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Clean(ish): Eat (Mostly) Clean, Live (Mainly) Clean, and Unlock Your Body's Natural Ability to Self-Clean
Clean(ish) leads readers to a focus on real foods and a healthier home environment free of obvious toxins, without fixating on perfection. By living clean(ish), our bodies’ natural processes become streamlined and more effective, while we enjoy a vibrant life.
In Gin Stephens's New York Times bestseller Fast. Feast. Repeat. , she showed you how to fast (completely) clean as part of an intermittent fasting lifestyle. Now, whether you’re an intermittent faster or not, Gin shows you how to become clean(ish) where it you’ll learn how to shift your choices so you’re not burdening your body with a bucket of chemicals, additives, and obesogens it wasn’t designed to handle.
Instead of aiming for perfection (which is impossible) or changing everything at once (which is hard, and rarely leads to lasting results), you’ll cut through the confusion, lose the fear, and embrace the freedom that comes from becoming clean(ish). As you learn how to lower your toxic load through small changes, smart swaps, and simple solutions, you’ll evolve simply and naturally toward a clean(ish) lifestyle that works for your body and your life!
In Gin Stephens's New York Times bestseller Fast. Feast. Repeat. , she showed you how to fast (completely) clean as part of an intermittent fasting lifestyle. Now, whether you’re an intermittent faster or not, Gin shows you how to become clean(ish) where it you’ll learn how to shift your choices so you’re not burdening your body with a bucket of chemicals, additives, and obesogens it wasn’t designed to handle.
Instead of aiming for perfection (which is impossible) or changing everything at once (which is hard, and rarely leads to lasting results), you’ll cut through the confusion, lose the fear, and embrace the freedom that comes from becoming clean(ish). As you learn how to lower your toxic load through small changes, smart swaps, and simple solutions, you’ll evolve simply and naturally toward a clean(ish) lifestyle that works for your body and your life!
432 pages, Paperback
Published January 4, 2022
346 people are currently reading
2943 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
October 10, 2022
I won this ARC through the Goodreads Firstreads program. I have read all of Gin Stephens' books. I'm an intermittent faster and a biohacker. I have long been a proponent of ultra-clean living. For example, I make my own toothpaste with baking soda. I don't use shampoo, and I clean my house with vinegar and baking soda products. I eat organic products, locally-sourced whenever possible. I bike to places instead of driving if I can. So in her new book Clean(ish), Gin Stephens is already preaching to the choir. That being said, I did not find this an effective book, not did I learn anything new from it.
To be fair, it would be very difficult for any author to incorporate so much of the highly technical data regarding toxins and contaminants that infiltrate every microcosm of our existence. The author has put tons of excerpts from scientific literature into the book, and delineates these excerpts by a grey background so you know you're reading someone else's words, not hers. (She does also muddy the field by putting other kinds of data in grey backgrounds too, so that's a poor job of providing clarity, in my opinion. Demerits for that). I have a graduate-level degree in a scientific field and I read the scientific literature all the time for my job. I'm no stranger to complex topics, but to me, this book included too much highly scientific data for the average layperson. However, the portions that are not devoted to the discussion of the scientific data are too simplistic.
The chapters are too long and made me feel bogged down. I would have preferred shorter chapters that were more focused.
There are massive amounts of To Do lists and lists of Recommended Reflections throughout the book. While I applaud the fact that the author wants us to feel empowered and do something with the data she is giving us, I have read plenty of other books about healthy living (e.g. avoiding chemicals in household products or in food) that have included plenty of scientific data, and they haven't bashed me over the head with incessant recommendations about how to process and work with the data. I found the "Reader To Do" portions of the books to be highly overdone and annoying.
In short, I did not find this a successful book. An odd mix of too much detail mixed with oversimplification and much too much Reflection and Take Action segments. I cannot recommend this book to anyone.
To be fair, it would be very difficult for any author to incorporate so much of the highly technical data regarding toxins and contaminants that infiltrate every microcosm of our existence. The author has put tons of excerpts from scientific literature into the book, and delineates these excerpts by a grey background so you know you're reading someone else's words, not hers. (She does also muddy the field by putting other kinds of data in grey backgrounds too, so that's a poor job of providing clarity, in my opinion. Demerits for that). I have a graduate-level degree in a scientific field and I read the scientific literature all the time for my job. I'm no stranger to complex topics, but to me, this book included too much highly scientific data for the average layperson. However, the portions that are not devoted to the discussion of the scientific data are too simplistic.
The chapters are too long and made me feel bogged down. I would have preferred shorter chapters that were more focused.
There are massive amounts of To Do lists and lists of Recommended Reflections throughout the book. While I applaud the fact that the author wants us to feel empowered and do something with the data she is giving us, I have read plenty of other books about healthy living (e.g. avoiding chemicals in household products or in food) that have included plenty of scientific data, and they haven't bashed me over the head with incessant recommendations about how to process and work with the data. I found the "Reader To Do" portions of the books to be highly overdone and annoying.
In short, I did not find this a successful book. An odd mix of too much detail mixed with oversimplification and much too much Reflection and Take Action segments. I cannot recommend this book to anyone.
May 6, 2022
This is Nonfiction/Health. If this was had been written by anyone else, I would have given this 1 star. But....I like the author and everything she stands for. I just didn't care for this book...at all. So for Gin, I added a star (and also for her enthusiasm and passion).
