Here’s what that looks like for me right now:

Non-toxic hair treatments

Formaldehyde be gone. Every girl has their thing and my thing is my hair. But why willingly make ourselves sick when we can simply use more natural products instead? This was one of the first swaps I made, and it’s an easy one - there are genuinely great non-toxic alternatives that work just as well as the stuff loaded with chemicals.

When I finally found a brain cell back in 2018 that told me, “hey, those keratin treatments probably burn the shit out of your eyes for a reason”, I decided to go on a non-toxic hair smoothing treatment deep dive. At the time Pura Luxe was fairly new and I quite literally tracked the owner down and made her confirm this would not hurt my hair or my health (lol). Ngl, she’s hard to get ahold of these days, but 8 years later and I’m still happy with this treatment.

You can get it done in Austin by Erin at Plume: Pura Luxe non-toxic smoothing treatment at Plume Salon ATX

Non-toxic skin care

They say your skin absorbs roughly 60%-70% of what you put on it, funneling it right in your bloodstream. I personally can’t sleep soundly knowing that toxic chemicals are swimming around in my blood. Skin care was the next obvious place to clean things up, since it’s the thing I’m putting on my body every single day. Not to mention, if you’re breaking out and you can’t figure out why - it’s time to start looking at ingredients. And even then, sometimes the “healthy” stuff just isn’t the right healthy stuff for you. Keep trying, you’ll find what works.

My favorites: Non-toxic skin care picks

Non-toxic natural makeup

I’m not really one to wear makeup most days - mostly because I don’t like the way it feels on my face (especially in the Texas heat). But when I’m in the mood for a mini-beat, these are my non-toxic favorites that don’t make me feel like I can’t touch my own face.

My favorites: Non-toxic makeup picks

Non-toxic clothes

We know way too much now about polyester and nylon to justify wrapping our bodies in it all day, every day. It’s not hard (or insanely expensive) to read labels and pick fabrics you know are clean - think cotton, linen, silk, and hemp. Small habit, big difference. Get into the habit of reading clothing labels the way you (should be reading) food labels.

My favorites: Non-toxic clothing picks | Shoes

Non-toxic nails

Honestly, I mostly skip nails altogether. I’ve been sober from gel for almost seven years now, and I don’t plan on going back anytime soon. But when I am in the mood to feel cute and fresh, I opt for a non-toxic mani/pedi at Lacquer in Austin. Yes, it’s expensive, and no, it doesn’t last as long - but at least I know I’m not opting for skin cancer, or worse. Just google “non-toxic nail salons” in your city and I’m sure you’ll find a few.

Where I go: Lacquer, Austin

Thats all for now but you know there’s more where that came from.

xx, CB

As intended, many parts of the outside world have a job to do - to clean, to feed, to grow, to provide something to someone or something else. The circle of life, if you will.

And because I’m a healthy home nerd I did the heavy lifting for you and figured out exactly which ones you need today.

I have a fully dialed Healthy Home Handbook with more details about each part of your home you can get here. But for now, happy planting.

Your Healthy Home Handbook: Houseplant Helpers

Plants improve air quality, reduce stress, regulate humidity, and bring life into your home. They work best alongside an air purifier, not instead of one. That said, rooms with several plants show 40-60% reductions in airborne fungal spores and bacteria, making them a meaningful layer of your home’s defense system.

A good rule of thumb: aim for 1-2 medium plants per 100 sq ft. Place them near known pollutant sources like new furniture, rugs, printers, and humid rooms.

Shop all of the pet-safe varieties below at Lively Root, which ships live, healthy plants directly to your door.

Pet-Safe Mold Fighters

These plants specifically help reduce airborne mold spores and regulate humidity. All are safe for cats and dogs.

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
One of the best mold fighters available. Absorbs mold spores directly through its leaves and can remove up to 90% of airborne toxins within days. Also removes formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. Thrives in low light and is nearly impossible to kill, making it the perfect starting plant.

Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
In humid environments, acts as a natural dehumidifier by absorbing excess moisture from the air and directly starving mold of what it needs to grow. Also one of the top overall air purifying plants you can bring into your home.

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Thrives in moisture and actively balances humidity in mold-prone rooms. One of the best plants you can put in a bathroom or kitchen. Also a top performer for formaldehyde and xylene removal.

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
Excellent at absorbing benzene and mold spores. Thrives in low light, making it great for bedrooms and darker corners where mold loves to hide.

Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis)
Gets its nutrients from the air and in doing so absorbs excess moisture, helping regulate the humidity that mold thrives in. Blooms for months at a time and is one of the most beautiful pet-safe options you can own.

