Getting Clean

We may live in Ohio now, but spend five minutes talking to me and I can almost guarantee you'll hear me reference my Charlotte moms' group at least once. Some people (i.e., my entire family) like to make fun of me for that, but in all honesty, I owe that group of women so much. Not only were they my sounding board and best friends in Charlotte, but they have continued to be a source of information and inspiration to me, even a year later. When big news breaks, I don't hear it from CNN first. I hear it from "the mommies." When Libby goes on a napping strike and attempts to climb out of her crib, I turn to "the mommies" for advice. And over the two and half years I've been a part of the group, I have learned so much--the best way to clean blinds (white vinegar and a sock!), which stores sell "gateway mom jeans" (Old Navy and Gap--who knew?!) and how to save money on just about anything.

One of the biggest influences the mommies have had on me is in regards to food and making healthier choices for our family. When my aunt passed away last year, I was feeling such a mix of emotions, but two of the strongest were anger and fear. I was angry at cancer--that it can sneak into your life and take someone you love with little to no warning. And I was scared that it would happen again, to someone else I love. Many women in my moms' group are very passionate about clean eating and reducing toxins in their homes and they had generously shared their information and resources with the rest of the group. I had already jumped on the "natural cleaners" bandwagon and eliminated commercial cleaning products from our home when Libby was born, but once I started thinking about and researching the other products in our home that posed a threat to our health, I became determined to minimize that risk.

Over the past several months, we have been taking steps to reduce our exposure to those chemicals and products that are most harmful to us. Now, a disclaimer: I am not a crazy, tree-hugging, hippie who refuses to wear deodorant or anything (yet!). We still keep a couple bottles of Clorox wipes around, there is more than one brownie mix in my pantry right now and I will not be giving up hair dye anytime soon ever. I also realize that even the most valiant efforts do not guarantee us a long, perfectly healthy life. My goal is simply to minimize our risk.

So, what changes have we made in this clean-living endeavor, you ask? For starters, we're avoiding GMOs in our food. We have found that the easiest way to do this is to shop Trader Joe's for the bulk of our groceries. Anything with a Trader Joe's label is GMO free! We also avoid food dyes, processed foods and other chemicals/additives (nitrates, refined sugar, etc.) as often as possible. We eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies and buy organic when and where we can. We have made the switch to hormone-free, antibiotic-free milk, chicken and beef (and we buy free-range/grass-fed as often as possible).

We're now in the process of switching over our toiletries and cosmetics. We use coconut oil in place of moisturizers and lotions, use all natural toothpaste and use organic shampoo/conditioner. Instead of throwing away everything we're currently using that's chock full of chemicals, I've taken the approach of simply replacing things as they run out. So yes, Libby still has a bottle of Dora body wash in the bathtub. When it runs out, I'll be replacing it with a not-nearly-as-exciting bar of Dr. Bronner's all-natural soap. We even try to use natural remedies for ailments rather than turning to OTC drugs or prescriptions (yay for fewer doctor bills!).

I realize that to some people, this may all sound crazy. And that's totally okay. Its not for everyone. And we are not perfect by any means. An article I read recently by a clean-living mom said to "aim for 80/20"--if 80% of the products you buy/use are all-natural, you're doing good. That's what we aim for. Can I say for certain that all this effort is going to pay off in the end? While I believe it will, I certainly can't guarantee that. What I do know is that I feel really good--I feel healthier, I feel more empowered and best of all, I feel good knowing that I'm taking control of my family's health.

If you're interested, the following are links to websites that I have found helpful on our journey thus far:
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/
http://butterbeliever.com/fat-free-dairy-skim-milk-secrets/
http://www.rodale.com/food-additives
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/