As I listened to the audio, I kept wondering if she knew who her target audience was because it sounded to me like she thought we were all 4th graders who needed to be told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. And plus there was actual homework. Um...no.
The second thing that I didn't like was that this book came across as an infomercial for her website and her podcasts. Sure...mention it once or even a few times...but if Gin took out every reference to her new website, this book could have been 57 pages shorter.
As I listened to the audio, I kept wondering if she knew who her target audience was because it sounded to me like she thought we were all 4th graders who needed to be told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. And plus there was actual homework. Um...no.
The second thing that I didn't like was that this book came across as an infomercial for her website and her podcasts. Sure...mention it once or even a few times...but if Gin took out every reference to her new website, this book could have been 57 pages shorter.
September 2, 2021
I find this straightforward, easy to read, and mostly agreeable. I appreciate how she lays out at the start who the book is not for. I fall closer to some of those categories but still wanted to read the book. My big hangup with the book is the amount of control she gives weight. Weight is not as big an indicator of health as people act like it is. The "Obesity" epidemic is a fabricated reality by pharmaceutical companies, full of shame, and causes more harm than good.
I agree that eating whole foods is better for everyone, but shaming people for their weight is never helpful and a lot of the rhetoric in this book will perpetuate harmful ignorance, stigma, and pain.
I agree that eating whole foods is better for everyone, but shaming people for their weight is never helpful and a lot of the rhetoric in this book will perpetuate harmful ignorance, stigma, and pain.
August 6, 2024
I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is starting their journey to clean eating and clean living. I already knew we needed to avoid all of the ultra processed food that is so prevalent at the grocery store and in fast food. This book gave me a better grasp of how to categorize foods.
The book also put a whole lot of things on my radar that I had not really cared about before. These were things like the products we use in the home (detergents, cleaners, cooking supplies, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, fertilizers, pesticides, the list goes on).
The book emphasizes a gradual and balanced approach to going from the current diet and living conditions to the ideal ones. This involves making swaps that replace poor choices with better choices piecemeal rather than all at once. The book encourages creating a step by step plan for this. The balance emphasis is reflected in the title of the book "Clean(ish)" as opposed to "Clean". In a perfect world we would have a perfect menu and diet. But we live in the real world and that means things don't always work out perfectly. Sometimes you eat out with friends. Sometimes you eat food that isn't the best but it's ok because it is no longer a frequent or main part of your eating.
The book also recommends things that are helpful like the Healthy Living App and several websites that are useful for research. This makes shopping much easier and less overwhelming.
Overall, I highly recommend the book.
The book also put a whole lot of things on my radar that I had not really cared about before. These were things like the products we use in the home (detergents, cleaners, cooking supplies, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, fertilizers, pesticides, the list goes on).
The book emphasizes a gradual and balanced approach to going from the current diet and living conditions to the ideal ones. This involves making swaps that replace poor choices with better choices piecemeal rather than all at once. The book encourages creating a step by step plan for this. The balance emphasis is reflected in the title of the book "Clean(ish)" as opposed to "Clean". In a perfect world we would have a perfect menu and diet. But we live in the real world and that means things don't always work out perfectly. Sometimes you eat out with friends. Sometimes you eat food that isn't the best but it's ok because it is no longer a frequent or main part of your eating.
The book also recommends things that are helpful like the Healthy Living App and several websites that are useful for research. This makes shopping much easier and less overwhelming.
Overall, I highly recommend the book.
May 25, 2022
A lot of repeated information from other health books I've read, however it was a great reminder- I bought the book because I had heard before it's release that it would discuss autophagy (and it did) but not quite to the extent I would have hoped. I also didn't love the journaling part of it.
January 31, 2025
This book was just okay.
There’s definitely more to clean eating than the desire to be thin, which felt like a common theme. Maybe it’s just because I know that intermittent fasting and Whole Foods won’t just fix my weight, but hard work and exercise does too. I just got an ick from the attitude towards obesity. There’s more that goes into it.
I loved the worksheets in each chapter. It was nice to have “homework” and apply these principals to my own life. I will take what I learned and apply it, but this book did not seem life-changing so that’s why only 3 stars.
There’s definitely more to clean eating than the desire to be thin, which felt like a common theme. Maybe it’s just because I know that intermittent fasting and Whole Foods won’t just fix my weight, but hard work and exercise does too. I just got an ick from the attitude towards obesity. There’s more that goes into it.
I loved the worksheets in each chapter. It was nice to have “homework” and apply these principals to my own life. I will take what I learned and apply it, but this book did not seem life-changing so that’s why only 3 stars.
February 3, 2024
Let's talk about readiness. I was more ready in 2024 to read this book than in 2022 when I bought it. I liked the direction Gin took — finding ways to do better without aiming for "perfection," whatever that is!
I seldom buy organic food, but I'm thinking about it. 80% of our meat is wild game and fish and maybe 40% of our produce comes from our garden. We are debt-free and can afford it. I think you have to change your thinking first and plan to spend more money.
The biggest bugaboo is dairy. We've bought raw milk from a couple of farmers in the past; the sad truth is that the shelf life of raw milk isn't very long. After throwing too much away, we stopped that. We tried Fairlife milk, but (besides that it's owned by Coca Cola) does ultra-filtered mean ultra-processed? It could be considered a milk byproduct. How is that healthier? As for butter, do I want to pay 3x as much for Kerrygold butter? I don't doubt that it is healthier, but that's a steep price difference to overcome. I know some would say to dump dairy, but I make milk kefir daily to get the goodness of fermentation. Ideas?
