diff --git a/Pipfile b/Pipfile
index 97b62ac..9eb4ced 100644
--- a/Pipfile
+++ b/Pipfile
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ djoser = "*"
 djangorestframework-simplejwt = "*"
 django-cors-headers = "*"
 django-simple-history = "*"
+python-dotenv = "*"
 
 [dev-packages]
 autopep8 = "*"
diff --git a/Pipfile.lock b/Pipfile.lock
index 3a35af2..091fba6 100644
--- a/Pipfile.lock
+++ b/Pipfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
     "_meta": {
         "hash": {
-            "sha256": "c580f89f813a209d5a47c10bda8969d741b957744084b178bd0a13d6f43e96ea"
+            "sha256": "adf075ae1c44614e471a3fde436359004437d32d0736e88bc3cfc79f626de919"
         },
         "pipfile-spec": 6,
         "requires": {
@@ -390,6 +390,14 @@
             "markers": "python_version >= '3.7'",
             "version": "==2.6.0"
         },
+        "python-dotenv": {
+            "hashes": [
+                "sha256:a8df96034aae6d2d50a4ebe8216326c61c3eb64836776504fcca410e5937a3ba",
+                "sha256:f5971a9226b701070a4bf2c38c89e5a3f0d64de8debda981d1db98583009122a"
+            ],
+            "index": "pypi",
+            "version": "==1.0.0"
+        },
         "python3-openid": {
             "hashes": [
                 "sha256:33fbf6928f401e0b790151ed2b5290b02545e8775f982485205a066f874aaeaf",
diff --git a/ivy/config/settings.py b/ivy/config/settings.py
index 269371c..e94716b 100644
--- a/ivy/config/settings.py
+++ b/ivy/config/settings.py
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/
 """
 
 from pathlib import Path
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+import os
+
+load_dotenv()
 
 # Build paths inside the project like this: BASE_DIR / 'subdir'.
 BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
@@ -20,8 +24,7 @@ BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/howto/deployment/checklist/
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
-SECRET_KEY = 'django-insecure-t&s%wwbx-78$qa#&id_+xw8!m3jt35bgukr03e@$v8$-x5q52i'
-
+SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get('SECRET_KEY')
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
 DEBUG = True
 
@@ -149,10 +152,17 @@ DJOSER = {
     },
 }
 
-EMAIL_HOST = 'sandbox.smtp.mailtrap.io'
-EMAIL_HOST_USER = '54ff6949e39105'
-EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = 'c59d3eaa05f98d'
-EMAIL_PORT = '2525'
+# Mailtrap SMTP Testing
+# EMAIL_HOST = 'sandbox.smtp.mailtrap.io'
+# EMAIL_HOST_USER = '54ff6949e39105'
+# EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = 'c59d3eaa05f98d'
+# EMAIL_PORT = '2525'
+
+EMAIL_HOST = "smtp.gmail.com"
+EMAIL_HOST_USER = os.environ.get("EMAIL_HOST_USER")
+EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = os.environ.get('EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD')
+EMAIL_PORT = 587
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = True
 
 CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS = [
     "http://localhost:3000",