Calathea (various varieties)
Stunning foliage, non-toxic to pets, and great for filtering air and balancing humidity. Prefers indirect light and consistent moisture, making it ideal for bathrooms.

No Pets? Add These Heavy Hitters

If you don’t have pets, these two are the most powerful mold-fighting plants available and worth adding immediately.

English Ivy
Studies show it filters up to 78% of airborne mold in just 12 hours. One of the single most effective plants for mold spore reduction you can own. Hang high or train to climb. Keep away from pets - toxic to cats and dogs.

Peace Lily
Rooms with peace lilies show 50-60% reductions in airborne mold spores and bacteria on average. Also actively reduces indoor humidity. Incredibly effective but toxic to cats and dogs.

A Note on Common Toxic Plants

Some of the most popular houseplants are toxic to pets. Keep these away from cats and dogs: peace lily, pothos, snake plant, aloe vera, ZZ plant, dracaena, sago palm, philodendron, and English ivy. When in doubt, always look up a plant before bringing it home.

More to come,

xx, Chels

This is not medical advice. These are my personal recommendations based on my own research and experience.

I reference Ayurveda and TCM often when chatting about health and beauty mostly because I believe thousands of years of knowledge triumphs less than 250 years of “modern medicine” and toxic techniques. Not only do I believe that nature has given us everything we need to survive and thrive, I also believe that healing really starts and finishes within you - but that’s a whole other substack in itself.

So anyways, here’s how you can make this essentially free hair spray that helps your locks grow long and strong.

Rice Water for Long, Strong Hair (Yes, It Actually Works)

Before you spend $40 on another strengthening spray with a suspicious ingredient list, let me introduce you to the original hair growth serum. It costs about ten cents and it’s been growing floor-length hair in Asia for centuries. The Yao women of Huangluo village literally hold a Guinness record for it.

Rice water is packed with inositol, amino acids, and vitamins B and E that strengthen the hair shaft, reduce breakage, and add shine. It’s simple, it’s cheap, and your grandmother’s grandmother probably knew about it.

What you need:

• 1 cup white rice

• 2-3 cups filtered water

• A glass spray bottle (this one)

• 3-4 drops of lavender, rosemary, or peppermint essential oil (my picks)

How to make it:

1. Rinse your rice thoroughly in a strainer. We want the good stuff, not the dusty stuff.

2. Add the rice to a bowl or mason jar with 2-3 cups of water. Cover with a lid or cloth and let it sit on the counter for 24-48 hours. The longer it sits, the more potent it gets (light fermentation is the point, so don’t panic if it smells a little sour).

3. Strain out the rice and pour the water into your spray bottle.

4. Add 3-4 drops of your favorite essential oil so you smell like a spa and not a rice paddy.

5. Store in the fridge and use within about a week.

How I use it:

I spray this all over my head and face in the morning. Yes, your face too. Rice water doubles as a gentle toner, and geisha have been using it on their skin forever. Trust the ancestors on this one.

xx, Chels 🫶

Most people have no idea their home is one of the biggest threats to their overall health. This handbook covers every layer of your environment - air, water, mold, cleaning products, materials, lighting, plants, scent, and more so you know exactly what to fix, swap, and prioritize.

This is not medical advice. These are my personal recommendations based on my own research and experience.

💨 Air Quality

The EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top 5 environmental health risks. Indoor air can be 2-5x more polluted than outdoor air, and most of us spend 90% of our time inside.

The only air purifier I recommend:

Jaspr Air Scrubber - Originally built for wildfire and mold remediation professionals. Captures 99.9% of particles as small as 0.1 microns, 360° air intake, real-time PM2.5 and VOC display, steel body, lifetime warranty with filter subscription. Named one of TIME’s Best Inventions. Use code MOLDYCHELS for $200 off each one you purchase → jaspr.co/MOLDYCHELS

Know what’s in your air:

• Airthings Wave Plus - tracks radon, VOCs, CO2, humidity, temp, and pressure. The most complete monitor available.

• Awair Element - PM2.5, VOCs, CO2, humidity, with a great app and actionable recommendations.

Key metrics to understand:

• PM2.5 - fine particles, the biggest threat. Target under 12 μg/m³

• VOCs - off-gassed from paint, furniture, cleaners. Purifier + ventilation

• CO2 - above 1,000 ppm affects cognition. Open a window

• Humidity - keep between 40-60%

• Radon - test every 2 years. Mitigate if above 4 pCi/L

Daily habits that matter:
Open windows 10-15 minutes daily when outdoor air quality is good. Run your kitchen exhaust fan every time you cook - it reduces indoor PM2.5 by up to 70%. Run your bathroom fan during and 20 minutes after every shower. Check air quality first at airnow.gov - morning is typically the cleanest time to ventilate.

