in Detroit, Michigan, living there for periods, and visiting family. I can safely say, while I love Detroit, it’s not for me to call home. 

However, despite knowing that I wouldn’t live there permanently, there is one place that lives in my heart forever, that I think fondly of every Saturday, and that is the Eastern market farmers market. 

The Eastern market, located just outside downtown Detroit, is hands down the greatest farmers market I have ever been to, and while my dad says there are a few out there that are better, he’s yet to take me to any of them. 

The eastern market is my Disneyland. It’s one of my most favorite places on earth, and I can’t help but feel like all my friends are in the same place every time I visit.

My friends, the American farmers. 

It’s no secret to most that the American food system is and has been in jeopardy for a long time. If covid taught us anything, it’s that our food systems are weak, and any little bump in the road could cause the system to collapse, leaving many without access to the food they need to survive. The solution to this is simple, but not easy. We have to put the power back in the hands of the people, back into the hands of the consumer, and most importantly we have to put the dollar back in the hand of the American farmer. 

There is something so unique and special about the relationship one can cultivate with their farmer when they really get to know them. I was pondering this on my very long drive from Detroit to Atlanta. 

I had a trunk full of food. I came back with a ½ bushel of apples, 15 pounds of beef, four dozen eggs, three bags of flour, three different raw cheeses, a bag of locally made granola, and a few other assorted items. I was so excited about this haul and had been waiting until I could get up to Detroit on a Saturday so I could stock up on the things I had been missing. 

I bit into an apple that I bought from Travis and was immediately reminded why I love them-and him- so much. These are the best apples I’ve ever had. They’re sweet and tart with a slightly lemon-y taste. They’re reminiscent of the sweet tart candy, truly, and they are appropriately named “Ludacrisp”. I have never had a better apple, especially not down south. 

As I was enjoying this apple I was genuinely overcome with my love and affection for these people that grow and make my food. I began to think about how truly fortunate I was, how truly miraculous it was that I had just had an extensive conversation with my apple guy about his wife and family. His wife was nine months pregnant, due any day, they were having twins, he was so excited, but nervous, like he was for the first baby, but even more so this time. These are their 4th and 5th babies. We had brought him some old children’s books the boys were no longer reading, and he was thrilled. We talked about thanksgiving, the magic of the holidays, the excitement of the new babies, how the other children were feeling about the babies, how my travels had been, and anything else we could think of. Then, I bought my half a bushel of apples, and carried on my way. Not to sound dramatic, but I felt like I could taste the love in the apples. How special it was to know that Travis had grown these apples on his family farm, that they were his favorite apples, although sometimes the kids prefer the less tart varieties they grow, how lucky I was to experience this farm to table moment. 

I came on a mission for four things. Beef, apples, cheese, and flour. I walked up to Hyatt farms, so excited to see Denis, and Emma, but mostly excited for the ground beef. Five dollars a pound for the best ground beef you’ll ever eat. Sometimes it feels too good to be true. I lived off ground beef and scrambled eggs when I was in Detroit and I had missed it since leaving.

Dennis and I were happy to see each other as we also talked about my travels and where I was headed next. I told him I had traveled specifically to stock up on ground beef. We laughed and chatted for several minutes and I left with a big full of meat to last me the next few months. 

I headed to Randy next, our milk guy. He may have been the most excited to see me. He appreciates my affinity for vintage dresses and says that I remind him of the women he knew in the 90’s back when we saw more traditional displays of femininity more often. This was a special moment for me, and from then on, he would often compliment whatever vintage dress I had dawned that day. He also grows the best flour and cornmeal I’ve ever had, and sells the greatest raw cheese and milk. His face lit up when I approached, and we, too, talked for several minutes before I stocked up and left. 

The meaningfulness of these connections may seem exaggerated, but this is what food is supposed to be. This is what food was for the longest time. It’s only recently that we’ve begun to lose sight of the connection from the farmer to consumer, and even before then we were the farmers ourselves. In a world where we hardly know where our food comes from anymore, to get to have such close personal relationships with my farmers means the world to me, and I share these stories in hopes that you too can build these relationships with your local farmer as well. Become a regular somewhere. Shop local as often as you can. Frequent the local farmers market. Big changes don’t happen overnight. They happen through small changes over time. 

I believe that Bobby Kennedy single handedly won Trump the presidential election. While he has many great forces behind him, and the endorsement of Elon Musk and Joe Rogan certainly didn’t hurt, I don’t think that he would have won the election without the endorsement and avid support of Robert F Kennedy Jr. 

While the holistic health folks are celebrating the win of Bobby, and celebrating even further still at the nomination of Bobby as the secretary of the HHS, many are dreading this decision and the changes that are (hopefully) to come from this choice. 

