Today I’m talking with Allison Evans about exploring holistic health! This boss lady is co-founder of Branch Basics.  They provide clean, toxic-free, fragrance free cleaning products. Allison is passionate about leading a toxic-free lifestyle, and giving others the resources to do the same. I could talk with this girl for hours, and I’m glad you get to listen in on part of our conversation (we may or may not have chatted for twenty minutes after we stopped recording). We dive into her health journey, why she chose this holistic lifestyle, and how you can transition into clean living too.

Finding Healing

• Allison’s chronic pain began her sophomore year of college.  Her focus shifted from school and sorority life to full-time health. 
• “I remember lying in bed at night trying to go to sleep and I started crying because I realized something was wrong.”
• Chronic pain is something that a lot of people never really understand until they go through it. It was constant and painful and eventually led to nerve and muscle issues.
• “The mystery was almost as debilitating for me as the pain.”

 

Finding Freedom

• The only answers doctors could give her were grim including telling her she would never be able to have her own children.
• She admits that she was skeptical of her aunt’s holistic approach to health  to help her find relief.  But she was desperate.
• She spent a summer with her aunt focusing on holistic healing, eating clean food, practicing yoga, and limiting phone time. She left that summer not having to take any medications, and having reduced the pain by 95%.
• People look at Allison’s lifestyle of avoiding certain products and certain foods as limiting and unfortunate, but she finds great happiness in the lifestyle she has created for herself.

“This is where my freedom is. This is where I have found I thrive.”

 

Finding Resources

“It took experiencing the pain, being desperate, hitting rock bottom, seeing doctors, and taking drugs for me to say I’m all in.”

• Allison didn’t have the luxury of spending time looking for the right resources to start this holistic journey. She was out of options and began with the guidance of her aunt.
• “Everyone has to meet themselves where they are.”
• Removal is key: The first thing Allison advises isn’t anything fancy; she recommends removal. Remove the stresses, remove the toxins that are prominent in your life.  You can start small whether that’s removing fragrant dryer sheets and candles from your house.  It doesn’t have to be an extreme overnight shift.
• “If overhauling your fridge and your pantry seems stressful, go to the laundry room or look at your candles.”
• Branch Basics has a fascinating blog post about the problems surrounding fragrance. I know you don’t want to give up candles, so Allison recommended these as a toxin-free alternative.

Finding What Works for You

• Sometimes making these changes will tackle health problems you weren’t even looking to address. Allison was told in high school that because of cysts, she would never be able to conceive. After making these changes, she has had a child and is pregnant with a second.
• Allison and I both believe in the connection between the physical and the spiritual. Even though it has been a difficult journey, she has found that tapping in to the spiritual has been life-changing.
• “God is meeting us where we are and knows our hearts more than anyone else who is guiding us.”

Finding Peace

• “Stress is worse than the dryer sheets.”  One of the most toxic things in our lives is stress.  The toll it has on our mind and spirits is staggering.  How can you do something small today to decrease the stress in your life?  Everyone has stress in their life and that is often the biggest toxin. You can read all about this in The Emotion Code by Bradley Nelson.
• “It’s unbelievable how our thoughts affect the physical.”
• Allison identifies breathing exercises as a perfect way to address this. Studies also prove that simply writing down your stresses helps your body to physically release the stress.
• “We can live in a perfect environment, but if we’re thinking about things that make us angry and people who have treated us unfairly in the past, that’s just as toxic.”
• She still has stress in her life and she admits that this month has not been the greatest, but she believes in a greater vision for her life. “I believe there is healing here.”

Intrigued by all of this? Want to keep Allison Evans and her wisdom in your life? (Same!) Sign up for the Branch Basics newsletters here. 

 

This episode of The Refined Collective Podcast is brought to you by TWO things! The first is my FREE guide to help you move through fear and anxiety called “Moving Through Fear”. Identify those fears and replace them with truth! We’re on this journey together, friends. The second thing is something you can find back in episode 19. That brief episode dives into finding the root of our anxieties and I guide you through a meditation. There is so much healing for you friend!

XO,

Kat Harris

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