E86. What Surprised a Health Editor During Her 40-Day Detox Adventure — Part 1
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Release Date: 04/17/2025
From 88% to 0%: DailyMail Editor’s Proven Detox Results After Ruan Living's 40-Day Home Detox
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
After discovering her toxic chemical levels were 88% higher than the average American, DailyMail Deputy Health Editor Alexa Lardieri took a bold step: she joined Ruan Living’s pioneering and transformative 40-Day Home Detox program to reduce her everyday exposures to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA, BPS, phthalates, and benzene. In this follow-up to episodes 86–89, Alexa returns to share her before-and-after Million Marker urine test results—and the data is powerful. Her bisphenol levels dropped from 88% to zero, and other chemicals linked to hormone disruption and cancer also...
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E106. Best Nontoxic Fabrics and Fibers: Safe Choices for Bedding, Clothing, Rugs & More
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Practical Nontoxic Living™ Raindrop | Ultimate Home Detox™ Unpacked What are the safest fabrics for your clothes, bedding, and home furnishings? In this follow-up to Episode 105, “Toxic Textiles,” Sophia prioritizes the certifications and most nontoxic fibers and materials to look for when shopping for clothing, linens (like bath towels, bed sheets, and kitchen cloths), and home decor — including rugs, carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture. Episode 105 shares an enriching detox deep dive. But if you want high-impact takeaways from the detox deep dive within 6 minutes, episode...
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E105. Toxic Textiles: How to Choose Safer Fabrics for a Healthier Home
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Your clothing, curtains, and couch might be exposing you to toxic chemicals—and you probably have no idea. In this eye-opening episode of Practical Nontoxic Living, Sophia Ruan Gushée speaks with Patty Grossman, co-founder of Two Sisters Ecotextiles, to reveal what’s hiding in the fabrics you use every day—and how to choose safer alternatives for a healthier home. 💥 Here’s a shocking fact: Experts say that —many of which can leach into your air and onto your skin. From natural vs. synthetic fibers to the importance of certifications like GOTS and Oeko-Tex, this episode gives you...
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E104. Collagen Marshmallows: Clean Beauty from the Inside Out
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Could your favorite treat support healthier skin, hair, joints, and mood? In this mini-episode, Sophia shares how homemade collagen marshmallows—made with grass-fed gelatin, rose powder, and butterfly pea flower—can nourish your body from the inside out. Learn about the cleanest collagen powder brands, key ingredients to avoid, and the surprising science-backed benefits of rose and butterfly pea flower. Plus, get the full collagen marshmallow recipe and tips at . ABOUT PRACTICAL NONTOXIC LIVING™ RAINDROPS These simple—brief and raw—are drops of practical wisdom from Sophia's life....
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E103. Feel at Home Anywhere: Detoxing Stress, Disconnection & Daily Choices
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Struggling with stress, overwhelm, or feeling out of sync in your space? You might be overdue for a different kind of detox—one that starts with your home, habits, and the unconscious choices shaping your well-being. In this episode of Practical Nontoxic Living, host Sophia Ruan Gushée is joined by her colleague and niece, Elizabeth McCormick, to unpack insights from the 40-Day Home Detox masterclass with Heather Lilleston, a clinical psychologist and seasoned yoga teacher. Together, they explore how small shifts in your daily routine, environment, and mindset can help you feel more...
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E102. Redefining Home—Inner Peace, Yoga & Psychology with Heather Lilleston
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
What does “home” really mean—and how can we feel at home wherever we are? In this excerpt from Ruan Living's 40-Day Home Detox program, Sophia Ruan Gushée is joined by Heather Lilleston, yoga teacher since 2003 and doctorate in clinical psychology, to explore how our sense of home goes far beyond our real estate. Together, they unravel hidden toxins in our lives—not just in products, but in assumptions, habits, and mindset. Explore how unconscious choices shape our wellness, the power of connection to nature, and why cultivating a healthy sense of home—physically and...
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E100. Can Diet Boost Fertility? Reflections on Dr. Robert Kiltz’s High-Fat, High-Protein Approach (part 1)
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Can what you eat really improve your chances of getting pregnant—or your overall health? In this episode of Practical Nontoxic Living, Sophia Ruan Gushée and her niece and colleague, , reflect on the powerful insights from Dr. Robert Kiltz’s masterclass in Ruan Living’s 40-Day Home Detox. Dr. Kiltz, a leading fertility doctor and founder of CNY Fertility, champions a high-fat, high-protein, low-carb diet to reduce inflammation and optimize fertility. Sophia and Elizabeth share their biggest takeaways from his holistic approach and discuss how his unconventional dietary recommendations...