Other areas I want to pursue and personal care products and household cleaning.
This book is staying on my shelf, and I plan to revisit it occasionally to refocus.
I seldom buy organic food, but I'm thinking about it. 80% of our meat is wild game and fish and maybe 40% of our produce comes from our garden. We are debt-free and can afford it. I think you have to change your thinking first and plan to spend more money.
The biggest bugaboo is dairy. We've bought raw milk from a couple of farmers in the past; the sad truth is that the shelf life of raw milk isn't very long. After throwing too much away, we stopped that. We tried Fairlife milk, but (besides that it's owned by Coca Cola) does ultra-filtered mean ultra-processed? It could be considered a milk byproduct. How is that healthier? As for butter, do I want to pay 3x as much for Kerrygold butter? I don't doubt that it is healthier, but that's a steep price difference to overcome. I know some would say to dump dairy, but I make milk kefir daily to get the goodness of fermentation. Ideas?
Other areas I want to pursue and personal care products and household cleaning.
This book is staying on my shelf, and I plan to revisit it occasionally to refocus.
January 6, 2022
Just in time for those with a New Year’s resolution to try to eat better or avoid toxic chemicals in makeup and cleaning products, Clean(ish) is here to help. I really wanted to like the book. Unfortunately, I just didn’t. Here’s why.
1. The author loves to talk about her journey to living clean. A lot. The book seems almost like a memoir at times.
2. There is a multitude of science here. However, the author has no real nutritional or medical credentials. In addition, the science presented reminds me of the Dr. Oz television show. The science is only shown to support the author’s claims. No studies are cited with opposing views.
3. Worst of all, it’s overlong and boring. It boils down to eating organic fruit/veg and whole grains plus using green makeup/cleaning products. You don’t need to read a 432-page book about it.
Clean(ish) was a miss for me so it is not recommended. 2 stars.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
1. The author loves to talk about her journey to living clean. A lot. The book seems almost like a memoir at times.
2. There is a multitude of science here. However, the author has no real nutritional or medical credentials. In addition, the science presented reminds me of the Dr. Oz television show. The science is only shown to support the author’s claims. No studies are cited with opposing views.
3. Worst of all, it’s overlong and boring. It boils down to eating organic fruit/veg and whole grains plus using green makeup/cleaning products. You don’t need to read a 432-page book about it.
Clean(ish) was a miss for me so it is not recommended. 2 stars.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 5, 2022
All of Gin’s books are SO good. Clear cut science, easy to understand and apply, no pressure to have a perfectly clean (impossible!) life & environment. She is REAL LIFE and yet digs into the most recent studies to give the most updated information. IF has changed all aspects of my life. We as a family are focused on the things we love -window worthy- with food and everything else.
October 28, 2023
This book is very dense - lots of information and a bit overwhelming. Its a resource I will come back to a bit at a time, a section at a time. The book goes over toxins found in the home, cleaning and beauty products, and talks a lot about food choices. I skimmed quite a bit, looking for the sections that held the most interest for me right now.
I appreciate that at the end the author provides checklists to help prioritize what steps you want to take to reduce the amount of toxins in your home and diet. I think this is a good supplemental text to use along with other books about natural cleaning and beauty products, clean/whole foods, and green/sustainable living.
I appreciate that at the end the author provides checklists to help prioritize what steps you want to take to reduce the amount of toxins in your home and diet. I think this is a good supplemental text to use along with other books about natural cleaning and beauty products, clean/whole foods, and green/sustainable living.
August 24, 2021
I’ve read Gin Stephens’ other books and quickly picked CLEAN(ISH) up without realizing what it was about. Stephens has written extensively about intermittent fasting and I thought this was more along that vein; it is not. She became interested in removing food dyes and chemicals when she saw profound changes in the behavior of first one young son and then the other. As they neared adolescence, she reverted back to a standard American diet for the entire family, her sons appeared able to tolerate the food but she gained weight. Over time, after she used intermittent fasting to gain comfort with eating, she revisited her choices around chemicals, dyes, and plastics in the home. Her decision was to remove as much as possible and this book explains how she arrived at this decision and how the reader can also. There is a lot of work involved in this lifestyle, at first. Both mentally and then in the actual effort to remove and replace. The author seems quite happy with the results. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 26, 2023
I think this book tries to do too much - and it shows. There's a lot of info here, but little of it is actionable. The author looks at the plethora of chemicals we routinely come into contact with both in our food as well as in our homes. Do I think that we may have contact with some chemicals that adversely affect our health? Likely, but there's also a lot of misinformation out there. Even many 'natural' products have adverse consequences when used inappropriately. Dihydro-monooxygen has adverse effects when used inappropriately, but you can't live without it. (For my non-scientifically inclined friends, that's water.) She admits that the evidence is not always clear and dismisses things that don't fit her view. But I'm not sure that her relative that used artificial sweetener and subsequently developed Parkinson's is anything more than anecdotal. Yes, some people have side effects and intolerances, but there's also coincidences. She asks "Are the two related? [sweetener use and Parkinson's and dementia at age 81] I don't know. The answer could be yes." Of course the answer could be no or maybe yes for some people and no for others. It's not clear. 🙄
She gives a lot of resources so you can evaluate your home and the chemicals you use. She also gives a boatload of Reflections - so that you can work through all the questions. It's really annoying after a while. I realize that she is attempting to empower her readers to find out what works and what they aren't worried about and how they will envision their version of clean.
