Do you ever wish your day wasn't ruled by your health? Penny gets raw and real in this powerful origin episode of Becoming Natural. She shares her 25-year battle with debilitating Crohn's disease, how traditional medicine saved her but didn’t heal her, and the radical shift that finally brought relief—faith, natural living, and a mom-sized dose of stubborn hope.

In this repeat of her foundational episode, learn:

• Why Penny shifted to more holistic health

• How essential oils and plant-based remedies changed her life

• What it means to live clean in a dirty world

• Why healing is physical, emotional, and deeply spiritual

If you're a tired mama looking for answers, this one's for you.

✨ Hit follow, leave a review, and tag a friend who needs to hear this.

Keywords and Tags

Crohn's healing, natural remedies, holistic health, essential oils, occupational therapist, mom podcast, faith and healing, autoimmune relief, clean living, chronic illness support, Becoming Natural, holistic lifestyle, Christian wellness, toxin-free living

In this episode, Penny walks us through the gentle power and rich history of witch hazel for skin:

• 🌿 Roots in creation: Why Native American wisdom and colonial pharmacy both called on this shrub

• 🔬 Botanical brilliance: How tannins, flavonoids, and adaptable extracts soothe, protect, and tone

• 🧴 Which type for what: Choosing between alcohol‑based, glycerin‑based, or potent pure extracts

• 📝 DIY healing: Easy recipes—toners, wipes, sun‑burn compresses, and bug‑bite relief

• 🙏 Real guidance: Safety considerations, FAQs, and a faith-filled reflection grounded in Psalm 104:14

Grab your tea and stick around for practical healing and soul-filling grace.

🛒 Dickinson's Witch Hazel-Alcohol Free

🛒 Dickinson's Witch Hazel-Alcohol Free with Rose Water

🛒 Organic Witch Hazel Extract

• Avula, B. et al. (2019). Witch Hazel Overview

• Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Company (est. 1866).

🎯 Keywords:

witch hazel benefits, DIY witch hazel recipes, witch hazel for skin, witch hazel uses, natural remedy podcast, postpartum witch hazel, alcohol-free witch hazel, homemade toner recipe, faith-based natural healing

Vinegar Health Benefits: Ancient Remedy for Your Health & Home

Did you know vinegar health benefits go far beyond salad dressings? 🥗 In this episode, I share how plain vinegar and apple cider vinegar (ACV) have been used for centuries for healing, cleaning, and everyday wellness. You’ll learn its fascinating history, science-backed uses, and practical ways to replace harsh chemicals in your home. 💡 From Hippocrates to your laundry room, vinegar is a simple, God-given tool for health and home.

👉 Listen in as we uncover:

• How vinegar was used by ancient cultures (and even in Scripture!)
• The science behind vinegar’s power to heal and clean
• My favorite ways to use ACV for digestion, detox, and beauty ✨

Resources:

📗Antibacterial action of vinegar against food-borne pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli O157:H7

📗Can You Use Vinegar as a Disinfectant?

📗Effect and mechanisms of action of vinegar on glucose metabolism, lipid profile, and body weight

📗The improvement effect of apple cider vinegar as a functional food on anthropometric indices, blood glucose and lipid profile in diabetic patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial

📗Vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese subjects

📗Beneficial effect of vinegar consumption associated with regulating gut microbiome and metabolome

WHERE TO FIND ME:

🌿 Website & Podcast Hub 📩 Email Sign-Up 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify 📧 Contact Penny ⭐️ Listen Notes Interview

📌 Note: I’m just a girl with a wild story and a passion for sharing what has helped me feel my best during difficult times. I share personal experience, documented research, and a whole lot of heart. Always talk to a professional when making changes to your health routine.

vinegar health benefits, apple cider vinegar uses, natural cleaning with vinegar, faith-based wellness, natural remedies, home detox tips, ACV for health, chemical-free cleaning

If you've been wrestling with bloating, brain fog, weird cravings, or gut pain that no one seems to explain, this episode might blow your socks off 🧦. This is the most popular episode thus far and a great replay if you are having guy issues. Don't forget there is a PART 2:

04 (Part 2): Symptoms of Candida Yeast Overgrowth are WHOLE Body & a Step by Step Diet Plan to Relieve Candida, SEEBO, & Leaky Gut

In this episode, Is Candida Yeast Causing Your Gut Symptoms? Natural Healing Insights Inside, I walk you through how a candida yeast overgrowth was quietly wreaking havoc on my body—and how a simple 30-day detox helped restore my energy, clear my brain fog, and even change how I saw God’s hand in my healing.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• What triggers candida yeast overgrowth (spoiler: antibiotics and stress are biggies)
• Why your gut symptoms may be misdiagnosed
• How the "die-off" process works—and why it's worth the struggle
• A faith-forward look at how our bodies are designed to heal

👉 Ready to start your own healing journey? Don’t miss this deep dive into gut healing and God's grace.

