Believe Big Podcast

91-Caitlin Fierro - Creating a Non-Toxic Home

• Ivelisse Page & Caitlin Fierro • Season 3 • Episode 91

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On this episode of the Believe Big Podcast, we welcome Caitlin Fierro of Non-Toxic Homes to discuss the powerful connection between health, environment, and functional medicine. 

Caitlin shares her personal health journey, detailing how conventional treatments failed to address her autoimmune condition and how integrative medicine transformed her well-being. 

She dives into the importance of gut health, reducing toxic exposure in daily life, and making informed choices about food, water, and household products. Caitlin also provides practical tips for simplifying health routines, from choosing safer cleaning supplies to prioritizing non-toxic materials in clothing and home goods. 

Tune in as we explore how small, intentional changes can have a profound impact on overall health and healing.

Learn more about Caitlin Fierro on her website:

Non-Toxic Homes

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Ivelisse Page:

Hi, I'm Ivelisse Page, and thanks for listening to the Believe Big podcast, the show where we take a deep dive into your healing with health experts, integrative practitioners, biblical faith leaders, and cancer thrivers from around the globe. Welcome to today's episode on the Believe Big Podcast. My name is Ivelisse Page and I'm excited to be with you for this latest episode. Today, we welcome Caitlin Fierro, a passionate advocate for holistic healthcare and the founder of Non Toxic Home. Caitlin's personal health journey began in her early 20s after being diagnosed with celiac disease. Despite adhering to a strict gluten free diet and consulting with all the best doctors and specialists in New York City, Caitlin's health issues continued. 2014 marked the turning point for Caitlin as she turned towards functional health care and recovery ending years of gut issues, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and anxiety with just four months. Caitlin earned a degree in certification in functional nutrition and as a certified holistic nutrition consultant and esteemed toxic load expert. She pioneers a unique healthcare practice that stands at the intersection of holistic nutrition and environmental toxin elimination. Her philosophy is clear. and impactful to unearth and address the root causes of health issues moving beyond simply managing systems and symptoms. Caitlin is a wife and a mother, and as such, the well being of her family is her top priority. Welcome to the show, Caitlin.

Caitlin Fierro:

Thank you. Thank you so much for the introduction. Thanks for having me.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes, we're so excited to speak with you today. And our listeners are always wanting to know what our guest's favorite health tip is. So do you have one that you could share with us?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah, so I would say my favorite health tip is that you are not your diagnosis. And I think that we are conditioned to go to the doctor and get a diagnosis. And when we get that diagnosis in Western medicine, typically the answer is one of two things, medication or surgery, but there's so much more to that, right? And, um, I think that people are looking for more and I want people to know there is more right in the functional integrative medicine space. There are so many options you have outside of medication and surgery and sometimes you can look at those options and not have to go through medication or surgery or sometimes integrative and functional medicine can help support and aid in better healing with medication and surgery. So, that's my health tip. I tell that to everybody because I think we're overly conditioned to hold onto a diagnosis and identify with the diagnosis.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. And our minds are such a powerful tool. And so if you are constantly thinking that is who you are, then your healing is going to take that much longer. So I love that you are not your diagnosis. So, so what inspired you to start Non Toxic Homes and how did your journey, I know we shared a little bit about it in the intro about the holistic care and environmental toxin elimination, but how did it begin?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah. So for me, like many functional practitioners, um, I really got into this space based on my own health journey. Like you mentioned in 2012, I was diagnosed an auto-immune condition. And then for two years after I was just struggling. Um, and I was living in New York City and I'm going to all the quote unquote best doctors and seeing all these specialists and really nobody could help me. It was really frustrating. I was either getting offered prescription meds that just like didn't fit my needs or they were recommending medications that when I tried them I just had more symptoms and my symptoms were worsening. And for me, I just had this turning point. I was at an allergist and um, I tell this story'cause it was such an interesting experience. I'm at this allergist and he's doing this skin test on me and I hate needles. Like I absolutely hate needles. I have my whole life and I signed up this day to do like 80 needles in my back. That's how desperate I was. And I'm laying there and he's about to do the needles and he goes, I just want you to know that these tests are not that accurate. So despite the results that we get, it may not be conclusive for us. And I just started crying and I remember sitting there and being like, why am I doing this? Why am I doing this to myself? And I went home that day and I was so close to giving up. And the next day I got recommended to a naturopathic doctor in New York. And I remember at the time being like, Oh my God. No, not one more doctor. And I'm like, is this woman just going to wave incense at me and, and heal me? And that was really what I thought about integrative and functional medicine. And that was all I thought, which wow, so naive to, I think back on it now. And um, I went to that naturopathic doctor, like you mentioned, and she just completely opened my eyes to functional medicine, eastern medicine, whatever you want to call it, right? Um, and I just was so in awe of what they could offer, right? Like I sat down with a doctor and I was so used to getting a 15 minute appointment and we spent two hours together. And I was like, wow, this woman wants to know how I was born. If I came, if I came through the birth canal, if I was a C section baby, like just such detail. And like you mentioned within four months, my symptoms were gone. You know, I, and I was suffering, you know, for me, I had anxiety and depression. I had, um, a really low functioning immune system. I had gastro issues and they were all gone within four months. After, like, two years of seeking help, and after being diagnosed, you know, in 2012, and so, it was just shocking for me, and, um, that experience really, like, just portrayed my kind of obsession and curiosity with the integrative and functional healthcare space.