My other beef with this book is that it spends an inordinate amount of time promoting her *other* books and her podcast. I appreciate that she can't go into depth on some of the topics from her previous books, but quit hammering me with it. Give me a link or reference and LET IT GO.
Some of the actions she recommends:
✅ Avoid eating a lot of highly processed foods and add in more quality nutritious foods.
✅ Avoid questionable chemicals in cleaning and personal care products.
✅ Consider intermittent fasting to encourage 'self-cleaning.'
✅ Sleep better.
✅ Other things that make sense - exercise, sauna, massage - along with a few more woo-woo items like 'earthing' (connecting to the earth via barefoot walking to expedite the 'flow of electrons' into the body and assist in clearing free radicals...🙄)
Quote to remember:
Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.
She gives a lot of resources so you can evaluate your home and the chemicals you use. She also gives a boatload of Reflections - so that you can work through all the questions. It's really annoying after a while. I realize that she is attempting to empower her readers to find out what works and what they aren't worried about and how they will envision their version of clean.
My other beef with this book is that it spends an inordinate amount of time promoting her *other* books and her podcast. I appreciate that she can't go into depth on some of the topics from her previous books, but quit hammering me with it. Give me a link or reference and LET IT GO.
Some of the actions she recommends:
✅ Avoid eating a lot of highly processed foods and add in more quality nutritious foods.
✅ Avoid questionable chemicals in cleaning and personal care products.
✅ Consider intermittent fasting to encourage 'self-cleaning.'
✅ Sleep better.
✅ Other things that make sense - exercise, sauna, massage - along with a few more woo-woo items like 'earthing' (connecting to the earth via barefoot walking to expedite the 'flow of electrons' into the body and assist in clearing free radicals...🙄)
Quote to remember:
Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.
January 30, 2022
I didn’t get as much out of it as I was hoping. The “Live (Mainly) Clean” chapter was particularly frustrating because many of the suggestions are pretty expensive and, for me, unrealistic. She brings things back around to more comfortable changes and pacing in the “Choose your Clean(ish) Timeline,” but still many of the suggestions just won’t work for me. Also, I’m not sure how many of her suggested changes will work for the average person as they require both time and money.
I’ll make some of the suggested adjustments, and Gin is pretty positive in her approach that some change is better than no change personally and for the environment. And, the resources and apps noted in the book will be helpful.
This book does make it very clear that being clean or even just “cleanish” in the U.S. today is neither easy nor inexpensive.
The book is definitely written to be used with journaling, and if I’d taken more time and followed through with the journal topics, I might have found the book more helpful. Also, a group reading or a book club experience would be beneficial, and I know Gin offers this type of activity on her site, but at this point, I wasn’t ready to participate.
I’ll make some of the suggested adjustments, and Gin is pretty positive in her approach that some change is better than no change personally and for the environment. And, the resources and apps noted in the book will be helpful.
This book does make it very clear that being clean or even just “cleanish” in the U.S. today is neither easy nor inexpensive.
The book is definitely written to be used with journaling, and if I’d taken more time and followed through with the journal topics, I might have found the book more helpful. Also, a group reading or a book club experience would be beneficial, and I know Gin offers this type of activity on her site, but at this point, I wasn’t ready to participate.
April 4, 2024
I liked this book more than I was expecting. The title caught my eye at the library. I almost returned it without reading, but I’m glad I didn't. It was a great reminder about why I try to live a natural, healthy lifestyle and how it doesn't have to be perfect. It can be so hard to find that balance sometimes in making good choices but not being obsessed or living in fear. I found most of it very encouraging and helpful.
February 1, 2023
I would definitely recommend for a beginner to the idea of clean living. A lot of repeated information and "tasks to do" to live a more clean lifestyle. I did not find it very helpful for myself as I have been at this to varying degrees over the years.
February 24, 2023
I did not care for this book at all. I was surprised especially because I’ve enjoyed Gins fasting books. Very elementary book about clean living from foods you eat to deodorant you use.
March 31, 2022
The first 2 parts are excellent! The 3rd is redundant, repetitive.
January 4, 2022
I lead a pretty strict clean eating lifestyle. There wasn't a lot of new information for me to learn in this book, but I felt like the author did a good job of reinforcing the information I already knew. It's always good to have a reminder of why I am eating the way that I do. I thought this book would be great for someone just starting out into the lifestyle. I love that the author teaches readers to make small, slow changes. That's how I originally moved into my current lifestyle. That is doable. Huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
January 3, 2022
This is a great resource guide for anyone looking to learn more about clean living or make some improvements to their life.
September 7, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review...and while I really hate to give bad reviews, this one did not do it for me at all. In fact, there were so many times I actually had to stop reading because it got on my nerves so much...it definitely took me longer to read than normal because I had to keep stopping. I think I could only do ten minutes a night or so. I have not read any other books by this author but I was really drawn to what it was about...and I would like to live a cleaner life than I do...but her writing style did not mesh with me at all...I felt like she was pushy and repetitive...basically preaching and almost yelling at times, it felt like. And there were SO many lists and to do items that said the exact same things, it started to make me angry while I was reading...I don't know if it was just the fact that it didn't translate well into digital or what but I honestly feel like the book could have been cut in half...when I opened it up and it said it would be over 7 hours, I just about changed my mind right then and there...