NOTES:

🎙️04 (Part 2): Symptoms of Candida Yeast Overgrowth are WHOLE Body & a Step by Step Diet Plan to Relieve Candida, SEEBO, & Leaky Gut

FREE YEAST QUIZ

📚 "Good Energy" by Casey Means Hardcover/Audible/Kindle Book

📚 The Ultimate Candida Diet Program

🛒To purchase FREE Candida Yeast Quiz

SOURCES:

🖥️ https://www.mitchellmedicalgroup.com/services/candida/about-candida/

🖥️https://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/crohns-disease-antibiotics

🖥️https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20700115/

WHERE TO FIND ME:

🌿 Website & Podcast Hub 📩 Email Sign-Up 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify 📧 Contact Penny ⭐️ Listen Notes Interview

📌 Note: I’m just a girl with a wild story and a passion for sharing what has helped me feel my best during difficult times. I share personal experience, documented research, and a whole lot of heart. Always talk to a professional when making changes to your health routine.

Sunlight Healing: How Morning Light Resets Your Mood, Hormones & Faith

Have you ever wondered if the sun could actually heal you? ☀️ In this episode of Becoming Natural, Penny returns from a summer break to dive deep into something ancient, biblical, and biologically essential: sunlight. Once honored across every culture and faith, the sun has now become something we’re taught to fear. But what if we’ve got it backwards?

In this soul-stirring conversation, you'll discover:

🔍 The history of sun reverence across ancient civilizations

🧬 How UV rays affect hormones, immunity, sleep & mental health

📚 The science behind vitamin D, nitric oxide, and light therapy

🕯 Faith reflections on how light heals spiritually & physically

📝 Practical sun habits that restore balance and boost healing

From heliotherapy to circadian rhythms to Psalm 84:11, this episode reminds us that God gave us sunlight on purpose. It’s not woo—it’s wisdom.

🌅 So grab your morning tea and take this one outside. Let’s soak up the Son. 🙌

RESOURCES:

🧬 Vitamin D & Sunlight Studies

Holick, M. F. (2007). Vitamin D deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266–281.

Bikle, D. D. (2011). Vitamin D metabolism and function in the skin. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 347(1–2), 80–89.

☀️ Circadian Rhythm and Light Exposure

Harvard Medical School. (2020). Blue light has a dark side. Harvard Health Publishing

😌 Mental Health and Light Exposure

Lyall, L. M., Wyse, C. A., Celis-Morales, C. A., Lyall, D. M., Cullen, B., Mackay, D. F., ... & Smith, D. J. (2018). Associations between objectively measured physical activity and circadian rhythm and mental health in the UK Biobank cohort. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(6), 507–514.

🦠 Immune Function and Vitamin D

Aranow, C. (2011). Vitamin D and the immune system. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 59(6), 881–886.

💓 Nitric Oxide and UVA Study

Liu, D., Fernandez, B. O., Hamilton, A., Lang, N. N., Gallagher, J. M., Newby, D. E., ... & Weller, R. B. (2014). UVA irradiation of human skin vasodilates arterial vasculature and lowers blood pressure independently of nitric oxide synthase. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 134(7), 1839–1846.

🧼 Sunlight as a Sanitizer

Raeiszadeh, M., & Adeli, B. (2019). A critical review on ultraviolet disinfection systems against COVID-19 outbreak: Applicability, validation, and safety considerations. Scientific Reports, 9, 15280.

WHERE TO FIND ME:

🌿 Website & Podcast Hub 📩 Email Sign-Up 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify 📧 Contact Penny ⭐️ Listen Notes Interview

📌 Note: I’m just a girl with a wild story and a passion for sharing what has helped me feel my best during difficult times. I share personal experience, documented research, and a whole lot of heart. Always talk to a professional when making changes to your health routine.

sunlight healing, vitamin D, circadian rhythm, faith and healing, sunlight therapy, natural immunity, spiritual wellness, heliotherapy, sun benefits, light therapy

The Important Hidden Dangers of Looming Antibacterial Overload

Are we over-sanitizing ourselves sick? In today’s Becoming Natural episode, I’m sharing the real risks behind our culture’s obsession with “antibacterial everything”—and how it might be doing more harm than good. We’ll unpack the history of triclosan, hormone disruption, antibiotic resistance, and why dirt might just be your best medicine. I’ll walk you through smart swaps, safe solutions, and faith-filled reminders that your body was designed to thrive in the real world—not a sterile lab. 💛

🔍 Real Talk on Germophobia 🧬 Microbiome Truths You’ve Never Heard 🌿 God’s Design for Your Immune System

RESOURCES

FDA bans triclosan and triclocarban in consumer soaps

The hygiene hypothesis: current perspectives and future therapies

Triclosan Technical Fact Sheet

Antimicrobial resistance

Why dirt may be nature’s original stress-buster

COMING SOON

Triclosan Beware

Homemade Cleaning Spray

WHERE TO FIND ME:

