
Before I filmed OVERLOAD: America’s Toxic Love Story I think I was like most consumers, believing that if something was on store shelves, it had been tested and regulated as safe for human and environmental health, that some government entity or the brands themselves were watching out for us. When I learned that the average American is exposed to hundreds of hormone-mimicking toxins in our daily lives through products we use and food we eat and that there is actually little – if any – protection for us, I felt angry.
I went down the Google rabbit hole and that’s when I, as a 33-year-old wanting to be a mama one day, learned the fact that sprung me into action and into the journey that led me to where I am today — babies in the United States are born with over 200 synthetic chemicals in their bodies. They are born contaminated with plastics, pesticides and flame retardants off-loaded from their mothers right into what we have always considered this pristine, fresh start of life. Shocked, and already facing potential fertility issues, I was compelled to see if I could impact my health and my exposure to everyday chemicals, so one day I could impact what my future child would be exposed to as well.
I learned it IS possible to hit a proverbial reset button by buying smarter, eating a cleaner diet and being my own advocate. Not only did I hugely impact my body burden and continued exposure to toxins, but I also went from virtually infertile with minimal eggs to pregnant during post production on the film. Does it piss me off that I have to be some sort of chemist when I go to the store, that I need to be on the defense when shopping for myself and my family? Absolutely. But knowing what I know now, what I continue to learn, and the amount of people who ask me daily what orgs I follow, what shopping apps I use, what I eat, what makeup I buy and how I clean my home, I realized that I needed to continue the conversation after my film was done.
OVERLOAD is something I want to inspire you, NOT something I want to have you taking notes while watching! In my opinion, there can only be so much information retained after seeing a documentary like mine. I created this site to be a toolkit and resource, a place to continue the conversation. It’s a space where I share the products I use, shortcuts I have figured out and a connection to the info and orgs that help me live a cleaner and greener life.
I will continue to build this site to share more information including tips, videos, and buying guides of my favorite products – products I actually use and love. It’s not that hard to avoid a lot of exposures once you know easy ways to do it and the right products to use. What started as a desire to see if I could carry less toxins in my body has become my way of life and I look forward to sharing it with you!