Those who primarily follow mainstream media outlets may have fallen for the narrative that Kennedy wants to remove all the processed food from your grocery store shelves, and ensure that no child ever receives a vaccine again. Many believe his ideas to be radical and dangerous, and more still think he is not to be trusted. 

However, I think that the election of Kennedy into the department of HHS is one of the best things to happen to this country in a long time. The Make America Healthy Again campaign is not something to fear, but is rather, a deeply necessary movement for the future of our children. We are headed down a dangerous path. With obesity numbers higher than ever, and chronic illness running rampant through our country, we have to ask the question why. We also have to ask the question why us? Other countries don’t seem to be struggling with the obesity and chronic disease epidemic that we are. 

It’s my belief, and one might see this as a logical conclusion to make, that the reason our country struggles so much more with these issues than other is because of the laundry list of toxic pollutants and chemicals, in, on and around our food that are banned in other countries. Additionally, our lack of education, and the environment our kids grow up in, has resulted in a generation of kids who are practically sedentary. 

For what it’s worth, Kennedy does not want to ban vaccines, and fast food. He does however want to remove fluoride from the water, and if this scares you, your research is about 30 years behind. Fluoride can lower IQ’s and result in the calcification of the pineal gland over time, and it needs to go. For the record, I, like many holistic people don’t want to ban vaccines or fast food. What we want, what I think most of us want and what we hope Kennedy will do, is create a world where we are not judged, ridiculed or shamed for the way we choose to raise our kids. A world where people understand us when we say we’ve chosen not to vaccinate, or our kids don’t eat Yellow #5 or Red #40, and we’re not at risk for losing our kids and most importantly, a world where those who don’t have the time or desire to feed their kids the way we do, are not actively poisoning their children. 

We’re not into shaming. I’m not judging you for buying your kids corn flakes. I’m not judging you for picking up fast food for dinner, again, because you’re just too tired to cook. I want us all to live in a world where if you choose to do that for your family, the government is protecting you from the chemicals that you’re currently consuming without awareness, where informed consent is REAL, and you really and truly know what you’re getting yourself into when you get your child vaccinated or when you accept that hormonal birth control prescription. We are hoping that RFK moves us in the direction of a happier healthier society, because what we have right now isn’t working. 

Our bodies naturally produce body hair to protect us from the elements. The healthiest most natural thing you can do with your body hair is to leave it the way it is. American society has worked very hard to promote hairless bodies as the norm, despite the problems with it. Body hair preferences should be left up to each individual person. Should you decide that you do want to get rid of your body hair, I’ve created a guide for the best way to do this for your health and the environment.

I was no-shave for years. As a teenager in high school, I became fed up with the societal pressure and standard of beauty for women surrounding their body hair. I decided to give it up. I knew that choice was better for the environment and by far the best alternative to eco-friendly shaving, buying a reusable razor, and making my own shaving cream. Yes, skipping it all together was by far the best option.

That was three years ago. I’ve learned quite a bit since my experiment. I’ve learned that people today really don’t care what you do with your body hair. I’ve learned that shaving takes a lot of time, and since giving it up, I’ve saved time, water, and money. I’ve also learned that I prefer the look and feel of shaved legs. All other body hair is fine. I’ve even grown to appreciate it. But I couldn’t shake missing the look and feel of shaved legs. So I took the plunge and decided to give it a shot again.

My sister had some extra razors laying around, so I borrowed one and used some soap she had on hand (that I deemed better that her shaving cream). Here’s what I found.

If I’m not taking proper care of myself and I’m not eating as well as I should, if I use cheap razors and soap, the inflammation in my body can cause some minor razor bumps.

Regular soap is terrible. It dries out my skin and furthers the minor irritation I was feeling as a result of the inflammation.

Smooth legs are great, but they don’t last very long. Without a super close shave, within 12 hours my leg hair is already growing back. So as much as I enjoy shaved legs, it probably won’t be a regular thing for me.

Lastly, I found cheap razors do not deliver a close shave. They’re really terrible.

Regular razors and regular shaving cream can often cause razor burn and other skin irritation. This, more often than not, is a health problem caused by too much inflammation. Using a high-quality simple shaving cream with a safety razor (along with the proper diet) can help eliminate this problem.

Your disposable razor is doing more harm to the environment than you realize. Just like straws and plastic bags, razors are another disposable plastic product that is ending up in our landfills and oceans. The EPA reported in the 1990s that America produced 2 billion disposable razors and blades a year. Recent reports show that 163 million people buy disposable razors each year.

In addition to the environmental impacts, plastic is a known carcinogen. Using your plastic disposable razor won’t cause cancer all on its own, but we should all be actively working to detoxify from plastic toxicity and avoid it whenever possible. The culmination of our massive plastic use coupled with our poor diets and inability to detox has ultimately led to a society that is much sicker than it used to be.

