Clean Diet is Stepping Stone for Oncology Nurse (Success Story + GIVEAWAY!)
This is a clean diet and healthy lifestyle makeover success story by Stephanie Cahill, an oncology nurse and mother to a special needs son. Stephanie’s lifestyle transformation began with the 8-week anti-inflammatory clean eating diet program outlined in our Clean Cuisine book. Week by week and little by little, she took baby steps to educate herself on how to adopt an anti-inflammatory and non-toxic diet. Ultimately, her initial clean diet overhaul became a stepping stone for a radical lifestyle change that has impacted her entire family and even her career. (Note: If you would like to submit your own clean eating success story please email us at info@cleancuisine.com)
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I found Ivy and Clean Cuisine by way of visiting my sister-in-law in Jupiter a few years ago. It was New Years Eve and her friend Elissa had brought Ivy’s garlic edamame hummus. I absolutely loved it! I then purchased Ivy’s book, participated in the online 8-Week Challenge, and reviewed her Clean Cuisine Dinners digital cookbook before it was released. I’ve been a fan of her recipes and blog ever since. Thanks to Clean Cuisine, I learned so much about the value of eating an anti-inflammatory diet and cleaning up my lifestyle.
I did not overhaul my entire lifestyle all at once though. It was a gradual process that began with my diet…
Phase 1
In the beginning, I was just focusing on cleaning up my diet. I began to pay close attention to the food I was eating and made a real effort to make more nutrient-dense choices. As I began to pay attention to my food and body, I quickly learned to also prioritize sleep. I realized there was a direct correlation between my food cravings and inadequate sleep.
As for cleaning up my diet, these are the four things that I think helped most:
- Ensuring adequate water intake as sometimes it was a matter of needing more water than it was needing to eat again.
- Incorporating more dark leafy greens (my favorite is lemony Lacinato Kale with my morning eggs!) I also find ways to sneak them into sauces, stir-fry, casseroles, smoothies, etc.
- Adding healthy fats including avocados and wild caught salmon every week. This helped with satiety.
- Eliminating all processed foods, no refined sugar, no refined oils. I feel this was huge in decreasing inflammation.
Making these four simple clean eating diet changes were an entryway into what later became a deeper rabbit hole of cleaning up my lifestyle.
Phase 2
My interest in clean eating intensified about 2 years after my son’s birth, in the fall of 2016. Our son Benjamin was born with significant pulmonary hypertension, low muscle tone, and a congenital heart defect. He was later diagnosed with global developmental delays and autism. Following Ben’s NICU stay and extended period on oxygen, he was in early intervention from 3 months on. After Ben’s diagnosis of Autism his therapy increased to 30 hours total, 5 days a week.
During this time, I was working night shift as an oncology nurse. I found myself completely depleted and stressed out. I saw my PCP and was found to have mono virus and a few other lab abnormalities. In short, I realized I had been living in “survival mode” for quite some time. I made the decision to clean up my diet in a bigger way and re-evaluate my lifestyle habits once again.
Although I was well aware of the value of sleep, I had once again slipped into an unhealthy sleeping pattern working nights. I decided to switch to day shift and prioritize my sleep. This made a huge difference.
I then decided to take another look at my diet, tighten the reigns and also get my husband on board.
Continuing with our phase 1 changes, together my husband and I made the following additional five diet changes in phase 2:
- We got serious about meal planning.
- To fight food boredom, we experimented with a new recipe every week.
- More fruits! More vegetables! (I later read on Clean Cuisine that not eating enough fruits and vegetables is the biggest diet mistake people make.)
- Homemade condiments. I realized how easy it was to make homemade mayo, sauces, dips and salad dressings without added sugar, refined oil or dairy. The Clean Cuisine website has been huge for this! (We especially love the clean spinach and artichoke dip.)
- Staying consistent. Making small changes that added up over time to the point it feels normal and natural to eat this way.
For thirty days, we also eliminated gluten, dairy and sugar then slowly reintroduced them to see how our body tolerated these foods. I noticed an energy slump after eating gluten. Although I will definitely eat it from time to time, I don’t eat it nearly as much as I used to. I also noticed I wasn’t even remotely interested in eating anything with white sugar anymore. My idea of a quenching a sweet tooth craving now is a sliced banana sauteed in coconut oil with some almond butter drizzled on top. As for dairy, I’ll have a nice quality grassfed cheese or yogurt now and then as part of a dish but I’m not eating blocks of cheese by itself and I am not drinking milk. Again, I don’t miss the dairy the way I thought I would.