Avoid: ozone generators, ionizers that produce ozone, and any purifier without published CADR ratings or AHAM/CARB certification.

Become a paid subscriber to get the rest of my healthy home handbook.

Read more

What a time to be alive. A time when feeling calm and safe is more of a skillset than a given. When fight-or-flight is the baseline and boredom feels weirdly uncomfortable.

Exhaustion is an understatement, especially when we feel guilty for feeling it without any “real” reason. The internet and AI were supposed to make life more efficient, yet so many of us are yearning to get back to basics. Back to our natural state. And somehow we’ve managed to make that a political statement instead of a basic human right.

Being healthy and feeling your best should not be this difficult. We have more technology, more information, and more access than any generation before us, yet somehow no access at all to what we actually need. Western providers aren’t the trusted ones anymore, but they’re the only ones anyone can afford. The real help, the real support, the actual healing - it all costs money and time most people don’t have. The “quick fix” modern medicine sold us isn’t working anymore, because it never really worked. It masked. It delayed. And it convinced us that after years of mistreating our bodies, minds, and souls, healing should be as easy as an antibiotic.

We were sold a lie. What should be easy is BEING healthy: food that isn’t riddled with pesticides, water we don’t have to fight to keep regulated, clean air, clean products, clean homes. We shouldn’t have to try this hard.

To be clear, Western medicine has its place. I still believe in science and I am unapologetically liberal.

Here’s where it saved me: in 2019 I was run over by a drunk driver, and without modern medicine I wouldn’t be here to bitch and moan about how backwards our health system is. But once the surgeries were over and I was stable and bandaged up, I learned the hard way that there was nothing more they could do. A six-figure hospital bill later, I was left with a TBI, third degree burns, a hole in my head, and a lot of trauma to figure out on my own. I was on so many reality-altering drugs that I had fully convinced myself, and my family, that our 4th of July trip was still happening in a few days. I asked my doctor if I could fly. He said, “as long as you feel good enough to go.”

We didn’t go.

So now what?

A few weeks ago I took to TikTok with a question: why does chronic illness seem to impact mostly women? I wasn’t the least bit surprised when it hit nearly half a million views and 4,000 comments, mostly from women expressing their exhaustion, their concerns, and their theories about why we’re all in this together.

We are broken because the system is broken.

If you’ve never experienced the debilitation of chronic illness, pain, or mental illness, some would say you got the good genes. My theory is that we all carry it in us, and when those genes get stressed, they get expressed - endometriosis, CIRS, Hashimoto’s, EDS, MCAS, POTS, RA, lupus, the list goes on. The prognosis of “this just happens” couldn’t be further from the truth in most cases.

Being healthy shouldn’t be confusing, expensive, or difficult. It shouldn’t require specialists, functional medicine doctors, retreats, or extensive protocols, none of which insurance will touch.

The power of belief is strong, and it is yours. You control it. What you believe in has the power to persist. The government thinks so, too.

So what do we do now?

We heal together. We don’t give up when the labs say we’re fine. We don’t give up when a protocol that worked for someone else doesn’t work for us. We don’t admit defeat because we’ve regressed. Healing isn’t linear and it never will be. We just keep going, together.

I haven’t figured it all out, and I haven’t completely healed. But there was a time when the bad days outnumbered the good, and now they don’t. The same exists for you.

The sooner you believe, the sooner you’ll see 🫶🏽

Happy healing,

xx, Chels

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients (makes about 8 servings)

• 16 dates

• 1 1/2 cups pecans and pumpkin seeds (or nuts of choice)

• 1 cup tahini (or favorite nut butter)

• 1 cup dark chocolate (70%), melted

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp flaky salt

Instructions

1. Soak the dates in hot water for 5-10 minutes to soften, then remove the pits.

2. Lay parchment paper in a baking pan or container. Line the paper with the pitted dates, flattening them out into an even layer.

3. Add the nuts on top of the dates and pound them in with your hands or the bottom of a glass until they’re stuck into the date layer.