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January 15, 2024This book kinda missed the mark for me. I have read Gin Stephens other fasting books and have loved them, especially Fast, Feast, Repeat (life changing). This book basically is her & her families journey with eating cleaner foods and using products with cleaner ingredients. You don't have to do it perfectly, but what works for you and your family, hint the clean(ish) in the title. This information isn't something new for me but it did serve as a good reminder. If someone was just getting into eating cleaner and using cleaner household and body products, this may be a good jumping off point.
July 28, 2022
I love Gin Stephens but this book didn’t do it for me. Pretty much read aabout everything she lists. Prob good for someone who knows nothing about chemicals. I feel like some other authors have already tackled these issues in the same way. DNF at 25%.
January 17, 2022
Excellent! I was overwhelmed at first, but Gin takes such a down to earth and pragmatic approach, it is ultimately empowering. Great information based on science and great research.
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April 10, 2022Leading a clean lifestyle entails making wise choices at the grocery store and at home. Taking many small, manageable steps can have the enormous effect of cleaning the toxins right out of your life – leaving you happier, healthier, and lighter.
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Small lifestyle changes can lead to huge results – but compassion and patience are key.
Now that we know what to eat, let’s take a quick look at how to eat. Gin Stephens is a huge advocate of intermittent fasting.
You’ve probably heard of intermittent fasting. In case you haven’t, you basically set a time window for the hours that you can eat in. Most people go 16 hours without eating, so, for example, you could eat breakfast at 11 a.m. and stop eating by 7 p.m. Outside of those times, you limit yourself to water, black coffee, or plain tea.
There’s evidence that intermittent fasting can actually stop tumors from forming. And it cleans up the protein buildup in your brain – which is what leads to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Part of what makes intermittent fasting so successful is that it stimulates a process called autophagy. Autophagy is kind of like the recycling and clean up process in the body that takes place at a cellular level. When that doesn’t happen properly it ages us faster and puts us at risk for various diseases.
We can stimulate autophagy by restricting calories, exercising, and getting high quality sleep.
Sleep is that powerful tool that we know is essential for cleaning up our brain – but, still, way too many of us neglect. We need to give our brain the chance to restore and rejuvenate.
A lot of us still struggle with sleeping. If that’s you, it might help to avoid caffeine in the afternoons and evenings, find and stick to a regular sleep routine, and make sure to keep your room dark, cool and quiet.
We’ve been talking a lot about restriction and avoidance. So, here’s one really pleasant way to cleanse: walking barefoot outdoors. You can do this on the soil, grass, or sand. This is a process called “earthing” and when we do it electrons flow into our bodies, acting as antioxidants and neutralizing free radicals. This ends up decreasing inflammation and increasing immunity. Which keeps us healthy!
Again, keep in mind that the key to success in all of this clean living advice lies in the “-ish.”
It won’t be possible to be perfect all the time but we can organize our lives to make it easier to be mindful about food.
There’s a few simple things we can do:
Try to buy basic ingredients and foods in season and in bulk; frozen or canned food can be just as nutritious and they last a long time. Gin, the author, chooses to do this by stocking her freezer with nutritious staples and ordering from meal kit delivery companies.
Another thing would be to try and swap out ingredients, such as processed sugar. If you’re cooking or baking something, you could use honey, maple syrup, or blackstrap molasses.
And then decide what it is that you can just cut out entirely. Maybe soda and sweetened beverages. From a health perspective, there aren’t a lot of arguments to be made about why you should drink them.
But remember: if you are dining out or enjoying something, just do it without guilt. Gin – who’s spent a lot of time looking into clean living – explains that there’s still nothing that replaces Duke’s mayonnaise or regular deodorant for her.
And she makes the good point that practicing guilt trips and negative self-talk can’t be the answer. Eating clean-ish shouldn’t become an obsession that restricts your life, or makes you judge yourself or your body negatively. This journey is not one of fear and obsession, but one that requires forgiveness, compassion, grace.
---
Small lifestyle changes can lead to huge results – but compassion and patience are key.
Now that we know what to eat, let’s take a quick look at how to eat. Gin Stephens is a huge advocate of intermittent fasting.
You’ve probably heard of intermittent fasting. In case you haven’t, you basically set a time window for the hours that you can eat in. Most people go 16 hours without eating, so, for example, you could eat breakfast at 11 a.m. and stop eating by 7 p.m. Outside of those times, you limit yourself to water, black coffee, or plain tea.
There’s evidence that intermittent fasting can actually stop tumors from forming. And it cleans up the protein buildup in your brain – which is what leads to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Part of what makes intermittent fasting so successful is that it stimulates a process called autophagy. Autophagy is kind of like the recycling and clean up process in the body that takes place at a cellular level. When that doesn’t happen properly it ages us faster and puts us at risk for various diseases.
We can stimulate autophagy by restricting calories, exercising, and getting high quality sleep.
Sleep is that powerful tool that we know is essential for cleaning up our brain – but, still, way too many of us neglect. We need to give our brain the chance to restore and rejuvenate.
A lot of us still struggle with sleeping. If that’s you, it might help to avoid caffeine in the afternoons and evenings, find and stick to a regular sleep routine, and make sure to keep your room dark, cool and quiet.
