Healthy Changes, Happy Family.
Here are some tips and insights for healthy habits at home that will have an impact!
In our journey toward healthier and cleaner living, we’ve made several changes as a family that have significantly reduced our exposure to harmful chemicals and plastic waste.
We focus on eating whole, organic foods to avoid pesticides, but even organic produce gets a thorough wash in baking soda at our house. (Fill a bowl with water and add 1 table spoon baking soda per 1 liter of water. Submerge the veggies in the water and let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes, one more rinse with clean water, ready to eat!) This method helps remove dirt, wax and pesticides from all fruit and veggies. Please remember that also organic produce gets heavily sprayed in the US (with natural or non-synthetic pesticides and fertilizers) that are considered "safer" for humans and the environment than chemicals used in conventional farming.
To reduce plastic pollution, we’ve swapped plastic containers and lunch boxes for glass- and metal alternatives, and our drinking bottles are stainless steel. We choose loose produce to avoid excess packaging and always bring reusable bags. Please remember that all veggies and fruit already come with their own natural packaging - their peel! There is no need to wrap them in single-use plastic bags. Let's reduce some waste and keep things simple! (I know, we are all so used to use the plastic bags in the supermarket!)
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Processed and pre-packaged foods are no longer part of our routine, and we drink spring water from glass bottles or filtered tap water to ensure we minimize contaminants (we don't buy any plastic drinking bottles anymore). For personal care, we’ve switched to safer products, avoiding sulfates, parabens, and other harmful chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin. There are great apps to scan and check all kinds of products! (Yuka, Think Dirty, EWG's Healthy Living App)
Additionally, we’ve committed to refusing single-use items like plastic cutlery, straws, and plates, and even replaced our plastic cutting boards with wooden ones for a healthier and more sustainable kitchen environment. (tip: use only one of them for just cutting meat, we marked ours)
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Embracing a more conscious lifestyle is all about taking small, manageable steps. We know, we are not going to change the world. But every little change adds up (and makes a big difference in our daily lives!), helping us live cleaner, healthier and more mindful of our impact on the environment. So start where you can and gradually build a more sustainable routine!