Natural Lifestyle
Natural living has a lot of goals: savings, better health, less stress.
I think the definition is a bit different for everyone, but I think most will agree that a natural lifestyle is one focused on reducing toxic load, environmental stewardship, pursuing production vs. consumption and seeking natural alternatives to conventional … everything.
Natural living could easily be made really complicated, but we’ve chosen to keep it as simple as possible. If you’re new to natural living or need some more inspiration for furthering your journey, take a look at some tips for creating a natural lifestyle in a simple way.
1. Cook from scratch
Get whole food ingredients and a few simple recipes and get to cooking. Pre-prepared foods tend to be a chemical crap-fest. Yes, even “natural”ones. (They’re also more expensive in the long run.)
2. Use essential oils
Essential oils can be used to clean your house, make food tastier and even improve your health. Choose essential oils that are 100% pure.
3. DIY
There are so many products we make ourselves now, like shampoo, bar soap and cleaners. Reduce waste
Reducing waste was also done initially so we could save money.
4. Ditch disposables
You can decline disposable items and use instead of it reusable alternatives like diapers, napkins and even feminine care products.
5. Bring in less waste
Choose items with minimal packaging (items from thrift shops are awesome for this) and use reusable bags when you go shopping. I love bags that fold up into their own pouches so I always have them in my purse.
6. Buy in bulk
Buy large portions of food from bulk bins or the farmer’s market using reusable bags/containers. You can also prevent food waste by buying smaller amounts from those places than you normally could otherwise.
7. Grow food
If you can start a garden, do it. Even if it’s a few herbs in your windowsill, you’re still taking steps to healthier eating, producing less waste and a more natural lifestyle.
8. Make your own cleaning supplies
All you need is a few simple ingredients to get started. If you need recipes, you can peruse the internet or buy this awesome book.
9. Spread the word
Once you start producing your own goods, chances are you’ll have more than you need. While you could stockpile things and save your family even more money. Spread the word that natural living is simple and beneficial – not by trying to convince others that their way is wrong but by letting them see the results in your own life.
10. Plan ahead
The best way to eat better and save money on real food is to plan ahead.
11. Cook from scratch
If you’re already a good cook, try switching out chemically-laden ingredients for real food ones. If cooking intimidates you, spend some time perusing some real food blogs and try to take a cooking class to learn some basic skills (even if you just find something on youtube).
12. Make simple switches
In most cases, you can easily swap out processed foods with nourishing real foods.
13. Alternative remedies
Herbs, essential oils, supplements like cod liver oil and real food are main line of defense against illness.
14. Self-care
One of the best ways to avoid illness is to take care of yourself. That means getting enough sleep and doing what you can to reduce stress in your life. Figure out what self-care looks like for you and take steps to make it happen.
15. Move your body
Move as much as you can. Park farther away at the store. Get a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day. Squat instead of sitting on your butt to build and stretch your muscles.