By the end of phase 2, my husband and I had completely transitioned to a nutrient dense clean diet. We had mostly eliminated gluten and dairy and focused on eating fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and high quality fats, as well as increased our water intake. Collectively, we lost 30 lbs, gained energy, experienced less brain fog and less sugar cravings. Best of all, we got in the kitchen together and had FUN!
Today, we are much more confident in our food shopping and meal planning skills. We feel committed to this way of clean eating and living. It feels far from restrictive or limiting like a “diet” can. It’s fun to find new delicious and nutritious recipes and execute a meal start to finish. We are so thankful that Clean Cuisine put us on this healthier path.
Phase 3
With so much emphasis on what was going IN my body, I began to think deeper about what goes ON my body too.
As an oncology nurse, I am well aware of the environmental toxins present in our everyday lives that can contribute to inflammation and disease. Currently the European Union bans 1400 chemicals that have been linked to hormone disruption, infertility, cancer, and developmental delays. To compare, the United States has banned only 30.
The United States has not changed their federal governing laws since 1938. I crosschecked my every day makeup and lotions on the EWG Skin Deep Database (ewg.org) to find many of them contained “moderate hazard” ingredients and I quickly began detoxing our home. I tossed my phthalate/fragrance containing detergents and air fresheners as well. I switched from Tide clothes detergent to Molly’s Suds.
Around this time I found a skin care company that offered transparency, safety, and quality; Beautycounter (see GIVEAWAY below!) Again after doing my due diligence, I was inspired by their mission of getting safe products into the hands of everyone. Beautycounter is an EWG verified company and adheres to the strictest ingredient selection process. The company has banned over 1,500 ingredients called their “Never List”, which includes a group of toxic chemicals whose harmful effects are beyond debate.
For me, Beautycounter filled a unique niche as an educated consumer looking to use safer products while not compromising quality. I absolutely loved the products and after several months of use, I joined on as a Consultant to share this broader message of wellness. It aligns with my nursing career and cleaner lifestyle as I feel deeply passionate about healing ourselves from the inside out.
My favorite products include our Charcoal Cleansing Bar and our Nourishing moisturizer. I’ve noticed a great difference in the brightness and softness of my skin as a result. As for our makeup, I especially love our foundation as well as our lipstick. (We are so proud to say non of our cosmetics contain detectable levels of heavy metals.) Ivy is a huge fan of Beautycounter sunscreen. And our son Ben uses the Beautycounter kids line in his bath.
As I continue down this healthier path for myself and my family, I feel so grateful to have found a cleaner way of living through my journey with Clean Cuisine. When we know better, we do better. I am eternally grateful there are advocates and educators like Ivy and honest companies like Beautycounter to help show us the way towards a life full of optimal health and vitality.
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To Contact Stephanie or Learn More About Beautycounter visit www.beautycounter.com/stephaniecahill OR email stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com
GIVEAWAY RULES
To enter our giveaway, you must do these three simple but REQUIRED steps:
1. Make sure that you are SUBSCRIBED to the Clean Cuisine weekly newsletter below for recipes, fitness & nutrition advice, and more giveaways like this one. The winner will be announced via the newsletter ONLY. (If you’re already signed up for our challenge, you DO NOT need to sign up again, but you still have two more short steps!).
THEN…
2. Leave a comment below this article (scroll all the way down to the “leave a reply” section at the bottom of the page) and let us know a little bit about your current beauty regimen. Also, occasionally technical difficulties will prohibit you from seeing your comment on the bottom of this page. However, that does not mean you are not entered. We have every entry on the back-end and you only have to comment once to be entered to win 😉
AND FINALLY….
3. When you are all done signing up for our newsletter and commenting below, all you have to do is spread the news about the Giveaway with your beautiful friends by clicking on one of the “Share This Page” green social media icons above or below this article. All you need to do is share the giveaway on at least ONE social media outlet (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Google +).
This giveaway runs March 1 – March 9, 2017. One lucky winner will be announced on March 9 2017 via the Clean Cuisine Weekly Newsletter.
***Winner will have three days to respond and redeem their prize. After the three day window, we will pick a new winner. So, be sure to read our newsletter!***
THAT’S IT! NOW ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SHARE THE GIVEAWAY WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS!
Note: If you would like to submit your own clean eating success story please email us at info@cleancuisine.com
Such an inspiring story at a time where much of what we read on social media is negative! This is so refreshing as are some of the products Steph gave me to sample from the beauty counter. Currently I use Fab first aid face wash and moisturizer. I use dove shampoo and soap and am so disappointed to have read recently of their poor scores on The EWG rating system. Guess it’s time to make a change! I want my daughter to grow up in a healthier home!