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E101. Fertility, Inflammation, and IVF Success: A Holistic Approach with Dr. Robert Kiltz (part 2)
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Can inflammation be the hidden root of fertility challenges—and many chronic diseases? In this eye-opening conversation, Sophia Ruan Gushée welcomes Dr. Robert Kiltz, founder of CNY Fertility and pioneer of a holistic approach to reproductive health. Together, they explore how reducing inflammation, adopting an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, and rethinking diet and environment can optimize fertility, fecundity, and IVF outcomes. Whether you’re trying to conceive naturally or with assisted reproductive technology, Dr. Kiltz’s perspective offers empowering insights rooted in decades of...
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E98. What Endocrine Disruptors Are Doing to Our Fertility: Reflections on Dr. Paul Magarelli’s Insights (Part 1)
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
In this heartfelt and eye-opening conversation, Sophia Ruan Gushée is joined by her colleague and niece to reflect on Sophia’s masterclass interview with reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Paul Magarelli (featured in Part 2). Together, they unpack the most compelling insights from Dr. Magarelli about how endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—found in everyday products like shampoos, perfumes, deodorants, and even conventionally grown produce—are silently impacting fertility. Topics include: What exactly are EDCs, and why should we care? The shocking decline in global fertility—over...
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E99. How Endocrine Disruptors Harm Fertility & Fecundity | Dr. Paul Magarelli, Reproductive Endocrinologist (Part 2)
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
This episode features an excerpt from Ruan Living’s 40-Day Home Detox masterclass with renowned reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Paul Magarelli. He explains how endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—found in plastics, personal care products, pesticides, and air pollution—are contributing to declining sperm counts, hormone imbalances, miscarriages, and lower embryo viability. With over 1,000 known EDCs in our daily environments, Dr. Magarelli shares clinical insights into how these invisible toxicants are silently impacting fertility, IVF outcomes, and long-term child development....
info_outlineEven health journalists get surprised—Alexa Lardieri reveals what she learned while detoxing her own home.
Alexa Lardieri, Deputy Health Editor at DailyMail.com, has written countless articles about the dangers of toxic chemicals in our everyday products. But after completing the Ruan Living 40-Day Home Detox, she discovered just how much she didn’t know.
In Part 1 of this four-part series, Alexa shares her biggest surprises—like the truth about “unscented” products and how our pets may be more at risk than we think.
Resources mentioned in this episode
- Register for Ruan Living's newsletter: Ruan Living Newsletter
- Ruan Living's 40-Day Home Detox
- The DailyMail.com article that brought together Sophia and Alexa Lardieri: "Daily Mail health journalists test themselves for cancer-causing chemicals - with terrifying results"
- Listen to Sophia talk to Million Marker founder, Jenna Hua, on Practical Nontoxic Living podcast episode 66: Which Toxins Are In My Body?
- Choosing the Best Glass Containers for Non-Toxic Living: A Comprehensive Guide
- What are the safest pans to cook with & the best non toxic cookware?
- "Unscented" products can contain chemicals to mask odors (US EPA 2016)
- Chelin Jamie Hu, Marcus A Garcia, Alexander Nihart, Rui Liu, Lei Yin, Natalie Adolphi, Daniel F Gallego, Huining Kang, Matthew J Campen, Xiaozhong Yu, Microplastic presence in dog and human testis and its potential association with sperm count and weights of testis and epididymis, Toxicological Sciences, Volume 200, Issue 2, August 2024, Pages 235–240
About Ruan Living
Ruan Living offers The Ultimate Home Detox to help you elevate your health and well-being—one thoughtful choice at a time.
Rooted in the philosophy of mindfulness over perfection, we guide you with empowering insights to detox your home and body of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, radiation, and stress. Learn more here: Ruan Living.
About Sophia Ruan Gushée
Sophia Ruan Gushée is the founder of Ruan Living and author of the critically acclaimed bestselling book A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures. Through her podcast and digital programs like The Ultimate Home Detox, Sophia empowers others to create healthier homes and lifestyles—one informed choice at a time. Learn more about Sophia here: Sophia Ruan Gushée.