Intro

I have decided to transition my home into a green, non-toxic environment. We will be starting with our cleaning methods, then our cosmectics and hygine supplies, and ultimately even our diet. What would make me want to change my entire life? Well, let me bring you up to speed...

A little bit about me: I'm a 26 yr old wife and mom. I have two little girls, 4 and 2. I just recently stepped back from work so I can stay home with them. I only work Saturdays now as a Medical Assistant. I'm a little bit of a germ-a-phob, and I <3 Lysol and bleach and don't understand why soap would ever be bought without it specifically stating "anti-bacterial"? Though my house is cluttered and not as clean as I'd like, because my standard of cleaning requires more energy than I have (I'll explain health issues in a minute). So just as a homemaker, I've been looking for a better way.

 A few years ago, I started having a lot of random health problems. Doctors weren't able to figure it out, so they kept giving me medications for each symptom, which only caused more problems. Then, another medicine for the side effects. It was a crazing cycle. A few months ago, we realized its an autoimmune disorder, and I can't afford the medicine my doctor wants to put me on. The main issues I have been dealing with are headaches, insomnia, fatigue, malaise, GI issues, and aches and pains. I have been taking multiple medications for awhile now. I have been practically dependent on Imitrex, Flexeril, Norco, Alieve, sleeping pills, Xanax, antibiotics, laxatives, etc. (of course, not all at once, but rather chronically) My pantry looks like a pharmacy. And every medication has a side effect. Its been a vicious cycle, and if there is a better way, I want to find out!
The other night, my husband and I watched a documentry about how toxic commercially bought cleaning chemicals are and what the effects can be on our bodies. They showed the family's journey on transitioning to clean, green alternatives. Honestly, part of what intrigued me was how much money the family saved by making their own cleaners. I got curious, and immediately hopped online to research more. I discovered that our skin absorbs 60% of what we put on our bodies. I can think of a ton of nasty chemicals I am therefore ingesting! Lysol, retinal, bleach, detergents, 409, the list goes on. Also, all fragrance does is coat the insides of our nostrils. Imagine, chemicals just caked in there! The more I found, the more I realized I had to do something.

I'm in the medical field, so as far as "selling out" to green, organic, homeopathic everything, I'm not sold. I do think there is a point where we have come this far and have made so many ground-breaking advancements and we should appreciate the age in which we live. But on the other hand, its hard not to see a correlation between all the advancements, particularly diet and lifestyle, causing uncountable health issues. Of course, medicine saves lives. The better we get, the more we save. And a lot has been said recently about our culture's lifestyle choices, fast food, store bought meals, not enough excercise, etc. But what if there's more to it than that? Perhaps the need of pharmaceuticals is necessary due in part to the lifestyle changes such as commercial cleaning chemicals and cosmetics that we put on our body. Maybe its not as simple as the diet changes and more sedentary lifestyle that we have been focusing on as a society?

I found multiple recipes for at-home, DIY non-toxic cleaners and hygiene items. I decided that at this point, what did I have to lose? At best, any of these green, non toxic changes certainly won't hurt me, but if there is any chance it could make a difference in my health, how can I not give it a shot? So, I will be journaling the journey. What works, what doesn't, posting the recipes with my reflections, and any improvements I experience  within my body. So I will be sharing what I still need to take as well as any natural remedies I find and how all this seems to impact my body. Initially, we will be switching our cleaning methods. We will be switching our hygiene supplies, and ultimately, our food as well. Completely purifying and detoxing our life and environment will be the goal. My husband and two little girls are joining me in this quest, so I will also share their reactions and impacts on them. My hope is, if in the end this helps improve the life of someone like me with a ton of health issues, how much more should it help someone who is perfectly healthy?