5 Living Naturally Tips To Begin Your Nontoxic Journey

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Once you start going down the nontoxic path, it can be extremely overwhelming extremely fast. Aside from clashing viewpoints from different platforms, there’s so many things that you can change or “do better”. Here are 5 simple ways you can encourage living naturally as you start your nontoxic journey.

Eliminate Fragrances

When you stop to think about it, it’s amazing how many fragrances we come in to contact with every day. Especially as women, we can be overly stimulated by toxic chemicals disguised in the way of “smells so good” too frequently.

When I first started focusing on living naturally, I spent a ton of my attention simply on eliminating fragrances and see what worked best for me. Like most people, I want my house, clothes, car, and myself to smell good. It can be a struggle at first to change out good smelling perfumes for unscented. As always, I’m a huge advocator on doing what works best for you.

In the Laundry room

Dryer sheets were my first items to get rid of. I replaced them with wool dryer balls and never looked back. They help my dryer work more efficiently, reduce the amount of waste, and in my opinion help my clothes to last longer.

Laundry detergent was a different story. I tried several different nontoxic, unscented laundry detergents, and even tried making my own. For awhile I went back to the beginning and just chose a fresh scent that seemed the cleanest at the store. I tried Truly Free, and am so far a big fan.

Unfortunately, they are much pricier than buying unscented All or something similar. In my opinion, they’re worth it. I don’t have to worry about making it myself, and am no longer paying for a toxic detergent from the grocery store.

Air Fresheners

There’s easier and better ways to get your home to smell good than going the normal route. Use cedar hangers or other cedar wood methods to keep your closets smelling fresh. Swap out your candles with diffusers and a blend of lemon, lime, and orange essential oils. Buy homemade goat’s milk soap from someone local, rather than using Bath and Body Works.

Cleaning Supplies

Sometimes, I see chemical cleaners as a necessary evil. There’s certain times that bleach is just my go-to (like the time I deep cleaned a cheap chest freezer we needed to store local beef in). I will say that it’s become my last ditch effort after trying vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice.

Lastly, I’ve been using Branch Basics for about a year now. You can use that link to get you started with a $10 off coupon. Their cleaners are for sure worth the extra cost. You can read more about my switch and full review here. *As an affiliate marketer, I can earn a slight commission off of products I recommend at no additional cost to you. You can read about my full disclosure here.

Personal Hygiene

Especially as ladies, we come into contact with fragrances in our personal hygiene routines constantly. I’ve found that these brands seem to work either just as well, or better, and don’t have the added fragrances that can cause allergy flare ups, sinus issues, and a whole lot of other junk we simply don’t need.

My go-to for deodorant is Calm Your Pits. She’s an independent small business order who I found on Instagram, @calmyourpits. Not only does she make deodorant, but also a magnesium foot spray, and nontoxic perfumes. You can even make your own custom blend for a small additional cost.

I’ve been using Under Luna for all my haircare needs and am in love with their warrior shampoo. My hair feels healthier and stronger, and I’m able to go longer between washes (which improves hair health as well). All without having to deal with toxic chemicals and fragrances.

Focus on Clean Water

Going down the water conditions in modern America is a rabbit hole that makes me sad, depressed, and angry. The amount of chemicals put in our water is devastating. For those of us lucky enough to have well water, many of us don’t truly know the true quality of the water that we’re drinking.

Having a pure, clean water supply really makes a difference in the health of ourselves and our family. Getting clean water is a must in my opinion, and I’m very thankful we have access to it now through Clearly Filtered. Two cons with going with their filter system is the cost and that their pitcher filter is rather slow compared to other brands. However, both I deem as worth it in my opinion.

Pitcher Vs under the sink

I purchased their pitcher back when we rented and weren’t able to look into under the sink type of water filters. Those are for sure much more costly, but a bit more lasting than Clearly Filtered. Since buying a home now, I’m currently considering purchasing a more permanent fix for our water.

The brand I’ve been looking at the most is Pristine Hydro. Not only does it filter, it also contains remineralizers and restructures water through a 10-step system. Again, I have not actually purchased from them yet. I’m just saying this is the one under the sink filter that I’m considering at the moment.

Enough With the Plastic

This isn’t so much a save the planet suggestion as it is a save your health suggestion. Modern day America uses, quite frankly, just too much plastic every day. On the bright side, this means that there’s simple fixes you can start with that cause you to start living naturally.

Begin by getting rid of plastic plates, utensils and cups, (unless you absolutely need it) which saves you money too. If you only buy them for the graduation parties or showers you’re hosting, you won’t feel tempted to use them on the days when you don’t feel like doing dishes.

Upgrade your plastic water bottles with stainless steel cups. They last longer and typically look cuter anyways.

Replace your plastic leftover containers with glass alternatives (or just place them on an extra dinner plate).

Focus on Clean Air

The unfortunate truth is that sometimes you just can’t control all of the factors allowing you to accomplish living as naturally as you can. Perhaps you’re stuck in an urban home where industrial fumes bombard your life. If you have the privilege of living in the country, you could be near crops that bring dust, bugs and pesticides to your doorsteps.

Additionally, you have allergies being caused by spring and fall seasons, pets or outdoor animals (hi, we live next to a cow pasture), nasty pests like mice, and mold toxicities to worry about. To put it bluntly, there’s not a whole lot you can control.

What you can do

Rather than focus on what you can’t control, point your attention in areas that you can. Clean your filters regularly. Take a proactive approach to mold in your home. Use essential oil blends (and a diffuser) that improve overall immunity. Visit with an allergy specialist if that’s something you or someone in your family is prone to.

Invest in an air doctor to control the air environment inside the walls of your home. Replace bedding, pillows, and mattresses with hypoallergenic options.

Lastly, become a crazy plant lady. Not only will you improve your home décor and your mood when you see said plants, but certain plants provide a substantial amount of oxygen to your home as well. Additionally, you’ll have a new hobby to occupy a few minutes a week of your time.

Living Naturally Starts With Your Own Health

I would be amiss if I didn’t discuss the importance of focusing on you own personal health as well. Especially when you’re wanting to fully embrace living naturally, feeling better and living to your full potential starts with your health.

You’ve heard the age old advice for years. It’s another thing, altogether, to actually do them. When you start your living naturally journey, spend some significant time (weeks if you have to) focusing on improving your health in small areas.

Start in the Kitchen

You are what you eat isn’t completely in left field. The best way to improve your health is to begin to be picky about what goes into your body. This doesn’t mean that you have to start buying everything organic (and I would never advocate for that). Focus on eliminating added sugars, high fructose corn syrup and/or food dyes.

Then, look for ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your meals. Start to consume quality meats rather than the cheapest in the grocery store. Attend farmers markets to enjoy in season fruits and vegetables. Look into raw milk benefits and risks, and see if there’s a local dairy farmer near you. Be on the lookout for local honey.

Embrace a more Physical lifestyle

You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars for a gym membership, or thousands on the fancy gym equipment to do at home. Daily exercise can be as simple as going for a walk or as fun as joining an adult volleyball league.

Make smaller adjustments to your health by getting morning sun each day or getting eight hours of quality sleep each night. Drink more *clean* water each day. Other, more unique ways of improving your health include using a tongue scraper after you floss and brush your teeth, finding alternatives to fragrance-filled tampons, improving your feet health through barefoot shoes, and visiting a chiropractor or massage therapist on a regular basis.

Just Get Started

Lastly, I would urge you to prepare yourself so that you don’t become overwhelmed when you start living naturally. Typically, all it takes is small adjustments and experimenting to see what works best for you. Start out small, give yourself some grace, and be open for new ideas and information that comes your way.