4. Layer the tahini on top. If using tahini, mix it really well first, or it can turn too oily once spread.

5. Sprinkle cinnamon over the tahini layer, then pour the melted chocolate over the top and spread evenly.

6. Sprinkle salt over the top. Freeze for 24 hours.

7. Cut into squares and keep stored in the freezer.

Notes
Refined-sugar-free, sweetened naturally with dates and the bit of sweetness in 70% dark chocolate. Keep frozen between bites, these melt quickly at room temp.

Why do I care so much about health, you ask? Because if it’s not helping you it’s hurting you - so we might as well make it help.

Full video here!

Ayurvedic benefits, ingredient by ingredient:

Dates - warming and grounding, traditionally used to nourish ojas (vital energy), build healthy tissue, and ease vata. A natural sweetener that satisfies sugar cravings without the sharp blood sugar spike of refined sugar.

Pecans - warm, oily, and grounding, good for pacifying vata, especially in small amounts since nuts are heavy to digest. Support healthy skin and nervous system tissue.

Pumpkin seeds - cooling and easier on digestion than most nuts, traditionally considered supportive for the reproductive tissues and calming to pitta.

Tahini (sesame seeds) - warming, nourishing, and considered one of the best vata-pacifying foods in Ayurveda. Sesame is prized for building ojas, lubricating tissues, and supporting bone and joint health, though it can aggravate pitta in excess.

Dark chocolate (70%) - in moderation, considered to have a bittersweet quality that can stimulate digestion (the bitter taste pacifies pitta and kapha), while still offering enough natural sweetness to satisfy without overloading the system.

Cinnamon - a classic kapha and ama reducer, warming and digestive, used in Ayurveda to kindle agni (digestive fire) and help the body metabolize fats and sugars more efficiently.

Salt - in small amounts, salt is considered to enhance flavor and stimulate digestion, while grounding vata. A light sprinkle here, not a heavy dose.

Cheers :)

CB

And if you’re into Ayurveda, this pumpkin seed pesto is the perfect tridoshic add for a bowl of anything.

Here’s why it helps:

Healing Properties by Ingredient

🌿 Basil — Anti-inflammatory, rich in antioxidants (eugenol, linalool), supports liver detox, calming to the nervous system. A tridoshic Ayurvedic herb. Key nutrients: Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Manganese, Iron.

🧄 Garlic — Potent antimicrobial and antiviral. Allicin supports cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, and boosts immunity. Kapha-reducing. Key nutrients: Allicin, Vitamin C, B6, Selenium.

🫒 Olive Oil — Rich in oleocanthal, a natural anti-inflammatory comparable to ibuprofen. Supports brain health, gut lining integrity, and healthy cholesterol. Key nutrients: Monounsaturated fats, Vitamin E, Polyphenols.

🌰 Pumpkin Seeds — An excellent plant source of zinc (immune + hormonal support), magnesium (muscle relaxation, sleep), and tryptophan (mood + serotonin production). Key nutrients: Zinc, Magnesium, Omega-3s, Iron.

🍋 Lemon — Alkalizing despite its acidity. Supports bile production for digestion and provides Vitamin C for collagen synthesis. Brightening to pitta. Key nutrients: Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Bioflavonoids, Folate.

🧂 Sea Salt — Supports mineral balance, enzyme activation, and nutrient absorption. Best with mineral-rich Himalayan or Celtic sea salt. Key nutrients: Sodium, Trace Minerals.

Ayurvedic Note

This pesto is tridoshic at its core. Basil calms vata and pitta, garlic kindles agni and reduces kapha, and olive oil provides the unctuous snigdha quality that vata types especially benefit from. Lemon brightens digestive fire without aggravating pitta in moderate amounts. Best enjoyed warm for optimal absorption.

Let’s get into it.

Pumpkin Seed Pesto Dairy-free · ~1½ cups · 10 min prep

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves

• 4 garlic cloves

• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1 tsp sea salt

Method

1. Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden and fragrant. Let cool.

2. Add garlic and toasted pumpkin seeds to a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped.

3. Add basil leaves, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse to combine.

4. With the processor running, slowly stream in olive oil until you reach your desired consistency.

5. Taste and adjust salt or lemon as needed. Store in an airtight jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top.

And that’s it - eat your heart out.

Follow for more recipe

This is not medical advice — these are my personal recommendations based on my own research and experience.

Find me on Instagram for more tips and videos @chelseabucklew

Mineral Hydration Water recipe at the end :)

What you drink and bathe in matters more than most people realize, and most people are filtering far less than they think.

Before anything else, look up your tap water at ewg.org. The EWG Tap Water Database shows exactly what’s in your municipal supply by zip code. Know your baseline before you filter.