Ivelisse Page:

Yeah, that's just incredible. In four months, like, I hear that all the time. And it's not just one person. You know, when you get to the root cause of what's happening, you're just not masking the symptoms. So Caitlin, I know that we're going to be talking about environmental factors today, but I know that there are those listening and they'll want to know, you know, what did she do? So do you mind just sharing what you think the top three things that you did that healed your gut in that four month period?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah, so I would say number one, just looking at my gut, like for all the specialists and doctors I saw no one even really took a good look, right? And so you can do that through stool testing that really gives you a clear picture of what's going on in the gut, pathogens, bacteria, potential parasites, fungal overgrowth. And then that gives you a roadmap for healing the gut. I think the second thing I did was just really clean up my diet. I have been gluten free for two years, but I wasn't really reading labels. I was just eating gluten free, not realizing like there were all these preservatives and additives and gut destroyers in these gluten free foods, quote unquote. Um, and then I would say the last thing for, for me is that supplement proper supplementation is really powerful when you're using it along with functional testing. And I think that's what really helped me get where I needed to be. We had blood work and stool that could tell us like, okay, here's where Caitlin is deficient. Here's where we need to clean this up. We can do this, implement a supplement plan for the next X months, and we'll see progress.

Ivelisse Page:

I love that. Those are really great. It's great advice and it, and it is different for everyone. So I loved how you shared, you know, the general, the general tips, because what you might've needed as a supplement, it may be different for someone else with, with gut issues. So yes. Yes. So let's get into environmental toxins. You know, can you explain how environmental toxins impact our health and why reducing our toxic load is so crucial?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah. So I can, what I can share is overall environmental toxins impact all aspects of our health. I mean, everything from we're talking infertility, cancer, autoimmune conditions, thyroid dysfunction, respiratory damage, allergens, I mean, the list goes on and on, um, and I'll give an example. So, today, when it comes to personal care and cosmetics, we actually allow 11, 000 ingredients in our products, and less than 1% of them have been tested for safety on humans. But yet we have the research and studies that show that these ingredients are causing chronic health conditions, but we're not moving fast enough to remove them from conventional products. And so to me, the only answer to that is you really have to do it on your own or with a practitioner's support. And I'm sure you know this, right? Right now, 90 to 95% of cancer cases. are non genetic, meaning they're coming from the person's environment, from environmental toxins or lifestyle choices. And so to me, as an individual and as a practitioner, that says, wow, if this is something that like, I can and within reason control, right? At least in my own home, and this is going to benefit my health and lower my risk for chronic health conditions and cancer. Well, then I'm definitely going to do that.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes, it's amazing because people will say, wow, you know, we've seen a the pediatric cancer rates just skyrocket recently. Mm. And it's, it's no surprise, I mean, the environmental toxicities that a mom walks through, they say on average, um, a baby's umbilical cord has over 200 toxic chemicals in it. I mean, it's just crazy. So knowing all of this, you know, we can't live in a bubble, you know, we can't avoid all of it. But what would you say are top three changes that someone can make in their home to significantly reduce their exposure to toxins?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah, I would say for me, the top three are water. So meaning get a water filter in your house, whether it's a whole house filtration system or if you can't afford something like that, you can get an under the sink water filtration system. Um, I love Clearly Filtered. I think it's absolutely amazing. Um, they also make Clearly Filtered water bottles on the go, so I love that because if you're on the go and you have tap water at a restaurant, you can just pour it in your own water bottle. Number two I would say is your air. Indoor air quality is actually worse than outdoor air quality often, and people don't know that, and so getting a HEPA air filter at home, especially in the rooms that you're in most often, so like your family room, living room, your bedroom, in a basement, anywhere that could be damp or wet is really important. And then I would say number three for me is tossing toxic chemicals, um, and cleaning products and personal care products and just simplifying, I think, you know, people get overwhelmed because the internet has this swap culture of like swap this for that, swap this for that, which I think is really great. But I know, at least for me, when I work with people one on one, I go into their homes and they've got 25 cleaning products. And I'm like, we could simplify you down to like five or six. Or I see people with 20 to 40 personal care products. I'm like, we could simplify you down to 10 to 12. And so I think we have to get away from this, like, swap culture and talk about simplifying also.

