My Answer to Breast Cancer- Detoxing your environment

And we're live. Hello, hello. Hello, everyone. It is Tuesday night. It's seven o'. Clock. And that means it is time for my answer to breast cancer. It's Dr. Jen Simmons from Real Health MD. And I'm so excited for tonight's discussion because I know that this is something that's going to resonate with everyone because everyone is concerned about the health of the environment. But even, like, more important than the health of the environment is everyone's concerned about the health of their environment and the environment that they live in, immediately, that touches them, that has profound effects on their health every single day. And people are really starting to speak out. They are talking to their realtor, they're talking to their decorator, they're talking to their guru who helps them to ditch and switch and make over their environment to be a cleaner, greener place so that their health can benefit. And I have some experts with me today who help people do just that. And so we're going, like, way beyond, you know, breast cancer or disease. We're really talking about, like, how to live in a place that makes you happy, because, quite frankly, depression is from inflammation and inflammation is so often from our environment. So being in a place that makes you happy, that makes you feel good, that makes you feel healthy is still very important. And these ladies have the keys to how to do that. No pun intended. So I'm going to start with Lauren Lipowitz. Lauren is with Compass Realty, and the real estate market is exploding. So I know that you're having a good time and a good year.

And.

God bless, because we want all. We want the world to come back to life. And you are a big part of how that's happening for people. But there's been, like, a real estate frenzy. People want to get out of the city, they want to get into the suburbs. And you have your finger on the pulse of how to do that. But we had a conversation earlier that people are not only concerned about getting out of the city and going to a different kind of environment, but they're caring about that new home, too, and what kind of micro environment that new home has. So can you introduce yourself a little.

Bit and work at Compass in Ardmore?

I'm from the Main Line.

I absolutely live and breathe everything about our community. I'm really proud of it. And this for all of us. This year has been wild. At the beginning of the pandemic, I never thought. I thought it was never going to work again. And I have. Every day I look at my husband who I work with, and I'm like, this can't be real.

I have.

It's like a mass exodus out of the city. I actually have turning buyers down because I can't. And my mind can't handle everyone's request and what's going on. And it's so crazy because I said this to Jen and Brittany and Tara before. What people are asking me for has changed so much. First of all, everyone must have two offices, outdoor space, home gyms. People are like, I don't even care what size my bedroom is. I don't. I'll give up a closet. I'll give up living space. Just get me that outdoor space. Just get me that pool and just get me in. And of course, the number one thing that I can really attest to is being happy in your home. I think now more than ever, it is so necessary. And I've always. I'm a very emotional realtor, and I've always said I'm not. Anyone can open up a door and sell you a home. Anyone can get the keys to any house. It's really about finding out what's going to work best for you and your family and what's going to make your family work. Every family so different has different needs, has different health problems, mental health, wellness. There's so many different factors that go into it, and it's really identifying.

So have you noticed that people care more about materials or what could be in the home, like mold and things like that? Because I know from my perspective, people talk about that a lot and in fact, often had difficult conversations with patients saying, like, you know, work, work sickness is a real thing where you work in a sick workplace where there is mold or asbestos or some kind of toxin that's coming in. But that's very true of homes, too. And I tell people all the time that, you know, if you have a place in your home that stays cold or stays wet, you have mold.

Yes.

In our homes. So are people coming to you with more concerns about the health of.

It's like people are just assuming now that this is their sanctuary and they need everything to smell good, feel good, look good, and, you know, they're breathing all that in. And I talked, called Brittany and said, how do we get rid of this type of paint? This is the old paint. We need to strip it, strip the cabinets down. We're doing mold tests now. We always air tested, but our tests have become so, so much more in detail now. We test the outside of the home and the inside of the home and compare Those two samples to kind of see what's going on. So we know going into it what we have to, you know, what we have to get rid of what we is this home going to be worth? It was always an issue, but now that we know that it can create mold underneath work. Drilling into homes before I even put them on the market, being very transparent about it.

And are you working with Brittany a lot to get these homes ready for the market and to kind of give them, I guess, you know, if it's your car, it's a tune up. And you know, my father in law, God rest his soul, used to say that he was going into the hospital for a tune up every day.

He's my girl. Yeah. No Brittany, speak home. I call and I'm like, it's time for a facelift.