So, what’s the alternative? If your disposable razors are wreaking havoc on the environment as well as irritating your skin, and the no-shave lifestyle isn’t for you, I’ve got an alternative.

Safety Razors

Safety razors are reusable razors similar in design to your current disposable razor. The big difference is that you don’t throw them away. They use a single razor blade that you replace when necessary. The single blade design coupled with the weight of the razor delivers a closer shave than your modern disposable razor.

Safety razors have been around for generations, and they seem to be making a comeback. Shaving enthusiasts enjoy the process of shaving with a quality safety razor. Most people find they deliver a closer, smoother shave with less irritation.

Similar to reusable menstrual products, safety razors can be a bigger investment initially, but save money in the long run. You can buy a quality safety razor for under $50, and then you may never have to buy another one again.

For the purpose of this article, I bought a vintage Gillette safety razor for around $15. You can buy a safety razor new, but if the environment is your top priority, buying used is best. You’ll also be likely to get a better razor for your money if you buy vintage.

Through my research, I decided to go with Gillette, because Gillette safety razors from the 1940s-1970s seem to be widely considered some of the best safety razors available.

I tested out the safety razor with three different shaving creams: Skintimate shaving cream, Dr. Bronner’s shaving soap, and homemade shaving cream.

Shaving with a safety razor is slightly different than shaving with a disposable razor. There’s no need to apply pressure like you would with a multi-blade disposable razor. Just hold the razor at a 45-degree angle and allow the weight of the razor to cut the hair. The weight of the razor and the sharpness of the blade is enough to deliver a close shave without the extra pressure. It might take some time to get the hang of the new technique. It can be easier to knick yourself with a safety razor, especially when you’re first learning to use it. Using the razor is not my area of expertise, so this article goes into detail about how to use a safety razor.

The safety razor did provide a closer shave than a regular razor, although I’m not sure I would have noticed much of a difference between the two had I not heard that safety razors provide a closer shave.

In order to ensure the closest shave possible, you should exfoliate beforehand. I didn’t! Getting the closest shave wasn’t my top priority, so I didn’t go through the process of making an exfoliator at home. Not to mention the process of exfoliating can irritate the skin.

I washed my legs first in an attempt to scrub some of the dirt off and used hot water to make sure the hair follicles were soft enough. Using the safety razor was very simple. I was worried I would have to be extra careful to ensure that I didn’t cut myself, but it was easy. I found that shorter strokes worked better compared to the longer strokes you might use with a disposable multi-blade razor.

Shaving Cream

Shaving creams, like most soaps and face washes, are full of synthetic fragrances and chemicals that are bad for your health and can irritate your skin. Going to the store and buying a disposable can of shaving cream for a couple of bucks only to throw it away in a couple of months is definitely not something I’ve missed since giving up shaving. However, for the sake of this article, I went to the store, bought a can of shaving cream, tested it out, and compared it to my homemade method. I also compared the cheap shaving cream to Dr. Bronner’s shaving soap.

The homemade shaving cream I tried was super simple and only had three ingredients. It was also a lot of fun to make!

• 1 cup of Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile soap
• 3/4 cup of Baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup of Water

Read the original recipe here. It goes into more detail, but it’s pretty simple. Stir all your ingredients together on the stove and heat on medium-high. After the ingredients foam up to the rim of the pot, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. After it cools, take out the foam that has separated from the liquid, with a slotted spoon. In another bowl whip the foam to the consistency that you like, and then store it in a mason jar.

The cheap shaving cream from the drugstore caused skin irritation. It burned slightly upon application and later, my skin was itchy. I broke out in razor bumps almost immediately, and it dried out my skin more than the other ones did.

Dr. Bronner’s shave soap works just fine. It wasn’t a miracle product that amazed me, but it’s a perfectly good shaving soap and it’s high quality. It’s a little on the pricey side, and it might be hard to find outside of a health food store.

All of the products dried out my skin at least to some degree. I find that anytime I use soap, no matter how good it is, it does dry out my skin as it strips my body of its natural oils. If you find that soap dries out your skin as well, I would recommend using coconut oil on your legs after you shave, as opposed to a regular lotion.

I recommend the homemade version above any other version. It’s by far the most affordable and gets the job done just as well if not better than any shaving cream I’ve bought at a store. This version also has the lowest carbon footprint, since you’re making it yourself.

Conclusion

I don’t shower on a regular basis, so I won’t be shaving all the time, But when I do, I’ll be using a safety razor and homemade shaving cream. Do not underestimate the power of a good quality shaving cream. I noticed a massive difference between the cheap can I picked up from the drug store and the shaving cream I made at home.