Yay Shannon!! So glad you are liking the products so far. I share your sentiments on Dove as I used to love their body wash, our Citrus Mimosa one is amazing though! We’ll catch up this weekend- thanks again! 🙂
I recently began the journey of switching to safer products, safer foods, and trying to achieve overall wellness. Stephanie has been so inspirational and I have loved the Beautycounter products I have gotten from her so far. I have learned the importance of researching and paying attention to ingredients lists, etc and love that I don’t have to worry about that with this company. It never even occurred to me when I was younger that the mascara and beauty products would be harmful because everyone was using them! I’m already planning my next swap out of products. I also just got the Clean Cuisine book and I’m very excited to see where this journey takes me and my family. Thank you!
Hey Hillary! I am so glad you got the Clean Cuisine book!! You are well on you way to a healthier path. I am so glad we have bonded over this. Thank you friend!
I am happy to send samples to all those interested in trying some products! Please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com. Thank you so much for all the positive feedback on the article! 🙂 This was a really fun opportunity to share my family’s personal story.
Steph is such an inspiration! Definitely inspired me to give a second look to all the products I use now and clean up my eating habits week by week, :).
Hey Cindy! Thank you– that’s great, small changes add up over time. Hope you are liking the Charcoal products I sent your way! XO
Beautiful family photo and amazing story from Stephanie! Such helpful tips to a healthier lifestyle. It encourages us all to see such a woman of courage and strength. She’s superwoman to me.
I would love to enter the BeautyCounter giveaway! I currently use Jane Iredale BB Glow Tinted Moisterizer as my go to every day product, as well as, Nars Radiant Concealer, Bobbi Brown bronzer, Nars blush, Mac mascara, Therapy Systems Advanced Skin Renewal Cream, dermatologists face wash and creams, as needed (hoping to get away from these ASAP because they are some of the most toxic and I already struggle chronic disease). Thank you for offering such a wonderful opportunity! Insert prayer hands and praise hands.
Prayers and well wishes to all for a healthier lifestyle!
Thanks Meredith!! Haha love your emoji hands. Hope you are liking the Beautycounter samples I sent. You are a woman of so many strengths. I am so lucky to call you my friend!
I was never really into “organic” anything in my life until discovering a minor health problem last year. Luckily for me, my issues coincided with the start of stephanie’s beautycounter business. I have slowly started adopting a healthier lifestyle and looove beautycounter’s products. I completelt emptied out my vanity of all of my precious toxic makeup and cleansers and replaced them with safer beautycounter products and i couldnt be happier. My skin looks great and i feel so much better about what i put on my body. We are also expecting our first baby in September and i cant wait to purchase all of the same baby products for my little one!
Hi Jessica! Oh Congratulations!! I love our baby line- we just released a great diaper cream. I am so happy for you having already switched to safer. I am happy to send you any other additional Beautycounter samples you haven’t tried yet, please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie 🙂 Thanks again!
I currently just use a cream with SPF in the morning, and jojaba oil with frankinscense atnight. I’d love to win Beauty Counter products – I have heard great things about them.
Hi Lynn! So glad you’ve heard good things about Beautycounter. Jojoba oil is great! I am happy to send you some Beautycounter samples, please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie 🙂 Thanks again!
I try to use better for you products in my face cleansing routine but I know they are not the best. Burts Bees cleanser and toner, Derma-E exfoliater, different random masks (I battle a lot of texture), and an organic moisturizer. And unfortunately for makeup I do buy the big high end brands that are probably horrible for me. I’ve actually never heard of Beauty Counter before so if it’s better than what I’m doing I would love to try it!
Hey Ashley! Thank you for the great comment. Have you checked your products safety at EWG.org – that is a great resource! I am so glad to introduce you to Beautycounter. I am happy to send you some Beautycounter samples, please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie 🙂 Thanks again!
My family already follows your clean eating guidelines and cleaning up our home and body care products is next on the list, this giveaway would be a great start! Thank you!
Hi Brie! That’s excellent! Agreed, safe skincare would be a great compliment! I am happy to send you some Beautycounter samples, please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie 🙂 Thanks again!
I think I may give this a try!!! Doesn’t sound very hard to start doing things “cleanly”
Hi Carol! Yes, Ivy’s blog and book are a great place to start eating and living cleaner! Thanks for the comment. If you’d like to sample anything with Beautycounter, please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie 🙂 Thanks again!
I absolutely love the Clean Cuisine Lifestyle and would love to clean up my make-up routine as well! Would love to learn about and try the Beauty Counter products! Thanks for this opportunity!