I'm so glad that you're here tonight. Brittany is the founder and owner of Farce Studio. And you're kind of in charge of going in and kind of getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. So can you talk to us about that a little bit? And what kind of problems are you finding? What are you remediating and what, what materials are you using that leads, lead to a healthier home?

Definitely. So yes, I mean, Lauren and I have enjoyed working together on really taking a lot of these older homes that have not been taken care of, but have a lot of potential and getting rid of everything that was toxic, that was not good for the environment, that's not something that people want. I mean, I go into these homes and I find layers of wall covering rather than people ripping things off and starting fresh. They've just been layering for years and years. And so we come in and we really just rip everything out from drapery to wall covering to removing old paint, sanding down all of the cabinets, replacing all of the AC units, which is super important. And really just giving these homes a true facelift without someone having to come in and build ground up construction. And so they're getting the charm of an older house, they're getting the beauty of one of these mainline homes. But it feels like a new home. And I lived in LA for a while and that's kind of where I worked a lot in interior design. And when I came here I was really above the mind that like your home should be somewhere where you're happy. That feels light, that feels bright. A lot of the homes in this area felt dark and they felt like it was heavy drapery and dark paint colors. And I just wanted to lighten it up. And I think that people are liking that, and they're wanting that feeling, and they're wanting their home to feel light and bright and to get as much windows as possible and the natural light to shine in, to bring in plants, which I think really add to the environment that you live in. And, you know, people are like, oh, I live in the East Coast. I can't have an olive tree. Well, yes, you can. You know, it takes a little care. We put one at Lauren's house, and I'm sure they're caring for it, but, you know, it's about bringing in those elements, bringing in the natural materials. I really love the idea of, like, simplifying design and adding on textures and layers. And so you don't need to make something so ornate. You just need it to be good quality materials, and then it's really going to shine through. And so that's kind of the mindset that we live with and, you know, how we want our clients to live. And when I go into a home with Lauren, we're kind of proposing a lifestyle. It's not just a home for someone that they're gonna buy and, you know, move in as is, but it's this lifestyle that they're gonna live in the house once they're there and how they're gonna function and how their family is gonna live. Yeah, well, I. I feel like a.

Lot of people still need a lot of guidance there in terms of, you know, you move into this new, beautiful home, and hopefully you've used, you know, better cleaner materials. But even once you arrive, and Tara and I have had so many, so many talks about this, both on and off air, but Tara Bayman is here from Bold Wellness. And, Tara, how. How do you advise people when they move into a new house? Like, would you go through it with them and help them get rid of the things that, you know, like, not bring your toxins with you to your new home?

Yeah, absolutely. Hi, everybody. I'm Tara Beaman. I. Absolutely. This has been. I mean, the pandemic, obviously, has created a completely different world for all of us. Right. The things that people were concerned about a year and a half ago are not the things that we're concerned about today. So certainly the manner in which I have helped people to ditch and switch their toxins, some of those people have been moving into new homes, but a lot of them, honestly, Jen, are people who are been changing the way that they live inside of their existence. So most of my work has been with people who have taken the Time during the pandemic to recognize exactly that about the sanctuary of your home and how that we needed to use our home as a way to. For self care and for healing during this period. And it's time to really not only make sure that we aren't getting the toxins that are in all of these household products and so forth, but implement things like aromatherapy, right. Which is my specialty as a certified aromatherapist, to introduce people to the calming and the relaxing effects that those oils provide. And let's face it, a lot of people, you know, we not only have a physical crisis, physical health crisis in our country, but we have a mental health crisis as a result of what this pandemic, this isolation has done to so many people. So, you know, I have helped so many people to not only get those toxins out, but to use these, you know, natural, the plant medicine, if you will, to help, you know, their emotional life, which is really where my focus has.

Well, it's also connected, right. So you don't have one without the other. There's no, there's no person who has good physical health, but bad emotional health. Like, it's just we are all one system operating in unison. So let me ask you, when you're taking someone through a new home, are they asking specifically about materials? Are they asking about like certain toxins and things like that? Are they asking about paint and carpet and things that off gas and all of that?

All of it, you know, in the.

