A Holistic Guide to Earaches, Allergies, and Splinter Hacks

The Banned Ingredients List: What Europe Rejects but America Eats

Send us a Message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467060/fan_mail/new] Welcome back to Crunchy Stewardship! After a long and wonderful series on fertility, pregnancy, and babies, we are officially transitioning back into the pantry! Today, we are taking a hard look at the American food system and discussing the shocking ingredients that are completely banned in countries across Europe and Asia, yet are still legally pumped into our daily snacks and staples here in the US. But before we get into the heavy stuff, Katie shares a game-changing Random Revelation about the incredible, nutrient-dense power of milling your own wheat at home. Then, we break down the most common banned offenders you'll find on American grocery shelves—from the "yoga mat chemical" hiding in your hot dog buns to the whitening agents in your frosting. Most importantly, we are here to remind you that perfection is not the goal. Striving for a perfectly clean pantry overnight will only spike your cortisol! We talk about how to make wise, gradual swaps, give yourself grace, and confidently navigate the grocery store without living in fear. In this episode, you'll learn: * Random Revelation: The staggering nutritional difference between home-milled hard red wheat flour and store-bought whole wheat (it has double the B-vitamins and three times the iron!). * Titanium Dioxide: The banned whitening agent linked to genotoxicity that is hiding in white breads, frosting, and popular candies. * Toxic Pesticides: Why chemicals like Paraquat and Diquat are banned overseas, and how natural pest predators and "polycropping" can save our soil. * The "Yoga Mat" Chemical: What Azodicarbonamide (ADA) is, why it's banned in Australia and the EU, and how it gives processed breads and croutons their spongy texture. * Chlorine-Washed Chicken: Why the UK refuses to import conventional American chicken. * Hydrogenated Oils & Pesticides: The hidden dangers in conventional peanut butter, Ritz crackers, and popular oat cereals. * Grace Over Guilt: Why stressing over every single ingredient is worse for your health than occasionally eating a processed hamburger bun! Plus, our favorite clean chocolate swaps to satisfy your sweet tooth. Resources mentioned: * Book Recommendation: The Essential Home-Ground Flour Book by Sue Becker https://amzn.to/4vMY9B0 * Clean Bread Swaps: Aldi Organic Sourdough, Dave's Killer Bread, Costco's Stone Mill Bread * Clean Chocolate Swaps: Moser Roth Dark Chocolate Sea Salt (Aldi) & Hu Chocolate  * Clean Snack: Lesser Evil Popcorn (Himalayan Pink Salt) * Organization: Moms Across America Chapters: 00:00 Welcome Back to the Pantry! (Wrapping Up the Baby Series)  01:45 Random Revelation: The Superfood Power of Fresh-Milled Flour  06:30 Navigating Pregnancy Cravings & Clean Bread at Aldi  12:15 Titanium Dioxide: The Toxic Whitener in Candy and Frosting  16:10 Red Dyes and the Long Wait for the 2027 Phase-Out  18:30 Banned Pesticides: Paraquat, Diquat, and the Magic of Polycropping 2 4:10 Azodicarbonamide (ADA): The "Yoga Mat" Chemical in Spongy Breads  29:20 Grace Over Guilt: Why Perfection Spikes Your Cortisol  32:45 The Great Chocolate Swap (Aldi vs. Hu Chocolate)  35:10 Chlorine-Washed Chicken and the European Import Bans  40:30 Chlormequat in Oats and Hydrogenated Oils in Peanut Butter  43:15 A Hilarious Heaven Joke & Wrapping Up Remember, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Connect With Us:  Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama [https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama] Follow us on Instagram @crunchystewardship  FREE How to Afford Non-Toxic Living Workbook: https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living [https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living]

