A guide to non-toxic living + my go-to natural lifestyle products
When I first learned about environmental toxins, I remember feeling super overwhelmed. With so many harmful chemicals in our food, skincare, makeup and household cleaning products, where does one even begin?
If you can relate, then I hope this post puts your mind at ease. Although it might feel overwhelming at first, transitioning to a non-toxic lifestyle is so worth it. Having practiced a natural lifestyle for quite some time now, I can truly feel the shift in the way my body feels: from my gut health, skin health, hormones, and everything in between.
If you have doubts about how realistic natural living actually is, allow me to light the way for you. Gone are the days when “natural” means “it doesn’t work” (remember those all-natural deodorants that only lasted 5 minutes? Never again!). I’ve trial-and-errored my way through so many natural products and holistic practices so that you don’t have to, and this guide will make transitioning to a natural lifestyle not only easy, but enjoyable, too.
First, let’s take a look at what it actually means to live a non-toxic, natural lifestyle.
Benefits of a non-toxic lifestyle
There are many reasons you might be attracted to a non-toxic lifestyle. Maybe your digestion has been feeling off, or you’re dealing with chronic symptoms like fatigue, muscle aches, mood swings, acne, skin flare-ups, inflammation, or hormonal imbalances. These are all potential signs that the body is dealing with excess toxicity.
Maybe you want to take preventative measures to avoid more serious health issues like cancer and heart disease down the road, since most of the commonly available household cleaning products contain cancer causing chemicals. Or, maybe you’re simply drawn to a more natural and holistic way of living.
Whatever your reasons, there are so many benefits you can expect when you transition to a non-toxic lifestyle, such as:
Improved digestion and relief from symptoms like constipation, gas, bloating, IBS etc.
Clearer skin
Reduced inflammation
Better immunity
Balanced hormones
Enhanced fertility and reproductive health
Better sleep
Lower stress levels
Improved focus / less brain fog
Disease prevention
… and so much more!
Plus, non-toxic products are a lot better for the environment, so you’ll be doing the planet a favor, too.
What does a non-toxic lifestyle look like?
If you’ve ever landed on a non-toxic instagram page or blog, you may have felt turned off by all the fear-inducing alarms about poisonous chemicals, harmful invaders, and the laundry list of ingredients you need to stay away from. No shade to those creators, but I really don’t think this approach is necessary. Adopting a healthy lifestyle that works for you is confusing enough as it is, and the last thing I ever want to do is add more stress to your plate. So, allow me to make it simple for you.
A non-toxic, natural lifestyle can be as simple as:
Prioritizing whole foods over processed foods.
Choosing organic and pasture-raised when possible.
Opting for locally grown food when possible, perhaps through your community farmers market or a local CSA.
Choosing restaurants that source local ingredients.
Favoring seasonal produce.
Slowly switching to non-toxic cleaning and household products (keep reading for my fav brands!)
Slowly switching to non-toxic skincare and makeup products (keep reading for my fav brands!)
Investing in a high quality water filter
Ditching heavy fragrances, air fresheners and perfumes
Detoxing periodically from sugar, processed foods and alcohol to support your body’s natural cleansing process (follow this guide if you’re interested in learning more about detoxing. Your gut, skin & hormones will thank you!)
The goal with natural living is not to live in fear or toxins, nor is it to live 100% toxin-free. It’s inevitable that we will be exposed to some level of toxicity, and to a certain extent, your body is equipped to handle toxins just fine on its own.
The goal, then, is not to avoid toxins entirely, but to prevent toxic overload (and the uncomfortable symptoms that come with it) by reducing exposure where we can. That way, when you are (inevitably) exposed to toxins, your body is able to handle it and detoxify with ease.
Perfection isn’t necessary with non-toxic living, nor is it even possible, so aim for mindfulness over perfection and remember to take it slow. It’s not necessary to overhaul your entire life all at once. Instead, wait until you run out of a product, then choose a more natural one to replace it.
Ingredients to look out for for non-toxic living
With thousands of chemicals and toxins in everyday products, I don’t recommend trying to memorize every single one. Instead, you can use apps like Clearya and the EWG Skincare Database that will scan ingredients for you and, in the event that a product has high toxicity, provide some alternative options.
The main ingredients you want to look out for in home & personal care are:
Parabens
Phthalates
Phenols
Sulfates
Formeldahyde
Triclosan
Fragrance
Paraffins
2-Butoxyethanol: sometimes appears as Butyl Cellosolve; Ethylene Glycol, 2-BE
Ammonia
Coal tar dyes: sometimes appear on labels as: P-phenylenediamine, coal tar solutions, naphtha, estar and benzin B70, or any ingredient listed with FD&C and D&C in front of it.
Ethanolamines: MEA (monoethanalomine) , DEA (diethanolamine), TEA (triethanolamine)
Nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs)
Sodium Hydroxide
Chlorine bleach
When it comes to food, prioritizing whole foods and choosing USDA Certified Organic where possible will pretty much keep your toxicity levels at bay. Reducing processed/packaged foods is always a good idea, but balance is key here - I still enjoy some packaged snacks and sweets in moderation, but when possible, I like to opt for packaged snacks with less ingredients overall, and I usually avoid the hard-to-pronounce ingredients. Avoid anything that advertises as “low calorie” or “sugar free,” While these might seem like healthy alternatives, there’s usually harmful ingredients added to these products to make them taste good. A good rule of thumb is: if you don’t recognize the ingredient, your body probably doesn’t recognize it, either.
Here are some of the main ingredients to look out for when grocery shopping:
trans fats
hydrogenated oils
seed oils (canola, corn, sunflower, grapeseed, rapeseed, safflower)
artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, sucralose
high levels of added sugar (if it’s more than 10g per serving, I’d skip it. Remember, you can always sweeten things yourself with honey or agave).
artificial colors: red dye 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6 are the most common ones.
“natural flavors” - while misleading in its name, there’s actually not much of a difference between natural flavors and artificial flavors.
My favorite non-tox/low-tox brands:
Luckily, there are so many amazing brands doing great work to create products that are kind to your body. It’s amazing to see that we no longer need to sacrifice effectiveness when it comes to choosing natural products, and it doesn’t have to cost a ton of extra money, time, or convenience to switch.
Remember, transitioning to a non-toxic lifestyle takes time. There’s no reason to waste the products you already have, unless you’re experiencing some really uncomfortable symptoms. When you run out of your personal care and home products, refer to this list or check out the EWG database to source a new product that will support your body and love you back.
Here are some of my favorite non-toxic products for skin care, cosmetics, personal care and home.
ILIA: clean makeup & skincare
Acure: skin care
Honest Beauty: makeup & skin care
Native: deodorant, bath & body
Beautycounter: makeup & skin care
Necessaire: bath & body
Dr. Bronners: bath & body
Puracy: laundry detergent, stain remover, dishwasher pods
Branch Basics: household cleaning and laundry
Berkey: water filter
These are just a few of the hundreds of great options out there. Remember to refer to EWG and Clearya for even more options, and as always, if you need support transitioning to a healthier lifestyle and reaching your wellness goals, you can learn more about coaching here.
