Protect People & The Planet! 

 

 


 Plan For Good Health & Local Self-Reliance 

 

The Harsh Reality - Our government, businesses, and institutions do NOT protect the public nor the planet from many, if not most, toxic products and waste. And, that's because we live in a world based on making money, not making sense; plus too many people are not holding their governments accountable. Good health today requires an aggressive personal and local approach to healthy living. Embrace the good, and avoid the bad, as well as the unknown.  We suggest that you learn about 'wild' foods (WildFoodies.org), grow your own food, or buy organic produce, meats, and fish.  Avoid all processed food and most medicines because we'll never know what's in it. The same thing goes for most commercial products (personal, household, etc..) Learn to do without or make things yourself, so that you can be more confident that they are safe and not toxic.  Maximizing self-reliance is a great idea for everyone, every community, and every nation. A society can't be strong if it's heavily dependent on imports and manufactured products for the necessities of life. This is not an argument against trade and technology, but we should all be prepared to survive and thrive without them. Below is a list for things to avoid & safer substitutes. Please note that this is a work-in-progress. I’m always experimenting. You should too!

 

In a nutshell:

by Lynn Landes, Founder
www.LynnLandes.com 

 

 

  LYNN’S PERSONAL CHECKLIST FOR HEALTHY LIVING (updated Jan 31, 2025)

 

 
 AVOID COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS
 addition LIST at bottom


SAFE(R) SUBSTITUTES  THAT I USE
 X – I don’t use at all
 

FOOD: AVOID

Safe(r) Substitutes: local and WildFoodies are best

conventional, processed, non-local food, GMOs, cultivated, and hybridized crops

wild edibles (WildFoodies), also organic, chemical-free, local, grow and make your own food, stay in 'produce' section of grocery store

factory meat / poultry / eggs

grassfed or pastured

farmed fish

wild caught

sugars – beet (many are GMOS), sugar cane

honey - local honey may help with allergies, but can also cause sleepiness due to tryptophan content

vegetable oils

fat from meat, poultry (duck fat), or fish, also walnut oil

dairy (thickens mucous and encourages colds, etc.)

use home-made oat or nut milk instead

gluten (inflammatory, fungal infections, coughs)

non-gluten grains

soy products - too much of the female hormone, estrogen

beans and peas

HEALTH: AVOID

Safe(r) Substitutes:  (HealthAlertPhilly)

medications, vaccines, vitamins, & supplements - These are mystery products that we will never know what ingredients are really in them. Why take the chance?

food & herbs, particularly from the wild. Plantain/Plantago, a common weed, is the world's most abundant and useful medicinal herb - stops bleeding, anti-poison, antibiotic, antifungal, anti-cancer, anti-radiation, cold remedy, etc. http://www.wildfoodies.org/WildMedicinalPlants.htm

conventional diet I avoid glutens, dairy, commercially dried fruit, overly spicy foods, nightshade plants which are all inflammatory foods and may contribute to cancer, arthritis, acid reflux, etc.. I also avoid seedy foods or process them, because I have had flare ups of diverticulitis.
diarrhea - caused by too much fruit, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, vinegar, garlic, onions, cruciferous veggies, alcohol, spicy, and greasy foods Diarrhea - Go bland. The fastest way to stop diarrhea is to use white rice flour and water, heat and make a thin gravy and serve. But you can also just put some raw rice in water, crush it, sieve it, and then drink the water. Works for people and pets. Other starches may also work.
constipation Constipation - drink a full glass of water with a bit of apple cider vinegar. Also, eat or drink foods with oils and fats.
radiation burns I think I'm getting a radiation burn from my computer mouse, so I wash the dishes with oat flour, as it seems to get rid of the burning sensation.
everyday drugs: caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, marijuana - basically uppers & downers, makes your body produce too much female estrogen which is also carcinogenic, plus makes people more emotional, and disrupts human physical, mental, and sexual development healthy food and herbal teas, no caffeine
conventional toxic pregnancy and childbirth: on our backs, ultrasounds, vaccines, drugs, vitamin K, etc. squatting position, good diet, herbal remedies if necessary, and massage therapy
conventional toilets it seems that we don’t even poop properly, see the squattypotty.com or use a footstool
PERSONAL CARE:  AVOID Safe(r) Substitutes: 

Your skin is your largest organ. Feed your body, don’t poison it. If you can’t put it in your mouth, don’t put it on your skin. Skin, hair, & nails absorb into the body & bloodstream anything that it comes in contact with. Many of commercial products below can contain numerous toxic chemicals.

