EFR 869: Cancer-Causing Chemicals You're Probably Using Every Day, Endocrine Disruptors and How to Make Your Home a Non-Toxic Sanctuary with Bethany McDaniel

00:00 - Chase (Host) The following is an Operation Podcast production.

00:03 - Bethany (Guest) The products we use on our skin matter. It is our largest detox organ, so not only do we absorb things through the skin, but we eliminate through the skin as well. We cannot separate the health of our skin from the health of our whole body. I think that's where a lot of skincare companies go wrong. They sell products that treat specific conditions in the skin, but maybe they also have chemicals that disrupt the microbiome of the skin or are hormone disrupting or cancer causing.

00:32 - Chase (Host) If you could call out skincare, personal care industries, what would you say to them? Do you think real change is even possible?

00:38 - Bethany (Guest) I think change needs to come from two levels. Hi, my name is Bethany McDaniel and I am the founder of Primally Pure. I'm so excited to get into this chat on Ever Forward Radio, where we are going to talk all about non-toxic skincare, but also just the state of health in the world that we live in, the products we're exposed to, the foods that we eat, our lifestyle, and why all of that matters lifestyle and why all of that matters.

01:11 - Chase (Host) Welcome, welcome, welcome. Welcome back to Ever Forward Radio. I'm your host, chase Tuning, army veteran wellness entrepreneur, certified health coach and especially, like in today's conversation, conscious consumer, because today we are diving into the transformative power of embracing a non-toxic lifestyle. In this episode, I am joined by Primarily Pure's founder, bethany McDaniel, and we explore the crucial connection between skincare, home goods, personal care products and overall wellbeing, and the surprising link between them all. You're going to discover how conventional products can disrupt hormones and even damage the skin's microbiome, and you're also going to learn why non-toxic skincare is now easier than ever and, in fact, essential for maintaining healthy skin and a healthy lifestyle. We're going to be diving into the hidden dangers of fragrances and everyday products, emphasizing the importance of choosing natural alternatives to reduce exposure to these harmful chemicals that can be detrimental to you and your family's health. Finally, bethany is going to share some really practical personal tips for creating a toxin-free home environment from purifying indoor air to adopting grounding practices that promote wellness. From within.

02:26 Bethany, join me in studio.

02:27 If you want to check out the video, I have it linked for you in the show notes, along with everything else that we talk about, such as PrimarilyPurecom and their amazing lineup of goods. So if you want to check out the video, it's linked for you down there. Or you can go to EverForwardRadiocom or check us out on YouTube. Subscribe to the channel over there if you're more of a visual learner, or if you're tuning in here today on your favorite podcast platform of choice. If you take three seconds right now and hit that follow button, that subscribe button, it does wonders to support the show and I greatly, greatly appreciate it. And this episode is actually brought to you by Primally Pure. They not only brought Bethany on the show, but I love what they're up to, and they are partnering with us to bring their brand power, their product power, their clean power, to the environment and to your home care products with a special discount at checkout. You can use code EVER4 to save 10% off of anything you want there. But here's why I brought them on as a partner for this episode, because they are a brand that's redefining what it means to take care of yourself and the planet, like you're going to hear in Bethany's interview. But let me just put you on real quick. See, primally Pure it's not just about making clean products. It's about creating a holistic approach to health inside and out.

03:40 Every ingredient they use is handpicked for its purity and its powerful ability to support the body's natural functions. We love that over here, seriously. No fillers, no chunk, just real nourishing ingredients that work in harmony with your body. I'm using their natural deodorant. My wife is burning their amazing essential oil-infused candles at the home. We are in love. Baby Dean loves their baby care lineup, especially the baby oil.

04:09 Look for man, woman, kid home. They got something In fact. Look around your home right now. Look in the medicine cabinet, look in the bathroom, look on the counters. I guarantee you you're using something that you can find at PrimallyPurecom. That's a better swap. You're not just making a healthier choice for yourself, you're making a healthier choice for the environment. Their commitment to sustainable sourcing and thoughtful production means you're supporting a business that cares deeply about the earth every step of the way. And here's a little bonus for you for being part of the Everford Radio family. Like I said, you can save 10% off your order with code EVERFORWARD at checkout, linked for you in the show notes as always. Just head over to PrimallyPurecom, that's P-R-I-M-A-L-L-Y-P-U-R-Ecom, and use code EVERFORWARD. All one word at checkout to start feeling and living your best, naturally, without further ado. Join me in welcoming Bethany McDaniel to the podcast. Bethany, if you could boil down your mission and even your current philosophy regarding healthy living through cleaner everyday products into a warning for other people, what would it be and why?

05:23 - Bethany (Guest) I would say that the products we use on our skin matter. We absorb things through our skin. This is well known within the medical community. There are certain drugs that are administered through the skin. It is our largest detox organ. So not only do we absorb things through the skin, but we eliminate through the skin as well, and so we cannot separate the health of our skin from the health of our whole body.

05:48 I think that's where a lot of skincare companies go wrong. They sell products that treat specific conditions in the skin, but maybe they also have chemicals that disrupt the microbiome of the skin or are hormone disrupting or cancer causing. And I just like to look at it from a more holistic perspective of treating the skin like the organ that it is and not separating it or thinking that we can separate it from the health of the body as a whole, because and it's also one part of it it's like. That's why, at Primally Pure, we love to educate on not just skincare but healthy living as well, because the health of our body in general is going to be reflected in the health of our skin, and what we put on our skin matters, what we eat matters, our sleep matters, our lifestyle matters. It all matters if we want to have healthy, glowing skin.

06:45 - Chase (Host) If you could call out the we'll say the home goods and skincare, personal care industries, what would you say to them? And, more importantly, do you think anyone would actually listen? Do you think real change is even possible?

06:52 - Bethany (Guest) I think change needs to come from two levels.

06:56 I think there does need to be more accountability on the part of these companies that are selling products with ingredients that we know for a fact I mean, a lot of them haven't even been tested and the ones that have been tested, a lot of these chemicals are known to be cancer causing, known to be hormone disrupting, but their companies are still allowed to use them in America.

07:18 A lot of them are banned in Europe but not in America, and so I think there needs to be more accountability for these companies that are allowed to sell products made with really toxic ingredients. But then there also needs to be more awareness from the consumer standpoint, of the fact that not everything sold to us on store shelves is safe. In fact, a lot of it is not, and so I think people need to have more personal responsibility in this regard and understand the toxic soup that we're living in and the fact that this is something we can control. There's a lot of things we can't control, but the products we use we do have a say in that, and so I think, from a consumer level, there needs to be more awareness and personal responsibility. And then also, it's just not easy for us to always know, and so I think there needs to be more awareness and personal responsibility. And then also, it's just not easy for us to always know, and so I think there needs to be more accountability for the companies that are selling these things.

08:10 - Chase (Host) Yeah, you bring up two really important kind of silos here.

08:14 What we're talking about.

08:15 There are the creators, the manufacturers, the distributors, the people that make these products and those governing bodies, and then there's the consumer, and I always kind of struggle with this aspect beyond, just like personal care, but you know, nutrition, a box of cereal or an apple, or you know, sitting on the couch watching Netflix or going on a walk or going to the gym.

08:36 Ultimately, I think it does come down to the choice of the consumer especially if no one's holding a gun to your head, so to say, of making this choice or that choice. People can make whatever they want, right, businesses can create whatever they want product, service and then it's up to us to choose to consume it quite literally in our bodies or through our minds. So then, how do we really know which silo to go after? Is it more so the consumer, because ultimately they're the one, we are the ones making the choice or are we just being so misguided and so much misinformation and clever marketing that, you know, even if we choose to try to make the smart choice, we're not really making the best option for us?

