living an extraordinary + chemical free life 🌿
Living an Extraordinary + Chemical Free Life 🌿
We’ve been collectively counting calories for years, but are we even thinking about the chemicals in our food and products? Could it actually be that chemicals {not calories} are derailing us from hitting our health goals? We’re cautious about what we put IN our bodies…but what about what we put ON our bodies?
Often, that stubborn last 15lbs isn’t about your diet or exercise (once you already have those in check), it’s about your cumulative toxic load. Do some independent research on “visceral fat” — it’s a protective layer of metabolically-active fat your cells develop to protect the vital organelles from toxins in the body. This means that eliminating toxins could mean serious shedding of pounds + inches! Our detoxifying organs do an amazing job, but we were never designed to process the toxic exposure we have from our environment today — from air pollution to acne medication — so we need to do what we can to help our bodies out. big time.
If you know me well, you know I do my best to eliminate toxins from my skincare, makeup, cleaning products, food, and home. I put detox on autopilot + reduce exposure wherever I can. This is one of my biggest health missions and one of the reasons I was drawn so strongly to doTERRA Essential Oils in the first place. We know that our genetic composition only dictates about 10% of our future health — the rest is decided by the lifestyle choices we make TODAY. So, when it comes to eliminating dangerous chemicals from my life, I mean serious business. 💥 and you should too -- we have one life to thrive, people!
Here’s some ideas to get you started:
🌿 PRODUCT SWAPS + DIYS ~ first of all, watch the doco STINK {it’ll rock your world}. Next time you need to replace your shampoo, opt for a non-toxic alternative {use the EWG app to scan for ingredient toxicity + threat. when it doubt, dōTERRA has great non-toxic lines for home cleaning + self-care} When you can, DIY it — it’s a lot easier than you’d think to make your own cleaning products {and, no, don’t buy into the marketing scam that you need a different plastic container of toxic cleaner for each room in your home. A simple white vinegar, baking soda, essential oil combo will do the trick for most surfaces!}. Learn to read your labels — if you need to do a quick scan, allergens are always in BOLD (those are the things that aren’t vegan + cruelty-free). If you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not great. The fewer the ingredients, the better *unless one of said ingredients is “fragrance”* which brings me to my next tip…
🌿 PURE-FUME ~ I made the swap from spraying toxic perfume directly on my thyroid {full of endocrine-disrupting hormones} to using my essential oils as a non-toxic, health-boosting alternative. We know that the word “fragrance” alone can contain over 3,000 different chemicals, many of which are regulated or banned in the EU. Companies do not need to disclose the potentially-thousands of toxic ingredients disguised behind the label “fragrance.” Spooky. This is because it’s a proprietary trade secret and I could feasibly make Chanel No. 5 in my bathtub if I knew exactly what was in it…right? This regulatory loophole is making us ill and unaware. Sadly, this goes for “natural” and “artificial” “flavours” or “fragrances”. Instead of risking my health with sugary sprays from the mall, I make my own scents with essential oils. I make a rollerball of my favourite scents, dilluted with coconut oil, and I call it pure-fume. I use it daily to anchor in my emotional state, set intentions, and smell amazing. Bonus: pure therapeutic grade essential oils have physical and emotional healing properties. So, you’re not only smelling great, but you are also serving your body’s highest vibration of health at a cellular level, emotionally and biochemically. You’re smelling like a rose and maintaining hormone homeostasis, supporting immune health, calming anxious feelings…you catch my drift.
Jasmine essential oil, anyone?
🌿 WHOLE FOODS ~ the reading labels tip 100% applies to what you’re eating! just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean you’re automatically healthy + plant-based — it’s about WHOLE, real foods. this means: organic, pesticide-free, non-GMO, few-ingredients {that you can pronounce}, and minimally-processed. You are what you eat…just sayin’
🌿 CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM ~ care to know what’s in your products. care about supply chain transparency. Care about the ethical treatment of people, animals, and the planet. Vote with your dollar for the world you want to see. The market will always move faster than policy, so the BEST thing we can do is collectively decide we are only going to re-circulate our money to sustainable businesses and companies that don’t tolerate poisoning consumers with known carcinogens, bioaccumulating chemicals, and more. Pay the premium to support businesses that are doing it right {and likely taking an economic hit for doing so}.
🌿 MINIMALISM ~ be a product minimalist. Be an ingredient minimalist. De-clutter your toxins, Marie-Kondo-style! I promise you don’t need nearly as many products as you think you do {hint: coconut oil works for almost-everything}
While you’re at it?
Buy local — 80% of purchases made from small businesses re-enter the local community. Join a CSA. Donate a bag of unused clothes to goodwill. Thrift. Give extra love to the items you already own + cherish. Carry a re-usable straw. Donate you spare change to plant a tree.
Be kind. Share hugs — they’re free.