A Holistic Guide to Earaches, Allergies, and Splinter Hacks

Send us a Message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467060/fan_mail/new] Welcome back to Crunchy Stewardship! We are bringing you Part 2 of our Childhood Ailments series. If you missed last week's episode covering fevers, teething, and bug bites, definitely go back and check it out! Today, we are opening up the natural medicine cabinet to tackle the rest of those inevitable childhood sniffles, aches, and sleep regressions. Before we dive into the remedies, Chrissy brings her nursing background to a fascinating Random Revelation about the origins of modern pharmaceuticals. Did you know that some of the most common conventional medications—like aspirin and even blood thinners—were originally derived from tree bark, roots, and plants? God truly gave us some incredibly powerful tools right in nature! Because we love finding budget-friendly ways to step outside the conventional medical system, we also take a detour into the world of health share ministries. We compare Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) and CrowdHealth, discussing how ditching traditional insurance can actually motivate better holistic health and give you the freedom to choose your own providers. In this episode, you'll learn: * Plant-Based Pharma: The fascinating, plant-based history behind aspirin, warfarin, and antimalarials. * Health Share Ministries: The pros and cons of using cost-sharing programs like CHM and CrowdHealth instead of traditional health insurance to save money and maximize provider freedom. * Coughs & Colds: Why you should wait until age one for honey, the magic of shower steam with eucalyptus, crushable zinc, and how menthol crystals can clear a stuffy nose in seconds. * Earaches: Why you must check the eardrum first (and how to do it on a child), plus the antimicrobial power of garlic mullein oil, oregano oil, and colloidal silver. * Allergies: How incorporating local, unpasteurized honey can naturally combat seasonal pollen. * Sleep Struggles: Navigating morning sunlight, magnesium glycinate versus malate, blue light reduction, and why the Babywise sleep training method was an absolute game-changer. * Splinter Hacks: Ditch the tweezers and tears! How to use castor oil, baking soda paste, and Epsom salt to naturally draw stubborn splinters to the surface. Resources mentioned: * Health Shares:  * Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM): https://join.chministries.org/raf/8MVEBH?Jones=50off [https://join.chministries.org/raf/8MVEBH?Jones=50off]  * CrowdHealth: https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/ [https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/]  * Book Recommendation: On Becoming Babywise: https://amzn.to/4eojs4V [https://amzn.to/4eojs4V]  * Remedies:  * Menthol Crystals: https://amzn.to/4gfPZwk * Garlic Mullein Oil: https://amzn.to/4xnNwWJ [https://amzn.to/4xnNwWJ]  * Kali Mur Cell Salts: https://amzn.to/4fGf1Vo [https://amzn.to/4fGf1Vo] * Colloidal Silver: https://amzn.to/4fAxQJs [https://amzn.to/4fAxQJs]  * Magnesium Cream: https://amzn.to/4w42u31 [https://amzn.to/4w42u31]  Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Crunchy Stewardship 02:45 Random Revelation Plant Based Pharma 08:06 CrowdHealth vs Insurance Debate 21:52 Childhood Remedies 22:19 Coughs Colds Natural Support 32:53 Earaches Safety and Remedies 36:28 Onion Toxin Myth 38:16 Colloidal Silver Basics 42:56 Swimmer Ear Prevention 43:55 Cell Salts For Fluid 48:44 Honey For Allergies 52:23 Sleep Setup And Supplements 01:00:29 Splinters And Wrap Up  Remember, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).  Connect With Us:  Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama [https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama] Follow us on Instagram @crunchystewardship  FREE How to Afford Non-Toxic Living Workbook: https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living [https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living]