09:22 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, that's a great thought, I think, for me, I like to focus on empowering the consumer because that's just. I like connecting with people, I like sharing this information. You know, as a company like we are not just about selling products. We've always been about also providing the education because, like I said, like your health is not just about the products that you use. Like, if someone has acne or if someone has eczema, um, they could be using the best, most clean, effective skincare products in the world. It may not change anything for them because they're not addressing, you know, their gut or whatever issue is contributing. Yeah, so it's. It has to be both like the products and the education, and so I think empowering the consumer to make better choices is the best path forward that I know of.

10:13 However, I think about like my journey and myself as a teenager. You know, when I started getting acne, I was like 14. Like 14, and I didn't really have like the means to go figure out how to best treat my acne from a holistic perspective, like. So I think about like kids and I feel I feel like kids are the most impacted negatively. They don't really have a choice at that point. It's just kind of whatever their parents are doing Um.

10:40 And so I think it's even more important for parents to have agency and like responsibility and really take that seriously when thinking about the products that they're using on themselves, on their kids, the foods. In that regard, it's sad that they are unknowingly using these products and eating foods that are elevating their toxic load in their body and they don't really have a choice in it. So, yeah, I think, but yeah, I think when it comes down to it, like for me, I think empowering people, empowering moms to make the best choices they can, is where I tend to focus.

11:29 - Chase (Host) You mentioned clean. I've mentioned clean a few times and I think clean is one of the most cleverly used terms, especially when it comes to home cleaning products, skin care products, personal care products, because really anyone can just say clean, right, this is a clean product. To my knowledge, there is no governing body deciding to what level you can or cannot use clean when talking about or marketing or even creating something that you're going to be absorbing and or digesting, and so my question around that is what do you think is the biggest misconception people have around clean products?

12:03 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, I mean there is so much greenwashing now. When I started doing this, I started experimenting with natural products, maybe like 12, 13 years ago, and officially started Primely Pure 10 years ago, and non-toxic products were not as trendy then as they are now, and it's great that this movement has picked up momentum. But it's also causing more confusion for people, because companies know that that's what people want and they will slap anything on their product to give people the impression that it's cleaner than it actually is. So the word clean or the word natural or non-toxic no one is regulating these terms Really.

12:39 - Chase (Host) Even non-toxic.

12:40 - Bethany (Guest) Even non-toxic Wow, anyone can put that on there. Or like we see a lot made with coconut oil, and maybe coconut oil is like the 12th ingredient listed under all of these chemicals and ingredients are listed on the back of labels. Um, in order of greatest to least. So there's so many little tricks and gimmicks. Even dermatologists tested is one that I see a lot that literally just means that a dermatologist swabbed it on their skin and like no allergic reaction.

13:05 Yeah, I mean and I don't even know if they're regulating whether there was an erection. It's literally just that the dermatologist tested it and so, yeah, a lot of a lot of confusion out there for sure, and I think it is surprising for people when not only when they find out that, like, the products that they being, that they have been sold and used, are not safe, but also the products that, like, seem really clean A lot of those are not safe as well.

13:31 - Chase (Host) I remember years ago right around probably 2008 ish when I was going through my um injury recovery time from the military. I was literally just at home for months and I began to dive into a lot of health, wellness and the whole green concept was very trendy back then. I think this was like 2008 ish, 2009, maybe 2008. And uh, I remember latching onto this concept that really hit home for me and that was clean, doesn't have a smell. I just kind of just sat back and I was like, yeah, like I'm using this cleaning product or using this face wash or body wash or whatever, and it's like zesty pine or I keep going like pine mountain or whatever, some like overly abundant smell. I'm like this is really just masking.

14:23 And then, when I started switching to a lot of you know that non-toxic, all natural cleaning products, or even making some of my own actually, I was like everything's clean but there's no smell, and so I think the whole aspect of clean having a smell is one of the biggest misconceptions people have. Would you agree? So much marketing with that? Yeah, clean doesn't have a smell.

14:41 - Bethany (Guest) It's like all the Febreze commercials, like you need this, like crazy intense fragrance to make you think that, yes, that your house is now clean or whatever it's.

14:52 Yeah, that was like a big, big marketing push, I think, for a while. That, I think I think is starting to fizzle out. I mean, we know so much more about fragrance now. It is a blanket term, it's protected by the FDA as a trade secret, so companies don't have to disclose what's actually in their fragrance. But it can contain thousands of different chemicals and the EPA did a study on the ingredients in fragrance and found that 72% of what's in fragrance are phthalates, which are hormone disrupting chemicals. Phthalates are what makes scents stick. So that's why when you walk into a house that maybe has a lot of candles or Glade plugins like, even if you remove that, that house is still going to smell like those products for weeks, months, I mean unless you do some intense stuff to get rid of that.

15:40 The phthalates really just drive those scents into, like fabrics and surfaces of all kinds.

15:46 - Chase (Host) So we've talked about a couple of products already, but I want to kind of bring my audience's attention to a couple of key products that you think might be in everyone's home that we should really be bringing our biggest attention to first and foremost. So if you could raise awareness of three products that you think most people use most days, what would they be and why?

16:07 - Bethany (Guest) Deodorant for sure, I think, is the number one thing. I always encourage people. If you are new to non-toxic living, start with deodorant. It's problematic for a lot of reasons. Antiperspirants just the idea that we want to prevent our body from sweating is problematic. Sweating is such an important way that our body gets rid of toxins. We don't want to get in the way of that process. So traditional antiperspirants have aluminum, which is a heavy metal. It's been linked to Alzheimer's disease and it actually blocks your pores, so it stops you from sweating, which is not good.

16:41 - Chase (Host) It's not what we want. That's what makes the difference between antiperspirant versus deodorant right. Because we have antiperspirants and deodorant, and then we have just deodorant. Right the aluminum part is what makes the antiperspirant. It blocks the pores, so you don't sweat. Exactly.

16:52 - Bethany (Guest) Exactly so. Not only are you putting harmful chemicals into your underarms, not to mention parabens. There was a study done that found in 98% of breast cancer tumors that were sampled, 98% had parabens in them. And then fragrance. Fragrance is in most antiperspirants and deodorants. And so not only are we blocking the pores, but we're putting all of this junk into such a sensitive area of the body, close to so many lymph nodes and breast tissue, and then we're not letting anything detox in the way it was meant to. So I would encourage anyone who is new to non-toxic living start with deodorant. Let that be your first swap. You will be extra sweaty, extra smelly for a little while because your body's purging, it's getting rid of all that stuff, but then it will normalize. And a lot of our customers say like I've been using your deodorant for months now and I actually find that I smell less, I sweat less than I ever did before.

17:46 - Chase (Host) So really. So you just need to kind of bust through a little yeah and you'll sweat, you know and you'll always sweat, but not as much as in that beginning like purging phase.

17:54 - Bethany (Guest) Okay, yeah, I think anything that covers a lot of surface area on the body is really important too. So like I think about the lotions that I used all throughout my life really, but especially like junior high, high school Bath and Body Works had a big moment.

18:09 - Chase (Host) Oh my God, Everyone was using it.

18:10 - Bethany (Guest) That was like the Christmas gift the lotions, the candles yes, that was like the Christmas gift that my friends and I would always get for each other.

18:17 - Chase (Host) I cannot walk in still, even back in high school, it's still today.

