3 Actionable Tips for Integrative Nontoxic Living
Before diving into the three tips for nontoxic living, let’s start off with something we all need to know—designing a nontoxic life is possible even when it doesn’t feel like it. Chances are you’re already prioritizing health, including in and outside of your home.
In fact, the health of your home is what’s known as the fourth pillar of health. It’s right up there with the other three pillars of health—nutrition, exercise, and sleep. The health of your home, or the fourth pillar of health, encompasses all that you bring into your home and your lifestyle.
Your home, nutrition, exercise, and sleep all create a blueprint for health and here at Artisan Home Health, we believe that has a profound impact! Now, we won’t try to tackle all of this in one day, but we can start small because small changes matter.
Here are 3 (free) tips for integrative nontoxic living that you can put into action today:
1) Bring a Reusable Mug to the Coffee Shop
Whether you’re interested in reducing your chemical exposure or reducing your carbon footprint, this is the tip for you. If you’re a frequent coffee shop patron, you may want to consider bringing in your own coffee mug. Ball jars have now become the trendy choice for our favorite beverages to be served in and also to line our kitchens. They travel well, if you have an extra hand, and they have many lids to choose from. This glass option not only reduces your exposure to BPA and PFAS in to-go cups, but it also winks at the landfill. Ball jars are not totally leakproof, but there are so many options to keep your magical brew hot or cold, & your health will thank you for it!
2) Choose Wholesome Foods for the Win
Want your next grocery run to be super simple and smooth sailing? If you bring it back to the basics, it will be! When we purchase whole fruits and veggies to prepare at home we are reducing our exposure to chemicals in packaging and processing. While packaged foods might mean easier meal prep, oftentimes these prepared foods are in plastic containers that contain BPA or phthalates. Preparing foods from scratch also means that you’re reducing your exposure to chemicals such as artificial dyes and other additives that are linked to poor health effects. Conventional produce still packs in the nutrition, so choosing one extra home-cooked meal a week is progress. And when able, opt for organic produce to reduce pesticide exposure.
3) Opt for the Fragrance-Free Option
This last tip about fragrance has become, let’s say, ubiquitous, because fragrance is everywhere! It is in your cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, beauty products, candles, and even little kids’ erasers. Surprisingly, fragrance is a trade secret made up of 300 chemicals that can poorly affect our health. The good news is that you do not have to give up the lovely experience of scent in your daily life. Here’s how—start with just one product and choose “fragrance-free.” The key is knowing that “unscented” can also have a proprietary fragrance blend just as much as a “natural” fragrance or an “essential oil blend” can. If you can, notice the difference and pick one product without any of the fancy hype words above, or choose something that specifically says “100% essential oils.” As you’re on the fragrance journey, look for brands that are transparent about ingredients often rated by the EWG, or treat yourself to an essential oil (synthetic-free) that will last years for DIY fragrance around your home!
Just know that as a conscious consumer, you’re already doing great.
It’s important to keep in mind the small changes that you can make and integrate on a daily basis. Remember, progress over perfection-this journey is about becoming more mindful of our choices in order access health everywhere, even in our homes.