 Also, why should women wear make-up, dye their hair, paint their nails, etc.? Aren't we good enough without all that? And how can we be taken seriously, if we're made up like clowns?

make-up

X

perfume

X

hair color, spray, etc.

X

nail polish

X

tattoos

X
body piercing

X

bath soaps - for both body & hair

Feed your body, don't poison it! For my bath I use plantain water (1/4 tsp of dry leaf tea), chamomile, and duck fat (1/4 tsp) or as needed. These are the best combination for my hair and skin. Other greens may be also be used or added - nettle, dandelions, amaranth, etc.. // Sometimes I also use 1/2 cup of organic white vinegar in a glass bottle - its good for lice, scabies, and shingles. You may want to avoid too frequent baths and showers as it can dry out your skin. Also, unless your water is properly filtered, many municipal water supplies are contaminated with chemicals and pharmaceuticals.// I also use oat flour & chamomile tea for rashes, just keep the oat flour out of your hair, although I've used the oat/chamomile combination on my dog!
hand sanitizers & soaps (including homemade soaps that contain glycerine) I usually just rinse with water as skin is naturally antimicrobial, or I use oat flour. Keep the oat flour in a pepper shaker. For car grease etc, use fat or oil first, wait a minute, then sprinkle on oat or buckwheat flour, rub, then rinse. Repeat if needed. Buckwheat is a very effective but gentle abrasive.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6283644/

skin & hair moisturizers

Tallow is a long time remedy for dry skin - duck fat works best for me & decreases wrinkles. You can render your own tallow, but if you buy it, only buy in glass containers.

hair conditioners

raw egg yolk (1 or more) applied directly to wet hair, comb through, wait a minute, then rinse, it’s makes my hair feel great, but I lose some body and control, so use only as needed.

hair styling gels

plantain water makes hair more manageable, but raw 'egg white' applied on wet or dry hair acts more like hair gel.

sunscreen lotions & sprays

light clothing and hat, but clay mud can be used in survival situations

deodorant - some products contain aluminum or alum which is a neurotoxin.

White vinegar works for me if I don't eat glutens. Also, I wear hemp or flax t-shirts. Also try Plantain water & walnut oil. Rub on with facecloth. The big deal for me is to avoid eating glutens (which make me stink), & also avoid wearing synthetic clothes that harbor bacteria, which also makes clothes stink.

toothpastes and fluoride

a dusting of baking soda on a toothbrush and rinse with highly diluted white vinegar - unfortunately I haven't found anything else that works, not to say that this is the best or even a good idea.

mouthwashes

mint tea or highly diluted vinegar

toothbrushes - plastic attracts bacteria      

natural bristle plus a cloth

shaving

because hair growth is a source of removing toxins from the body, I don’t shave my armpits except once a year, before we go to the shore – I cave for bathing suit season!

FASHION: AVOID

Safe(r) Substitutes:

synthetics & microfibers - remember that bacteria love petroleum products such as synthetic materials. Micro fibers can enter your bloodstream causing damage to your health -https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr8243

wild, natural & organic fibers such as antibacterial hemp and linen - https://textiledetails.com/five-properties-of-linen/ - Hemp socks are great for people with toe fungus, hemp is naturally antifungal. Also see: enviro-tote.com/  Our son paints these bags and I use them all the time. DIY! PhillyKnits.org – a fiber meetup I organized in 2014

jewelry that comes from destructive mining operations, plus could possibly contain contaminents that could cause health problems

use natural and organic materials

HOUSE & GARDEN: AVOID

Safe(r) Substitutes: X – I don’t use at all
dish soap and dish washers (big source of indoor air contamination due to heating plastic parts)           I use oat flour which is naturally healing and good for your skin. Buckwheat flour is good for scouring as it is slightly abrasive, but it can also stain ceramic dishes and be hard on the hands.

window/mirror cleaners

spray with plantain or mint water, or vinegar, then wipe with clean cloth

tub/sink cleaner

use oil or grease to loosen up scum, then rinse with buckwheat or rice flour, with white vinegar for stains

kitchen tough grease & grime cleaners

apply any kind of oil or fat (I use duck fat or walnut oil), wait 10 minutes, and wipe off excess, then wash off with vinegar or mint water.