Main line, especially Lower Marion, the new construction, it's. And the custom building is very rare. So the way to find a home here really is to go in with the mindset and renovate something or do a little bit of work or give it a facelift. So that's immediately the first thing that we're talking about. From the minute we walk into the house, before we've even seen, oh, what do you think is under these carpets? We can get rid of these? Oh, this. Like it could be rotting. Could we replace it? How much will it cost? Is it going to be worth it? Can we do it without moving walls right away? It's probably the number one thing that we're dealing with right now. It was always something we talked about, but now it is so much more intense and so much more real. And I don't see it changing.

Yeah.

Are people more dialed into what materials are being used? Are they looking for more natural materials rather than synthetic materials?

Absolutely. I mean, and I think, like you guys have all said, Tara and Jen, that you can't have, you know, it all goes together, one system. And I think people are so. It's so important for people right now to be happy in their home that they are doing whatever they can to from the start to provide the sanctuary and provide a safe, comforting space. Oh, like if my mother had to live with me, would it be okay for her? You know, she has a really bad allergy, she's diabetic. She's this, what can we do to keep everyone comfortable and safe? So it all starts with, what are we putting in the home and where are we sourcing it from and where are we getting it from? And that's why I had to pivot what I was doing, because it was no longer about, let's just go to the bargain bin and put some old carpet in there. And I learned, I had no idea some of the things that I had been promoting. It's like until you're in this situation. And I connected with Brittany and my mind was blown. And sometimes it really is. You get what you pay for.

So, Brittany, if you came from la, you must have had quite an experience, a breadth of experience with the more sustainably used materials and the less toxic materials because. Because I know that they have a very different mindset than what we have here. Do you find that people are asking for those more natural, less toxic materials when they're decorating their homes and are they willing to pay a premium for those? Because I know that they're more expensive.

Yes. Yes. I mean, yes, I think that people are definitely asking them. Things that I'm seeing people want less of are wall to wall carpets. People used to always do wall to wall carpets in bedrooms. I'm much more commonly doing wood floors and bedrooms because it's known that wall to wall carpets and the glue that they use for that is an off gas wall covering.

Even if you're using wool carpets, it's years for them to off gas.

Exactly. And so people, instead of having to even think about it, are just like, you know what, I don't want to do it. We're going to do wood floors. Wall covering is something that also is known to off gas with glue. And so, you know, that's another one that people are just deciding, you know what, I'm just going to do a paint. And now a lot of the companies offer a more organic paint option. So, you know, they're going in that direction. Materials are definitely becoming more important and people are also more conscious about what materials are natural and what materials are, are not being made in a Factory. So I'm seeing a lot more stone being used, which I love. I'm someone who really feels like stone makes an impact, and I love to use stone throughout my projects. And it would frustrate me when people would just go to the man made materials because they held up better, but now they're more willing to pay for a more expensive material that's natural because they want to support those natural materials and bring them into their home.

Yeah, that's so nice. What about fabrics and what do you advise people as far as that? Because I know that, like, for a while, people were coating everything with stain guard and this and that, and those are really toxic. They. They actually act like toxic estrogen in your body, and it, it takes your body a while to detox those things. So what do you, what are, what are people doing about fabric these days? Are they just letting them get dirty or what's the deal?

So more, also from my mindset of la, we use a lot of linen. I love to use 100% organic Belgian linen. And then what I'll do is do a washable slipcover. So, you know, I have a white sofa in my home, and people are like, you have two toddlers. How in the world do you have a white sofa? Well, it's a washable slipcover. I'm not putting any coating on it, but I'm able to throw it in the wash. And when I need to, you know what, I'll get another slipcover made. And it's better to me than coating and using all of these synthetic materials that don't feel real. Same with draperies. I use just a natural, like Belgian linen and a sheer fabric. You know, that really, I think, speaks to my design. I'm much more about using more natural, organic tones and textures. And, you know, that really leads to not having things that are going through so many processes. But yes, we're definitely using a lot more linens or 100% fabrics rather than the combinations. And, you know, I worked a little bit for, you know, in the hotel business doing hotel design. One of the companies that I worked with was the one Hotel, and they are very, very, you know, wanting to provide a healthy environment. That's kind of their selling point for their clients. And so when we were sourcing fabrics and picking furniture, we had to go through a whole test that was like part of their certification before we could even select the fabric. And for hotels to find something that is durable and organic and a natural material is very difficult. But it's out There. So if it's there for a hotel, it's there for your home.

