Are you interested in transitioning to a non-toxic lifestyle, but you aren’t quite sure where to begin?
Are you looking to switch to healthier products and food choices for you and your family?
Look no further! I’ve done the research for you and have gone through this journey myself. I’m going to go over the main areas of how to start a non-toxic lifestyle and tips to make this process easy, less overwhelming and actually exciting for you!
At 80/20 Health Hunny, my goal is to help alleviate the stress around reducing toxins and help you every step of the way to making healthier choices. You should be proud of yourself! You’re making the first step right now. This is an ongoing journey to living happier, healthier lives! Nothing is ever going to be perfect in life, but making intentional decisions will make all the difference.
How to Start Your Non-Toxic Life Today:
1. Begin by Looking at Ingredients
The first place to start is to become aware of ingredients. Very commonly, ingredients are overlooked and not really thought about. Start taking a look at them, even if you don’t understand all the terms. Look at the products that are in your home currently and when you are out and about. Make a habit of this.
2. Choose a Place to Start
It’s impossible to make everything you own or consume non-toxic overnight! Decide on a place to start swapping products out. It could be items in your pantry, bathroom products, cosmetics, kitchen supplies, laundry detergent, cleaning products, etc. Sometimes people like to start with a certain category, or you can start with products as you run out of them! Choose whatever makes sense for you!
3. Compare Products
When choosing between two of the same product (say, ketchup for instance), compare the ingredients of each one side by side. A general, simple way to decide is by the amount of ingredients there are. Choose the one with the LEAST AMOUNT of ingredients. You’ll find that a lot of products have A TON of ingredients, which are usually unnecessary and could be toxic (depending on the item). Less ingredients, less toxic.
4. Use Your References
I’ve done so much research on non-toxic products and what ingredients to avoid. I’m here to help make it easy for you! You can check out all of my favorite products that I would recommend here. In my other blog posts, I cover the items I would recommend, while also discussing which toxic ingredients to avoid and why. You can view my blog here.
It will also be incredibly helpful for you if you downloaded the EWG (environmental working group) app on your mobile device, it’s free! You can search any product in the app and EWG will give that product a rating on how toxic that product is. Anything above a 2 or 3 is a no-no.
5. Apply the 80/20 Rule
Once you know something, you can’t unknow it. It’s easy to become overwhelmed when it comes to avoiding toxic ingredients and focusing on what is healthy. However, by following the 80/20 rule, you give yourself the flexibility you need to be successful and not stress over perfection. Focus on implementing healthy habits 80% of the time in your life. 20% of the time, you can relax a bit by doing or eating anything you’d like! Please read my blog post here on the 80/20 rule and how it works!
6. Educate Yourself
Knowledge is power! Keep learning all that you can and start talking to others about it. Be smart enough to not fall for all the greenwashing (false advertising) that companies are doing today. Follow me on Instagram @8020healthunny and join my email list here to be a part of a supportive community with the same mindset!
7. Eat Whole Foods
Start cooking more at home, meal prepping and eating less processed food! You’ll find that making food more at home will save you money, make you physically feel better and it can be super easy! For example, stop buying pre packaged taco seasoning, make your own! With a few spices mixed in a mason jar, you’ve got pure taco seasoning ready to go that doesn’t have any preservatives or additives.
8. Improve Air Flow
Begin to open your windows for a least 15 minutes a day. Indoor air is known to be more polluted than outdoor air, which is harmful to our health. By opening your windows, you allow for fresh air to circulate, which reduces environmental toxins in your home and increases air quality.
Conclusion
All in all, keep in mind that there is no giant rush on making the switch to a non-toxic life. Luckily, our bodies have detox organs that help us 24/7 to eliminate toxins in our bodies. Switching to a non-toxic lifestyle helps to reduce the toxic load our organs have to filter out in order to keep us functioning and healthy. With less toxins in our bodies, the more we can thrive! Please read my post on the benefits of living non-toxic here.
In today’s world, there seems to be a lot of ‘hush hush’ and controversy around toxic chemicals in our products and food, but now is the time to stand up for our health and support companies that support us!
Speaking up can be as simple as voting with your dollar. When you purchase something, you are letting companies know that you approve of that product. You do what you are able to do and what feels right. Take it one day and one product at a time. Even the baby steps make a big impact!
Remember: Follow The 80/20 Rule!
I’m a firm believer in the 80/20 rule when it comes to your health.
80% of the time, make healthy choices. 20% of the time, it’s okay to relax a bit.
Not everything has to be perfect! All you have to do is try your best and intentionally make choices that make sense for your life. Try to use the most safe and healthy products to your knowledge.
It’s never too late to make changes and try out something new!
I’m here to help and support you. Let’s create a healthy, less toxic community and take our power back.