Natural Living Guide
Better For You And The Planet
Life is about making choices.The Natural Living Guide will help you make choices that don't harm you or the planet.
The things we buy are expected to make our lives better or easier; but the choices we make can have unintended impacts on our lifestyle and the environment. We live in a closed ecological system; everything we do affects everything else around us. Making informed choices about the things we do and the products we use can change the quality of our family’s life and the health of our planet. With each small, quiet, better choice we make, we can reduce the impact we have on the planet and make our little corner of the universe a safer, healthier, more sustainable place to live.
The EPA has found that the levels of organic pollutants are 2 to 5 times higher inside our homes than outside. They are inside us too. We inhale them, we absorb them through our skin and we ingest them in our food and water. Pregnant women pass them on to their fetuses through the placenta. Sometimes chemicals attack the body’s tissues or the genetic materials in a cell, damaging the DNA. This may create inheritable defects that get passed along to our children.
Allergies are one of the most common responses to indoor pollutants like pollen, dander and dust mites. There is a strong link between asthma and the use of certain cleaning products. Many of the products we use everyday can cause symptoms like wheezing, itching, coughing, rashes, headaches, dizziness and chronic fatigue. The Natural Living Guide will guide you in making your own natural, non-toxic products.
The by-products of industry have had a dramatic impact on the ecological life of our planet. Our health is threatened by the abundance of chemicals and preservatives in the everyday products we use. We are exposed daily to hundreds of chemicals and toxins that we can't even see. They are in our food, cosmetics, personal care products, cleaning products, laundry soap, plastic food containers, baby bottles, water bottles, dry-cleaned clothing, carpeting, paint, lawn and garden supplies. The list is endless. Accumulated toxins have been linked with diverse health problems including fibromyalgia, cancer, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), poor skin, headaches, high blood pressure and digestive disturbances. Everyone can benefit from a periodic cleanse to clear out these accumulations.
The shift towards the use of natural and organic products has gained momentum because people are becoming more aware of the damage being done to our environment and the health of our families, animals and plant life. We need to take a stand against chemical-based products that are harming our families and our environment and make the natural choice. The Natural Living Guide has non-toxic alternatives for the kitchen, bath, laundry, and garden.
Pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to our health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Children often have high amounts of pesticides in their systems because of the large amounts of produce they eat in relation to their size. Rinsing reduces pesticides, but does not eliminate them. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients are lost in the process. The best approach is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetable, rinse all produce, and buy organic whenever possible.
The Environmental Working Group has a "Dirty Dozen List" of produce items that contain high amounts of pesticides. Studies have shown that people who eat 5 fruits and vegetable from this list consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Here is the EWG Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, a pocket guide for the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15" lists that will help you shop for produce with the least amounts of pesticides.
Natural, organic products generally do a better job cleaning our homes and meeting our personal care needs and they cost a fraction of the price of their toxic alternatives, especially when we make our own. When we purchase products they should come in minimal packaging that can be recycled or reused. We need to teach our children about the benefits of recycling, using chemical-free products and get them into the habit of reading labels. Green products are the only way to go when it comes to our health and the health of the planet.
- Bath & Body
- Make your own non-toxic bath & body products for a fraction of the price you pay at the store.
- Essential Oils
- Essential oils are concentrated volatile aromatic compounds produced by plants - the essences that give plants their wonderful scents.
- Food Remedies
- Food remedies incorporate herbs and spices into our diets, we get great flavors with healing properties and no side effects.
- Green Building & Remodeling
- Green building & remodeling tips.
- Herbs
- Herbs are one of the most interesting plants in existence. Medicinal, culinary, pest control......
- Herbal Preparations
- Homemade herbal preparations are non-toxic and economical.
- Lawn & Garden
- Control garden pests by making your own non-toxic lawn & garden products.
- Living Green
- Living green means the things we use don't harm us or the environment.
- Natural Remedies
- There are many benefits of using homemade natural remedies instead of the mass-produced chemical alternatives.
- Naturally Clean
- Reduce or eliminate toxic chemicals in your home until it is naturally clean.
- All Natural Cleaning Products
- Natural cleaning products help eliminate toxic chemicals in our homes and keep our homes safe for our children, pets and us.
- Pets
- Non-toxic alternatives for your pets.
- Tap Water vs. Bottled Water
- Bottled water is not better than tap water and it's an environmental problem.
- DIY Guides to Sustainable Living
- Save tons of money with these DIY guides.
- Natural Living Bookstore
- A great selection of books on sustainable, non-toxic living.
- Natural Living
- Better For You and The Planet
- Recipes
- Pure healthy deliciousness; with NO artificial toxic ingredients.