Ivelisse Page:

I love that you say that, because so many people do get overwhelmed with so many things and especially someone who's dealing with a cancer diagnosis and trying to do all the right things for themselves physically on top of the emotional and spiritual side. So I love those. Those are three easy, simple things. I love the Clearly Filtered water bottles. We, I have a whole home water filter as well. My husband, Jimmy and I, we travel with that water bottle because Even at the airports you can fill up and you know that it's removing the toxins and the fluoride even though it says it's filtered water. Um, it doesn't have all the pathogens out. So I, I love the idea of you saying to put the restaurant water in there. I haven't done that. So I, I love that. And we can put links, um, in the show notes in regards to your favorites and ours so that people can just have direct links and not have to do all the research behind those favorite things that you mentioned.

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah.

Ivelisse Page:

What role does holistic nutrition play in creating a non toxic lifestyle and how do the two intersect in your practice?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah. So I think that for me, holistic nutrition is really about eating for health. And I think it really is about reducing toxic load and for me, this is really the foundation, right? Um, and when I'm working with someone, especially if they have a chronic health condition, I really like to start with holistic nutrition because, you know, we can remove the lip balm that has petroleum, sure, but if you're eating cake, cookies, chicken nuggets, gum that all have petroleum in them, did we really do our job? No, not really. And so I think we really have to start with the foundation and then we move on to, okay, let's talk about your products. Let's talk about your home and really let's expand from there because I mean, we eat three meals a day. We are, and we are putting this directly in our body, right? And we are metabolizing and ingesting these things. So it's really, really foundationally important. And I do see in my practice at least many, many people, if they've started as one type of client, we've been more focused on nutrition. They do tend to get more interested in their reducing toxic load because it comes up, right? Like we can't talk about nutrition and not talk about reducing other toxins and vice versa.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. That's great advice. So going back to environmental toxins, you know, how can cancer patients improve the air quality in their homes besides an air filter? And what tools or strategies do you recommend for ensuring clean, toxic free air?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah, so there's a number of things that you can do. Yes, of course, get the air filters, right? But I think getting a HEPA vacuum is really important. Having a schedule or a consistent basis where you're cleaning your rugs and couches, under beds, getting your air ducts cleaned annually. That's important. Um, getting indoor plants to help purify some of your air, opening your windows. And then I would say deep cleaning your house like one to two times a month is really important. And my absolute biggest tip for everyone is absolutely no shoes in the house. Shoes in the house are just, they bring in bacteria, germs, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, allergens. You know, I'm a stickler for that. I, my family always gives me a little bit of a hard time for it because when I host holidays, I put a sign outside my house that says Merry Christmas, come on in, leave your shoes outside and I put little empty baskets, but it's just because I, you know, wear a shoe free home and it's not, it's not about you, it's not about where you've been, but it's just about, I don't want extra indoor pollutants in my home.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. Yeah, I agree. Anything that we can do to minimize is important. Now, what type of cleaning products are safest for those with a compromised immune systems, like those listening today? And, and how can patients identify truly non toxic options? There's a lot of greenwashing today, you know, for those who don't know what greenwashing is, it's when companies mislead customers and consumers about their eco friendly products and practices.

