Natural Living
I guess you could say that I am a bit on the crunchy side. For those of you unfamiliar with the term "crunchy" it comes from the idea that granola is crunchy and granola is often linked to those that try to live a green lifestyle, eat organically grown foods, or try to reduce the use of chemicals in their home and on their bodies. Now, I am not totally crunchy. We will never live in a yurt or eat 100% organically grown produce. But we have made an effort to live a greener, healthier lifestyle. We are making changes each day, slowly but surely. And we are working on being "greener" as we are also getting "crunchier". It pretty much goes hand in hand.
Why are we "going green"? While trying to conceive Taylor, I started becoming more and more aware of my body and how chemicals that I put in and on my body could affect it. I was diagnosed with PCOS, and some believe it could be caused by environmental factors, as well as diet and genetics. Then, after Taylor was born, I became hyper aware of the chemicals we used. The thought of exposing her to the fumes from some cleaning products was enough to get me to rethink my cleaning routines. Going green and crunchy became a way to improve, or at least not worsen, our health.
We also made a lot of our changes as a way to save money. Using cloth diapers was motivated more by cost savings than by the environmental or even the health reasons. I have given up using commercial shampoos on my hair in favor of baking soda and vinegar and I use vinegar and baking soda in place of cleaning products. Baking soda and vinegar are a heck of a lot cheaper than cleaning products and shampoo!
Reducing chemicals, being healthier, and keeping our kids healthy have become big motivating factors. I am a big believer in living a greener lifestyle, but we aren't going extreme. Just being "light green" can make a big difference!
Some of the ways we have gone green:
- Using cloth diapers and occassionally drying them on the clothes line
- Recycling as much as possible
- I use baking soda and vinegar to wash my hair (and have begun using it on Taylor, too)
- Natural deodorant, toothpaste, lotions, and other personal care products
- Eating more organic fruits and vegetables
- Using natural soap for cleaning
- Using a Diva Cup
- Using henna to color my hair
- Organic baby food for Jackson
- Homeopathic therapies for teething, stomach issues, etc, in the kids
- Switching out regular light bulbs with compact flourescent lightbulbs
Here are a few links to learn more about the products and the routines we use and the websites that can teach you more:
Personal Care:
Going "No Poo" - Using baking soda and vinegar instead of shampoo can do wonders for your hair! It really does work! I have not used on bit of shampoo in my hair in over two years and it is healthier than ever!
Tom's Of Maine - We currently use their kids and adults toothpastes and Brent uses their deodorant
Dr. Bronner's Soap - Once you get past his weird new-age religious stuff, the soaps are incredible! I use this to clean with, to wash diapers with, and even on my body!
Hyland's - We love the teething tablets and the colic tablets (for stomach problems) for the kids. They are homeopathic and work amazingly well!
Earth's Best - This is our favorite brand of baby food. Taylor and Jackson both started with their food. It is all organic and tastes better than any of the other brands out there.
Everyday Minerals Make-up - Inexpensive mineral make-up. This is supposed to be better for the skin and uses all natural ingredients without the petroleum that most other cosmetics contain. This is cheaper than most other mineral make-ups on the market, too.
Henna For Hair - This is a great website with instructions for using henna and other plants to dye your hair. Henna is a plant that gives your hair a red color. Combined with other plants (indigo, for instance) it can color your hair different shades of red and even brown or black. It is conditioning, strengthening, and even antifungal, plus there are no chemical odors! There is an adjoining sight where you can purchase the products, as well.
Green & Black's - Because everyone needs some chocolate! All organic, free trade chocolate that is AMAZING! Maya Gold is by far the best I have ever tasted!
Sunflower Market - Our local market where we purchase many of these products.
Diva Cup - A great, economical, environmentally friendly and comfortable alternative to pads and tampons.
Compact Flourescent Bulbs - Longer lasting and energy efficient
1001 Vinegar Uses - Vinegar is an amazing cleaning product! This is just one site with many uses for vinegar listed!
Sixty Uses of Baking Soda - It is amazing how much use you can get out of baking soda! It isn't just to keep your fridge smelling fresh and to make cookies with! This is just one place where you can find uses of baking soda.
Extraordinary Uses For Borax - Borax is another natural product with incredibly diverse uses. You can find "20 Mule Team Borax" at most stores with laundry detergents.
Please feel free to email us if you have any questions about any of the topics above! I would love to hear from you, especially if you have tips, tricks, or just want to be a bit greener yourself!
