July 30, 2025

Ep. 367: The Toxic Truth: How Glyphosate is Secretly Destroying Your Health with Kelly Ryerson

1 hour 20 minutes

Welcome back to The Birth Lounge Podcast—where we challenge the status quo, ask the questions the system hopes you won’t, and take your family’s health seriously (without fear-mongering or fluff).

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Kelly Ryerson, co-executive director of American ReGen and founder of Glyphosate Facts. With degrees from Dartmouth and Stanford, Kelly brings the heat and the receipts on one of the most important (and honestly, infuriating) topics in modern health: glyphosate.

Yup, that’s the same chemical in Roundup—the most widely used pesticide on Earth.

And spoiler alert: it’s likely in your pantry right now.

We dive deep into:

The truth about glyphosate’s impact on your gut, your mental health, and your baby’s long-term development

How companies like Monsanto (now Bayer) are still running the show—and why we can’t trust the system to keep us safe

What you can do today to reduce your exposure (hello, water filters + better food choices)

Why baby food is a big red flag (yes, even organic)

What’s actually happening on farms, and how regenerative practices can change the game

This episode is part science, part scandal, and fully focused on helping you take back control of your health—because no one is coming to do that for you.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s actually in your food, how it’s affecting your hormones, fertility, or your growing baby, or why the U.S. is behind other countries in banning toxic chemicals…

This is your episode.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome & Why This Matters

01:46 The Hidden Dangers in Our Food

03:18 Meet Kelly Ryerson

03:58 Glyphosate 101

08:20 Why It’s So Widely Used (and How It Got That Way)

21:53 The Health Fallout: Gut, Brain, and Beyond

34:27 How to Shop Smarter & Spot Safer Foods

37:58 What Other Countries Are Doing Right

44:37 Why Some Farmers Don’t See the Problem

46:07 How Policy, Profit & Pesticides Are All Linked

47:47 Dead Soil = Dead Nutrition

49:28 The Rise of Regenerative Farming

51:06 Safer Options for Home & Garden

55:39 Baby Food Red Flags

58:20 What’s Lurking in Juice, Wine & Beer

01:00:50 Nontoxic Yard Care (Your Pets Will Thank You)

01:04:31 Monsanto’s Long Game of Deception

01:09:02 Government + Industry: Too Cozy?

01:15:47 Reclaiming Your Family’s Health

01:17:59 Final Takeaways + Where to Start

Listen now and take the first step toward safer choices, stronger advocacy, and raising a healthier generation.

Guest Bio:

Kelly Ryerson works at the intersection of agriculture and health. She regularly collaborates with regenerative farmers, scientists, policymakers and media to address agrochemical damage to our soil and bodies. Kelly is the co-Executive Director of American Regeneration and also founded the news site Glyphosate Facts. Kelly has contributed to numerous podcasts, publications, and documentaries including the recent award winning documentary Common Ground. She is an Ambassador for The Rodale Institute. Kelly has a BA from Dartmouth College, an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and completed training in integrative health coaching at Duke Integrative Medicine.

INSTAGRAM & SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with HeHe on IG

Connect with HeHe on YouTube

Connect with Kelly on IG

BIRTH EDUCATION:

Join The Birth Lounge here for judgment-free childbirth education that prepares you for an informed birth and how to confidently navigate hospital policy to have a trauma-free labor experience!

Download The Birth Lounge App for birth & postpartum prep delivered straight to your phone!

LINKS MENTIONED:

www.americanregeneration.org

www.glyphosatefacts.com

Connect with HRI Labs here

Firehawk bio herbicide

Pestie

...more

View all episodes

By HeHe Stewart

4.7

8383 ratings