We’ve been talking a lot about restriction and avoidance. So, here’s one really pleasant way to cleanse: walking barefoot outdoors. You can do this on the soil, grass, or sand. This is a process called “earthing” and when we do it electrons flow into our bodies, acting as antioxidants and neutralizing free radicals. This ends up decreasing inflammation and increasing immunity. Which keeps us healthy!
Again, keep in mind that the key to success in all of this clean living advice lies in the “-ish.”
It won’t be possible to be perfect all the time but we can organize our lives to make it easier to be mindful about food.
There’s a few simple things we can do:
Try to buy basic ingredients and foods in season and in bulk; frozen or canned food can be just as nutritious and they last a long time. Gin, the author, chooses to do this by stocking her freezer with nutritious staples and ordering from meal kit delivery companies.
Another thing would be to try and swap out ingredients, such as processed sugar. If you’re cooking or baking something, you could use honey, maple syrup, or blackstrap molasses.
And then decide what it is that you can just cut out entirely. Maybe soda and sweetened beverages. From a health perspective, there aren’t a lot of arguments to be made about why you should drink them.
But remember: if you are dining out or enjoying something, just do it without guilt. Gin – who’s spent a lot of time looking into clean living – explains that there’s still nothing that replaces Duke’s mayonnaise or regular deodorant for her.
And she makes the good point that practicing guilt trips and negative self-talk can’t be the answer. Eating clean-ish shouldn’t become an obsession that restricts your life, or makes you judge yourself or your body negatively. This journey is not one of fear and obsession, but one that requires forgiveness, compassion, grace.
March 5, 2022
Clean(ish): Eat (Mostly) Clean, Live (Mainly) Clean, and Unlock Your Body's Natural Ability to Self-Clean by Gin Stephens 432 pages 11 hours and 1 minute read by author
Genre: Nonfiction, Health, Food, Self-Help
Featuring: Government Corruption, Education, Toxins, Toxicants, Greenwashing, Mystery Labels, Anonymous Brands, Compromise, Foods and Not Foods, Orthorexia, Household Cleaners, Dont Ask what's in the Wedding Cake, Choose Your Own Adventure, The Real Smell of Clean, Read My Book, Journaling, Homework, Reread & Review
Rating as a movie: PG-13 for educational elements
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Quotes: "Remember this, no stress you have plenty of time to do this right."
My thoughts: 11% - Wow! So I can't believe she didn't know McDonald's wasn't nutritious, and I'm blown away by her red dye experience. 12% - 🤯🤯🤯I have heard from JJ Smith that we are surrounded by chemicals, but she didn't mention that our beauty products are more toxic than our cleaning supplies. The most dangerous product tested was a children's shampoo marketed to people of color. I wish she'd name the brands because all I can think of is Just For Me and Baby Love.
20% - I have heard this before but not with this much depth. The shampoo was in a kiddie relaxer I bet it was Just For Me, but I know they had competitors. I no longer feel guilty about not being body spray crazy.
52% - A journal is needed for all of this information. I will be purchasing this book.
89% - This is a bit overwhelming despite the relaxed approach.
I'm buying this book. One of the best books I have read on this topic. It has plenty of information without using scare tactics. I highly recommend everyone read this book. You don't have to finish it, there is even a screening at the beginning of the book. I was disappointed there was no separate journal for this book but there are questions in the book. I will have to read Fast. Feast. Repeat, she had a chapter on it, abd although I'm familiar with intermittent fasting, she sparked my interest. In a nutshell this the perfect book for someone who want to reduce the attack on their liver from our current environment but isn't giving up Oreos.
Recommend to others?: Yes! Even if you don't want to change your lifestyle at all, it's worth it just for the history and studies.
Genre: Nonfiction, Health, Food, Self-Help
Featuring: Government Corruption, Education, Toxins, Toxicants, Greenwashing, Mystery Labels, Anonymous Brands, Compromise, Foods and Not Foods, Orthorexia, Household Cleaners, Dont Ask what's in the Wedding Cake, Choose Your Own Adventure, The Real Smell of Clean, Read My Book, Journaling, Homework, Reread & Review
Rating as a movie: PG-13 for educational elements
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Quotes: "Remember this, no stress you have plenty of time to do this right."
My thoughts: 11% - Wow! So I can't believe she didn't know McDonald's wasn't nutritious, and I'm blown away by her red dye experience. 12% - 🤯🤯🤯I have heard from JJ Smith that we are surrounded by chemicals, but she didn't mention that our beauty products are more toxic than our cleaning supplies. The most dangerous product tested was a children's shampoo marketed to people of color. I wish she'd name the brands because all I can think of is Just For Me and Baby Love.
20% - I have heard this before but not with this much depth. The shampoo was in a kiddie relaxer I bet it was Just For Me, but I know they had competitors. I no longer feel guilty about not being body spray crazy.
52% - A journal is needed for all of this information. I will be purchasing this book.
89% - This is a bit overwhelming despite the relaxed approach.
I'm buying this book. One of the best books I have read on this topic. It has plenty of information without using scare tactics. I highly recommend everyone read this book. You don't have to finish it, there is even a screening at the beginning of the book. I was disappointed there was no separate journal for this book but there are questions in the book. I will have to read Fast. Feast. Repeat, she had a chapter on it, abd although I'm familiar with intermittent fasting, she sparked my interest. In a nutshell this the perfect book for someone who want to reduce the attack on their liver from our current environment but isn't giving up Oreos.
