Image by Randy Pertiet
There are many aspects of living a more natural lifestyle. Changes are hard no matter what area of your life your making them in. This can be hard to stomach when you want to start making positive changes NOW. Start simple! Make small changes that don”t drastically change your day to day and work your way up to the bigger ones.
Change Your Toothpaste
Seems simple enough, right? Chances are your toothpaste is really more toxic than you realize. See that label that says “If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away”? That’s because your paste is full of fluoride which leads to high cancer risk, problems with thyroid function, and a whole list of medical conditions. It also contains things like aspartame and dyes that, while visually more appealing leads to allergies and hyperactivity (especially in children).
Chunk your old paste and either make your own for pennies on the dollar or buy some from a reputable source like Earthpaste – made by Redmond. This will allow you to ether be sure of the ingredients or know your source.
Skip The Fast Food
While you may really want to go grab that burger tonight you can stay home and make a Turkey Ruben or Jambalaya and not have to feel guilty about it later. Making the transition to real food can be tough – and i’m not saying never eat out again or throw away every single thing in your kitchen. Just aim for more healthy, real food than not. Soon you will realize your body feels better when it is full of wholesome ingredients.
You’ll also find that cooking real food – is far easier than you ever imagined. Why go spend money on a toxic meal when you can make an even better tasting one yourself! Check out Modern Alternative Kitchen for some awesome recipes. They will even explain why you should dump your margarine for real butter. 😉
Don’t Bother With Toxic Cleaners
The cleaners on the market today just keep getting more and more expensive – and toxic. Truth is, you can avoid both. Making your own cleaners is so easy to do and will keep your pets and family from being exposed to ingredients that could do them harm. Not sure how harmful the bottles under your cabinet are? Check with the EWG (Environmental Working Group) to find out how your products stand to others. “Natural” is a highly marketed term these days with not a lot of regulation – so make sure your “natural” products really all they say they are.
Then make necessary changes as you clean! You don’t have to sat down and do it all at once – but next time you clean the toilet or vacuum the carpet but some of these natural cleaning solutions into play.
- Simple Cleaning: Stuff That Won’t Kill You Or Your Bank
- Homemade Non-Toxic Carpet Cleaner
- DIY Laundry Detergent
- Simple, Non-Toxic Cloth Wipes
Stress Less
Making lifestyle changes can be really stressful. When you’ve done something one way for so long it can be hard to do something different. Keep in mind that your mental health has a huge effect on your physical well being. Baby steps are there to help you get to your destination one step at a time. If you notice yourself becoming overwhelmed take a step back. Slow down and grab a warm Epson salt bath, get some sleep, and pray. Then when you feel like you’ve recouped – start again.
Research
This may be the most important baby step of them all. Research doesn’t require you to make any changes on the spot, to take any action, or to even accept what you are reading. Yet, it does increase your knowledge. It helps you to understand what your doing and why. Why these lifestyle changes, these baby steps, can really help you live a fuller life in the long run.
Understanding the science behind your choices can also help to concrete your resolve. For example, if you’ve seen the data of what GMO”s do to rats then you have a solid foundation to be more active in your eating choices. If you’ve seen the research behind why fluoride is toxic, the history behind why it has been place in our water supply, then you can take as step back and decide that is not something you want your family ingesting. Set goals. Then research.
I have found that making natural products sounds more intimadating then it actually is. I’ve been making laundry soap for awhile, and last week I made liquid hand soap, shampoo, and carpt freshner. Now this week I’m adding deodarant