What to Drink

Not all filtration is equal, and some of the most popular options out there don’t hold up to independent testing. Here’s what I actually recommend:

Cloud RO is the gold standard. It’s a reverse osmosis under-sink system that scored 9.25/10 in independent lab testing, eliminating PFAS, fluoride, microplastics, lead, and disinfection byproducts. Unlike clunky traditional RO systems it has a sleek tankless design with built-in remineralization, so you’re not drinking stripped, acidic water. This is the one to get if you’re serious about what goes in your body.

If a full RO system isn’t in the cards right now, the Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under-Sink Filter is the best non-RO option I’ve found. It removes 99.99% of 232+ contaminants including fluoride, lead, and PFAS without stripping beneficial minerals, installs in under 15 minutes, and is tested to NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, 401, and 473. No water waste, no extra faucet needed.

For renters or anyone who can’t install under the sink, the Clearly Filtered Pitcher removes the same 232+ contaminants and is a massive upgrade from anything else on the market. And for on the go, their filtered water bottle uses the same filtration technology so you’re protected wherever you are — no more buying plastic bottles.

One important note: standard Brita filters do not remove lead, fluoride, or PFAS. If that’s what you’re using, it’s time to upgrade.

A Note on Berkey

I know a lot of wellness people swear by Berkey, I want to be transparent about why it’s not on my list. Independent third-party lab testing found concerning levels of arsenic, uranium, and other contaminants still present in Berkey-filtered water. On top of that, their Black Berkey elements have never achieved formal NSF/ANSI certification, and production has been halted amid an ongoing EPA dispute. I’d rather tell you the truth than recommend something because it’s popular.

Your Shower Matters Too

Chlorine doesn’t just affect your drinking water. It absorbs through your skin and converts to chloroform gas when heated, meaning every hot shower in an unfiltered bathroom is a real exposure. A shower filter is not optional in my book.

My top two picks:

FilterBaby Pro Series is my number one. NSF 177 certified, removes 99% of chlorine, chloramine, lead, and heavy metals. The build is all-metal, no cheap plastic, and it was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions 2024. Replace the cartridge every 3 months.

Jolie Filtered Shower Head is the most beautiful option and perfect for renters since it replaces your shower head entirely. Removes chlorine and heavy metals, looks stunning in any bathroom, and replaces every 6 months.

If you want to learn more about how to keep a healthy home, check out my Healthy Home Handbook.

What to Watch For

The contaminants most people don’t think about until it’s too late: lead (especially in homes built before 1986), PFAS “forever chemicals,” chlorine and chloramine byproducts, arsenic, fluoride, nitrates in well water, and microplastics. Whatever you filter, store your water in glass or stainless steel, never soft plastic for extended periods.

So after all that water talk, here’s an easy recipe I use to stay hydrated on a daily basis.

Mineral Hydration Water

Plain water isn’t always enough, especially in Texas summer. Without minerals to carry it into your cells, most of it passes right through you. This is my daily fix: electrolytes from real salt, a little fiber and omega-3s from chia, and vitamin C from fresh lime to help everything absorb.

What you need:

• 2 cups filtered water, coconut water, or brewed hibiscus tea

• 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1 lime, fully squeezed

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon good quality salt (I like Celtic or Baja Gold)

• 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, only if you’re not using coconut water

How to make it:

1. Add chia seeds to your liquid of choice and let them sit for 10 minutes so they can gel. Stir once or twice so they don’t clump.

2. Squeeze in the lime, add your salt, and sweeten if needed.

3. Stir well and sip slowly, ideally in the morning before coffee or after time in the heat.

A few notes:

Coconut water already brings natural sugars and potassium, so skip the sweetener there. In ayurvedic speak, hibiscus tea makes this feel like a treat and adds a slight cooling effect, which pitta types will appreciate in summer. And don’t fear the salt. Quality unrefined salt is what actually makes this hydrating.

This is not medical advice — these are my personal recommendations based on my own research and experience.

Find me on Instagram @chelseabucklew

The EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top 5 environmental health risks and most of us spend 90% of our time indoors. Indoor air can be 2–5x more polluted than outdoor air, which means the space you live in every day may be quietly working against you. My theory when it comes to all things home health is, if it’s not helping you it’s hurting you.

Check out my video here about filtering your air.

The Only Air Purifier I Recommend

After a lot of research, there’s one air purifier that stands above everything else: the Jaspr Air Scrubber.

Jaspr was originally designed for wildfire and mold remediation, the kind used by professionals on job sites. After dealing with mold toxicity myself for years, you can imagine that this was music to my ears.