Recommend to others?: Yes! Even if you don't want to change your lifestyle at all, it's worth it just for the history and studies.
July 28, 2022
I can‘t deny that ever since i read Fast Feast Repeat i am a fan of Gin Stephens. She just has a very personable way of sharing vital information about how our bodies work and what they need - especially in modern times like ours. While we think we are living such an advanced life - which may be true in some aspects- we also have lost sight of our roots as animals and how our body tells us exactly what it needs. I suppose the best example i have personally is when i am sick and basically lay in bed until i am thirsty or hungry. My body signals that it needs something, i go get it and back to bed. Technically this is how it should be with eating. I always wondered about and never quite adjusted to the three meals a day plus snacks in between approach. But also i know i am a bored eater and an emotional eater and lets not forget once a month - that week is a no-go in any „diet“ plan.
So after implementing intermittent fasting into my life and seeing amazing results just alone with digestive issues i had - they disappeared - you could say that i had to read clean(ish) just because it’s Gin Stephens we are talking about.
As i have been on a journey to better my physical but also mental health i have taken a few steps along the way and this book is one of them. An eye opener or rather - shoving the dark reality of the food industry into your consciousness- clean(ish) digs deep into what types of traps we follow into in our day to day lives. Worst of all greenwashing! This book makes you angry, you will catch yourself admitting to have done a lot of the stupid things the industry wants us to do and you will be given resources- tons of resources- to broaden your horizon even further and gather more perspectives and information of (almost) all parts of daily living. I for sure will return this copy back to the library with the intend on buying my own and believe that everyone should read this book or listen to it as an audiobook. I believe it has given me the tools to live a healthier life without making me feel that it’s an impossible task. And as i was reading i already made a few better, healthier choices!
As Gin says: Here’s to your good health!
So after implementing intermittent fasting into my life and seeing amazing results just alone with digestive issues i had - they disappeared - you could say that i had to read clean(ish) just because it’s Gin Stephens we are talking about.
As i have been on a journey to better my physical but also mental health i have taken a few steps along the way and this book is one of them. An eye opener or rather - shoving the dark reality of the food industry into your consciousness- clean(ish) digs deep into what types of traps we follow into in our day to day lives. Worst of all greenwashing! This book makes you angry, you will catch yourself admitting to have done a lot of the stupid things the industry wants us to do and you will be given resources- tons of resources- to broaden your horizon even further and gather more perspectives and information of (almost) all parts of daily living. I for sure will return this copy back to the library with the intend on buying my own and believe that everyone should read this book or listen to it as an audiobook. I believe it has given me the tools to live a healthier life without making me feel that it’s an impossible task. And as i was reading i already made a few better, healthier choices!
As Gin says: Here’s to your good health!
February 6, 2022
Subject of this book is kind a natural course of things after making lifestyle changes such as intermittent fasting. I guess that is why I was in a good state of mind to listen to this audiobook. I started it shortly after finished Fast Feast Repeat and as new IF-er (5 months).
Book is readable, easy going, Gin is so good at presenting so many scientific data in normal language understandable and kind and funny. I am glad to had a chance to get all these info inside of book and not needing to research by myself or read some complicated texts.
All has a lot sense, but... before the end of book it started to be to overwhelming to me with all action plans and when beside foods, shampoos, hygiene supplies - she even mentioned changing of pans and pots... than also info about heavy metals flying with house dust... too much for me at the moment.
I recognize the need to learn more on topic, or even to read this (or some other) book again, I am aware that now I am overwhelmed with all data, but somehow general impression is below 5 starts.
I guess book is a bit longer that it should be, she repeats herself with action plans such as take out all the food (or detergents or...), see what you wish to use till the end, see what products you wish to have as replacement... to much repeating. Maybe this was tactical as teacher to be helpful, but for me was exhausting and kind of forcing... like after reading the book I must change my life completely. Rationally I know that she did not mean to sound like that, but this is how it was getting to me... :-(
One more thing, book is, I guess; much more practically useful in America as she mentions web sites and organizations who certificate products or at least classify them according environmental acceptability, but this is not practically so useful in Europe or around the world I guess.
In any case this is a good book, there is so much to learn for someone who is just introducing inside the topic like me. I like Gins voice and style and it was not waste of time for sure.
Book is readable, easy going, Gin is so good at presenting so many scientific data in normal language understandable and kind and funny. I am glad to had a chance to get all these info inside of book and not needing to research by myself or read some complicated texts.
All has a lot sense, but... before the end of book it started to be to overwhelming to me with all action plans and when beside foods, shampoos, hygiene supplies - she even mentioned changing of pans and pots... than also info about heavy metals flying with house dust... too much for me at the moment.
I recognize the need to learn more on topic, or even to read this (or some other) book again, I am aware that now I am overwhelmed with all data, but somehow general impression is below 5 starts.
I guess book is a bit longer that it should be, she repeats herself with action plans such as take out all the food (or detergents or...), see what you wish to use till the end, see what products you wish to have as replacement... to much repeating. Maybe this was tactical as teacher to be helpful, but for me was exhausting and kind of forcing... like after reading the book I must change my life completely. Rationally I know that she did not mean to sound like that, but this is how it was getting to me... :-(
One more thing, book is, I guess; much more practically useful in America as she mentions web sites and organizations who certificate products or at least classify them according environmental acceptability, but this is not practically so useful in Europe or around the world I guess.