• 🌿 Website & Podcast Hub
• 📩 Email Sign-Up
• 🎧 Listen on Apple
• 🎧 Listen on Spotify
• 📚 Amazon Author Page
• 🗣️ Listen Notes Interview

📌 Note: I’m just a girl with a wild story and a passion for sharing what has helped me feel my best during difficult times. I share personal experience, documented research, and a whole lot of heart. Always talk to a professional when making changes to your health routine.

antibacterial overload, triclosan dangers, natural antibacterial swaps, immune system support, microbiome health, faith-based wellness, hygiene hypothesis, antibiotic resistance, gut health, hormone disruption

5 Important Reasons Why Most Probiotics Don’t Work

If you’ve been popping probiotic pills and still feeling bloated, foggy, or off—this episode is your “aha” moment. We’re unpacking the probiotic myths that keep women confused and constipated (literally). From CFUs and strains to fermented foods and soil-based organisms, I’ll help you figure out what your gut actually needs. 🦠

🔍 Science Note: Most probiotic strains don’t colonize the gut long term—they pass through and help while they’re there.

We’ll also dive into:

• Common probiotic mistakes

• The role of prebiotics

• How to rotate strains and rewild your microbiome

• Why your body isn’t broken—just overwhelmed

💬 “Your gut is a garden. Don’t just throw in seeds—tend it.”

👉 Listen in, then share it with a friend who’s overwhelmed in the supplement aisle!

RESOURCES:

🎙️30 | Astonishing Inflammatory Foods that are Actually Fueling Your Pain

📕Post-Antibiotic Gut Mucosal Microbiome Reconstitution Is Impaired by Probiotics and Improved by Autologous FMT

📕Probiotics: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications

📕Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I‑745: from quality to efficacy

📕Dietary fiber and prebiotics and the gastrointestinal microbiota

📕Microbiota Modulate Behavioral and Physiological Abnormalities Associated with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

WHERE TO FIND ME:

• 🌿 Website & Podcast Hub
• 📩 Email Sign-Up
• 🎧 Listen on Apple
• 🎧 Listen on Spotify
• 📚 Amazon Author Page
• 🗣️ Listen Notes Interview

📌 Note: I’m just a girl with a wild story and a passion for sharing what has helped me feel my best during difficult times. I share personal experience, documented research, and a whole lot of heart. Always talk to a professional when making changes to your health routine.

Digestive Enzymes: Powerful Natural Solutions for Bloating & Gas You'll Love Ever feel bloated after a healthy meal? I’ve been there. In this episode, we’re talking about one of the most overlooked (and life-changing!) tools for gut health: digestive enzymes. I’ll share what they do, how to tell if your body is running low, and why they can make all the difference when clean eating still leaves you feeling “off.” We’ll break down enzyme types, what to look for in a supplement, and how our ancestors got enzymes naturally from food, bitters, and good ol’ chewing. RESOURCES:

🖥️Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

🪴Enzymedica – Digest Gold | Best for: Overall digestion + post-meal support

• Broad-spectrum enzymes: amylase, protease, lipase, cellulase, lactase, more
• Very effective for gas, bloating, heavy meals
• No fillers, vegan, non-GMO

🪴Pure Encapsulations – Digestive Enzymes Ultra | Best for: Sensitive systems, simple + pure formula

• Broad coverage of proteins, carbs, fats
• Ultra-clean: no gluten, dairy, or artificial anything
• Hypoallergenic, no unnecessary binders

🪴Designs for Health – Digestzymes | Best for: Supporting low stomach acid + broad enzyme support

• Includes HCl + pepsin (great if you’re low in stomach acid)
• Also includes full-spectrum enzymes
• Excellent for protein-heavy or difficult-to-digest meals

🪴Bioptimizers – MassZymes | Best for: High-protein eaters, athletes, or anyone on a healing protocol

• 100,000 units of protease = major protein breakdown power
• Includes systemic enzymes that support inflammation
• Absorption-focused for muscle recovery + gut health
• Vegan-friendly, gut-healing edge

🪴Seeking Health – Digestive Enzymes Chewable | Best for: Those who hate swallowing pills

• Tastes decent and helps breakdown fats, carbs, proteins
• Great for quick use during meals
• Good option for kids or low-to-medium digestive need

WHERE TO FIND ME:

• 🌿 Website & Podcast Hub
• 📩 Email Sign-Up
• 🎧 Listen on Apple
• 🎧 Listen on Spotify
• 📚 Amazon Author Page
• 🗣️ Listen Notes Interview

📌 Note: I’m just a girl with a wild story and a passion for sharing what has helped me feel my best during difficult times. I share personal experience, documented research, and a whole lot of heart. Always talk to a professional when making changes to your health routine.