18:25 - Bethany (Guest) I cannot walk in even by a Bath and Body Works without getting a headache. Yeah, I know. And then, like Hollister, abercrombie, those stores.

18:27 - Chase (Host) back in the day they were pumping it out through the vents.

18:31 - Bethany (Guest) Oh man, I don't think they're doing that anymore, but um no, for a lot of other reasons.

18:35 - Chase (Host) Yeah, exactly yeah, they got caught with some other things, but, uh, being the least, so true? Um, so deodorants, kind of being the first and foremost, yeah.

18:41 - Bethany (Guest) Deodorant. I would say is number one, and then any like lotions. Things that cover so much surface area I think are important to swap. Um, and you know we have body butters that also smell great but we sent them with natural essential oils. And um, our body butter is made with tallow from grass fed cows.

19:02 - Chase (Host) What can't you do with beef tallow? These days, I keep hearing more and more about it.

19:06 - Bethany (Guest) It's funny because when I started my company, no one was talking about beef tallow, but I I knew about it and I was interested in this ingredient because my family had a regenerative farm and a regenerative livestock farm, and so I thought it was like this amazing ingredient. It's an ingredient that stood the test of time. Our ancestors used it.

19:23 - Chase (Host) It's from the marrow, isn't it? Bone marrow?

19:26 - Bethany (Guest) No, it's the, it's the fat, it's the suet. Oh, oh, excuse me. So it's, that's the. Um, yeah, it's the like most pure fat from the cow that is melted and rendered and, um, the impurities are like sifted and separated from the pure oil and then it solidifies and becomes a tallow that you can use in skincare products and candles and for cooking. Um, it's really amazing. It's very biocompatible with the skin. It's very similar to the skin's own. Sebum. Tallow actually means sebum in Latin and, um, yeah, it's, it's this incredible ingredient. So I was like so excited about it, but then I also thought are people going to get this? Like, I don't know, this may be too much.

20:03 This was when this was back in 2015, when I started my company, yeah, and every vegan skincare was so big at the time, Um, but I decided to to do it, to go with it and just provided like a lot of education for people Like this is what it actually is. We're not like killing animals just to get the tallow, which is a kind of a misconception that some people have.

20:26 - Chase (Host) Yeah, it's like where does this come from? How do you get it?

20:28 - Bethany (Guest) It's like really it's we're using all of the animal like our ancestors did. It's like having a nose-to-tail philosophy and recognizing that every part of that animal has a purpose, and so I think it's like a really beautiful story ingredient story and decided to use it in our products and could never have predicted that now it's become like so popular and trendy in our culture.

20:49 - Chase (Host) I know, I know we got a hookup for you. I found something that has worked for me. That has been something I have been looking for for years. As an active guy that's working out most days of the week, I'm running hot, look, I sweat, and I use antiperspirant and deodorant, and I know we are finding so much evidence showing that the aluminum and traditional antiperspirants and deodorants are actually not that great for us in the long run. I'm not going to go through the scare tactics of what aluminum has been linked to long-term, especially when it comes to dementia, alzheimer's and just myriad of other chronic disease and illness.

21:29 I am in love with their natural deodorant because it actually works. Now, if you've ever tried natural deodorants before and thought, yeah, this doesn't really work, it works maybe for a minute, but I wind up sweating like crazy or stinking like crazy, or they all just kind of have this weird quote natural scent to them that, honestly, is a little worse than my natural scent. It's because their deodorant is made with simple, pure ingredients that actually work all day, whether you're just hitting the gym, like me, or chasing after kids not like me. We're just crushing a busy workday. And it's not just for guys, not just one type of person men, women, everyone loves it. I use it, my wife loves it. They have a couple of different scents and aromas to pick from, all made with natural ingredients like essential oils. Seriously, it's strong enough for the guys but still gentle and fresh enough for the ladies. You're going to love the way you feel and smell.

22:27 And because you're part of the Ever Forward radio community, you got the hookup. You can save 10% at checkout when you use the code EVERFORWARD. That's EVERFORWARD at checkout for 10% off your first order. Get the deodorant They've got three or four different scents to pick from. Or go crazy and replace all of the amazing products they have with the ones in your home, like skincare, bath baby. So much Primarilypurecom P-R-I-M-A-L-L-Y-P-U-R-Ecom Code Everford at checkout for 10% off. Your armpits will thank you. Yeah, this is all top of mind for me. I just recently started watching yellow jackets. Have you seen that show? Okay, well, not to derail too much, but it's like imagine sorority soccer, sorority meets Lord of the flies, mixed with lost kind of thing. Uh, so it's like survival out there in the wilderness and they're, they're using. Well, I don't want to do a spoiler alert, but they're using everything of everything they kill, I bet. So we talked about deodorants and then really anything you're kind of covering head to toe with your bodies.

23:32 Yeah, is there a third product that you think we should bring immediate awareness to.

23:38 - Bethany (Guest) Yes, I mean, there's so many. I'll go outside of skincare for a minute. I think cleaning products are really important. I'm a big fan of Branch Basics products, but if you think about when you're in the store and you walk through the cleaning aisle, you are smelling all of those products and they're in the package. So it's like these VOCs. They permeate the air around us when we use them, but also just when they're in our home. So you're creating such a toxic environment in your home with these toxic cleaning products. And then we're told that we need, you know, a toilet cleaner, a separate cleaner for your windows and a separate thing for, like, wiping surfaces.

24:15 - Chase (Host) All of that is marketing gimmicks Like to get you to buy all these different products.

24:19 - Bethany (Guest) Yes, you, there are not like a cleaner is a cleaner like branch basics? It's a. It's a surfactant, a basic surfactant. Um, the same thing can be used in different concentrations to clean any part of the home. So, um, I know I sound like a branch basics ad right now, but you can also use like vinegar and water.

24:35 - Chase (Host) It would be better than um, yeah, baking soda, exactly.

24:40 - Bethany (Guest) That's one thing. You can find a lot of DIY recipes online for cleaning products to clean like anything in your home, and it's going to be better than the majority of products that you'll find on stores.

24:50 - Chase (Host) Yeah, I got turned on to this brand called Shackley. You've heard of them Mm-mm Years ago. They do a lot of different products, but I found in my green era, back in 2008, I found their cleaning line and it's one super high concentrated, I think, a surfactant product. Yeah uh, that you use for like one dose is like for all purpose.

25:09 Higher dose or measurement is for like grease and oil stains, and a third is like for windows and stuff yeah and I've literally had the same bottle of concentrate for years wow years and you just dilute it with, like you know, purified water, totally, um, it's like one quarter teaspoon or one half teaspoon and it lasts forever and I haven't tried this, but actually, technically, you could like eat it, consume it, and it's totally fine. It's all like organic compounds, yeah, but, um, yeah, it just goes to show you, like, if you really look at, follow the dollars really, uh, what are you being marketed, what are you being sold and what actually, in result, is happening in your life?

25:43 - Bethany (Guest) Right, exactly, and it applies on so many levels. I mean for me, like it started with food and evaluating okay, what have I been eating most of my life, which was processed foods, and then switching to real foods and finding that I felt so much better and the acne that I had always dealt with started clearing up, and then that led me to like this journey of what else have I gotten wrong and what else have I been like misled to believe that's actually what else is a lie, yeah?

26:08 yeah, once you like see it, it's like you start to see it in everything you can't unsee it.