Yeah, I love the one hotel. And such a. Such a great brand. It is.

It is.

Yeah.

Love it. And so, you know, it's one thing to put all of this time and effort and energy into making sure that you're in a green home, and you have. And you've used green fabrics and all of that, but then you can't move in and, like, clean with Clorox and Windex and Tide. Right.

You can't and.

Or burn. Or burn candles for a good smell or whatever. So, Tara, just take us through, like, how you work with people to get them out of that mindset that, like, it's not clean unless it smells like bleach or Clorox. And, you know, how do you. How do you work with people to educate them on what a clean home should smell like and all of that?

Well, it can be very challenging. You know, it really can, because what, you know, the industry has done to us, and there's something called greenwashing, which I'm sure you're familiar with, Jen, where companies use plants and the color green and all kinds of marketing techniques that are designed to really trick us into thinking and believing that they are natural, pure. And because the FDA in our country doesn't have the regulations that they have in Europe, for instance, they can find all of these loopholes to use certain words that don't really mean anything, but. But the common consumer thinks that they do. Natural. Exactly. You know, scent free. But scent free is a different word than fragrance. Like, there's. There's just so many loopholes. So it's challenging because there are people who firmly believe that it's okay to use the Clorox and the Tide, and, in fact, those are necessary. And the pandemic has completely elevated all of that, because we're way more concerned.

Telling people that that's what it should be. They're. They're telling people that they should be sterilizing their homes.

Right, Exactly.

Exactly.

So, you know, my. My mentor says to me that the smell of Clorox, that. That's the smell of death. Yeah, that's what it is.

Exactly.

So, I mean, for your home to smell like. Yeah, right.

Yeah. So for me, I have to really. You know, it's so personal because what I. What I typically do, unless there's somebody who comes to me and says, just detox my home, basically just do it for me, because I don't want to think about it, and I trust that you know what you're doing and put the products in here. I have those kind of people, but I also have people who say, ho, ho, ho. Hold on a second. Like, I have an emotional attachment to that smell or to that product because there's actually something emotional for people about going and pulling that jug of Tide off of the shelf because they remember that as being what their mother used or what their grandmother used. So it's actually more complicated than it might seem. And some products have, you know, stronger ties than others. But generally speaking, if somebody is coming to me, they're coming to me with the interest in detoxifying. So then it's not quite as hard because they're willing to listen. And typically, we just start small. We go from room to room. We start in the laundry room, which is full of so many toxins, by starting to get rid of things like dryer sheets and, you know, switching the detergent out. Then we move to, like, the dishwasher and get rid of all the pods that have the plastic that heats up. And, you know, we just do it little by little.

Yeah, yeah.

People don't understand, like, what's wrong with dryer sheets. And they don't understand that as these things aerosolize and coat your clothes, that plastic goes into your body and actually acts like estrogen, but not normal estrogen, Toxic estrogen that has been directly linked to cancer. Cancer. Like breast cancer. Right. So things that are seemingly so benign. And you see all these beautiful commercials of people sniffing their laundry, and I'm, like, having a heart attack watching them sniff their laundry because I know how bad it is for them, and I know that, Tara, you helped me so tremendously. You came through my house with me and helped me to go through the laundry room and what's underneath my sink in the kitchen and what's in our bathroom. And, you know, and I didn't have the attachment to Tide. I mean, yes, I did think that it smelled good, but.

Right.

Once I learned. And. And quite frankly, now I. I think what I use now smells, like, awesome. I love how everything smells now. So I don't do Lauren and Brittany, like, do. Are people talking to you about fragrance? I know that there are. There is a lot of, like, home scent kind of products. And is that part of your industry? I remember when I sold my home, I had heard somewhere that you should be, like, baking cocaine is to boil cinnamon. And my realtor told me to stop doing that because people are going to think that I'm covering something up. But do you deal with that. Is that, like, part of the emotional part of the sale or how people feel about their homes or anything?

I mean, for me, I think that people turn to me. Like, I was saying, it's the lifestyle thing. So when I'm doing someone's home, they're also saying, like, okay, what should I be cleaning with? Like, how do I maintain this stone? What are you using for your laundry? Like, I think that they want to be taught, and they want to learn, and I probably am not even as knowledgeable of, you know, all of those elements as I should be. And I wish I was more knowledgeable about it, but.

