My friends often tease with me. They call me Mrs. All Natural or Mrs. Organic. It’s been two years now since I came to realize what I was putting in, on or around my body was probably a big factor in my diagnoses of Multiple Sclerosis besides totally ruining the planet.
Do I deserve those titles? I would have to say no. I have come a long way, but I am far from done. In fact now as I rewrite this I can say, I will never truly be done, it’s an educational process and it’s ongoing.
I can still remember the first book I read, The Detox Solution by Patricia Fitzgerald. It still sits in plain sight on my book shelf. Pages are dog eared, highlighted, covered with assessment scores and flagged with multi colored sticky notes. It gets pulled out every few months to check for forgotten goals and educational purposes to encourage others.
So for my friends and family that continue to praise, encourage and sometimes give me an odd look, here is what my road to detox has been like and what I have changed throughout the house.
*Artificial sweeteners were the first to go; I drank almost 6 cans a day of diet Coke and I quit cold turkey. Do I miss pop? NO. Have I gained weight? NO. I drink water, organic green tea, organic fruit juice and organic coffee. And I love Stevia, the all natural sweetener.
*Food; fruits and vegetables are mostly organic. Meats, eggs and dairy are range fed and organic. It just amazes me now how much fat you find on a non-organic, cage raised chicken. Sugar, flour, spices and condiments have been replaced with organic. Remember things get replaced with organic as they run out, so in the back of the frig or cabinet there may still lurk something non-organic items.
*Plastic food containers have been replaced with glass. Old containers went to yard sales (for those that don’t know or care about leaching), are used in the house for storage of non food items or just went to be recycled.
*Laundry Room; is now chemical free and all natural. This includes the laundry soap, dryer sheets and no bleach.
*Bath Room; Shower, bath and personal care products are all natural and/or organic. This includes shampoo/conditioner, soap, shaving cream, lotion, hairspray/gel and tooth paste. The medicine cabinet is free of meds (prescription & OTC) except for Neosporin and Ibuprofen that my partner has yet to let go of.
Household cleaning products; have been changed to toxic free, all natural or green. My favorite which is a spray bottle filled with ½ peroxide, ½ vinegar & a splash of water. I use it everywhere as it kills germs and is great on glass. It is also makes a great carpet cleaner for dog spots. And yes there is still a half a box of swiffer mopping pads. I did like the way they cleaned but they make me cringe every time their used now. The toxic effects of those things are massive and I guess that’s why after two years they are still hiding in the box.
Candles; have been replaced with soy, scented with all natural oils.
Kitchen trash bags; those I used to buy with the lovely vanilla scent have been replaced with recycled plastic bags.
Outside; Potting soil, pesticides and fertilizers have gone organic and all natural too. Flower pots are made of recycled materials or bought from yard sales and Good Will (that is also a way of recycling).
So, am I perfect? NO. I still have to put fuel in my car and inhale the fumes, heck I still have to breathe period and I live in the city. But, I can make a big difference on my body and on the Planet Earth.
Do I still have major things to change? YES.
I want an organic flavored coffee creamer and an organic Corona to go with my organic limes. I want to get rid of my Teflon pans (that’s a story in its self), I want a water purify system for my home (and a place to put it) I want those darn swiffer pads to be gone and I want to change the world (maybe at age 44 that’s a bit much).
Note to Self; Baby Steps, Baby Steps, You Can Do It.
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