26:11 - Chase (Host) No, there's no unlearning. Yeah, that's for sure. Yeah, there's no unknowing. I should say there's definitely a level of unlearning. Yeah, um, and I definitely want to get more into your backstory here shortly, but I want to just keep us locked in on. Okay, I'm bringing attention and awareness to what I'm putting on my body, in my body, and kind of just getting the listener involved more in scanning in their homes, because I think certain areas of our homes probably we could bring more awareness to first, maybe an area where we keep cleaning products or skincare products, and so I want to just have you kind of walk us through someone who's listening right now that wants to take action by starting with one room in their home.

26:47 What do you think is the most toxic room in people's homes by way of housing the most or highest levels of harsh chemicals? Is it under the sink? Is it the medicine cabinet? Is it that relaxing candle we always light at the end of the day on our nightstand to, like you know, help us relax and slip into sleep. We always light at the end of the day on our nightstand to, like you know, help us relax and slip into sleep. Basically, where should they go. That's going to have the greatest impact on their health and their life in their home. First.

27:11 - Bethany (Guest) It's a great question. It's so hard to pick just one thing. I would say anything that has fragrance, get rid of that immediately, whether that's a candle in your bedroom yeah, a bedroom for sure is so important. I mean, it's where you sleep like so many important detoxification and rejuvenation processes happen while we sleep.

27:31 - Chase (Host) Even like the like the quote all natural soy blend candles. Like if it has a smell, get rid of it.

27:38 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah Well, we do make candles with essential oils that that are great, and they're beeswax candles, which actually helps to purify the air. So, um, there's a handful, you know we make them. There's a handful of brands that make those, but anything with fragrance anything that says fragrance parfum, get rid of it.

27:56 - Chase (Host) Okay, so not necessarily if it has a smell, but especially if it has a smell and says fragrance parfum.

27:59 - Bethany (Guest) if it doesn't say inquire, reach out, um, they should list the ingredients, that they should provide information on that, but I mean it's it's pretty rare to find companies that will do that. It's way more expensive. Like, the essential oil blends that we put into our candles are pricey If you want to put enough of it to like still give that soothing aromatic experience. So, yeah, a lot of cam I mean the majority of candles out there are going to be really problematic. I would say, like the bedroom, if you could make the bedroom a sanctuary like, focus on that, and that also kind of includes the bathroom, because the master bathroom is like by the bedroom and so you don't want a bunch of toxic cleaning products or skincare products in the bathroom that's next to the place where you sleep, because that is going to negatively impact the air quality. And if you could have, like amazing air quality in your bedroom at least, that's going to be a huge first step.

28:56 - Chase (Host) Yeah, we recently added air purifiers into our home, and that's another one of those areas where you don't really realize what's going on. Because, you can't. I mean, maybe that's that bad.

29:05 You can't really walk around your home and go oh pollutant, oh harsh chemical, oh mold, Um, but adding the air purifiers, and especially when we cook and they kick on uh, and when, like the vents are on, or like certain sprays or things are used and like they just randomly kick in overdrive, like oh wow, like the stuff actually really matters a lot more more. There's a lot more going on around us that we didn't realize. Now we can see it yes, hear it actually thanks to the air purifiers.

29:30 - Bethany (Guest) I know, I love that, mine, mine do that too, and it's like satisfying. So you're like, oh yeah it's working I can actually tell it's making a difference um air purifiers are a great investment if you can if you can afford to do that. People can also use a box fan with a filter and the filter just like a basic um air conditioning filter. It will like suction to the back of the box fan.

29:53 If you're on a budget it is a great hack because the box fan will pull in the air and pull in toxins and then the filter eliminates them. I've actually done this.

30:02 - Chase (Host) That's so smart, that's genius.

30:04 - Bethany (Guest) I've done this like during remodels. Um cause, we've had kind of an ongoing remodel situation in our house and I just wanted to see like, okay, does this work? And so I I set one up in an area that had just a lot of air particulates because it was being like demoed and, um, oh my gosh, like the filter got dirty. So, because it actually, like it, pulls, the toxins through there and it traps them. So yeah, it's a. That's a good hack for anyone who might be on a budget.

30:27 - Chase (Host) It's one thing to hear it and see an air purifier in action, but man, yeah, when you pull the filter out and you're like, wow, I used to be breathing this kind of stuff.

30:37 - Bethany (Guest) Um, I have a brand, jasper, I use in the kitchen and it's so good and I have this joke now.

30:40 - Chase (Host) I'm like, whenever I'm cooking, I'm like what's going to anger Jasper today? You? Know, my husband, I joke about that for some reason Jasper has this like deep South old school accent. But I'm like, okay, butter and cast iron Jasper hates hates it, hates it.

30:56 - Bethany (Guest) That's so funny. That's a joke in our house too, cause I always set the Jasper off, cause I'm like the impatient person that like cooks things high and like.

31:04 - Chase (Host) I'm like honey, you have anger, jasper but that is the best one.

31:09 It makes a big difference. Yeah, it really is. Um, and actually I think it's a a funny point if you go back to like where it is in your home, to your point I've heard you talk about this before of like you're really trying to get people because this is what worked well for you and your wellness journey, your own healing journey of if it's too much to wrap your head around, like the products or the things that you're using, go to the experiences, the, the rituals, the parts of your day, and how many of us go through our day, whether it's, I think, usually first thing in the morning or in the evening. We're trying to get jump-started, get the day going, get energized and or, you know, reverse, we're trying to like calm down, wind down and like take care of our minds and our bodies and just relax and you'll slip into sleep, when those are usually the areas where we might be integrating more harm than good.

31:54 Chemicals in the air, chemicals in the shower, shampoos, lotions, soaps, moisturizers, facebook all of these things that not to discourage anybody from self-care it's super important, but like it's just kind of ironic, I guess. When you're, you know you're trying to do the best you can and we all are trying out here, we're all trying to take care of ourselves and make right choices. But you know, just really put another layer on, put another lens on, really of what are you doing? Are you potentially doing more harm than good? Or one step forward, two steps back on a thing?

32:26 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, that's interesting. I've never thought about it like that because, um, those moments are so important, like how we start our day, how we end our day like most important so important.

32:37 I just like setting our nervous system up for success. Um, I love to encourage people because, yes, it it can be a lot. It can be really overwhelming thinking about all of the toxic exposures and where to start, and I know some people just get overwhelmed and just ignore it altogether and like that's not what we want to do, like every change we make is going to make a difference in some way, and so whatever pace is right for you, just like being on that journey, I think is important. But in terms of like how we start our day, how we end our day, um, I think there's one thing that a lot of people don't take advantage of and that's getting outside. Like the more we can be outside, I mean there are infinite benefits to being outdoors.

33:18 When you think about the sunlight, like getting that sunshine in the early morning, and how that impacts our circadian rhythm and our hormones and stimulates the awakening hormones that we need to function well throughout the day, and how that impacts our circadian rhythm and our hormones and simulates the awakening hormones that we need to function well throughout the day, and then setting our bodies up to then be ready to go to sleep and for those sleep hormones like melatonin, to kick in once it's nighttime like that cycle starts when you wake up.

33:40 And if we can like go outside and experience sunlight before we pick up a device and get like way too much blue light at the wrong time of the day, and then also the EMFs and like the stimulation that comes from that, like if we can go outside and just breathe in fresh air, get sunlight, maybe even take your shoes off and ground a little bit, and then same thing at the end of the day. Like I've just that's one thing I've been trying to focus on a lot. It's just like getting outdoors and having like starting the day, like I've just that's one thing I've been trying to focus on a lot. It's just like getting outdoors and having like starting the day, ending the day with as much time outside as possible.

34:12 - Chase (Host) Yeah, that's a great point. Um, even, maybe here's like the freest hack of all you know. Maybe instead of freaking out and throwing all your products out, you know, and causing even more stress, um, maybe just integrate more outdoor time.

