Making That Healthier Lifestyle Switch

Good morning to all of my friends and fellow homesteaders! 

I wanted to come on and have a very friend to friend conversation. This one is a little less informational and much more…hey, look at what I am doing, are you too? If not, here are some of the ways I started and am still working on!

I have been dedicated this last year but more recently in the last several months to making that healthier lifestyle switch for my family. With that comes SO much and honestly it is and has been very overwhelming.

So I thought I’d chat with you all about how I am allowing myself some grace through this process and making sure I am staying realistic. 

Making the switch to a healthier lifestyle comes in so many forms. Nowadays there are toxins everywhere. You can find them in the food we purchase, the beauty products we use, the cleaning products that sit under our kitchen sink, our food storage and even down to linens we wash and sleep with or wear on a daily basis. 

Yes, that is scary. For me it has been in incredibly big eye opener on how easily I can become obsessed with doing the VERY best for my family. Of course I don’t want anything but the best for them but it isn’t always completely realistic.

I also don’t want to be the mom that denied my kiddos that occasional treat that I know isn’t the best option. That is childhood right? Having that candy bar or bag of chips sometimes. For us, it has become less of what is in our home on a normal basis and what becomes a splurge treat instead!

To allow myself some grace and to not become too hyper focused on every single item we use or consume I have been trying to start with easy swaps.

Easy Starter Swaps

In Your Kitchen

• Take the foods that we purchase more regularly and do a swap for something more organic or natural. Same food, different brand. 
  • Watch out for these ingredients:
    • High Fructose Corn Syrup: You will find this in highly processed and packed with sugar items
    • Artificial Sweeteners: Seek naturally sweetened items. 
    • Artificial Colors: Any added dyes in your foods have been linked to behavioral and development issues in children.
    • Heavy Metals: This one sounds wild, right? Well think again. Things like mercury, lead and arsenic have been found in many common food shelf items.
    • Any other ingredient that you cannot understand or doesn’t come with a ( ) explaining it to you. Natural oils and sweeteners are the best versions of any ingredients. Although they may not last as long, they are going to give YOU the years of health to last longer!
• Clean your dishes with homemade product.
  • Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Tablets and save yourself a bundle of money. 3 ingredients and you’ve got yourself a much cleaner version of a must have in your home.
• Store your foods without heavy plastics involved.
  • Mason Jar Storage For Keeping Produce Fresh Longer will help you make a ditch to plastic storage but also help you save money while you are at it! Or you can purchase glass food containers that will help in the reduction of exposures from plastics. 
• Grow and preserve your own food! This is going to be the best version of consumption you can have. Right from home. No pesticides, no chemicals and all of YOUR love and hard work. 

 In Your Home

• Make simple homemade cleaners.
  • All purpose citrus cleaner: Save your citrus peels and put them into a mason jar. Once full, add in vinegar to top. Allow to sit for 2 weeks. Drain our fruit peels and transfer to spray bottle. 
  • If you are looking for another all purpose cleaner, DIY All Purpose Cleaner Recipe is going to have essential oils added. Not only will this give you other natural scents but the benefits of essential oils are huge!
  • 4 Ingredient DIY Floor Cleaner is a swap so easy to make. The added chemicals in things like floor cleaners will really have you second guessing all you’ve used around your home. For me, I think about my littles bare feet, crawling baby legs and our dogs! 
  • Save Money With Homemade Cleaning Supplies: This article is packed with all over the house ideas for DIY cleaning supplies. Safer and more cost effective on your budget!
  • Think about the added fragrances in your laundry routine. Wow! A lot, right? Why not try out making some Homemade Laundry Detergent? Or even a natural DIY Laundry Stripping Recipe to Remove Build Up.

 Your Self Care Routine

• Hair products that aren’t loaded with chemicals.
  • DIY All Natural Dry Shampoo has been a lifesaver for me. As a mom a good dry shampoo is necessary some days. I also have very light and thin hair so my hair becomes oily so fast! So not only is this a much healthier substitute to store bought but I can vouch it actually works!
• Beauty products swaps that are kinder to your skin overall.
  • In my article Self Care With Homemade Body Scrubs and Face Masks you will find options over natural body care products that will make such a difference in your swap journey. 

 

The journey of switching to all natural is a long one. It can be never ending. There are articles coming out on a daily basis about products and how harsh the chemicals are they use. Even some of the products naturalists have come to learn and love! 

My advice? Don’t be hard on yourself. We are creatures of habit. Finding certain products that work for us can be daunting. Or maybe, you feel like a naturalist lifestyle is outside of your financial budget. 

I’m here to tell you that is surely isn’t! You just have to find the recipes and tricks that work for YOUR home. 

Start slow, make it meaningful and be realistic. 

The times you splurge and have a Kraft mac & cheese night with the kids or bake a box of brownies instead of from scratch won’t be the end of all of your hard work but instead a reminder that you are actively working better in so many ways on a day to day basis otherwise. Enjoy that special treat.

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• 20 Apple Cider Vinegar Uses for Home, Beauty and Health
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• Homemade Beard Oil

Love, light and a little grace…

-Olivia