They brought that commercial-grade power into a home-friendly design. It captures 99.9% of particles as small as 0.1 microns using a 3-stage HEPA + activated carbon filter, has a 360° air intake so it can sit in a corner without losing effectiveness, and displays real-time PM2.5 and VOC levels so you can actually see what’s in your air. The body is steel (not plastic), it’s whisper-quiet, comes with a lifetime warranty with a filter subscription, and was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions.

Use code MOLDYCHELS for $300 off → jaspr.co/MOLDYCHELS

A note on what to avoid: ozone generators, ionizers that produce ozone, and any purifier without published CADR ratings or AHAM/CARB certification. If it doesn’t have third-party testing behind it, skip it.

Know What’s Actually in Your Air

Before you do anything else, get a monitor so you know what you’re dealing with. The two I recommend:

• Airthings Wave Plus — tracks radon, VOCs, CO2, humidity, temp, and pressure. The most complete option available.

• Awair Element — tracks PM2.5, VOCs, CO2, and humidity with a great app that gives you actionable recommendations.

The key metrics to understand:

• PM2.5 (fine particles) — the biggest threat. Target under 12 μg/m³

• VOCs — off-gassed from paint, furniture, and cleaning products. An air purifier + ventilation is your best defense

• CO2 — when it climbs above 1,000 ppm it affects cognition. Open a window

• Humidity — keep it between 40–60%. Below suppresses viruses; above feeds mold

• Radon — test every 2 years. If results come back above 4 pCi/L, mitigate

Daily Ventilation Habits

The simplest and most underrated thing you can do is open your windows and doors throughout the day. Ten to fifteen minutes a day, when outdoor air quality is good, makes a meaningful difference. A few habits worth building:

• Run your kitchen exhaust fan every time you cook. It reduces indoor PM2.5 by up to 70%.

• Run your bathroom fan during and for 20 minutes after every shower.

• Cross-ventilate when you can by opening windows on opposite sides of your home to create airflow.

• Check your local air quality index first at airnow.gov before airing out. Morning is typically the best and cleanest time of day.

If you want to learn more about how to keep a healthy home, check out my Healthy Home Handbook.

This is not medical advice — these are my personal recommendations based on my own research and experience.

Find me on Instagram for more tips and videos @chelseabucklew

Four years into mold toxicity and 35 years of being “sensitive” to everything, I finally checked myself into Sohum Mountain Healing Resort with two weeks notice and committed to healing.

I quickly learned Kitchari was the key. I ate it for 5 days before the retreat, every day during, and 2 weeks after. I got tired of it. Then I got grateful for it, because my body was finally receiving what it had always been asking for.

Kitchari is a complete protein - mung dal and rice together give your body everything it needs to repair without taxing your digestion to get there. That energy goes toward healing everything else instead. It seals the gut, feeds the gut, and actually tastes good.

This isn’t a pill or a trend. It’s one of the oldest foods on earth. So here’s how I make mine.

Kitchari with Carrots & Sautéed Greens: A nourishing Ayurvedic one-pot meal of mung beans and basmati rice simmered with warming spices — deeply cleansing, grounding, and easy to digest. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

Kitchari

• 1 cup whole green mung beans, soaked up to 8 hours

• ½ cup basmati rice

• 8 cups water or broth

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

• 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil

• ½ tbsp salt, or more to taste

• ½ tsp cracked black pepper

• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)

• ¼ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp mustard seeds

• 8 curry leaves

• ¼ tsp cumin seeds

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 whole clove

• ⅛ tsp cinnamon (ground or a small stick)

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped

• Fresh cilantro and lime to garnish

Sautéed Greens

• 1 bunch dino kale or collard greens, stems removed and roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Soak & rinse — Soak the mung beans for up to 8 hours. Drain, then rinse the mung beans and rice together thoroughly, working with your fingers until the water runs clear. Strain and set aside.

2. Bloom the spices — Warm the ghee in a medium pot over medium heat. Add a pinch of hing, then add the whole spices — mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, and clove — and let them sizzle for 30–60 seconds until fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop.

3. Add ground spices & ginger — Reduce the heat and stir in the turmeric, ground cumin, cinnamon, and ginger. Cook gently for another 30 seconds, stirring so the spices don’t burn.

4. Add carrots — Add the chopped carrots and stir to coat in the spiced ghee. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.

5. Add mung & rice — Add the rinsed mung beans and rice to the pot, stirring everything together.

6. Simmer — Pour in the water or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium-low simmer and cook for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans and grains begin to break apart and liquid starts to reduce. For a creamier, more porridge-like kitchari, the traditional ideal, continue cooking up to an hour, adding extra liquid to reach your preferred consistency.