34:26 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, and open windows.

34:27 - Chase (Host) Yeah, open windows do wonders, yeah, which actually leads me to my next question. So where does it start? Where, if we want to begin to educate ourselves, where do we begin? Um, and also like, does it ever end? If we go down this rabbit hole, how can we? How can we become more educated? How can we become a more educated consumer to the potentially dangerous and even toxic chemicals without causing serious new forms of anxiety and stress about everything that we're going to find out?

34:54 - Bethany (Guest) Right, I know, I mean it's like once you start down the rabbit hole, you just realize how backwards everything is, that we are being marketed and being sold and told that it can start to feel like it can be really stressful when you're like on that journey, I think I would just encourage people to feel like empowered by that awareness rather than stressed out by it. I know it's like a fine line, but I think what's encouraging is just not like not having the mindset that you have to do everything at once. Like you don't. I mean, the body is amazing.

35:32 Like the body is designed to heal and detoxify from so much and you've been you know, if you've been on like using standard American products and eating a standard American diet all your life. Like once you just changing your diet or eliminating a few things from your diet, well, already, like you'll already be taking a step forward in a better direction. Um and so, yeah, I think I think a lot of people start with diet too I know that's that's where I started out and you start to like experience the benefits of feeling better from that, and then it becomes exciting too. You're like oh my gosh, I feel so much better, like most people don't know what good feels.

36:08 No, yeah, and it's like once you do it just becomes kind of fun, I mean, and and yeah, there's moments of feeling discouraged, like I still have. I'm not completely a hundred percent non-toxic in my life, like I strive for that. But then just several months ago I found out about non-toxic toilet paper. I had never thought about toilet paper and whether or not toilet paper was toxic before.

36:27 - Chase (Host) Wait what I need to worry about the toilet paper?

36:30 - Bethany (Guest) Yes, because it has bleach. It has forever chemicals like Charmin all the name brands are. They're terrible and you're putting these in such absorptive areas that are impacting reproductive organs. And yeah, toilet paper.

36:47 - Chase (Host) So just something we used to just do a quick white, uh, maybe a few times, but uh, toilet paper is actually an area of focus.

36:54 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, I know that was like in the last six months. Another thing that I, that I um shifted, but it's always something you know it's like. I'm sure there's something else like six months from now that I'm going to find out and yeah, it's a constant journey just because of the world that we live in.

37:10 But I think the good news is that there are a lot of free things that people can do and I would look to the outdoors for a lot of those free things and just managing stress levels and paying attention to sleep and eating whole foods Like there's a lot that we can, that we can do and that we have a say in.

37:30 - Chase (Host) I'm so glad you bring up this aspect of feeling. I'm a big fan of quantitative. You know what we can measure. We can manage right. You know I'm a wearable guy trackers galore but also I think it's equally important, if not even more important, at the end, to really just be able to learn how to listen to your body and it will tell you everything you need 99% of what you need to know of what good feels like. Um. So besides, a feeling of assurance when we make these swaps and we bring awareness into what am I putting on and in my body, because I do believe peace of mind is truly invaluable what are practical ways you have found of measuring progress or even quote, becoming healthier?

38:15 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, I think I think, like tuning into how I feel is the main one. Growing up and throughout, like most of my life, there were a lot of things that I dealt with that weren't like throughout. Like most of my life, there were a lot of things that I dealt with that weren't like didn't completely like take me down from like a health perspective, but just things that I had accepted as just part of being human, like feeling sluggish, or even like my the acne that I struggled with. I at one point asked my dermatologist like what else can I be doing besides taking these pills and creams that you're prescribing me? Like, is there something I could change about my diet? And she just said no no this is genetic.

38:50 There's nothing you can do. All you, the only thing you can do is take these pills, use these creams.

38:57 Time to find a new dermatologist, for sure, for sure, and to think that that is still a common response among dermatologists. I mean, I just went through this acne journey with my assistant and she was being told all the same stuff that I was 20 years ago. So still the status quo out there. Um. So I think, just like when something when you have those inklings of like no, there's something's missing here, like there's something more to this, um, and even if, like, your doctor disagrees with you or whatever, like pay attention to that. That's so important. And yeah, I think wearables are great too. I I used to do wearables and then I started having kids and I felt like I was getting discouraged by some of the metrics because I couldn't control certain variables.

39:43 - Chase (Host) I know exactly what you're talking about I'm metrics, because I couldn't control certain variables. I know exactly what you're talking about I'm. I have not other than just like seeing it pop up. I have not logged anything on my whoop every day and it's kind of like bothering me because I don't, I don't where do I even begin. You know, like Chase, why is your HRV? You know, 40% low? Why is your sleep crap?

40:06 - Bethany (Guest) Well, newborn life. You know, I know I need to. I could get back into it now. I think I'm a little scarred of like. I know, I know this. This metric is bad, it's like there's nothing I can do about it, but I think, I think there's a place for them for sure, and I think they're useful.

40:16 - Chase (Host) Hey guys, one more quick break from my conversation with Bethany because I got to tell you about one other area of primarilypurecom that I have fallen in love with. My wife has fallen in love with well, more exactly, our son Dean has fallen in love with. That is their baby lineup. If you're a parent like me, you know how important it is to be extra careful about what you're putting on your little one's skin. I was always pretty conscious of this stuff to begin with, but now having a kid, I am like hyper aware. I'm reading every label of everything in our home then, especially anything and everything that goes near Dean or on him. That's why I love Primally Pure's baby line. It's made with the same care, purity and holistic mindset they bring to all of their other products. Every ingredient is thoughtfully chosen to be safe, gentle and nourishing. So there's no junk, no harsh chemicals, just pure goodness from nature. And let me tell you, my son Dean loves them.

41:12 Bath time has become one of our favorite parts of the week. Every Tuesday and Friday we are cleaning him up, lathering him up with their baby oil. The baby balm keeps his delicate skin clean, super hydrated and, man, you thought a baby skin was soft, use this stuff and then come back to me. Knowing that I'm using something that truly supports his skin's health, without any hidden ingredients, gives me and my wife total peace of mind. So if you want to give your baby the best start possible and treat their skin with the same love and intention you give to everything else, you need to check them out. And speaking of checkout, when you're done scooping up all the baby lineup products from PrimarilyPurecom, make sure to use checkout code EVERFORWARD to save an additional 10% that's code EVERFORWARD at checkout from PrimarilyPurecom P-R-I-M-A-L-L-Y, p-u-r-ecom, to save 10%. So stock up and feel good, knowing you're giving one, your little one, and the planet the very best Linked for you.

42:16 - Bethany (Guest) As always in the show notes today, under episode resources, I think like finding a good functional medicine doctor if you're able to, and like getting blood work and testing tests, don't guess, you know. I think all of that stuff has a place and can be helpful, and I think there's like more um awareness and also resources out there for that kind of stuff.

42:36 - Chase (Host) Now, I think a really important test people should lean into if they're trying to really grab hold of this toxic home aspect is uh, get a mold test. Yeah, yeah we did one and I was shocked.

42:47 - Bethany (Guest) It was very, very it was kind of like did you do?

42:50 - Chase (Host) uh, I could tell you actually I think. So I had a shout out dr marisa snyder. She sent me. Oh, I want to know what your number um what your number was. She sent me she's like get these, get these, get these, because she went through something very similar. She sent me these tests and let me go back. It was the, the. Oh no, please hold. Everyone, please hold.

