‘The Wellness Process’ Breaks Down How ‘Clean’ Labels Can Still Mess With Your Hormones

Elizabeth Endres comes back “lit up and excited” on The Wellness Process’s first episode of the new year, and goes straight for the stuff that hides in plain sight. Her guest is Branch Basics co-founder Allison Evans, whose health spiral pushed her to rethink what was in her home and why her body kept waving red flags. Evans’ turning point wasn’t a new supplement stack. It was “removing barriers to healing” and getting honest about the “chemical soup in our environment.”

And the unfortunate thing is that so many products marketed as safe still trigger symptoms, and greenwashing keeps people buying the same problems in prettier packaging. The episode stays practical—how to read labels, what to ditch first, and why tiny exposures matter when your system is already stressed. And if you’ve ever thought that disinfectant equals clean, this one will change how you wipe a counter.

The hidden problem with ‘green’ cleaning products

A big issue Evans calls out is how misleading “green” and “non-toxic” labels can be. Many products marketed as safer swaps still contain ingredients that irritate the nervous system or disrupt hormones, just in smaller amounts. That’s where people get stuck. They switch brands, feel proactive, and assume the problem is handled. “We cannot trust what’s on the front of a label,” she says, pointing out how marketing language replaces real transparency. Greenwashing keeps people buying into the same cycle—just with better packaging.

The problem is that these products feel safer, which makes people stop questioning them. When something looks clean and claims to be non-toxic, it’s easy to assume it can’t be part of the issue—even when symptoms don’t budge.

How to read labels without getting played by packaging

Evans recommends turning products around and reading the ingredient list line by line. Apps can help, but only if you use them correctly. Rather than searching the brand name and relying on an average score, she suggests looking up individual ingredients, especially the ones listed last. Those smaller amounts can still affect hormones and the nervous system.

Ingredients should score low individually, not just look good collectively. Her advice is to build a short “no list” based on ingredients your body reacts to, then simplify from there. Once you know what to avoid, label reading becomes quicker and far less overwhelming.

Micro-exposures and what to remove first for a healthier baseline

One of Evans most important points is that symptoms don’t usually come from one dramatic exposure. They build from “microdoses throughout our lives.” Small amounts of chemicals—used daily—add up, especially when the body is already under stress. That’s why something that seems minor, like a scented cleaner or laundry detergent, can keep progress stalled.

When it comes to where to start, pesticides top her list, including bug sprays, flea treatments, and disinfectants that contain EPA-registered pesticides. Fragrance is another big one, since it’s easily absorbed through skin and lungs. She also flags hand sanitizer and harsh disinfectants as habits that disrupt the microbiome rather than support health.

The transition is not going to be perfect—and that’s okay. Small steps to create a cleaner baseline are enough. Once those constant exposures are reduced, healing has space to actually happen.

The myth about disinfectants

Have you ever really thought about disinfectants and what “clean” actually means? Evans explains that most disinfectants contain “an EPA-registered pesticide,” something many people don’t realize they’re spraying daily in the name of hygiene. The bigger issue is that disinfectants don’t even work the way people think they do. “You’re supposed to clean the surface first with a surfactant or a soap,” she says, pointing out that most people skip that step entirely.

Instead of making homes safer, overusing disinfectants can backfire. Repeatedly killing bacteria creates stronger strains, leaving behind “the strongest and the worst” microbes. Evans’ solution focuses on removal, not destruction. Using a surfactant and a microfiber cloth physically removes germs rather than triggering resistance.

So clean first, disinfect only when truly necessary, and stop assuming harsher equals safer. In many cases, it’s doing the opposite.

The body isn’t broken—it’s overwhelmed

Evans’ point isn’t that everyone needs to overhaul their life. It’s that the body can’t heal while it’s constantly managing background stress it never gets a break from. The practical takeaway is to stop chasing fixes and look at the load. And don’t be afraid of your symptoms, either. “Symptoms are our friends,” she says. “They’re telling us something they shouldn’t be.”

Her story shows what happens when the load drops. Once she removed the daily chemical exposures in her environment, pain resolved and hormones regulated without forcing anything. That’s the shift: healing didn’t require doing more. It required giving the body fewer fires to put out.

The question to ask yourself is simple: “what is my body managing every single day that I’ve never questioned?” That’s where change actually starts.

To hear all of Allison Evans’ insights, listen to The Wellness Process wherever you get your podcasts.

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