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah, so I think when it comes to cleaning products, if you're immunocompromised, you really want to look for plant based and mineral based enzymatic formulas with no preservatives or fragrance. I think one thing that I'll say is EWG is a great resource. You want to look for their A rated cleaning products, but I'll say beyond that, you still want to read the ingredient list. And obviously a cleaning product is not like a food item, right? Sometimes it's not on there, but you can look it up. And my rule of thumb is if it's longer than eight to ten ingredients, it's most likely not non toxic. And I would say lastly, you really want to buy from a trusted brand and resource, right? We carry on our online store a couple of cleaning and laundry products, but I think some great brands to know about today, Branch Basics is one of them. Root Splendor is one of them Blueland. Aunt Fannie's, these are brands that I tried and true and trusted and are also really high performing and high quality.

Ivelisse Page:

I love that. Yeah. That's the other side of it, right? It's not only are they clean, but high performing, especially in the laundry side. You know, I've, I think I had to go through 10 before I found one that was helpful to clean, fully clean our clothing. And I think it's Freddies, I think that's the one that I use the little sheets. But why, you mentioned it, fragrances, you know, it's a topic for a lot of people, especially scented candles and air fresheners. So can you share why it's so important to find safer alternatives than candles and air fresheners, especially for cancer patients?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah, so what I can say about fragrance is, fragrance is just a name on a label, um, typically with air fresheners, perfumes, candles, it's also in personal care products, um, but what that means in the United States is it actually can be up to 3, 000 different ingredients or chemicals. Yeah, and so many of these are carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, allergens, so you really actually don't know what you're getting at all. And so it's really important to stay away from fragrance as an ingredient. I mean, I actually wish on the label, it just said other because truthfully, that is what it is. And I would say just like safer options. A simmer pot is a great option at home. You can Google a simmer pot recipe and most likely you have the ingredients in your home. I also really love Fontana Candle, they're an absolutely incredible brand. We carry them on our site. And what I love about Fontana Candle is all of their candles are truly non toxic, very simple ingredients. Um, and they're a family owned business that started Fontana Candles because they came from a family with immunocompromised folks, chemical sensitivity, family members, family members with lymphoma. And so they really know how important it is to produce high quality, truly non toxic candles.

Ivelisse Page:

Love it. Thank you for sharing those alternatives. I'll definitely look them up. I don't think I've heard of them, so I'll definitely. Oh, you'll love them. Check them out. Are there any specific materials in furniture and bedding and home decor that cancer patients should avoid due to the toxin exposure?

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah. So, and this is a big one, unfortunately, right? Cause we're. I'm surrounded by the things in our homes. But I would say number one for me is probably polyurethane foam. It's found in mattresses, sofas, couches, chairs. One of my best advice that I can give to everyone listening is that one of the biggest invest investments you can make for yourself is a non toxic mattress. You spend a third of our life on our mattress. And so you don't want VOCs that are off gassing for years and breathing them in, right? They can cause respiratory damage, trigger asthma, um, increase the risk of cancer. So you really, that's an investment that I would say to everyone listening, it's important. There are other materials like flame retardant, phthalates, benzene, formaldehyde. Um, one of the big ones that I say to folks that they, when it comes back to VOCs, they don't think of is paint. So, um, there's a great brand called Claire that sells zero VOC paint. Um, and they have all the pretty colors, right? They've got those Benjamin Moore esque colors that you still want. We use it in my house. And it's incredible and so I would highly recommend them because we paint our house for years and years and years and so especially when it comes to I always think of moms setting up nurseries and they're like painting nurseries and I'm always like have you heard of Claire because those are babies we don't want to put them in a space that's immediately just full of toxins.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes, yes. I, I also am slowly switching, um, most of my things to like wool products, you know, like my wool comforter. It is super cozy and comfortable. It's warm in the winter and cool in the summer. So I really love that insert for my duvet and wool carpeting. Those are some, some big ones that I think a lot of people don't realize even, you know, exercise, um, uh, Yes, so share, share about that real quick as far as like clothing, because I think sometimes we don't think about how clothing affects us too.

