We posted a reel on Instagram & Facebook about the viral clay crockpot sensation. It took us back to this photo of Mama Z, pregnant over 18 years ago, cooking eggs in the tiny kitchen of our condo on our teflon non-stick pans, long before “PFAS-free” showed up in anyone’s feed (because there was no feed!). 😉
We didn’t start with perfect cookware.
We started with first things first, and that’s what this article is about…
Millions of moms just experienced a version of this on Instagram…
You were up late, the kids were finally asleep, and you were scrolling for one good thing you could do for your family before the holidays hit.
Then a reel stopped you cold. A beautiful clay slow cooker sat on a clean counter while a calm voice explained that the pot you have used for years could be leaching forever chemicals into dinner.
By the end of the video your heart was racing a little, and by the end of the night it was sitting in your cart next to a set of glass storage jars.
We understand that moment, because our own feed has been full of that slow cooker, and the posts keep multiplying.
Your heart was in the right place, and we want to say that first.
Because spending a bunch of money going “forever chemical” and PFAS-free is a good goal but an unwise first step.
The reason why might change how you spend the next year of your health.
A new slow cooker will not fix your hormones, your mood, your marriage, or your cravings. What you stop eating and breathing every day can.
The Apostle Paul put it this way…
“I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready.” — 1 Corinthians 3:2
He understood something the wellness world has forgotten: there is an order to maturity, in our faith and in our health, and you cannot skip to the end of it.
Hence Dr. Z’s rant on Instagram & Facebook…
Here are 5 viral health lies worth reconsidering in light of Scripture before you spend another dollar out of fear…
Need a quiet moment with God before you dive in? Start with this short prayer…
1. Going PFAS-Free Is NOT Where Your Health Journey Starts
Viral Lie: “If you love your family and value your health, you need to throw out your cookware NOW.”
“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” — Proverbs 14:15
Warning: A purchase made in fear is usually a detour that costs money and changes nothing you can feel.
To be clear, we’re 100% against forever chemicals and try to avoid them the best we can. They’re bad news…
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are the “forever chemicals” behind traditional nonstick coatings, and they earned that name because they do not break down easily in the environment or in the body.
Research has linked them to hormone disruption, higher cholesterol, certain cancers and a long list of other concerns, so we are not dismissing any of it, and we do think lowering your exposure over time is wise.
But here is what we keep seeing…
A well-meaning mom watches a convincing video, fear kicks in, she buys PFAS-free cookware, but she doesn’t change the food that she’s cooking it in.
We’d much rather you upgrade your food FIRST, then your cookware because the ingredients in your food (and the nutritional value in those food items) will impact your health TODAY more than the thing you’re cooking it in. Make sense?
Some of these slow cookers cost several hundred dollars, and none of them will magically convert everything into a health food.
Fear makes a terrible shopping list, because it sends us after whatever looks scariest instead of whatever is hurting us most (2 Timothy 1:7).
2. You Can NOT Live PFAS-Free If You Buy the Right Things
Viral Lie: “Going PFAS-Free is the goal to strive for.”
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” — Romans 8:22
Warning: You cannot buy your way out of a fallen world, and anyone who promises you a forever-chemical-free life is selling an unrealistic outcome.
Here’s some reasons why:
The CDC confirms something most people don’t know: nearly all people in the U.S. have forever chemicals in their blood.
Researchers at Stockholm University have discovered forever chemicals in rainwater and snow around the globe, even in Antarctica and on the Tibetan Plateau! The conclusion? Don’t let your kids drink rainwater out of the sky anymore, it’s not what it was in the 80s.
Researchers at Notre Dame found high levels of fluorine, a marker for PFAS, in about 50% of the cosmetics they tested (foundations, eye products, and mascaras).
A 2022 study of children’s products found PFAS in items labeled water- or stain-resistant, and the highest level turned up in school uniform shirts!
Our kids wear school uniforms, y’all. There’s no avoiding forever chemicals.
But that doesn’t mean that we fill a bathtub up with PFAS and soak in it, right?
Bottom line: while millions of concerned Christian moms on Instagram worry about a slow cooker, their makeup bag, stain-guarded couch, and kids’ rain gear sit in the same house.
We tell you this not to scare you, but so you can stop chasing a finish line that does not exist and start lowering your load wisely, one season at a time.
It’s not one big thing making you sick. Here’s how a thousand small ones add up, and why that’s good news…
“I’m grateful to be here, receiving encouragement, recipes, and whole-body transformation. Even after trying times, I trust you and Mama Z. The spiritual aspect completes the system: body, soul, and spirit.”
— Ellen D.
3. Glass Jars Do NOT Make Your Food Safe
Viral Lie: “Plastics are endocrine disruptors so store your food in glass and you’re protecting your body.”
“but test everything; hold fast what is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Warning: Glass is a good material, but pouring food that already lived in plastic into a pretty jar does not undo where it has been.
This is a hard one for people to accept because EVERYTHING is in plastic today.
Every. Thing.
Look at what you plan to put in those jars. Your gluten-free breads, pastas, cereals, rice, snacks, nuts, your fruits and veggies, even your meat came home wrapped in plastic.
Don’t hate us if you just dropped $200 on glassware. We’re all about glass and natural materials (when feasible), but with 7 kids that’s not safe because they drop stuff all the time.
Especially in the pantry.
Because decanting pantry staples stored in plastic when you bought it, and putting them into glass is decoration rather than detox.
Where glass earns its place is with cold and heat, because extreme temperatures are the big driver of chemicals moving out of plastic and into food.