43:09 - Bethany (Guest) We had a really gnarly toxic mold experience.

43:12 - Chase (Host) Mycotox was the Ernie mold test.

43:14 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, that's what we did. What was your number?

43:17 - Chase (Host) Um, I don't remember the number, but I remember seeing red across the board everywhere and she was like oh yeah, this is really bad. Um, it was kind of one of those things I knew was going to happen, because we had, uh, under the sink issues with like flooding and pipe bursting and kind of changing everything out and just you're never really quite getting 100 replaced um and uh.

43:35 so yeah, that was kind of scary cleaned a lot of things up and then, honestly, I noticed a big difference once we got the air purifiers in the house as well yeah, the kitchen and then a few others, all throughout.

43:46 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, those are huge. And yeah, Jasper is amazing, we're removing mold. We uh. So we moved into the house that we are in now we're actually not living in it, we're renting it because we're remodeling but we moved into it three years ago, lived in it for a year and, um, we just started getting like taken down by colds and stuff like more than more than normal yes, and I had a um my eight-year-old she was uh, six or something at the time kept getting bloody noses, so I just thought like okay, something's not right.

44:15 Like we did the the standard mold inspection when you move into a new house, which is like very baseline service level, yeah, literally service level, like don't even yeah, just disregard it.

44:25 Um, um, and it was. That came back fine. But then we did the Ernie and it came back at a 26, which is supposed to be like under a five. And so we were told like SOS, get out now, like don't sleep in there another night. Basically, we moved into my in-laws house for a few months. We pitched a tent, a canvas tent in our backyard. We lived outside in a tent no way we did. It was crazy, and my son that's like.

44:50 So on brand now for you guys a little bit, but like wow it was wild, but it's actually like really cool um, it's like so like yellow stony, yeah I just had a baby, and so it's like my husband is your other time with your girls and our newborn. He was um, he was like five months old, four or five months old. When we did that, the weather was like it was cold. It was like in the 30s 40s at night. We're in California, southern California, and so, yeah, it was like during the wintertime it was cold. We were using like those heat warm, those like warming packs, that you put into your socks.

45:26 We had this whole routine like I would get the kids like bundled up in like sweatpants, socks, beanies, like foot warmers and we would all like get into our put beds in the tent. We'd like get into our beds, our sleeping bags. It's actually kind of cool yeah like it totally brought us closer. We'll always remember that time when we lived in a tent and then god bless the moldy house yeah.

45:46 And then we traveled all summer and came back and we moved into our guest house cause we were working on remodeling that first. I mean, yeah, it's been a whole journey, um, but the the cool thing was that we didn't do we were like given a lot of kind of intense detox protocols to do. We actually didn't do them, not because we like didn't want to, but just because I don't know, our lives just felt really chaotic with the tent and then traveling. And while we were living in the tent traveling all summer we were. We did this road trip across the U S.

46:18 We were staying at a lot of campgrounds, staying at these under canvas campgrounds which are like really cool Um like glamping kind of kind of places not doing any like intense detox stuff, but just focusing on the basics, on like regulating our circadian rhythm, which helps to support your hormones, which helps with detoxification. We were, we were grounding, which we were getting all the negative ions from the earth that are so healing. Um, eating, like focusing on eating, like healthy foods and drinking plenty of water, like just basic stuff, and I feel like we all felt like a hundred percent better by the end of all of that. So it's like it's there's a lot of cool biohacks out there, which I love, like I'm such a biohacker. We even, like have a biohacking garage set up and it's great, but, like also there's so much that people can do for free and you don't always have to over complicate it uh, you hit on a key term there.

47:09 - Chase (Host) I think oftentimes goes overlooked because people, I think, quickly dismiss it and that's grounding yeah um, there's something to it that um have you kind of you know darren alleen, okay, uh, he, he kind of turned me on to this aspect. Well, sean stevenson, actually I heard it for the first time years ago on the model health show, yeah, about grounding, and it kind of like I kind of put in the back of my mind. But darren, um, seeing him do it, and especially through the lens of helping reset circadian rhythm when traveling internationally, really got me curious and so I began to practice it whenever I would travel internationally. Even like from west coast to east coast you know three hour time difference I'm just immediately getting feet on the ground as soon as possible when you get into your new landing area time zone.

47:52 Um, but also I was telling you before my wife and I were going to Joshua tree in a few weeks, and we go, we go to the desert, we go to Joshua tree, palm Springs, at least once a year. Uh, this actually be our second time this year and, um, there's just something about getting into a completely different natural environment, getting barefoot on the ground. That just it's a complete reset. I don't think anybody will ever really understand it until you actually do it it sounds so hocus-pocus and made up it does.

48:21 It is just like I feel.

48:22 - Bethany (Guest) It's real.

48:23 - Chase (Host) I feel exactly like what's happening.

48:25 - Bethany (Guest) This actually is measurable, like the ion transfer, the ion transfer scans, where you see inflammation prior to grounding and then it goes away when someone is grounded.

48:33 - Chase (Host) My nervous system, our nervous systems. Like we go out there now, especially with a kid, we're so excited because it's just like even just getting close to that environment we just feel such a reset and my nervous system just goes from like wired to relax, and in minutes I think there are healing properties built into the earth that we just can't even that we just are only beginning to scratch the surface of what they actually are.

48:56 - Bethany (Guest) I mean, like, think about anyone spent a day at the beach. Like, how much better do you feel after you spent a day with your feet in the sand getting saltwater?

49:03 - Chase (Host) getting sunlight, which is grounding, by the way. Yes, exactly.

49:05 - Bethany (Guest) Exactly Like oh and yeah. I can I completely resonate with what you said about like Joshua tree and getting out in nature. That's what we did that summer. We were at campgrounds. We were like separated from technology and devices, I mean to an extent, but it's, it's amazing. I was even thinking the other day like I was outside in the morning drinking coffee and just kind of like sitting there and being still and just like listening to the birds chirp and I'm like man, I wonder what frequencies like the birds have and they're chirping that are like healing from like appropriate for that time of day.

49:36 - Chase (Host) There's a new biohack now, right? No, I didn't hear this bird song. Look, I promise now, like you're going to big brothers, can be listening on your phone. Bird song is like the new biohack, it's all these people are talking about it and it's like, oh, looking to, I mean, it makes sense. It all is true. What we're really talking about here is like how do you get birds on you go out in nature?

49:53 - Bethany (Guest) what's the other way? What are people saying to do?

49:56 - Chase (Host) well, they're just talking about the frequency of bird song.

49:58 - Bethany (Guest) Like their chirp and certain birds and like their tonality, it has a certain frequency that actually I didn't know this was a thing, but I literally that's what I was thinking about. It's like there has to be something to this, like bird song for nervous system regulation is a thing.

50:10 - Chase (Host) It's like the new biohack.

50:12 - Bethany (Guest) Interesting. Okay, that's cool, yeah, but.

50:14 - Chase (Host) I mean we're getting granular here, but it's just a point that you can measure a lot of these things but, you don't have to in order to get the benefit, because what we're really talking about are just simple, fundamental things that, if you really think about it, it just makes sense, like it makes sense that a human should feel great being outdoors as often as possible, getting sunlight, grounding, going to bed with the sun rising with the sun yeah great natural water and and community all at the same time.

50:43 And then, yeah, we can like slice it up and look at, okay, the vitamin D and the cholesterol race, and like circadian rhythm and the super cryosomatic nucleus and like all the hormones and all the things that happen, but like we don't need to. You can, kind of going back to my earlier question of where does all this end? We go down the rabbit hole. It's just to what level do you want to become educated, what level do you want to become empowered and what level you know of of really what standard do you want for your life and for your family?