Beyond the Band-Aid: Root-Cause Remedies for Common Kid Ailments Pt. 1

Send us a Message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467060/fan_mail/new] Episode Summary: Toddlerhood is a beautiful, wild ride—but it also comes with its fair share of bumps, bugs, and bruises! In this episode, Chrissy and Katie are officially transitioning out of baby chat and stepping into the world of toddlers. Katie shares what she’s learned firsthand with her two-year-old, Malachi, while Chrissy gathers all the notes she’ll need for her first little one arriving this November. We kick things off with a pretty eye-opening Random Revelation about the hidden liver risks of common over-the-counter pain relievers (like acetaminophen) before diving into our holistic summer survival guide. From matching the right homeopathic remedy to a specific type of mosquito bite, to the incredible healing powers of a "raw honey Band-Aid," we’re breaking down how to support your child’s body naturally from the inside out. Plus, learn why "root cause" medicine beats a topical steroid cream every single time. Pop in your headphones, grab your notebook, and let’s dive into how we can steward our kids' health with the tools God gave us! In This Episode, We Cover: * Random Revelation: The hidden dangers of conventional over-the-counter pain relievers and how aspirin vs. acetaminophen behave in the body. * Emotional Homeopathy: How Katie helped support her mom through a season of deep grief using targeted homeopathic remedies. * Mosquito Warfare: Why your child's specific bite reaction dictates whether they need Ledum or Pulsatilla, and Chrissy's favorite peppermint oil trick. * Root Cause vs. Symptom Covering: Malachi’s story of healing a chronic facial rash through classical homeopathy by looking deeper than the skin surface. * The Raw Honey Band-Aid: How to use raw honey to heal open, scratched-apart bug bites overnight. * Bumps & Bruises: Our favorite non-stinging "boo-boo spray" (Active Skin Repair) and why Frankincense essential oil is a must-have for blunt toddler tumbles. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: * Book: Homeopathic Medicine at Home, Ancient Nutrition by Josh Axe * Homeopathy Directory: Homeopathy 247 * Trusted Brands: Boiron (for common remedies) & Hahnemann Labs (for specialized kits) * First Aid Staples: Active Skin Repair & Vashe (Hypochlorous Acid) Disclaimer: We are moms and stewards, not medical doctors! This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Please consult a holistic practitioner or head to urgent care/the ER for true medical emergencies, broken bones, or severe cuts. Connect with Us: * Follow us on Instagram: @CrunchyStewardship * Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! * Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts if this episode helped you feel more confident in your natural parenting journey! Connect With Us:  Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama [https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama] Follow us on Instagram @crunchystewardship  FREE How to Afford Non-Toxic Living Workbook: https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living [https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living]

The Post-Birth Breakdown: Microbiomes, Breast Milk, and Stem Cells

Send us a Message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467060/fan_mail/new] Welcome back to Crunchy Stewardship! In Part 2 of our (unintentional) Pregnancy, Labor & Delivery series, we are looking closely at the medical decisions and physiological miracles that happen during and immediately after delivery. If you have ever wondered what the actual differences are between vaginal births and C-sections when it comes to your baby's long-term health, this episode breaks it all down. We discuss how the physical squeeze of the birth canal prepares a newborn's lungs, the incredible science of "vaginal seeding" for the gut microbiome, and how a baby's saliva literally communicates with the mother's body during breastfeeding to create custom immune-boosting milk. We also tackle the hard conversations about delivery room interventions: the great debate between natural tearing versus episiotomies, how to prevent tearing in the first place, and why you have to choose between delayed cord clamping and expensive cord blood banking. Whether you are prepping for your first baby or your fifth, we want to equip you to make these choices with confidence and faith over fear! In this episode, you'll learn: * Random Revelation: Where does fat actually go when you burn it? Chrissy shares the mind-blowing science of exhaling your fat as CO2! * Vaginal Birth Benefits: How the birth canal physically squeezes fluid from a baby's lungs and "seeds" their delicate gut microbiome. * Breast Milk Magic: How a baby's saliva sends signals to the mother's body to create custom antibodies for whatever illness they are fighting. * C-Section Realities: Navigating major abdominal surgery recovery, prophylactic antibiotic exposure, and the emerging practice of vaginal swabbing for C-section babies. * Tearing vs. Episiotomies: The pros and cons of both, plus our best tear-prevention tips (including perineal massage, warm compresses, and the "Silly Putty" analogy for slow, controlled pushing). * The Umbilical Cord Debate: Why you can't have both delayed cord clamping and stem cell banking, and how to navigate the "what ifs" of medical emergencies with a faith-over-fear mindset. Chapters:  00:00 Early Morning Catch Up 01:25 Birth Topics Roadmap 03:29 Random Revelation: Fat Burning 08:06 Instagram Tangents Toddler Hacks 11:47 C Section Versus Vaginal Birth 17:44 Microbiome And Vaginal Seeding 23:54 Breast Milk Immune Training 27:42 C-Section Recovery Reality 29:41 Hospital Stay and Double Recovery 30:50 Antibiotics and Baby Microbiome 35:09 Pain Meds and Addiction Risk 38:45 Episiotomy Versus Tearing 43:52 Preventing Tears During Labor 49:39 Cord Clamping and Banking  Remember, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).  Connect With Us:  Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama [https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama] Follow us on Instagram @crunchystewardship  FREE How to Afford Non-Toxic Living Workbook: https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living [https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living]