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah. So a lot of times, especially in athleisure clothes, there's PFAs in them, so forever chemicals. And I always think, especially, and there was an article about this, I think it came big article two or three years ago about PFAS in our most sensitive areas. So we're talking, you know, in the crotch area, on our breasts, right next to our lymph nodes. And we're wearing these items all day long. So what I always say with folks is if you're going on that, low tox, non tox journey, obviously I don't expect you to throw out all your clothes, right? That would just be a little absurd, but I say to everyone, start with undergarments, start with socks, that kind of stuff. So if you're still wearing those pants that have the forever chemicals, but you've got a non toxic, organic, cotton underwear on, you're a little safer. So I think that's where to start. And then over time, there are great brands like Pact or Make the Label, and they make so many amazing non toxic, organic clothing that, and it ranges from like athleisure to work clothes. So you really can, you can find options.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. Yeah. And I just discovered Woolly, that's another one that I have been testing and, you know, wonderful undergarments. And, um, I think I even bought some athletic pants from them and they were comfortable, not itchy. Cause I'm very sensitive to the whole itchy thing and none of it. So I love them At the Label too. So I'm glad you shared that one as well. Um, and I'm really thankful for you too, because you're sharing some great tips without overwhelming people'cause I know on this journey, there many times patients are overwhelmed. There are just some basic small changes you can make. And then if you just start adding smaller changes and continue to make them, you know, by the end of the year, imagine what you can do. You don't have to do everything at once. But just even take each month, I'm going to focus on a different area and, and minimize what's in my home, what I put on my body, what I'm eating. So I appreciate your tips so much. Um, I know we have a few minutes left, and so I would love for you to touch, if you could, on non toxic personal care products and what ingredients. we should be avoiding.

Caitlin Fierro:

Yeah. So, I mean, they really range, like I mentioned earlier, there's up to 11, 000 chemicals. I think what we really want to be avoiding in personal care products are anything that's a carcinogen, endocrine disruptor, definitely fragrance, definitely any allergen or immunotoxicant. Those are really dangerous. I think when it comes to personal care, my biggest advice to everyone is to simplify. I know we kind of went over that earlier, but you, there's this like, you know, consumerism and marketing that we've all grown up with, right? Like constantly on my phone, ad for this, ad for that as a woman, right? Like this will get rid of your wrinkles. This will get rid of your redness. So we're so easy to click and purchase. Um, but I think when it comes to going non toxic, there are amazing brands, both in personal care, cosmetics, I mean, hair care, everything that are truly non toxic plant based organic, simple ingredients and that are high performing. So I think once you find those brands, you can simplify, you can commit to them. You can also save money this way. I think people are, I have, there's this other notion that going non toxic is so expensive and I really, you know, especially when I work with people one on one, I love to like kind of myth bust there because I'll, I'll tell them like, all right, these are, it's how much your 40 products cost. And we can get you down to 10. This is how much this is going to cost. And so I think just knowing that it can be done and that you can find products that are high performing and high quality and that do the same.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. I agree. And I've tried to do that myself and, you know, um, over the holidays, I tried something new and we have a local farmer that I, that I buy from and I purchased a grass fed, grass finished tallow from around the kidneys from this woman. It had like five pounds of it. And I used it for cooking, but I also made my own tallow cream and it's not that difficult to do. And I made jars and jars of it. And what I love about it is that, uh, my, my whole family is using it. My daughter's skin is better. Um, I use it for my elbows and the heels of my feet. My husband loves it. So it's like one product that our whole family is using. And it, that whole batch of five pounds, I think once I added the olive oil to it and, um, and some essential oils, I think in total, it was like 20. you know, and it'll last us a year. So there are some things that you can even do at home, uh, to, to simplify, like you're saying, and products that everyone can use that are healthy for your skin. So, um, is there anything that I didn't ask you that you feel, you know, you wanted to mention before we close out our episode today?

Caitlin Fierro:

No, I think just, you know, for anyone listening today, like we, we've talked about this so many times, but the non toxic journey can be overwhelming. I think that there's also this, you know, I see, and I get frustrated as a practitioner. I see a lot of social media influencers in the non toxic space promoting green wash products. And I know you mentioned that earlier and it's something that frustrates me because I think people are trying to do better and then they're going on social media and they're just like, So much noise. And so I think as you're going through this journey, find a trusted resource, find a trusted partner, um, and find someone who, who's not biased, right? I think there's a lot of people who are biased and bought out in this space. And you want someone who's truly promoting things because they're high quality, high performing, and truly non toxic and safe.

Ivelisse Page:

Yeah, well I'm thankful that you are one of those individuals and we will make sure to put links in the show notes so that people can see, you know, your favorite things and um, we'll also put the Believe Big, um, affiliate links that has some of the products as well that we mentioned today. And I'll even put in the link for my, uh, homemade tallow cream. Cause I'm sure people will be asking for that too. So Caitlin, thank you so much for what you're doing. Uh, just incredible journey you've been on. You're making a huge difference in our world and I'm just so grateful for your time today.

Caitlin Fierro:

Yes. Thank you so much for having me.

Ivelisse Page:

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