51:10 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, yeah, and it's like time of season, of life too, like what is possible for you in this season and then what's? Not, and just like there's, there's time for everything Like so if things like feel like too much right now, just like put those things on a shelf for now and focus on the basics.

51:25 - Chase (Host) Yeah, that's so true. That's so true. That's so true. Kind of getting towards the end here I want to kind of just highlight a little bit more You've touched on it already of your story, and I'm always fascinated by anyone who takes a trial and a tribulation or a life learning lesson and they come out on the other side. This is exactly what I'm talking about when I say we live a life ever forward. All my guests kind of embody that, that philosophy, and. But you took it a step further and so you kind of took back your power and took back your health. But then you created something to help others to hopefully thwart that entirely or just kind of get out of a less than ideal health situation. So where did all this begin for you and how did you turn your obstacle into this thriving business? Now, that is Primarily Pure.

52:11 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, I never set out to create a business. It was really just a passion. I started making these products out of my own passion because of the journey that I had gone through with acne, which started in junior high and high school and I mentioned a little bit of it already. But I went the conventional route. I didn't know how to like information wasn't as accessible back then. I didn't really know how to dig deeper and I was also young. And but then once things started clicking, like when when my husband had started this regenerative livestock farm with his dad and brothers and that opened my eyes to a new way of eating that really made me feel a lot better and improved the health of my skin, I was able to stop using all of the um prescription like pills and creams that I'd been using. I was on antibiotics, I was on birth control for acne. All of this stuff that ultimately did my body more harm than good, like some of it maybe offered a temporary fix.

53:01 - Chase (Host) You're treating one evil for another usually.

53:02 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, none of it got to the root cause and actually made like worsened my health long term. But once I kind of became aware of the food stuff, I looked into personal care and skincare products and then deodorant was like red flags Like. Once I learned about that I was like, oh my gosh, I can't believe I've been using this and I started formulating my own and I wanted my husband to use it.

53:26 - Chase (Host) He was like. That was the first product.

53:28 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, he thought that was really weird because I was it wasn't a stick form. It was like a little like jar of stuff and I was like oh, I've tried this before.

53:34 - Chase (Host) Yeah, it's like you put it on your finger and kind of rub it in. Yeah, and it works.

53:37 - Bethany (Guest) It's different, but it's like he was like no, I don't want to do that, so I just took it upon myself to create a stick natural deodorant that actually worked, because there were some natural ones back then, but I didn't think any of them worked very well, and so I wanted to create one that worked. And finally, when I had a formula that I loved and that he was using and liked, I was like okay, maybe more people would be interested in this, yeah.

54:02 And so I started selling on my family farms website, primal Pastures, and the Primal Pastures customers like started really taking to it, and so for a while I was working with them and then I was like man, this is like becoming its own thing almost. It was kind of I did it kind of as a part of the farm, a compliment to the farm, and then it just seemed like it was kind of taking off on its own. And so in 2015, I I launched primarily pure as its own business and um just got really like excited by the positive reviews and the feedback from the people that were using the products.

54:37 - Chase (Host) And probably some incredible transformations. Yeah, totally A lot of similar stories as your own.

54:42 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, exactly, and by that point, like I had other products too, I was I had a cleansing oil, which cleansing oil was huge for me helps my skin a lot to balance it out, because growing up in the nineties and early two thousands we were told that oil is bad for the skin and we were sold like products that really stripped the skin of all of its oil, which then caused it to overproduce oil Like crazy.

55:03 - Chase (Host) Yeah, yeah, I went to that same boat, yeah.

55:04 - Bethany (Guest) I was at, yeah, such a mess. And so I found that oil cleansing, which, if anyone isn't familiar with the oil cleansing method, it's the idea of massaging oil into your skin and it's based on the premise that like dissolves, like. So you massage oil into your skin in order to clean it, and then you wipe it off with a warm washcloth and it kind of pulls out the impurities in your skin and then, but without stripping it, so it's like washing it, cleansing it without stripping the skin.

55:32 So anyways, like, yeah, these products, like were huge for me and then to see that other people were enjoying them and benefiting from them in the same way that I had was really encouraging and really, like fueled me to keep moving forward. Um, I didn't have any business experience at the time, didn't have any funding to start the company with, so really just grew it from um a 200 initial $250 order of ingredients and supplies that I then, like made products with, and then it grew like super slowly, naturally, organically. Still haven't taken on any outside funding.

56:03 - Chase (Host) When did it really kind of take off for you? So it kind of really started selling 2015. Yeah, when when did you go? Oh, like it's becoming a thing.

56:12 - Bethany (Guest) It was probably. I was forced to start really looking at it as more of a business and less of a hobby about a year later, when I was nearing the due date of my oldest daughter and I was like, okay, do I kind of shut this, cause it was just me at the time. I had a few part-time employees, but I was doing everything out of my house and it was. It was a hobby I was making. I wasn't making money.

56:35 I mean, the business was like doing okay, but yeah Um yeah, but it wasn't like I was still doing it myself and it was more of a passion project. And then, when I was getting closer to her due date, I was like man, I don't really want like people in and out of the house and like in our kitchen making products as I'm trying to figure out, like how to be a new mom, and do I just like put this on pause? Or do I take a big risk, like financial risk, and hire someone full time and move the business into its own office warehouse space, like just and just trust that it'll work? Um, so I wrestled with that for a while and ultimately decided to take that leap. Um, and that was really a turning point in a lot of ways. It showed me that things the business could still grow and be successful in my absence and without me being hyper involved in every area.

57:27 - Chase (Host) So you did so. You brought somebody on to kind of like run it.

57:29 - Bethany (Guest) I hired someone on full time and trained her to do like I mean, I was doing customer service, I was making the products, I was shipping the products. So I just trained her to do all the things that I was doing and certain things had to like be paused because some of like the marketing and the relationships with influencers, like I kind of owned those things and some of it like was just paused for a little while, which was fine but, um, but yeah, it taught me a lot in terms of like letting go of things and just seeing the business differently and realizing that I didn't have to do everything and realizing, like, what, like how much potential there is when you do offload things and trust people that are like more equipped than you in certain areas. And I feel like with every child I've had to do that a little bit like let go of of something. Um, and the business has like benefited from that, and I have too in my personal life.

58:19 Um, so that was like the first kind of big moment. And then I mean the last few years, we've seen a lot of just exponential growth because from the beginning, like I've mentioned a few times, I've always been so passionate about the education and not just like trying to sell products, but really trying to like help people heal from the inside out and the outside in, and so we've always been like really big on just providing information for people on not only how to use our products but how to like live a healthy lifestyle in general. And to see now some of these concepts and like ancestral living conversations really take off.

58:55 Is has just been like so exciting.

58:57 - Chase (Host) And I really want to give you guys some kudos here. I was looking at more at the brand side of things and you have not only, like you said, a lot of great products with a lot of truly clean ingredients. I love, you know, being able to look at everything, just see exactly what it is and is not A lot of education, but I was really impressed at your panel at Primely Pure.

59:19 You've got rows of of experts and actually shout out Dr Gabrielle Lyon and you know, I know I personally know her and I know that she does not and would never attach her name to anything. That is, one, not out of integrity, but two, just like if it doesn't actually move the needle for someone's health and has a lot of due diligence behind it. So that really stood out to me and so a new to my kind of content consumption that I would love to get on the show sometimes. Dr Yvonne Burkhart, just really diving into just like the real, true nitty gritty of toxic chemicals in the home and in the air, even getting into things like endocrine system disruptors and fertility, really reminded me a lot, the more I'm understanding a lot of her work reminds me a lot of Dr. Oh, I'm drawing a blank right now. She wrote Countdown Shauna Swan.

