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You’re going to love these 13 lifestyle swaps for the Gutsy girl.

July 19th, 2018 marks the last time I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy. And during that scope, all was clear. For the first time since I was first scoped in 2008, they found no traces of anything!

Shortly before that, June 28, 2018, I came off the last 28-day Rifaximin and Neomycin round. Starting on day 26 of that round, all SIBO symptoms vanished.

And since that June/July timeframe of 2018, I have felt 100% in my stomach. But maybe more interesting is that I have followed zero “diet.” 

So I got to thinking about all of this. Namely, “why and how?”

It occurred to me that the three pillars are saying it all.

Three pillars for ultimate gut healing

If you have not had the chance of getting to know my three pillars yet, here they are.

1. Diagnosis
2. Diet
3. Lifestyle

If you read all about each of them HERE, I specifically state,

And if you want the honest, real and raw truth, it’s within the lifestyle pillar where most of your healing will or will not occur. And it’s also here where those very last puzzle pieces typically land.

It is, by far, the most difficult pillar to conquer.

There it is.

I don’t want you to miss anything of what I’ve just shared. In case you need more time to take this in and soak it up, head back to the top and read through the entire timeline again.

1. The diagnosis took years for me to arrive at. My passion starts here, for you. I help you do this in far less time with all the information, education, and resources here.
2. An appropriate diet also took years for me to understand. And because of it, I now educate you on the power in journaling for gut healing and understanding the difference between gut health and gut healing.

Lifestyle. 

So then, yes, it all boiled down to lifestyle in the end. I relapsed so many times because I couldn’t figure out the lifestyle part. 

And you want the truth? Even when you figure out the lifestyle piece, you’ll have to work on it your entire life. It’s an ongoing component that you never truly “conquer.”

Honestly? After arriving in this place, with the lifestyle I’ve swapped up for, why would I want to revert back to the old?

Which lifestyle swap made the biggest difference?

You’re going to read my top 13 lifestyle swaps for the Gutsy girl. Because there are many, you’ll want to know, 

Which lifestyle swap made the biggest difference?

But I can’t give you an answer for that. I have zero clue which puzzle piece was placed 7th, 50th, or last. 

This is because small changes make a huge difference. 

So when I give you these lifestyle swaps, feel free to put whatever weight you want on any of them. Just know that, for me, I didn’t assign weight to any. Instead, I slowly (or fast!) made all the changes and stayed consistent. 

p.s. If you want to go deep on all of this, you’ll find it via Week 2 Recording 2 of Gut Healing for Beginners.

13 Lifestyle Swaps for the Gutsy Girl

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Note: You will find almost all of the below swaps via the Master Gutsy Resource Spreadsheet with full links, information, and some discount codes. Grab your copy of this spreadsheet for FREE HERE.

1. Tampons

Did you know that cotton is considered one of the dirtiest crops in the world—meaning it is laden with pesticides and toxins? I don’t use Tampax or Playtex any longer for neither tampons nor any type of pad. I’ve written about the top 4 organic tampons HERE. 

2. Cleaning Supplies

There are still some chemical-laden cleaning supplies in our house. Honestly, there probably always will be. But every single chance I get, I swap up. I personally use my Branch Basics kit every single night for counter spray. Want to know a simple, lovely scented spray mix? Prepare the counter spray with the Branch Basics kit and then drop a few (or more!) lemon essential oil droplets into the mixture. Fresh and clean. Use code ‘AGUTSYGIRL’ for 15% off all Starter Kits at Branch Basics.

3. Makeup

I never use makeup anymore if it contains harmful ingredients. Not that I ever have worn a ton of makeup, but I did throw out a ton of random makeup and swapped it for Beautycounter. I can’t tell you the number of women who say, “No. Beautycounter is an MLM.” Well, listen. Beautycounter has done so many things for the safer beauty movement. The company has marched (literally) all the way to the top at Capitol Hill. And, it’s an incredible product that – yes – does support women like me who care about what you put on your body as much as what you put in it. 

4. Skincare

Skincare goes along with makeup, but it’s a major swap I made, too. Now that I’m older, skincare is important to me. When I was younger, not only did I use harsh chemicals on my face, but I also didn’t have a clue how important proper skincare is. My bathroom is filled with skincare products mostly from Beautycounter, but also Primally Pure, NOW Foods, and Wedderspoon. If you’re looking for the right skincare regimen for your unique skin, find it HERE.