7. Sauté the greens — While the kitchari finishes, heat ghee or olive oil in a cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the kale or collard greens and sauté, tossing occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 2-5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

8. Season & serve — Add salt and pepper to the kitchari, tasting as you go. Ladle into bowls, add a heap of sautéed greens alongside, and top with fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime.

Notes: Soaking is key for digestibility. For a soupier version, add more broth and cook longer. Collard greens take a few extra minutes to soften than dino kale, a cast iron gives both a nice light char on the edges.

I hope this heals you, too 🫶

Ever since my gut healing retreat I’ve been diligent about making sure that I’m consuming everything my body actually needs to give me life - the best life.

I also don’t have all the time in the world to be the Michelin star chef I was born to be so I have to go out of my way to make cooking easy.

Cue the burrito.

Here’s why it’s healthy:

🌿 Seaweed Sheets (Nori) Rich in iodine, which is critical for thyroid function. Also contains folate, magnesium, and a unique antioxidant called fucoxanthin. One of the few plant sources of B12. Great for hormone and metabolism support.

🥕 Carrots (roasted) High in beta-carotene (converted to Vitamin A), which supports skin, vision, and immune function. Roasting increases bioavailability of some nutrients. The olive oil helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.

🍠 Sweet Potato (roasted) Excellent source of Vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. Supports blood sugar regulation better than regular potato due to its fiber content slowing glucose absorption. Also anti-inflammatory.

🥒 Cucumber + Coconut Aminos Cucumber is hydrating and contains silica, which supports skin and connective tissue. Coconut aminos is a lower-sodium, soy-free alternative to soy sauce with a mild amino acid profile — good swap especially if you’re watching sodium or avoiding soy aka gluten free.

🥑 Avocado Loaded with monounsaturated fats (oleic acid), potassium, and folate. Supports hormone production, brain health, and helps absorb fat-soluble nutrients from everything else in this roll. Also great for skin and inflammation.

🍚 Sticky Rice + Rice Vinegar Provides quick energy and the stickiness needed to hold the roll together. Rice vinegar adds a mild probiotic-adjacent acidity that can support digestion and helps balance blood sugar response slightly. Not the most nutrient-dense ingredient but functional and satisfying.

🌱 Toasted Sesame Seeds Excellent source of calcium, zinc, and copper. Also contain lignans (sesamin and sesamolin) which have antioxidant and hormone-balancing properties. Toasting enhances flavor and slightly increases bioavailability.

The Sauce — this is the star nutritionally:

• Sesame oil — rich in vitamin E, anti-inflammatory, and contains unique antioxidants (sesamol). Use toasted for flavor, unrefined for max nutrition. So don’t cook it.

• Cilantro — known for heavy metal detox support, anti-inflammatory, and digestive benefits. Also contains Vitamin K.

• Lime juice — Vitamin C, which boosts iron absorption and supports collagen production. The acidity also aids digestion.

• Fresh ginger — potent anti-inflammatory (gingerols), supports gut motility, nausea relief, and circulation.

• Honey (dash) — small amount, antimicrobial properties, gentler on blood sugar than refined sugar in such a small quantity.

• Salt — electrolyte balance; important for hydration and nerve function and especially good if you get migraines like me.

Sum it up: This meal hits fat-soluble vitamins, thyroid support, anti-inflammatory fats, fiber, complex carbs, and detox-supportive herbs all in one roll. It’s genuinely well-rounded and the fat from avocado and sesame oil ensures you’re actually absorbing the fat-soluble nutrients from the vegetables.

Say it with me… “this is how I eat now.”

For the rolls

• Organic nori (seaweed) sheets

• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into sticks

• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin strips

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 1 cup sticky (sushi) rice

• Toasted sesame seeds, to top

Cilantro-ginger sauce

• ¼–½ cup sesame oil (plus more to thin)

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed

• 2 limes, juiced

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ thumb-sized piece fresh ginger

• Dash of honey

Instructions

1. Roast the veggies. Toss carrot and sweet potato sticks in olive oil, salt, and garlic. Roast at 425°F for 25 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.

2. Cook the rice. Prepare sticky rice in a rice cooker. Once done, fold in a splash of rice vinegar and let cool slightly.

3. Season the cucumber. Toss cucumber strips with a drizzle of coconut aminos and chili flakes for added spice.

4. Blend the sauce. Combine sesame oil, cilantro, lime juice, ginger, salt, and honey in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding more sesame oil until you reach a light, pourable consistency.

