12 Changes We've Made to be a Healthier Home

Since being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder last year, I've made a bunch of small changes, one by one, in an effort to decrease our contact with toxins and increase our overall level of health and wellness.

These changes have also led to stronger immune systems in our bodies - we get sick a lot less than we used to around here, and when we do get sick, we bounce back faster than before. 

If you are thinking about doing a "ditch and switch" to less toxic products, you might find inspiration from these 12 changes that we've made (or in some cases, are making) so far. 

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12 Changes for a Healthier Home:

1. Ditch Candles for Diffusers Even though I've been an essential oil enthusiast for almost 15 years now, I ALSO was a big fan of a scented candle - oh, the hygge! - until I learned more about how dreadfully toxic most candles are (most, not all - soy and beeswax are safer options.) So I dumped all our candles in favor of diffusing essential oil combinations instead.
   We have a diffuser in almost every room: my office, the bedroom, the bathroom, our main room, my husband's office, the guest room. All of them also offer some sort of light option, so there's really no hygge lost in making the switch.  
2. Upleveled My Nail Polish I've just recently gotten back into the habit of manis/pedis, and I don't really want to give up the luxury quite yet. So, I did some research which led to a ditch and switch with my nail polish.  
3. Switched from Ziploc bags to re-useable silicon bags as often as possible. 
4. Using Less Plastic Wrap - This one my husband is not super sold on (yet), but I'm hoping to lead by example. I bought some beeswax wraps and some re-useable bowl covers, and it brings me such a sense of satisfaction to find myself reaching for those options over the jumbotron size box of plastic wrap my beloved grabs without even registering that he's doing it. It took us a good six years to get through the last roll of plastic wrap - my plan is to break him of the habit by the time this new roll is done. #babysteps
5. Cloth Napkins We keep a bin of cloth napkins in our kitchen and grab one for each meal. We also have a little basket that sits on top of our washing machine specifically for all our kitchen and bathroom towels, and we do a load about once a week. 
6. Cloth Towels We use cloth towels not paper (except that we do sometimes still to be honest). Again, lowering consumption and therefore exposure is the point, perfection is not.
7. Cleaner Skin Care: organic/non-toxic skin care - beautycounter, grown alchemist, luminex oral care, 
8. Cleaner Cleaning Products! We've been doing this halfway for years already, and I finally went for it, looking up dozens of diy recipes online before settling on a few of mine own. 
9. Wool Dryer Balls are replacing Fabric Softener Sheets This is another one that's very much "still in process," but what I can say for sure is that when I'm the one loading the dryer, I leave the "all and clear" fabric sheet out of the dryer, opting instead to drop a few drops of essential oil on 3-5 wool balls (depending on load size,) and stick a few safety pins through a couple balls (and set the heat to not-so-hot) to avoid static.
10. Smarter choices around my monthly cycle. Years ago, my acupuncture practitioner warned against using tampons - they are considered interruptive and intrusive in Chinese medicine, and sure enough, when I made an 85% switch to pads (leaving tampons for the gym or the swimming pool,) my cycles lessened drastically in intensity and discomfort. Great, but guess what - both tampons AND pads can be toxic. I switched brands of pads to one containing no synthetic pesticides, dyes or fragrances, and replaced even the occasional tampon with a menstrual cup. 
11. Shower Curtain/Liner I can so clearly remember how the smell of a brand new, fresh, plastic shower curtain could permeate an entire bathroom for days on end. These days, instead of plastic shower curtains that emit toxins right into your sacred shower space (how DARE they!), we use both a fabric shower curtain and a fabric shower curtain liner that we collectively wash once a month. 
12. Real plates, real silverware. Whether you are a single solo superhero or a family of 12, single-use cutlery, plates, and cups are never the best choice. Even when we throw parties, we use our regular plates from our kitchen cabinets and/or the extras we keep in our "party supply" area of the storage room. Thrift shops have excellent, affordable dish options that will save you money, so if you haven't left behind the single-use habit yet, now is the time. Today is the day. 

Leave me a comment and let me know what switches you've made in the name of health! 

xo,

Coach Alex