The other day, I posted a picture of the deodorant I use in my Instagram stories, and I got a lot of questions about it. Why? Because it’s literally just a stick of salt. And it’s probably the best deodorant I’ve ever used.
About 3 years ago, I started pursuing a healthier life. It started with changes in my diet, focusing on eating more whole, real foods. Once you jump down the rabbit hole of quality food, the transition to other clean, whole, and real rabbit holes is far too easy. I started looking into the hair and face products I used daily, the cleaning supplies under the sink, and even the dishes we use. What I found was astounding and more than enough to push me to make some big changes in our home. What seemed like a complicated and overwhelming venture at the outset has actually simplified and calmed my life significantly.
We are surrounded daily by toxins and harmful chemicals no matter how “clean” we live. And taken individually, it’s likely that no one product alone will cause too much harm to your long term health. It is, however, the cumulative effect of using products with known carcinogens, heavy metals, and synthetics that can be overwhelming to our bodies and our health.
So what is a safe swap?
A safe swap is simply that – a switch from a harmful product to a clean one. While that seems simple enough (and it can be), ingredient lists and advertising make it somewhat complicated to determine what’s harmful and what’s clean. Ingredient lists can hide items, whether it be with complex or unpronounceable names or with something like “fragrance” which appears as a single item but can actually be tens or hundreds of unlisted ingredients.
As the safe swap movement has grown, the idea of “greenwashing” products has become an issue. Some companies saw the shift of consumers desiring more clean products, so companies started using terms like “natural,” “made with essential oils,” or my favorite “free of chemicals.” (That’s impossible….all matter has chemicals. We are made of chemicals.) Companies throw these terms around along with minimalist packaging designs to make products appear more clean than they are. The sad part is if you look into a brands Mrs. Meyer’s or Method, two companies commonly seen as a clean alternative to the mainstream, you’ll find less than clean results. Apps like the EWG (Environmental Working Group) or Think Dirty are helpful in determining if a product is as green as it claims to be.
Let the Swapping begin!
After we made diet switches, I moved into the bathroom as this felt like where some of our most intimate products live. We switched out our hand soap for a homemade mix of diluted castile soap. My toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, facewash, and moisturizer were all on the chopping block and switched to something much cleaner and simpler. I also made the change to go from tampons to a menstrual cup or cloth pads which has actually made my periods SO much more bearable (in addition to an essential oil mix that was a game changer….more on this in a later post!). And then of course, I switched my deodorant. I tried a few different natural brands, but they either didn’t deodorize or they irritated my skin. The mineral salt stick is by far the best option for me, keeping me stink-free even while running in the hot Texas summer. Hallelujah! I don’t wear makeup, so that was not a swap I needed to make but it absolutely would have been if I were a makeup girl!
Related to the bathroom was our medicine cabinet (which could be a whole post in and of itself, so I won’t get too deep into it here). Through the pregnancy with my son and his infancy, my husband and I did a TON of research on health, medicine, and the medical industry. Working with our doctors, we discovered many alternative health practices that work wonderfully for our family. We incorporate homeopathic remedies and naturopathic medicine, essential oils, chiropractic care and body work, and modern medicine into our health maintenance. As we brought more of the alternatives into our lives, we found ourselves reaching for the conventional medicines less and less frequently. There’s certainly a time and place for it – like when our son had an extremely high fever, we decided modern medicine was needed to bring it down quickly – but it is no longer our first line of defense. We instead work with our body’s natural defenses rather than shutting them down.
Next logical step to me was our cleaning supplies. I can’t say we had a ton of variety in my home to swap out because I grew up with a mom who was pretty minimalist when it came to cleaning supplies. This one was pretty easy though – we replaced basically all of our cleaning supplies with vinegar, baking soda, and a Thieves all purpose cleaner. That’s it. It’s incredible to me how many different, very specific cleaners there are on the shelves when nearly every single home mess can be very thoroughly cleaned with those three items. We have some apple cider vinegar to use in our mop, and we have bleach on the VERY rare occasion that’s needed.
While those were our big areas of swaps, I’d say we’ve also just become more aware of the kinds of things we bring into our home. Whether it’s our son’s crib mattress, the shoes we wear, or the Halloween candy we buy, we are working toward prioritizing our family’s long term health.
One Swap at a Time
It can be overwhelming to consider ALL of the potentially harmful items surrounding us, and the reality is it’s nearly impossible in today’s world to completely escape to an all natural, 100% clean space. But why not put some effort into 20%, 50%, or 90% of your world? When I first started swaps, I wanted to do everything all at once, but I knew that would not only drive me insane, but that method is generally unsustainable. Focusing on one area at a time and making one swap at a time made it feel less like a complete overhaul of our lives and more like conscious, specific decisions we were making to better our home.
I love knowing that I don’t have to change all of my products when I get pregnant again, I don’t need to panic if my son gets under the kitchen sink where most people store their toxic cleaning supplies, and I can confidently nourish my family with meals of whole, real foods. There are still more swaps we could make, need to make, and will make, but every swap is intentional and takes time to understand. Something that impacts every facet of life – for the present and for the future – is worth the time.
Have you heard of Norwex?
https://norwex.biz/
I love the cleaning clothes!