kitchen floor cleaners

white vinegar, or any kind of mint, put it blender with water, sieve out greens, then mop or dust

wood products & wood floors cleaners & conditioners

duck fat moisturizes wood and leaves behind a protective waterproof coat. It works great for me, keeps wood from drying out (it doesn’t go rancid nor smell after a few hours). Wood turners also recommend walnut oil for wooden bowls.
to remove glue from jars labels use fat or oil first, wait 3 minutes, then sprinkle on buckwheat flour, rub with scouring pad, then rinse. Use extra buckwheat and oil as needed.

laundry detergent

oat flour (2 heaping tsp per cup of water) Ditch your whites and solid colors if you can, as they’re too hard to keep stain-free

laundry softener & deodorizer

X
deodorizer for stinky armpits on sweaters, carpets, etc. oat flour applied on stinky areas with paint brush, leave for at least 3 hours, then shake or vacuum off. Other things may also work, such as 'finely ground' mint and pine needles.

commercial dusting products

any kind of "mint" water/tea water, dampen dust cloth, it leaves slight oil film, good for wood, leather - keeps them from drying out

tough greasy dirt removers

any kind of fat or oil first, can also add buckwheat or rice flour to act as an abrasive

synthetic sponges or dish cloth attract bacteria!

natural fabric linen dish cloth or face cloth,

plastic dishware: attracts bacteria and leaches toxic ingredients

wood might be best, then glass or ceramic

toxic pots & pans: aluminum, stickless, stainless steel clad (note stainless may contain aluminum layers & leach if scratched)

glass, cast iron, solid stainless steel

filters of any kind - may contain asbestos-like fibers

cloth handkerchief, organic preferred
toilet paper linen or hemp cloth, natually antibacterial, cut into small squares, rinse in sink

paper tissues

cloth handkerchiefs, organic, hemp, or flax linen if possible

paper towels

natural fiber cloth rags

air fresheners

potted plants, herbs, (onions cut in half & left standing in water helps absorb toxic paint odors)

air humidifier          

potted plants, etc.https://brightnest.com/posts/eight-health-benefits-of-houseplants

contaminated building materials: insulation, fiberboard, wallboard, contaminated concrete, tiles, etc. Try hemp & other natural materials  https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/construction/green/hemp-building-material1.htm

fertilizers

compost, compost tea, fish tank water

herbicide & fungicide

5% white household vinegar OR strong solution of plantain water

Insecticides: ants and similar insects

White vinegar, plus I use oil and paint it on with brush around windows and doors, inside and outside the house; the ants don't like to cross and oily barrier.

mouse traps don't seem to work very well for long, as mice are very intelligent and learn to avoid them

Wash floors with undiluted white vinegar and spray around doors, baseboards, etc.

PETS Products:

Safe(r) Substitutes:

commercial foods

make your own dog food mostly of meat

dog shampoos

raw egg yolks on wet dog, wait a minutes, then rinse – great cleanser & conditioner!

flea products

dab plantain and/or mint water on fur http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago#Uses

doggy toys

make your own with socks, ropes, etc.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Safe(r) Substitutes:

newspapers & magazines - full of toxins, so be select

Online mostly until these newspapers become nontoxic

cards

X - I call. Most cards end up in the landfill within a few weeks

flowers

X - I call. Flowers are more heavily sprayed with chemicals than any other crop, and then end up in the landfill

 

 

AVOID LIST:   (HealthAlertPhilly.org & WildFoodies.org)

 

NOTE: Big Pharma has completely corrupted medicine today, too often doing more harm than good, while the government financially incentivizing doctors and health care providers to prescribe bad medicine. Personally, I avoid vaccines, pharmaceutical drugs, medical procedures, supplements, recreational drugs, and 'everyday drugs' - caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. 'Everyday drugs' do everyday damage to our health. They are basically uppers and downers. They increase the body's production of female estrogen which results in a daily roller-coaster ride of emotions, as well as being carcinogenic and disrupting our physical, mental, and sexual development. It is shocking the number of people on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs who don't connect their condition to what their putting into their mouths. If you're having panic attacks, then stop drinking caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, & chocolate)!  But most doctors don't give their patients this common sense advice. Either the doctors haven't been educated to use their heads, or they'd rather make money giving their patients unnecessary and harmful drugs. Add to that, medicines and 'everyday drugs' end up in our municipal drinking water (isn't filtered out) that both children and adults consume.