Going Natural

Over the last couple years I have become increasingly more health conscious.  I would not classify myself as a particularly healthy person, but I have been trying to take steps to change that.  It seems as though every decision we make throughout the day affects our health in some way.  Yikes!  One area that has really peaked my interest, especially in the last year, has been natural alternatives to common household products.  I have been researching natural ways to replace cleaning supplies, OTC medicines, and beauty products.

Being all natural was something I have never had an interest in before.  Honestly, terms like hippie, tree hugger, and granola eater come to mind when I think of the all-natural way.  The newest term I’ve hear is being crunchy.  I’m not even sure what that means.  I don’t even know what started me on this path really; but it has become an adventure and a learning experience every step of the way.  I have discovered so many websites and blogs that discuss natural remedies and homemade alternatives to everyday products.  It seems that there is a new movement of being natural in a modern world.  The Crunchy Betty blog in particular makes the natural way fun and practical with cute how-to videos.

I have grown to love the idea of natural solutions to household products.  For one, it is drastically cheaper.  The cost of products such as baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide is nothing compared to the inflated prices of cleaning supplies, weed killer, etc.    Also, I have found that several times the natural alternatives were just as effective, or even better, than the commercial products.  Another reason I love natural alternatives is because I feel so much more comfortable using these non-toxic options in my home that those loaded with chemicals and who knows what else.  It has been very interesting, and somewhat disturbing, to learn how many things we use in our homes contain carcinogens.  Lastly, I think the earth is an amazing creation.  I believe that much of what we need to maintain clean and healthy is provided in nature for us.  I think that this belief has even been commercialized.  Products for health or weight loss talk about how the ancient Chinese used the key ingredient.  Likewise, beauty products talk about the benefits of the added ingredients such as aloe or vitamin E. 

Although I think man made products are important, such as certain medications; my goal is to find natural alternatives when possible and when practical.  Before I try anything new I like to research it with at least a few different sources to back up any claims and to make sure it’s safe.  I also like to refer to a couple different websites where others share their experiences.  Of course, not everything I’ve tried has worked for me; but some things really have been awesome.  I’ve been able to eliminate a large portion of commercial products and beauty products from my home.

Going natural has been a true adventure.  It is exciting to learn what natural products really can do for us.  The potential for natural alternatives really is amazing.  I look forward to sharing some of my experiences with you in future posts.