5. Roll. Lay a nori sheet flat. Spread a thin layer of rice, then layer on carrot, sweet potato, cucumber, and avocado. Roll tightly, slice, and top with toasted sesame seeds.

6. Serve. Drizzle or dip with the cilantro-ginger sauce and enjoy.

Make enough for leftovers and eat for 2 days - at least that’s my plan.

Oh, and add fish if you want some protein, I add cooked salmon when I’m in the mood.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 bag (per 6 people) of organic cranberries

• 1 cup of water (start with 1/2 cup)

• 1 cup organic orange juice (apple or pineapple also work, also start with 1/2 cup)

• 1 tsp organic cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp organic clove

• 1/2 tsp organic nutmeg

• 1/2 tsp organic ginger

• optional 1/4 tsp allspice

• 1/4 cup organic local honey OR organic maple syrup (add to taste, not all at once, and decide how sweet you want it to be!)

How to make:

Literally add everything to a saucepan (start with 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup juice and half as much honey/maple bc you’ll drizzle the rest in as needed) and stir on medium-high until it boils down. Once boiling you can lower the heat accordingly and add more water/juice until you reach the consistency you prefer. This is a GREAT dish to knock out the night before and put in the refrigerator to chill. One less thing you’ll have to do on Thanksgiving day!

Now you can officially say you’ve made the healthiest cranberry sauce that you’ve ever had. Hopefully your family isn’t too mad and invites you back next year 😚

Here are 4 things that are making your home gross that you can fix today.

1. Your dishwasher filter: So many people have NO idea this filter even exists - but it does and it needs a lot of TLC. To think that tiny mold particles and mycotoxins are being circulated through the one mechanism designed to CLEAN your dishes is diabolical, but here we are. Solve this issue by taking out and cleaning this filter regularly (monthly if possible) and replacing it from time to time if you’ve got the bread for that.

2. Dust on your air vents: Most people have no idea that mold loves dust, so dusting your house is one thing, but dusting the areas that your air is consistently circulated through is a must. This is such a simple and easy practice that can really change the quality of the air you and your family breathe.

3. Front-loader moisture: Your washing machine is supposed to clean your clothes, not contaminate them. We’ve grown up thinking that mold in a wet place is a completely normal thing to see, but its not, it’s a sign. A sign that something needs to be done. The front-loader situation however sets no one up for success so this requires diligence in both leaving the door open after every wash AND wiping the drum down each and every time. It’s annoying, but it’s a lot better than mold.

4. Shower tile: This one is inevitable and constant, but with a few simple tweaks you can easily keep this at bay. There’s also a few layers - depending on who built your house and what your tile is made of, it’s advised to seal your tile AND grout on an annual or bi-annual basis. This is the shit no one tells you… tile and grout can be porous and requires more upkeep than you thought. After each shower, if you can squeegee your tile walls and floor to where the water isn’t sitting for too long, you can significantly reduce the amount of mold that accumulates. You can also use mold-specific cleaning products that don’t mix negatively with the mold itself (bleach makes things worse). I use Microbalance Health products for a lot of my mold needs because they’re nontoxic and pet friendly.

I could go on about mold for days but these 4 tips should help hold you over for now ✌🏽

Now, I’m not a scientist which means I rarely cook with a recipe - so use mine as guidance and use your intuition for the rest - but I will say this is a hard one to mess up. And for the record, many of my recipes have more to do with what you have on hand and less to do with being perfect. Some say cooking is a science, but I say it’s more of an art…so improvise as needed.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 10 whole medjool dates (not the pitted kind, pit your own)

• 2 cups of super hot water - I use my tea kettle to boil and pour right over (save a little bit just in case you need some extra to help when blending the caramel)

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract or paste

• 1/2 tsp of celtic or sea salt - if you’re salty like me go for a pinch more

• 1/4 cup of full fat coconut milk

• 1/2 tsp of Ceylon cinnamon

*optional* - a super high quality splash of olive oil for added health and added flavor

Ok first you’ll soak the dates in boiling or super hot water for about 10 minutes. Once that’s done you’ll drain the water, pit the dates, and add them to your blender.

Then add all remaining ingredients (minus the extra bit of water) and blend until smooth. If your blender feels stuck or like it isn’t fully blending, add water bit by bit until you reach the consistency you want!

And voila…that’s it - the most perfect, healthy, delicious vegan date caramel for whenever you need a little something sweet 😘