6 Simple Ways to Begin Your Natural Lifestyle
6 Simple Ways to Begin Your Natural Lifestyle
My whole life I was blessed with what we all thought was a natural lifestyle.
We had home cooked meals almost every night, bought personal care and cleaning products in bulk, and meticulously recycled since grade school Environmental Club.
The reality is that many of the seemingly harmless products and habits we grew up with are now being exposed as toxic, unsafe, or even deadly.
Every time I watch a new documentary, cross-reference the info with a dozen Google tabs, and finally wrap my mind around the harsh reality of our culture's current norms, I admittedly get kinda freaking mad.
Thankfully, I use this frustration to channel my thirsty ambition, and change my life for the better instead of sulking in the bullshit. The more we work on our inner selves and the patterns we follow, the more peace we will have and the more peace we will bring to others.
As I began to roll along last year, a willing but ignorant passenger on the Natural Journey Train, I realized just how much I didn't know. There is so much we aren't told about our food and everyday products and the harm they can cause, similar to the rise of puffing cigarettes before their terminal ingredients were exposed.
Once I realized all along that my knowledge of a better way was all that held me back, I became determined to learn as much as possible. Almost to an amusing fault (I'm so excited about the changes that I realize I need to work on my balance here) I began absorbing the truth like a happy sponge and applying it to my daily life as much as possible.
While I will continue to learn from my research and natural experiments, it's all about the baby steps, putting one foot in the front of the other to prove that small changes eventually lead to big, rejuvenating growth. These are the simple, natural, and sometimes gloriously messy methods that are perfect for launching your new lifestyle.May they bring you physical health, emotional stability, and spiritual peace.
1. Pitch your name brand shampoo complete with harsh chemicals, and turn to a baking soda rinse instead. Your hair will thank you after becoming thicker, shinier, and softer too. I even switched from a dandruff control product and I am more than satisfied with the results, more about that next.
2. Toss the $20-a-bottle conditioner (I once thought I should be so lucky to only spend that for smooth hair), and replace it with good ol' apple cider vinegar. For the dandruff, mix in tea tree oil, and for more problematic dandruff, apply olive oil to your scalp a bit before you hop in the shower and rinse it off.
3. Speaking of showers, I recommend quickly throwing out your loofah. Did you know those things should be replaced about every month? Ew, the things I feel like I am crawling with after reading the bacteria horror stories. They should put those things on Are You Afraid of the Dark. Simple washcloth instead? Yes please.
4. Weed out the junk food, which may very well be most of the food you're eating without realizing it. While there are many routes to take here, I swear by eating whole foods as much as possible. At first glance it may seem cheaper to live off of a processed diet, but eventually you are paying handsomely in medical bills for that diabetes and heart disease you couldn't be bothered with in the present, not to mention the years of your life all that non-food they add in will cost you. Actually, I find I need to eat less food now that what I am consuming comes complete with nutrients. Growing your own veggies, fruits, and herbs will drastically cut down the grocery bill, too.
5. Say "no more!" to that heap of plastic kitchen materials, many of which contain harmful BPA and replace them with wooden, glass, stainless steel, or even ceramic items instead.
6. Lastly, and one of my favorite methods as I am obsessed with consolidating and purging the clutter, is tossing out the variety of cleaning products under the sink and concocting your own simple, convenient, and cheap cheap cheap all-purpose cleaner with ingredients like vinegar and lemon juice.
Changing little pieces of your lifestyle will help you achieve the physical fitness, emotional health, and spiritual fullness you always knew you were capable of, while also saving a ton of money and reducing your environmental footprint. Basically, you'll feel like a million bucks for your efforts and positive changes.
I realize whole books could be written from each one of these bullet points, so make sure you check back for specifics as I work on getting detailed posts linked right to this motherboard of natural goodness.