 |
| Photo from Unsplash.com |
Hello and welcome back! It's a new year and this is my first blog post of 2017.
I'm excited to announce that this month I'll be writing a blog post series about living with less. Since a new year is all about good intentions and self-improvement, this is a great chance to make some positive changes around your home, for your body and for your mind.
Now I don't know about you, but I ate pretty poorly over the holidays and I'm paying for it now. Large quantities of sugar, chocolate, fatty foods and bread have got me breaking out, and feeling bloated and sluggish. I know that what I eat has to do a lot with how I'm feeling (and looking) so I've really been evaluating my diet and lifestyle and have been looking to make some healthier changes.
Did you know that when you write down your goals you have a 21% increased chance in achieving them? It's even more likely if you write them down in your own handwriting. So this is me writing down my intentions to detox my life - starting with my body.
I'm sure you know the phrase "you are what you eat" and it's absolutely true. Same goes for what you put in your skin, what you breathe in, and what you drink.
When you put something laden with chemicals into your skin (I'm looking at you Bath and Body Works) or into your body (even most grocery store "healthy" fruits and veggies are soaked in toxins!) you're eventually going to have a negative reaction. This could do some serious long term damage to your health!
If you're looking to clean up your habits, here are some tips to detox your body for a healthier, happier you. If you see some ideas you want to work on, be sure to write them down or tell a friend to increase your chances of success!
1) Buy organic food as often as you can.
Certain fruits and veggies carry more toxins in them (aka, The Dirty Dozen) and can carry up to 67 pesticides per serving. Yikes! If you can't buy all organic, make sure to wash fruits and veggies thoroughly before eating with a mild all natural soap.
2) Eliminate (or eat less) gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, peanuts and refined sugar.
In an over-processed and chemical filled world today, allergies are on the rise. This list contains some of the most aggressive food allergens which can irritate the digestive system and in time threaten our immunity. Avoid them if you can!
If you are considering eliminating these things, I recommend checking out the Eating Clean Cookbook by Amie Valpone. I picked it up recently and am working through it for my own health plans. Not only does it include a 21 day plan to detox your diet, but it's filled with anti-allergen and vegan recipes which all look delicious!
Bonus points: Try adding more turmeric, honey, charcoal, and clay (yes, clay) to your diet. All can be extremely beneficial for your health and can help with detoxing and boosting your immunity. Just be sure to do some research first or consult your doctor!
If you are considering eliminating these things, I recommend checking out the Eating Clean Cookbook by Amie Valpone. I picked it up recently and am working through it for my own health plans. Not only does it include a 21 day plan to detox your diet, but it's filled with anti-allergen and vegan recipes which all look delicious!
Bonus points: Try adding more turmeric, honey, charcoal, and clay (yes, clay) to your diet. All can be extremely beneficial for your health and can help with detoxing and boosting your immunity. Just be sure to do some research first or consult your doctor!
3) Swap your cleaning products for chemical free versions.
It's hard enough to avoid toxins outside the house (hello, carbon emissions) so why not make your own home a personal haven and minimize the chemical impact in your home environment. Try swapping out your average Mr. Clean for something gentler on the air and skin. There are many great earth and body friendly cleaners out there - or you can make your own!
I personally like a little vinegar water for cleaning with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Here are some other great recipes for All Purpose Cleaner, Laundry Detergent, Furniture Polish and more.
This one's a favourite of mine! Interestingly enough, I read somewhere once that the average home needs 14-16 plants to help keep the air pure in a home (looks like I'm going plant shopping).
Plants breathe in carbon dioxide and can also absorb other harmful gases such as cigarette smoke, benzene from plastics and formaldehyde. Not only do they help purify the air but they add life and style to a home. So go ahead, buy another plant...for your health of course.
Not sure what plant to get to clean your air? Check out this list!
I personally like a little vinegar water for cleaning with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Here are some other great recipes for All Purpose Cleaner, Laundry Detergent, Furniture Polish and more.
5) Purify your air with plants.
This one's a favourite of mine! Interestingly enough, I read somewhere once that the average home needs 14-16 plants to help keep the air pure in a home (looks like I'm going plant shopping).
Plants breathe in carbon dioxide and can also absorb other harmful gases such as cigarette smoke, benzene from plastics and formaldehyde. Not only do they help purify the air but they add life and style to a home. So go ahead, buy another plant...for your health of course.
Not sure what plant to get to clean your air? Check out this list!
4) Simplify and green your beauty routine.
Most health and beauty products are filled with harmful chemicals and cheap fillers to lengthen the shelf life, all of which unregulated, not tested long term, and can cause serious health problems.
I can remember when I first read about a possible link between breast cancer and antiperspirant,and started researching the chemicals in health and beauty products. I was shocked by the amount of toxins included in everyday health and beauty items - all of which are mass produced and marketed to us (click here for a detailed article on toxic beauty).
Our skin is the largest organ on the body and absorbs 60% of what's put on it - make sure it's 60% of something kind and non-toxic. (I'll be doing a post on my favourite all natural health/beauty products within the next few weeks!)
A very helpful resource I like to use is the Good Guide. You can type a product into this site and find out exactly what the ingredients are, how harmful they are and what they can do long term, and how ethical a beauty brand is. I've typed in Physician's Formula Organic Mascara for an example - take a look!
The average human body is 50-65% water which means you're most likely not getting as much water as your body needs to function fully and properly. Water is essential for flushing out toxins, promoting healthy skin, keeping the immune system in check and other sorts of great things. Green tea and lemon water are also extremely beneficial for detoxing the body. What are you waiting for? Drink up!
I can remember when I first read about a possible link between breast cancer and antiperspirant,and started researching the chemicals in health and beauty products. I was shocked by the amount of toxins included in everyday health and beauty items - all of which are mass produced and marketed to us (click here for a detailed article on toxic beauty).
Our skin is the largest organ on the body and absorbs 60% of what's put on it - make sure it's 60% of something kind and non-toxic. (I'll be doing a post on my favourite all natural health/beauty products within the next few weeks!)
A very helpful resource I like to use is the Good Guide. You can type a product into this site and find out exactly what the ingredients are, how harmful they are and what they can do long term, and how ethical a beauty brand is. I've typed in Physician's Formula Organic Mascara for an example - take a look!
5) Drink more water.
The average human body is 50-65% water which means you're most likely not getting as much water as your body needs to function fully and properly. Water is essential for flushing out toxins, promoting healthy skin, keeping the immune system in check and other sorts of great things. Green tea and lemon water are also extremely beneficial for detoxing the body. What are you waiting for? Drink up!
6) Sweat it out.
Staying active doesn't just keep you looking and feeling great - it also helps flush toxins out of the body during the sweating process. Crying is also great for releasing toxins (both physically and emotionally) so you can always curl up with The Notebook too. Don't forget tissues!
Detoxing your body is a great way to improve your overall heath and to keep your immune system in check. A healthy, organic diet, natural health and beauty products, and clean air environment are essential in working towards a non-toxic life. Try eliminating a few toxins from your routine today - the results can change your life!
Tune in for next week's Living with Less blog series post: Detoxing Your Relationships.
Namaste,
Brittany
@simplylynne
No comments:
Post a Comment