Hi Kathleen! Thank you for the comment. I’d be happy to send you some samples, please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie 🙂
I wash my face nightly, with whatever facial cleaner I have on hand. I put on a night cream, a sample I received and a under eye cream for puffiness and dark circles (isn’t working, unfortunately). I try to remember to wash my face in the morning but the one thing I ALWAYS do is put a lotion with sunscreen on every morning! I wear minimal make up some days (eye liner, mascara, blush, and lip gloss). I know I need anti-aging products but don’t.
Hi Barrie! I’d be happy to send you a sample of our 2 eye creams; one is tailored for overall hydration and the other to target signs of aging. That’s great you wear sunscreen daily- HUGE! That is part of the giveaway as it’s one of Ivy’s favorite products. Please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thanks again for the comment! 🙂
I try to stick with EWG certified products, but feel I need to be mire consistent in my skin care routine. Thanks for the chance!
Hi Valerie! Yes, I love that Beautycounter is EWG Verified so no second guessing anything. I love that peace of mind. Would love to send you some samples of Beautycounter if you’re interested, you can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thank you so much for the comment!
I wish I had something I could call a beauty regimen now but I don’t have anything. I wash my face and put cream on when it’s dry. I guess it’s from depression and just no longer feeling “beautiful.” I had surgery in 2015 and was given an ileostomy and ever since I have lost all self-esteem. To my kids when I dress up and put on jeans instead of sweat pants they constantly tell me how beautiful I look. I wear sweat pants almost every day now. Oh well, sorry for going on and on. I would love to try this brand some day! I have heard so much about them. Side note: this is a great article and I love your blog!
Hey Stephanie! Oh my goodness, I cannot relate to having a ileostomy but I can relate to feeling depressed at times. In my line of work as a nurse I have come across some of my bravest, most resilient patients who needed perm or temporary ileostomies. I would love to send you some Beautycounter samples. Please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. 🙂 Thank you again for sharing and I look forward to connecting with you hopefully!
Very nice portrayal of working through the program! My beauty routine ISO now almost non-existent.
Thank you so much Sue! I am so thankful for having found Ivy and a cleaner way of living. I’d be happy to send you some Beautycounter samples! Please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thank you again for the comment! 🙂
I would love to find products that I believe in and that I know can transform my life! Still struggling to find the right products. Thank you for this opportunity!
Hey Stacey! That’s my favorite part about Beautycounter is their transparency, status as a EWG verified company. Plus we offer everything from skin to body to makeup and kid’s lines. I am happy to send you some samples of products if you’d like.! You can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie.
My beauty routine is rather mainstream, lots of drugstore products. I have wanted to try more healthy products, but have had a hard time justifying the cost when I can’t try them in a store. But I would love to get better makeup. I am a yoga teacher, and like to wear a little makeup that makes me look fresh without looking “made up”.
Hi Gayle– I totally hear you on that. I’d recommend checking out your current products with EWG.org to see what questionable ingredients might be in them. I am also a huge “try before you buy” person. I am happy to send you some Beautycounter samples. I also wear very simple makeup, I love the au natural look myself! Thank you so much for the comment. You can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. 🙂
we are really trying to green our house. we have gone vegan and this would be something that i want to try too.
Hi Susan– terrific! A safer skincare line would definitely fit into alignment with your other green/clean efforts. I am happy to send you some samples to get you started, you can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thanks again! 🙂
I am very interested in finding a safe and healthy beauty routine and products. I have no idea what my current products contain and whether they can have potentially harmful chemicals. I currently use a variety of name brands for products from cleansing to makeup. The whole “clean routine” intrigues me.
Hi Sue! So glad you are interested in a cleaner path forward…I would recommend checking EWG.org for what might be in your current products. I am happy to send you some Beautycounter samples. I love that I don’t have to second guess the safety or quality. Our skin is our largest organ after all and absorbs everything we put on it! You can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thank you again for reading and commenting! 🙂
So excited for this giveaway, my daughter and I just spent the the day researching makeup yesterday and it was so overwhelming! Would love to try out a clean makeup!
Hi Marla, I agree–it is overwhelming. The EWG.org website is a great place to start. I love that Beautycounter is EWG verified so I don’t have to think twice about the safety or quality. I am happy to send you and your daughter some samples, please let me know! You can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thanks again! 🙂
My 4 year also has Autism and I’ve been reading about dietary changes that could help him. Having also been diagnosised with adult ADHD (at 28) anxiety and post partnum depression recently has caused havoc on my skin all over. In an effort to naturally clean up my diet in fear of having to take medications the rest of my life, I came across this blog and feel it’s the first step of changes I can make. I have sensitive combination skin and mostly use a clarisonic with gentle foaming cleanser, the occasional biore pore strip, and a lot of cover up from bare minerals.