The Labor Prep Episode: Why "Birth is Not an Emergency"

Send us a Message! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2467060/fan_mail/new] Welcome back to Crunchy Stewardship! As we transition from our fertility series into actual pregnancy and birth prep, we are tackling the big decisions you'll face before delivery day. But first, Katie has a massive stewardship win to share: she officially launched an Azure Standard drop site right at her local church! When you live in a rural area and are tired of driving 40 minutes in the snow just to afford bulk organic groceries, organizing a local drop is an absolute game-changer for the grocery budget and for building a crunchy community. When it comes to labor, our culture is incredibly quick to treat childbirth like a medical emergency—but God designed our bodies to do this! Today, we discuss the pros and cons of hospitals, birth centers, and home births, and why choosing the right environment is crucial for a peaceful delivery. We also weigh the realities of common medical interventions, from the Tylenol debate to epidurals and Pitocin, so you can make informed, prayerful decisions. In this episode, you'll learn: * Random Revelation: Katie’s new Azure Standard drop site and how buying healthy staples in bulk saves serious grocery money. * The Pregnancy "Avoid" List: A nuanced look at the risks of cat litter, sushi, lunch meats (listeria), and the recent debates surrounding acetaminophen. * Birth Settings: Why "birth is not an emergency" and how to evaluate if a hospital, birth center, or home birth is the right fit for your family. * Intervention Realities: The truth about epidurals (including loss of pushing sensation and stalled labor) and medical inductions like Pitocin, membrane sweeps, and Foley balloons. * Natural Inductions & Movement: How to physically prepare your pelvic floor with deep squats, the importance of "curb walking," and why laboring flat on your back works against gravity. * Mental Prep & Hypnobirthing: Why you need to shut down the horror stories and surround yourself with positive, empowering birth testimonies. Resources mentioned: * Groceries: Azure Standard - https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=50bb0fcd9b * App: Expecting and Empowered - https://www.expectingandempowered.com/e-e-app * App: Christian Hypnobirthing - https://www.christianhypnobirthing.com/ * Book: Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin - https://amzn.to/3PXb9Vg [https://amzn.to/3PXb9Vg]  * Book: The Headspace Guide to a Mindful Pregnancy by Andy Puddicombe - https://amzn.to/43oLpEm [https://amzn.to/43oLpEm]  * Book: Hypnobirthing: The Mongan Method by Marie Mongan - https://amzn.to/42KFVUj [https://amzn.to/42KFVUj]  Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Crunchy Stewardship 00:33 Labor Prep Episode Setup 02:10 Azure Standard Drop Site 08:52 Church Drop Program Details 11:08 Pregnancy Avoid List 18:08 Tylenol Debate and Tangent 24:29 Stretching and Birth Setting 33:59 Birth Choices Matter 34:42 Better Labor Positions 36:48 Midwives Doulas Explained 38:34 Epidurals Realities Risks 47:21 Induction Options Medical 52:13 Natural Induction Tips 57:48 Hypnobirthing Positive Stories Remember, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Connect With Us:  Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama [https://www.facebook.com/groups/crunchychristianmama] Follow us on Instagram @crunchystewardship  FREE How to Afford Non-Toxic Living Workbook: https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living [https://crunchystewardship.com/how-to-afford-non-toxic-living]