In any case this is a good book, there is so much to learn for someone who is just introducing inside the topic like me. I like Gins voice and style and it was not waste of time for sure.
November 19, 2021
This is a broad guide to supporting health by reducing the amount of damaging things that go into our bodies (through food and environment), increasing the amount of healthful things we put into our bodies, and supporting our bodies' ability to clean, repair, and heal itself.
What worked for me:
--An acknowledgment that food is meant to be enjoyed. This is no austere "eat to live" guide, but instead operates from the premise that food is pleasurable, celebratory, etc.
--A focus on a personal approach, acknowledging that everyone has different preferences, needs, and values.
--Lots of practical advice. Instead of just introducing concepts, the author provides tips, resources, and exercises to help the reader integrate the ideas into their lives.
What I had concerns about:
--Some vestigial fatphobia/diet culture. There seems to be an unchallenged assumption that thinner=better. The author spends a few paragraphs crowing about her current pant size.
--Some meanders into woo-woo. I totally buy the premise of a whole foods, plant-based diet. I'm less convinced about my need to connect to the electromagnetic energy of the earth.
--Unsubstantiated claims. There were many times the author said a variation of "Can I prove this? No, but it feels true to me." which is their prerogative, but readers should evaluate critically.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
What worked for me:
--An acknowledgment that food is meant to be enjoyed. This is no austere "eat to live" guide, but instead operates from the premise that food is pleasurable, celebratory, etc.
--A focus on a personal approach, acknowledging that everyone has different preferences, needs, and values.
--Lots of practical advice. Instead of just introducing concepts, the author provides tips, resources, and exercises to help the reader integrate the ideas into their lives.
What I had concerns about:
--Some vestigial fatphobia/diet culture. There seems to be an unchallenged assumption that thinner=better. The author spends a few paragraphs crowing about her current pant size.
--Some meanders into woo-woo. I totally buy the premise of a whole foods, plant-based diet. I'm less convinced about my need to connect to the electromagnetic energy of the earth.
--Unsubstantiated claims. There were many times the author said a variation of "Can I prove this? No, but it feels true to me." which is their prerogative, but readers should evaluate critically.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
November 17, 2021
Clean(ish) is a refreshing take on the 'self-improvement through healthy living' bandwagon! Gin Stephens has a realistic, doable approach to reducing the toxic load our food and environment have on our bodies that allows for a less than perfect implementation.
Ms. Stephens is not a scientist, nor is she a doctor or a nutritionist. What she is is a mother and a teacher who realized that the chemicals in our diets and environment have adverse effects on our bodies. She is also an extensive researcher. The teacher side of her comes through loud and clear in Clean(ish), as she takes hundreds of scholarly articles and research studies, pulls them all together and explains what they mean to the average person in language that is easily understood.
Each chapter ends with an assignment to assess your own home/fridge/pantry, using the information given. The assignments are a valuable part of the book, and are easy to do, taking only a few minutes to complete.
I am blown away by this book about cleaning up the way you eat and how you clean your home that takes a sane approach and preaches an imperfect implementation. Finally, someone gets it--every step taken in a positive direction is a good thing!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions in this review are my own.
Ms. Stephens is not a scientist, nor is she a doctor or a nutritionist. What she is is a mother and a teacher who realized that the chemicals in our diets and environment have adverse effects on our bodies. She is also an extensive researcher. The teacher side of her comes through loud and clear in Clean(ish), as she takes hundreds of scholarly articles and research studies, pulls them all together and explains what they mean to the average person in language that is easily understood.
Each chapter ends with an assignment to assess your own home/fridge/pantry, using the information given. The assignments are a valuable part of the book, and are easy to do, taking only a few minutes to complete.
I am blown away by this book about cleaning up the way you eat and how you clean your home that takes a sane approach and preaches an imperfect implementation. Finally, someone gets it--every step taken in a positive direction is a good thing!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions in this review are my own.
January 22, 2022
Trying to eat and live a clean lifestyle can seem overwhelming with too many prohibitions. In this book, Gin Stephens suggests that being even moderately clean has its benefits. She argues strongly for intermittent fasting as a way to help your body eliminate toxins (and lose weight). To be honest, I found the section on intermittent fasting most interesting, so I should probably read her first book on that subject.
Although Stephens means for this book to be reassuring, it still made me really anxious. Most days I’m barely getting by and while I know I should be eating more natural ingredients, shopping and cooking is still a challenge. Getting food on the table is achievement enough.
Others may react to this book differently. She refers readers to her website quite often, which I found off putting, but like I said, she intends to reassure readers that even making small, lifestyle changes can have big rewards. It did seem overly long with too many references to her own life, but beneficial overall. #cleanish #netgalley
Although Stephens means for this book to be reassuring, it still made me really anxious. Most days I’m barely getting by and while I know I should be eating more natural ingredients, shopping and cooking is still a challenge. Getting food on the table is achievement enough.
Others may react to this book differently. She refers readers to her website quite often, which I found off putting, but like I said, she intends to reassure readers that even making small, lifestyle changes can have big rewards. It did seem overly long with too many references to her own life, but beneficial overall. #cleanish #netgalley
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