If you make some plastic change this year:
Stop microwaving in plastic
Stop pouring hot leftovers into plastic containers
Store refrigerator and freezer leftovers in glass if you can
Because these habits matter more than a pantry full of matching jars because heat causes plastic to leach into your food, and frozen microplastics tend to break off and contaminate your food more than room temp.
4. If They Can Do It All, You Should NOT Model Your Life After Them
Viral Lie: “The women with the perfect non-toxic kitchens did it all at once, and so should you.”
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” — Luke 10:41-42
Warning: Comparing your first year to someone else’s tenth year is a fast way to burn out and quit.
We love the swap accounts and the crunchy moms, and many of them share wonderful information. But a lot of these women are years ahead of you, they have already swapped out the basics, and their health is in a good place, so now they are working on intermediate and advanced strategies.
PFAS-free cookware is one of those strategies. It is solid food, and if you are still living on sugar and scented candles, you need milk first.
When people look at our family and say, “We could never do what you do,” we tell them they are right, at least not yet.
We’ve been studying and living this since 2003, and we have walked it out together since we married in 2006, so we want to help you fast-track it without banging your head against the wall for 10 or 15 years like we did.
“Thank you so much for everything you all do, and especially today for the Scriptures. I really needed those today.”
— Mary G.
5. Long-Term Toxins Are NOT Your Biggest Problem Today
Viral Lie: “Forever chemicals are disrupting your hormones, so eliminating PFAS should be your top priority.”
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” — Matthew 6:34
Warning: Protecting your long-term health matters, but don’t overlook what’s making you miserable TODAY.
Since 2003, we’ve been helping families understand a simple truth: What you eat, drink, and breathe every day deserves attention before the latest viral health swap.
That’s why we encourage people to start with our Three Non-Negotiables:
White processed sugar
Dairy and conventional grains
Artificial fragrance
We’re not minimizing PFAS exposure. But while its health effects are generally associated with long-term exposure, certain foods and fragrances can trigger noticeable symptoms much sooner in susceptible people.
We’ve helped thousands of people make dietary and household changes, and we’ve seen how addressing individual triggers can make a meaningful difference in bloating, headaches, skin problems, and overall well-being.
And that’s the point. When you start feeling better TODAY, you have more energy, clarity, and motivation to tackle the next level of healthy living.
Think about it. It’s hard to prioritize reducing your risk of cancer or heart disease decades from now when you’re struggling to get through today.
So before spending hundreds on a PFAS-free slow cooker, ask yourself:
Are you sleeping well and waking up rested?
Is your intimacy with your spouse suffering?
Are you battling afternoon brain fog?
Are you living with chronic pain?
Are you irritable, anxious, or exhausted?
Are cravings controlling your eating habits?
Do you need several cups of coffee just to function?
These are the problems that deserve your attention right NOW.
A new slow cooker isn’t going to fix your marriage, restore your energy, or solve your cravings.
Our philosophy is simple: Address what’s hurting you today while building habits that protect your tomorrow.
Start there. Feel better.
Build momentum. Then tackle the more advanced strategies, including reducing forever chemicals and microplastics.
First things first.
Here are the three things we refuse to let back into our home, no matter how many birthday parties try to sneak them past the front door…
Milk Before Solid Food
“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” — Hebrews 5:14
Here is the framework we have lived by, and it is simple enough to start tonight: do what you can, then advance gradually as each step becomes a habit.
Stage 1: Feel Better TODAY. Eliminate white processed sugar, artificial fragrance, and foods that trigger inflammation or digestive symptoms (especially conventional dairy and grains if they bother you). Start by unplugging air fresheners, putting away scented candles, and switching to fragrance-free laundry detergent.
Stage 2: Build the Foundation. Go room by room and replace fragranced personal care and cleaning products as they run out. Think dryer sheets, fabric softeners, perfume, body wash, lotion, and household sprays. Choose genuinely fragrance-free alternatives, not products that simply advertise themselves as “natural.” Follow the heat rule with plastics, too.
Stage 3: Go Deeper. Upgrade your cookware, replace water- and stain-resistant items with untreated alternatives as they wear out, and gradually reduce other sources of PFAS and microplastics. This is where PFAS-free cooking belongs.
Protect your sleep, prayer life, and daily movement, too. These foundational habits can make a noticeable difference in how you feel.
Every stage costs a little more money and effort than the one before it, and swapping everything out takes years. That is okay, because God is far more interested in your faithfulness than your speed.
One word on the label has been hiding the truth from Christian mothers for 50 years. Start with this one…
So before you buy the slow cooker, ask yourself one honest question: is this milk or solid food for me right now?
A Prayer for You. 🙏
Heavenly Father, thank You for the body You gave us and for the families You have entrusted to our care.
Forgive us for the times we have let fear write our shopping lists and let the loudest voice in our feed decide what matters most.
Give us wisdom to see what is hurting us today, and courage to lay it down, even when it is the sugar in our pantry or the fragrance in our home.
Teach us to grow the way You designed, milk before solid food, and help us steward these bodies well, for Your glory and for the abundant life Jesus came to give us.
Amen.
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Your Bible Health Swap This Week
#027: The First Things First Toolkit
This week’s Swap includes the printable First Things First Health Ladder, the Today Check, the Before You Buy Filter, the Temperate Rule for Plastic, and the God-Designed Fiber Habit You Need to Know.
One Swap this week. One faithful step. A transformed life.
Learn more about the Bible Health Transformation Journey and start wherever you are.
“It has truly been amazing for me and my family as we find natural and Biblical ways to improve our health and wellbeing in our home.”
— Wendy J.