Hi Sydney! Thank you much for sharing about your son. I would love to connect with you privately as I also want to make changes to Ben’s diet as best I can given his sensory issues. I’ve also struggled with anxiety/depression in my adult life. I am SO glad you came across Ivy’s blog. I am happy to send you some Beautycounter products to sample. I also have sensitive combo skin. You can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. 🙂
What a great read! Trying to do a lot of the same thing with my families diet but find it so hard to cut sugars. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much Garrett. I hear you– sugar was hard but I found once we eliminated the refined stuff for the most part my cravings were MUCH less. Ivy has some fun recipes that use Date or Coconut sugar- naturally occurring sugars which don’t activate the Sugar Dragon the way white sugar can for me. I appreciate your comment and thanks for reading my post!
Thank you Stephanie for sharing your story. You’ve inspired me to revisit my copy of Clean Cuisine and make some changes to my diet. As for my beauty regimen, I pretty much use whatever I can find at Target or Ulta but I love the idea of using products with less or no chemicals.
Hi Jill! That’s so great! You will love the book. It was my first resource into all of this. I am so excited for you! Target has made some great advancements in the cleaner beauty movement. After carrying our line for a limited time partnership they have vowed to have 100% transparency by 2020, which is HUGE! I am happy to send you some Beautycounter samples, please let me know. You can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. I would also recommend cross checking your current products at EWG.org- another great resource. Thank you again!
Thanks for sharing your journey to cleaning up your diet and lifestyle! This is definitely inspiring and also my sharing the phases of your transition it seems less intimidating to tackle a few changes at a time. I recently purchased my first BC product, the dew skin tinted moisturizer. I love it so far and would love the opportunity to try some other BC products, and am particularly in search for a new cleansing/moisturizing routine.
Hi Cara! Yes on small steps, it’s the key I think to longterm change. That’s great– I absolutely love our Foundation. A quality cleanser/moisturizer would be a great next step. I am happy to send you samples of Charcoal Bar or Nourishing cleanser, please let me know. You can email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thanks again!
My current beauty regimen is pretty simple. Lots of water, healthy diet sleep and exercise! Product-wise, I love Beauty Counter’s face wash, daily facial lotion and rose water. I also love Bare Minerals for makeup!
Lots of water is a HUGE one Lauren, I agree, as I am sipping on decaf tea now. I love those staple Beautycounter products too, a good cleaner and moisturizer is the foundation for healthy skin!
Such an awesome post! Stephanie is truly inspiring, and I’m so glad Ivy and Stephanie have patterned together to spread this wonderful message!
I am a loyal Beauty Counter consumer and I would never go back to my old chemical filled products. Some of my BC faves include the charcoal bar, nourishing moisturizer (day and night), rejuvenating serum, and rejuvenating eye cream. Try them out!
Thank you Caroline!! So glad you’ve been a loyal Beautycounter for so long now. You were ahead of the times and I’m so glad you helped introduce it to me. Agree, those are some great products. I LOVE the Rejuvenating line–I like to think of it as our all natural Retin-A line to counter the graceful signs of aging! Love you and thank you so for always being so supportive!
I love how inspiring this blog post is! It seems to realistic to “clean up” your lifestyle one thing at a time. Often it is overwhelming to think about each “bad” habit I have between eating, sleep, skipping exercise, not enough sleep etc. I have recent launched my own cleaner eating, cut out alcohol, and keeping a routine of at least 5 days of exercise (30min). All of this, even in just over a week, has helped with sleep! I am so interested in improving my skin care and would love this give away as a place to start.
Thank you Coll!! Agree–small changes add up over time. That’s awesome you’ve found a balance with exercise 5 days a week and cleaner eating! I need to get back into regular fitness. Proud of you girl! Skin care will be next step! 😉
Such an inspiring story! Most people don’t think about cleaning up their personal care products but it is so important since it is a highly unregulated industry. Love this blog and thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Jordan. Agreed, I think now more than ever, we are recognizing what we put ON our bodies is just as important what we put in it. Our skin absorbs everything after all and is our largest organ! So glad you enjoyed the blog post. I am happy to send you some samples of Beautycounter if you’re interested. Please email me at stephaniejeancahill@gmail.com or I am very active on Instagram @cleanerstephanie. Thanks again!
What a great article! I currently use Neutrogena face soap, clinique moisturizer and bareminerals makeup. I would love to try out Beautycounter!
Hey Megan! I received your email today and will be writing back tomorrow! Thank you so much for reaching out. I can’t wait to share some more and get you some samples!