For the most organic/eco-friendly lifestyle, I would recommend forgoing shaving altogether, but I get that that’s not realistic for everyone. If you are going to shave, making your own shaving cream and using a safety razor are likely your best options, both for your health and the environment. If you make the switch from a disposable razor and cheap shaving cream to eco-friendly alternatives, you’ll likely notice a difference.

Sources:

• How To Shave Your Legs With A Safety Razor
• DIY Eco-Friendly Shave cream
• 2 Billion Tossed Per Year: What’s The Most Wasteful Bathroom Product?

Earlier this evening, the day after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States (again), news broke that Joel Salatin has been offered a position by the Trump team within the USDA, and he has accepted. 

“I’ve been contacted by the Trump transition team to hold some sort of position within the USDA and have accepted one of the six “Advisor to the Secretary” spots.  My favorite congressman, Thomas Massie from Kentucky, has agreed to go in as Secretary of Agriculture.”
–The Lunatic Farmer

Read the full statement on his website here.

For those who don’t know, Joel Salatin is a regenerative organic farmer. We interviewed him several years ago, while the article is quite old you can read it here if you’re interested. 

Joel Salatin has made many appearances on the Joe Rogan podcast and written several books on his experience in regenerative agriculture. It is my belief that the Trump administration offering him this position was an excellent move towards the promised “Make America Healthy Again” campaign that Trump and Kennedy ran on. 

Additionally, it appears as though Thomas Massie has been offered the position of Secretary of Agriculture. According to his website both Joel Salatin and Thomas Massie have accepted their offers. While I know less about Thomas Massie, a quick search on social media shows him pictured with guys like RFK jr while being a staunch advocate for the legalization of raw milk, which is a positive in our book. 

For more on my thoughts and feelings about this election, read this article. 

Scientists have found links between air pollution in many forms, such as forest fire smoke, and an increased risk of adverse health effects including brain disorders.

Wildfires have been prevalent as we fight this battle with Climate change. Wildfires release noxious chemical compounds as they burn and are adding to the particulate matter we breathe in.

The greatest potential for health problems comes from minuscule particles, smaller than 2.5 microns – or PM 2.5 (for context, the width of a human hair is typically 50 to 70 microns). This is, in part, because tiny particles are easily inhaled; from the lungs, they enter the bloodstream and circulate widely throughout the body.

Neurotoxins in the environment are damaging human brain health – and more frequent fires and floods may make the problem worse

Research shows these particles can promote brain inflammation, leading to dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Prenatal and early life exposure to these particles has been linked to an increased risk of autisim.

Reccomended: How To Heal Your Gut

Bayer announced earlier this week that it would no longer be selling products containing glyphosate to U.S home gardeners.

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup and has been known to cause non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers.

Bayer currently has around 30,000 legal claims against them from customers who have developed cancer after long-term exposure to glyphosate.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer declared that it was ‘probably carcinogenic to humans,’ in 2015. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under former President Donald Trump ruled that the chemical did not pose any risk to human health, the Biden Administration later admitted that the review was flawed and needed to be redone.

Bayer to Pull Glyphosate Products, Including Roundup, From U.S. Home and Garden Market

Bayer inherited several lawsuits in 2018 when it acquired Monsanto. Bayer settled those cases in 2020 with $10 billion. The settlement allowed Bayer to keep selling glyphosate products without warnings.

As the company continued to face problems they pulled the product to prevent more lawsuits. The company maintains that the decision was purely made to manage litigation risk and not because of health concerns.

Roundup and other products will be replaced with other active ingredients starting in 2023 after EPA reviews.

Related: How to Avoid GMOs in 2018 – And Everything Else You Should Know About Genetic Engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEYIidcyFcI

Professors at MIT have referred to the San Onofre nuclear power plant as a “Chernobyl waiting to happen”. The San Onofre nuclear power plant is full of nuclear waste and is located along the coast of southern California on “Earthquake bay.

Eventually, in 2013 the plant was shut down after a radioactive leak was discovered. Now, Orange county is left with canisters of nuclear waste with no permanent place to send them to.

If this nuclear waste does end up being transported it will likely just end up in New Mexico or Texas in disenfranchised communities lacking resources to properly store or dispose of the waste.

Nuclear plant leakage is such a common problem that when reading up on the history of different nuclear plants, Wikipedia has an “incident” page where you can view past nuclear leaks.

Recommended: How to Eliminate IBS, IBD, Leaky Gut 

The decision of what to do with this nuclear waste is obviously a big one, yet ther person who decides what happens to the nuclear waste is a judge in an urban courthouse who ran unopposed in his last election.

Permanent compositories, canisters only last 200-300 years clock ticking, why should communities have to store nuclear waste when there’s no guarantee it will be moved.

To learn more about the problems with nuclear waste storage check out the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0diB3ZnxNw