5. Workouts

When we lived in California, I did it all…..sometimes simultaneously. I swapped out high intensity and long duration for walking and/or high intensity, (super short) duration. In other words, no hardcore, long-distance running training. This is because I finally figured out that gut healing and intense workouts cannot coexist.

6. Toothpaste

I never buy conventional toothpaste anymore. It was the one change for Perioral Dermatitis I made that instantly made a difference. I swapped Crest Whitening for Redmond’s Earthpaste (and now today I’ve added in the Wellnesse Fresh Mint Whitening Toothpaste as well).

7. Toothbrush

Yes, even my toothbrush is different today. Does it matter? This one maybe moreso for the environment, but nonetheless, it’s a swap I made. I used to buy plastic, generic toothbrushes. Now we use the Humble Brush, which is made with natural bamboo.

8. Straws

And again, this one might be more for the environment, but I try to never buy plastic straws anymore. In fact, I am about to start carrying my new reusable ones in my purse so I don’t even have to use plastic ones while out and about. I found THESE from this company called Hali Hali. Actually obsessed.

9. Shampoo + Conditioner

Long gone are the Pantene days. At first, I swapped for a better shampoo and conditioner due solely to ingredients. But now, it’s because I believe my hair actually looks and feels better. I have both the shampoo and conditioner from Wellness, but I rarely use the conditioner because my hair is so fine. The shampoo is my jam, and I swear by it. You can learn more about shampoo ingredients HERE.

10. Designing my life

Actually this is a swap I chose and implemented over time. I worked like a work horse for umpteen clients 24/7 while in California. And I kept  A Gutsy Girl on the side. Then, I started reducing clients (but not workload). My most recent move towards designing my life was to keep one client (that I loved and fulfilled my soul, Delighted By) and begin really growing A Gutsy Girl.

And finally? At the end of 2019, I traded in everything for 100% A Gutsy Girl full-time. This swap was for my soul. Having everything on my own time, at my own pace, and contributing in new and beautiful ways to the world is a swap I’d recommend for anyone who is stuck in (and hates) their current 9-to-5. What you do from a career standpoint matters in a huge way. 

11. Home scents

My old life had an apartment or house filled with wallflowers, random, scented candles, and even incense (for a random time period). But then I started learning about how toxic candles and wallflowers are. Seriously, is anything made with standards anymore?! So, I ditched them. I’ll never buy a wallflower again. And I’ll only burn a toxic candle if my mother gifts me one 🙂 All other candle gifts will be thrown.

Our house now has around 20+ essential oil diffusers placed everywhere. And no, no this didn’t happen all at once or even within one year. I basically started “collecting” diffusers. As a diffuser went up, more essential oils were bought to infuse the house with natural scents. Currently obsessed with anything DoTerra citrus in the kitchen. 

Doing it alone

I traded in doing it alone (i.e. thinking I could manage all the things, all the time, all by myself) for help. It’s true. This looked like: therapy, childcare, connection with friends, medication, and the simple understanding that while I am strong and capable, getting help is not a form of weakness. In fact, it shows strength. You never have to do anything alone. 

Stress

I saved stress for last. Do you want to know why? Because this is the most important of the lifestyle pieces for everyone. And that’s because every single thing I’ve mentioned above plays into stress. Don’t believe me, check out Is Stress Causing My Digestive Distress HERE.

Where my money goes

Don’t think that all of the above is an equal money exchange. Sadly, it’s not. I say “sadly” because isn’t it sad that higher-quality, healthier, safer, and more life-fulfilling options usually come with a higher price tag?

But here’s the thing that most people don’t see with regards to where my money goes. 

I rarely shop for clothes. Fancy toys and expensive hobbies are not present in my life. There are no maxed credit cards with meaningless items which fill our house.

Instead, my money goes towards the things I believe keep me (and my whole family) happy and thriving. 

And clearly something is working because here I am still feeling my best yet.

By the way, I realize there are a ton of lifestyle swaps, but my team is always here to help answer any questions. Feel free to contact us HERE whenever you’d like to chat. Happy to help with more information, thoughts, and recommendations on any of the above.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

1. Start Here
2. A Gutsy Girl’s Bible
3. My Story

Xox,
SKH