01:00:13 I think it is Just one of the first people I ever read or heard anything about microplastics and chemicals getting into a lot of products, things that we're eating, and just microplastics being found in uteruses and brains and in umbilical cords and just the rapid decline of fertility health because of it and even influencing things like disordered eating and eating disorders, like this multi-generational trauma, if you will, um, from people, um, stemming a lot of it from the things that we're eating and products we're consuming. Uh, so I just, you know, I say all that just to kind of like, give you all kudos to um, that that to me stands out tremendously as a brand, because I know it doesn't come without time, it doesn't come without resources or finances, um, and most brands, most people, most things don't need to do that. I mean, look, is there? I don't know, is there a board of advisors like that with Windex or Clorox or, you know, pine Soul? No, I don't think so.

01:01:14 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, I don't think so. Fun for us to put together and connect with these experts who we are, we have always been big fans of, and then to develop relationships with them and have them like share their insights with our community on a regular, on a regular basis has been like really cool.

01:01:28 - Chase (Host) I'm just waiting for. I'm sure Is there going to be a Gabrielle product collab where it's like a moisturizer but also protein powder something like it's, you know, two in one. Yeah, it's like a deodorant slash, you know, collagen or something.

01:01:42 - Bethany (Guest) They should run that buyer.

01:01:43 - Chase (Host) So I got to ask, kind of getting towards the end before my last question, what is next? Do you think what's on the horizon for this clean living movement, this kind of this holistic lifestyle that you see with Primarily Pure yourself and just like collectively, us, what's what's on the horizon that you are most excited for?

01:02:02 - Bethany (Guest) Oh man, it is such a fun time to be alive, really, Like when there's so much more information and awareness about the food we're eating, the products we're using. Like these things that I feel like we have been passionate about for so long are starting to infiltrate the mainstream, and like people are asking me questions about things that I never would have thought like would be interested in this stuff.

01:02:28 - Chase (Host) Like what.

01:02:28 - Bethany (Guest) I don't know Like people, like I'm just thinking of, like friends from church that have been like. Oh, I listened to that podcast episode and like. I didn't know that. Tell me more about that.

01:02:37 - Chase (Host) I don't know. It's just like, but also make sure, did you just subscribe? Know that? Tell me more about that.

01:02:40 - Bethany (Guest) I don't know, it's just like, but also make sure, did you just?

01:02:41 subscribe yeah, just leave a review. Yeah, um, no, it's just, it's really cool, like it's just proof that in overhearing conversations, even about people like in the airport talking about seed oils or whatever, it's like people are really becoming aware of this stuff and I think, like we're starting to see companies respond to that and changing things, which is proof that, like, going back to what we talked about in the beginning, like we have such a say like our purchases, where we spend our dollars, like the companies that are like making a lot of these products and foods, and they will respond to, like what the consumers want, and so, um, yeah, I think that whole conversation is just, it's so exciting, like I'm I'm really excited for what's on the horizon and just to be a part of it. I think people are kind of realizing that we have been like sold a lot of lies when it comes to literally sold yeah.

01:03:33 Yeah, from every level, from you know, the companies that are marketing to us, from well-intentioned doctors that are giving us bad advice, like on so many levels and I think people are going back to trusting their intuition and going back to ancestral practices that have stood the test of time. I think it's only the beginning and I'm really excited for what's next yeah, me too, likewise.

01:03:55 - Chase (Host) uh, I gotta say my wife wanted to tell you that she loves anything you all do with coffee, like the scrub, the coffee scrub, the coffee mask. Oh, that's awesome. And tonight, like I said, is bath night with us and Dean, so I'm excited to try out the baby line for the first time.

01:04:09 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, give him a good massage with the baby oil.

01:04:11 - Chase (Host) It's going to be the best.

01:04:13 - Bethany (Guest) So, sweet.

01:04:14 - Chase (Host) My last question I ask everybody is you know I kind of already stated it earlier, but I bring people on to the show that embody my way of living, my philosophy, this mantra that my father passed down to me years ago you live a life ever forward. You have decided to not let your obstacles stop you, but rather become the way forward. So those two words, bethany ever forward, what? Do they mean to you. If I were to say, Bethany, how do you live a life ever forward? What does that mean to you?

01:04:40 - Bethany (Guest) I love that.

01:04:40 I think for me, that means willing to like take that next step of faith, whether that's in my business, as a mom, as a wife, like doing the best I can in every moment, in every situation and not being afraid to like be imperfect and fail, because there's so much learning and growth that has come from every failure.

01:05:02 I mean, I look back on the last 10 years in business 10 plus years in business and I've made so many mistakes and I think a lot of people like think about that at the forefront of like the fear of making mistakes and of failing publicly and that like will impact their decision to move forward. But it's like just accepting that that's a reality of life and that's a reality of progress. Like failure is going to happen and I think whether we let that like push us down or whether we decide to take away what we can learn from that and then like move forward in a better way, is a differentiator of like the course of your life. And so 100% yeah, I think just not being afraid to live imperfectly and and learn from those failures and imperfections.

01:05:47 - Chase (Host) What do they say Fail fast and fail forward right.

01:05:50 - Bethany (Guest) Oh, that's good. Fail fast and fail forward.

01:05:52 - Chase (Host) Yeah, I get very excited now as a business owner when I hear about a problem or when something went wrong. Quite literally yesterday I had a phone call with one of my studio engineers. In our West Hollywood studio there was an issue with, uh, they swapped out a bluetooth microphone instead of these wired ones for something. And uh, I was like, oh, like what happened? Like okay, how did you problem solve? Like, what did you do? Like, how did you figure out? How did you solve the problem? What exactly did you do? Describe the fiasco and then just like, let's just learn from it. Yeah, um, I, actually I should. I should call her back. It probably sounded a little weird. I'm recalling the conversation. I was like overly excited about this issue and she was nervous about like, oh, I don't know if the client was happy.

01:06:31 - Bethany (Guest) Um, but uh, yeah, as a business owner you just have to learn. It's all an opportunity, like everything is an opportunity. It's easy to feel like crushed by these problems. I remember in the beginning I would be like cry over problems. I'm like it's nothing. Is that big of a deal at the end of the day?

01:06:47 - Chase (Host) Yeah, no, quite literally. If you ever want to just think about it, just imagine you know we're a tiny little speck on a rock, spinning a thousand miles an hour and infinite nothingness. So literally nothing matters, but not to get too esoteric. But, bethany, where can my audience go to connect with you and learn more about your journey and all of your amazing content and what Primarily Pure is putting out into the world?

01:07:09 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, our website is PrimarilyPurecom. We're Primarily Pure on Instagram. My personal Instagram is Bethany J McDaniel, and then our podcast is called Grounded Wellness.

01:07:20 - Chase (Host) Yeah, so it was great having you on and I'm excited to have you on this show and I always love having podcasters on because I feel like they make for the best guests, you know a little bit more understanding of the whole situation.

01:07:32 - Bethany (Guest) Yeah, I'm new to the world of podcasting so I already like I feel different. Yeah, it still feels new to me, but I've noticed that it's more fun for me now going on podcasts, cause I'm like, oh, I know what it's like to be in your shoes, I don't know, it's just more fun.

01:07:47 - Chase (Host) For more information on everything you just heard, make sure to check this episode show notes or head to everforwardradio.com