Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I'm a Believer

     I'm no hippie.  The contents of my cabinets might lead you to think differently.  My family might argue that I am.  I make my own deodorant and carry around baking soda for face wash.  My husband definitely got worried that I was.  I hauled all of our household cleaners out of the house.  I'm not unconventional, I'm just trying to live without all the unwanted chemicals that sneak into everyday life.  I'm a believer that it works, and I'll tell you why. 

     Most of the credit for my changes goes to Allison Evans at Three Branches Healthy Living.  A friend of a friend, she did a workshop at DEFINE, one of my favorite Houston spots, that really got me thinking about how harmful the chemicals in "every day household products" are.  As I began replacing the chemicals with plant-based, natural solutions, my body immediately began to feel the cleansing effects.  For the last few years I've experienced throbbing pain in my neck and shoulder that often kept me awake at night or required repeated doses of Advil.  Chemicals gone, problem solved.  I have not once experienced that pain since I made the switch.  I have also suffered from hives as a result of chemicals in laundry detergents and had irritated eyes from makeup.  Again, I have not experienced any issues since I changed to a healthier detergent and started buying more naturally made makeup.  Convincing my husband had probably been the greatest challenge, but as I have started to feel better and we have made more and more changes, he's jumped on the bandwagon too!

     Since March I have been slowly but surely replacing every item in our house that contains contaminates, from cleaning supplies to personal products and everything in between.  I have tried and tested what works best for us with a little guidance and support from all the chemical-free resources in Houston.  The task can definitely be overwhelming at times as well as expensive, but my goal is to provide my readers with a small database of what has worked best for me.  No matter what city you're in, you can find ideas, suggestions, support, and research here.  And who knows, you might just evolve into an "illegitimate hippie" like me!  When you do, be sure to send me your ideas and findings as I am constantly trying new things, looking for better and safer alternatives.  I'll start sharing my favorite alternatives soon so you can get ideas for creating a healthier home.

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