Earlier this week, I tweeted out an article:  7 Ways to Cancer-Proof Your Home | Yahoo! Health

It was a great reminder about the need to critically think through our everyday choices.  We should not assume something is safe just because it is readily available to us as consumers.  Arbonne, cast iron, lard and vinegar may not seem related…but, they are!

Things that drive me nuts are the fact that non-stick pans made with toxic chemicals are still legally being made and sold.  The same is true with cosmetics and cleaners.  


Skin is the largest organ we have.  Everything we put on it gets absorbed into our bodies and organs.  The same thing happens when we ingest foods and cleaning chemicals.  It is time to move away from the norm and into what I like to call common sense wisdom passed down to me from my Grandma and Mom.

They both cooked with cast iron, which was made in the USA, and actually added iron to food.  Iron deficiencies were very rare in my Grandma’s day.  Guess what else?  They fried food in lard!  The lard they used had to be refrigerated because it was not laced with toxic chemicals. Lard was a precious resource.  It was so precious that one time Grandma just about had a cow when I tried to clean the grease out her cast iron pan!  

Farm fresh bacon being fried in my cast iron pans.

Farm fresh eggs being cooked in bacon grease in my cast iron pan

My husband Jim and I were staying at Grandma’s house.  She made us the most amazing breakfast in the world:  fresh eggs fried in bacon grease!  We were helping her clean, and I was doing the dishes.  I took her well-used cast iron pan (you only need 1-2 good ones in your lifetime because they last forever with proper care) over to the sink.  I heard, “Connie, no-don’t clean out the pan!  Just put it in the oven so I can use the grease for our next meal.”  I stuck it back in the oven, and I am sure she fried hamburgers (or something else in it) for her next meal.  Just so you don’t think I have completely lost my mind on healthy eating, my Grandma did not have high cholesterol.   Most of her meals were fried in lard; however, she worked physically hard and did not eat processed foods.  There is a connection.  Mom used cast iron and lard for most of our meals too.  And, every meal was amazing!  I use the Lodge cast iron that is made in America, and it had worked great-even on my smooth-top range.

The other item Mom and Grandma used a lot was vinegar.  I have blogged a lot about vinegar before, but the topic bears repeating.  It is inexpensive, effective and non-toxic.  It can do everything from washing windows with a streak-free finish (if you use newspaper for wiping) to cleaning the grout in your shower. 

The one thing neither Grandma nor Mom used was make-up.  Mom never wore any make-up with the exception of mascara once in awhile.  Grandma wore a little powder and lipstick on special occasions.  I happen to enjoy make-up and good body/skincare products, which is why I started consuming and selling Arbonne.  

Arbonne products are safe, healthy and beneficial.  Products are formulated in Switzerland but made in the USA.  Check out my Arbonne web site:  http://askdrconnie.myarbonne.com/  to learn more about how Arbonne’s commitment to health and the environment are making a difference!