In the past few years, I’ve relied on dozens of resources, products and supplements to help me rebuild my own health. While some were wastes of money for me (maybe they worked for others), others were total game-changers. Below I share some of my favorites. Full disclosure: I’m an affiliate for some linked products, but would not recommend them if I did not believe in them.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Nontoxic Living

Real Purity deodorant – To avoid heavy metals and other toxins, I’ve tried dozens of deodorants over the years. This is the only one I’ve found that works for preventing wetness and odor. It has a light scent, but no chemical fragrances (which can trigger symptoms in many).

Repel Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellant – We’ve also tried a bunch of deet-free repellants and this one meets the test – and was recommended by a Lyme expert.

The Megahome Countertop Water Distiller – When working with a detox specialist, water was a major concern as a source of toxins that came up on lab testing for me. She recommended that we distill our water, and for at least three years, we have used this workhorse to do so. It removes 99.9% of impurities, including flouride.

It takes about 5 1/2 hours to produce a gallon. We run it twice a day for our family of three. Larger families would likely need a larger distillation unit.

Diet/Cooking

Breaking the Vicious Cycle (book) – One of the first things I did to alleviate my digestive issues was change my diet. The first diet I tried worked like magic. From one day to the next my symptoms improved. That was the Specific Carbohydate Diet (SCD), which is explained in this book by Elaine Gottschall. Learn about the science behind the diet, how to apply it, and recipes to try.

Danielle Walker’s “Against All Grain” Cookbooks – When you’re on a grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free diet, eating can lose a lot of its joy. But Danielle Walker helped me find it again. I found day-to-day favorites, like Slow Cooker Sesame-Orange Chicken, in Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes To Eat Well And Feel Great. For holiday and special-occasion meals, I love Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain Celebrations (we’ve made the sweet potato recipe dozens of times). Her recipes are consistently delicious. 

PaleOMG (the blog) – Author Julie Bauer’s blog is packed with paleo recipes. Try her Almost 5-Ingredient Pizza Spaghetti Pie and to banish your “I can’t have pizza” blues.

Elana’s Pantry (the blog) – When Elana Amsterdam was diagnosed with MS, she turned to diet. Since then, she’s published several cookbooks and regularly posts fresh recipes on her blog. My favorite: Mustard Lime Chicken. We make this about once a week and often grill it instead of baking it.

Books

Unexpected, Dr. Jill Carnahan – As she shares her journey of surviving cancer, and healing from Crohn’s disease and mold illness, Dr. Jill Carnahan’s Unexpected offers the most insightful look yet at the physical and emotional steps, and most importantly the mindset, that it takes to heal.

The Adrenal Transformation Protocol by Izabella Wentz, PharmD – “Dr. Wentz tackles adrenal dysfunction, or the body’s inability to produce essential hormones when it mismanages stress.” She outlines a 4-week program to help identify your adrenal triggers, balance your stress response, and build up your resilience to prevent excess stress from overwhelming your adrenals in the future.

The Wahls Protocol by Terry Wahls – Many of the autoimmune turnaround stories on Rebuilding My Health were made possible, in part, through the dietary and other lifestyle changes outlined by Dr. Terry Wahls, who reversed her own multiple sclerosis trajectory.

Podcasts

Nothing Much Happens – While not a health podcast, Nothing Much Happens keeps me healthy by enabling better sleep. The host tells positive stories where nothing much happens, helping you drift off to sleep.

The Doctor’s Farmacy – I always learn something new from Dr. Mark Hyman, a leading voice in functional medicine. He shares his insights on all manner of health topics and brings on some of the leading voices in health today.

Apps

Insight Timer – The Insight Timer app, even the free version, gives you access to high-quality guided meditations. Get the app via your device’s app store.