E112. Harvard Scientist Reveals Why She Rarely Wears Sunscreen—and What She Does Instead
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Release Date: 07/17/2025
Practical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Most Downloaded Countdown Series – Episode #2 Interior designer Alison Davin shares how her multiple chemical sensitivities led her to design wellness-focused homes using nontoxic paints, flooring, and materials. A must-listen for anyone building or renovating. 💡 In This Episode: What “clean” materials really mean Common toxins in paints, furniture, and fabrics Tips for healthier renovations and travel Curating calm, beautiful, and toxin-free spaces RESOURCES: Ruan Living's program book Ruan Living's flagship 📥 Download your now—includes guides for...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Think your kitchen is safe? In this 5-minute Raindrop episode of Practical Nontoxic Living™, Sophia Ruan Gushée shares one quick and impactful tip to help detox your kitchen from hidden toxins—starting with your food storage. Learn how plastic food containers and wrappers can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals like phthalates and PFAS (also known as “forever chemicals”), especially when heated or used with acidic foods. Discover the simple swap Sophia recommends to reduce toxic exposure: switching to glass containers. In this episode, you'll learn: • How plastic containers may be...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Most Downloaded Countdown Series – Episode #3 EMF protection expert and DefenderShield CEO Daniel DeBaun returns to the show to discuss with Sophia Ruan Gushée what we’ve learned since 5G rolled out—and how to keep your family safe from everyday radiation exposure. 💡 In This Episode: How 5G differs from earlier wireless tech Best practices for safer mobile device use How to create a low-EMF bedroom sanctuary Recommended protection products RESOURCES: Ruan Living's program book Ruan Living's flagship 📥 Download your now—includes guides for cleaning,...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Nonstick pans may seem convenient—but they can release toxic PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” into your food. In this quick Raindrop episode, Sophia Ruan Gushée shares two of her favorite nontoxic cookware swaps that are safer for your health and easy to use. If you’re just getting started with a home detox or want a quick win for your kitchen, this 3-minute episode gives you practical, trustworthy guidance. 🎧 Short, sweet, and packed with practical nontoxic living tips. 📥 Download your now—includes guides for cleaning, cookware, kitchen, EMFs, and forever...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Most Downloaded Countdown Series – Episode #4 Did you know your water and sleep setup could be affecting your health? In this episode, Sophia Ruan Gushée shares how to detox your drinking water and sleep environment from contaminants and EMFs that can interfere with rest and recovery. 💡 In This Episode: Bottled vs. tap water: what’s safest? Easy, effective water filtration Bedroom detox tips to improve sleep How EMFs affect sleep quality and recovery RESOURCES: book Ruan Living's flagship 📥 Download your now—includes guides for cleaning, cookware, kitchen,...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Feel tired, wired, or foggy? Your devices may be to blame. In this Raindrop episode of Practical Nontoxic Living™, Sophia Ruan Gushée introduces a 5-day Digital Detox Challenge from your Ultimate Home Detox™ Starter Pack—designed to reduce your EMF exposure, help you recharge, and restore your energy. Learn how a simple tweak to your tech habits may encourage deeper sleep, better focus, and hormonal balance. Perfect for beginners looking to reduce EMFs without ditching their devices. 🎧 Tune in to begin your digital detox and start feeling the difference. 📥 Download your ...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Most Downloaded Countdown Series – Episode #5 After years of unexplained infertility, Sara Jensen learned how endocrine-disrupting chemicals in “clean” products were harming her health. Hear how she founded Hugh and Grace to offer clean, high-performing alternatives. 💡 In This Episode: How daily products can affect fertility and hormones Sara’s infertility journey and clean living mission Natural skincare for families and hormone-safe beauty Tips for safer baby products and personal care RESOURCES Fertility and pregnancy detox guidance included in your book Ruan...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
You’ve heard of “forever chemicals”—but how do you actually avoid them? In this Raindrop episode, Sophia Ruan Gushée breaks down what PFAS are, where they hide in your home, and how to detox your daily routine with ONE simple, practical swap. Whether you're worried about hormone disruption, fertility, or cancer risk, this episode provides empowering awareness to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals linked to serious health conditions. 💡 Learn to detox your cookware, personal care products, food packaging & more. 🧴 Discover the hidden sources of PFAS in your daily life....
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Most Downloaded Countdown Series – Episode #6 Indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. In this episode, Sophia Ruan Gushée shares how to improve indoor air quality with simple, low-cost strategies that reduce exposure to toxins in dust, cleaning products, and “fragrance.” 💡 In This Episode: The hidden health risks of indoor air How fragrance and dust carry toxic chemicals Tips for ventilation, air purifiers, and plant care Frugal ways to detox your air and home RESOURCES: book Ruan Living's flagship ABOUT RUAN LIVING Find Your with Solutions...
info_outlinePractical Nontoxic Living™ with Sophia Ruan Gushée
Want to detox your home but don’t know where to start? In this episode of Practical Nontoxic Living, Sophia Ruan Gushée shares the #1 cleaning swap from her Ultimate Home Detox™ Starter Pack—a powerful (and free!) resource designed to help you reduce harmful chemicals from your home. Learn how this simple DIY cleaning spray can replace toxic products, protect your lungs and hormones, and support a healthier home—especially if you're detoxing for fertility, cancer recovery, children, or general well-being. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: A shocking study linking cleaning...
info_outlineCan too much sunscreen be doing more harm than good?
In this eye-opening episode of Practical Nontoxic Living™, Sophia shares a behind-the-scenes conversation with Dr. Carmen Messerlian, a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health expert in environmental reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric epidemiology. After wrapping their official interview, Dr. Messerlian casually shared her personal approach to sun exposure—and it may surprise you.
You’ll learn:
-
Why this Harvard environmental health scientist rarely uses sunscreen
-
How she uses the UV index to guide safe sun exposure
-
Natural ways to build sun tolerance and protect skin from within
- When sunscreen is essential—and when it might not be
Plus, Sophia reflects on how this surprising insight is shaping her own nontoxic lifestyle, and she shares a delicious, skin-protective pasta recipe that supports your body’s natural defenses against UV damage.
Part of the Ultimate Home Detox™ Unpacked series, designed to help you detox your home one Raindrop at a time. Click here to learn more: Practical Nontoxic Living™ Raindrop
RELATED RESOUCES
- Skin-Healthy Pasta Recipe with Lycopene for Natural Sun Protection
- Ruan Living newsletter
- D-Tox Academy
ABOUT RUAN LIVING
Grounded in the philosophy of Practical Nontoxic Living™, Ruan Living offers flexible ways for you to craft your Ultimate Home Detox™ to help you elevate your health and well-being—one thoughtful choice at a time. Specifically, we're zoned in on environmental influences—easy ones you can control—that can optimize your, and your intergenerational, healthspan and epigenetics through Practical Nontoxic Living™.
Rooted in mindfulness over perfection, we guide you with empowering insights to detox your home and body of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, radiation, and stress. Ruan Living offers books, online programs, customized support, and free resources to help you create a home and lifestyle that nurtures healing and thriving. Learn more at www.ruanliving.com.
ABOUT SOPHIA RUAN GUSHEE
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. Throughout her suite of Ruan Living Offerings, the diversity of Home detox paths that she has created are designed to welcome you to craft your Ultimate Home Detox™—rooted in the philosophy of Practical Nontoxic Living™, which protects your joy and convenience while guiding you to avoid toxicity. Learn more about Sophia here: Sophia Ruan Gushée.