About a year ago, my husband and I realized we may not be running our house in the healthiest way. Sure, we weren’t doing anything out of the norm, but we began to realize that the norm, particularly in this country, can be quite harmful.
From laundry detergent to snack foods, everything has got something unnatural in it. Unless a company made a conscious decision to produce a “better” more healthy brand, it’s likely they are adding preservatives to the food to extend its shelf life, or are putting chemicals into products such as lotions to add pleasant fragrances. However, these additives may have long-term repercussions for consumers. If you look at what you are buying through the lens of staying healthy, you realize that almost everything, to some degree, has toxic ingredients.
You wish it was not that way. It’s pretty overwhelming to change everything all at once – but do you just give up? No! I will tell you that switching over to a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to be dramatic, expensive, or scary. It’s all about taking one small step at a time to get to your ultimate goal of raising your own chickens and cattle. Just kidding! But seriously, if you’re buying a name-brand product, odds are you can buy or even make something much healthier for your family.
Suzan Zayat
I use low-pasteurized grass-fed milk. We do not have any cereal in the house. I bake (and sell) sourdough, bread, bagels, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and more. I use grass-fed butter in my dairy dishes instead of oil, and I use bone broth in a lot of meat dishes. I switched over to Native brand [natural] deodorant and baby shampoo for kids.
Evelyn Laniado
I started using agave in my coffee instead of refined sugar, and avocado and olive oils instead of seed oils. I buy organic cereals and milks. I became conscious about how processed foods make me feel and how they affect my kids. In terms of organic, I don’t splurge so much on things that don’t grow from the ground. The ground is where most of the chemicals soak into things. So, if the vegetable grows underground, such as carrots, celery, and potatoes, or is a root vegetable, I try to buy organic.
Natalie Nudelman
I stopped using scented candles because of the dangerous fumes they give off. Instead, I just use a pot of water and throw stuff in it – like cinnamon sticks, citruses, and essential oils.
Raquel Vogel
Recently, I switched from Fabuloso to something with better ingredients, that’s a multi-purpose cleaner. I switched from using a typical chemical laundry detergent to a healthier option laundry ball that I found on Amazon. For my counters, my housekeeper makes a vinegar mixture instead of using all-purpose cleaner. The only scents you should have are from high-quality essential oils.
I switched all my sheets from microfiber and random materials to 100 percent cotton. I also stopped buying clothing with poor materials from China. We don’t even realize the harm that comes from all these cheap materials. Our skin is the largest organ we have and it absorbs what you put on it.
Yours Truly, Frieda Schweky
Here’s a few changes I’ve made in my home over the last year. I switched from regular eggs to pasture-raised eggs. This alone is a huge switch and it made it a lot easier when I realized my go-to supermarket Aldi started carrying pasture-raised. And in true Aldi fashion, they’re high quality and for pasture-raised eggs, the price is awesome! I now buy organic milk, fruits, and veggies when possible.
Instead of buying gallons of expensive (and toxic) laundry detergent at the supermarket, I switched to buying a “better” powder option on Amazon called Nellie’s Laundry Soda. It is made with only four ingredients, but it was very expensive. I’ve since found a simple recipe with only four ingredients. This recipe has been a game-changer. It is super easy to throw together and is very inexpensive. And yes – it really cleans my clothing!
Homemade Non-toxic Laundry Detergent:
1.5 C Baking Soda
1.5 C Washing Soda (found on Amazon)
½ C Epsom Salt
¼ C Sea Salt
Essential oils for fragrance (optional)
It takes only three minutes to put together. I’ve never felt the need to add in the essential oils but if you love fragrant laundry, then by all means, go for it!
We changed how we buy our meat, too. Instead of buying from the butcher, we began buying from different sources that supply grass-fed beef and lamb, as well as pasture-raised poultry such as chicken and turkey. These options are hormone- free as well. We buy in bulk and freeze what we don’t use right away.
Next, we got rid of all our pots and pans that were covered in toxic non-stick coating like Teflon. We replaced them with cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic-coated pots and pans. We also replaced our air fryer that had a toxic coating for a stainless steel one.
We switched out our fluoride toothpastes (which also have other chemicals) to cleaner options. I switched from using acetone to remove my nail polish to a cleaner option I found on Amazon, which surprisingly works just as well. We stopped buying sugary cereals that had food coloring, tons of refined sugar, and a bunch of chemicals. We also stopped buying baked goods with a long shelf life, due to added preservatives.
Melanie Falack
Every year I took on something else kitchen-wise. No more eating with disposables for meals in the house. Only glass dishes. Next, was no more cooking or baking in tins. Only glass, Pyrex, or real trays (not disposable). Those are examples of big things I took on each year. Small things were buying non-toxic cleaning supplies and personal hygiene things like toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, and soaps. I buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. We buy organic dry goods and bottled/canned foods for the most part. But the most important change food-wise is to stay away from processed foods. It is best is to cook things from scratch yourself and eat real fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
There’s really so much to be said about this topic. But I think the main point is to be a conscientious shopper and to pay attention to what you are purchasing for your family. There are countless chemicals that are allowed in our products and foods that are banned in other countries. Don’t assume the government is looking out for you. Be aware of what you’re bringing into your home. Changes do not have to be tackled all at once and it doesn’t have to be daunting. But this is really something to think about!
Until next time,
Frieda Schweky
Frieda is an event and portrait photographer. Check Frieda out on Instagram @ friedaschwekyphoto. For photography inquiries or article topic suggestions email her at friedaschweky@gmail.com.