Gotta hang around with Tara.

Yeah, I definitely do. I'm gonna need you to come over and detox my home, which I would be happy. It was probably a lot better pre pandemic. Like, I never bought Clorox or any of these things that now, you know, you were, like, stocking your shelves with. So I would love to get back to that.

You were. I definitely.

Yeah.

I mean, it's. It is definitely, you know, something where people just need to be told exactly, like, what both of you do, and then they really want to change. And, you know, of course, people associate a smell with a house, but I think the only thing that they want is a fresh smell. Like, they don't want it to feel old and mildewed, and they want it to just feel like it's fresh and natural. So from my experience, I would say, if anything, clients are just turning to you for all of that advice, including the cleaning supplies.

Yeah. And what about plants? Are you talking to them about plants? Is that, like, in your wheelhouse? Do you know a lot about that?

So I love plants, and I love adding greenery, as you can kind of see behind me to a lot of the environments that I design.

What is that tree behind you?

There's an olive tree behind me. I don't know which way I'm pointing over here. And then I have a lot of different planters with moss and eucalyptus and dried plants. But I do love adding plants to an environment. I think that adding greenery to a home is taking it to that next level. But I work with knowledgeable people as well.

It actually does a really great job in detoxing your home.

Definitely.

I mean, when I had my daughter, I was looking into what plants were the healthiest for detoxing a nursery. So, you know, there definitely are plants that are, like, the air fresheners of, you know, nature. But there's definitely people who. In this area, like, you know, we'll go to Valley Forge Flowers. And, you know, we purchase a lot of stuff from there or terrain, and we work with them to help us with the florals.

And they're so knowledgeable at terrain. But quite frankly, most nurseries are really knowledgeable in which plants convert the most oxygen and that kind of thing. So I would definitely suggest to people that if they are looking to detox their home, that is a great addition because it adds so much. Right. Because it's beautiful and it makes you happy. Plants are a wonder of nature, and they're alive. They bring life and vitality to the home. Are you doing any feng shui?

No, I'm not. I don't know enough about it. You know, maybe I would if I learned.

But I'm not to introduce you to. Maybe I'll bring her onto the one of these days. But there is one rule of feng shui and plants. I think that you don't want it in your money center because I think that it detracts. I'm not sure, but there's something. There is one area of your house in feng shui that you're not supposed to have. I believe that it is in your. In the money center of your house. Well, this was a great discussion. I hope that this brought to everyone to question, like, what is the health of their home? Because we can't be healthy in an unhealthy environment. It just doesn't work. We are all one system. We are all one circuit. And there are so many things that you can do as you prove all the time. There are so many things you can do in an existing home to improve the health of your home. Right. And so, you know, whether you're taking it down to the studs and starting again or you're just, you know, giving it a refresher or it's.

It.

It has all the good bones, but you just need to go through the maintenance part of it. And, you know, Tara can take you through the maintenance part of it and how to keep it health. So this was an awesome, awesome, awesome discussion. Guys, do you want to go around and tell everyone where they can find you?

Sure. So my name is Brittany Hakeem Farr.

Again.

My firm is called Far Studio. We have a little studio in Bryn Mawr. And you can find us on Instagram at Far Studio underscore or far studio.com and don't hesitate to stop by or reach out. That's great.

Thanks, Brittany, and thanks so much for being here.

How about you, Lauren?

Again, my name is Lauren Lipowitz. I'm with Compass in Suburban Square. I also have a new home office right now. You can find me on Instagram re group and I thought this was really fun and informative and thank you for having me.

I'm so glad you were here, Tara.

Yes. And you can find me on Instagram at Tara Bayman T A R a H with an H. Bayman B A I M a N. And you can also find me on the Internet on www.boldwellnessco.com.

Great.

And I'll put all of everyone's contact in the comments. It was so great to have you ladies on and to have this great discussion about the health of our homes and the health of our micro environment. And quite frankly, when we each do this and make our environment healthier, we make ourselves healthier, we make our families healthier and in turn, we make our community healthier and the environment healthier. So this was so awesome.

Thank you ladies.

Thank you for doing and we'll see see you back here next week for my answer to breast cancer. Bye for now. Bye.

Bye.