Why?

I don't want to live in fear of all the things I'm putting in and on and around my body, or more importantly, the bodies of my children. I want to reduce their exposure to the toxins that I am able to and know that I've done my best. In the past several years I've started detoxifying my life a little at a time. It's OVERWHELMING when one considers all the toxins and ways that we come into contact with them, without ever knowing or being told. It's like we're in the dark. . . but there needs to be some exposure.

I have a hard time telling friends when I know something is bad for the body. I don't want to offend anyone, or make them feel guilty, or worse yet. . .make them think I'm being ridiculous because, afterall. . .isn't that the biggest, most well-known baby care line there is? Why would SOOOO many people use it if it really caused reproductive health issues and cancer for our babies? Why wouldn't we ALL know that and why wouldn't the company just go bankrupt over night? So. . . I do my best to change things for my family and maybe drop some info here and there when it can be more well recieved than just point blank assassination of a product.

I know that I have SO far to go. I know that things that I don't think about, and things that I feel "okay" about, are sometimes NOT okay and I'm learning slowly slowly how and what to eliminate. I want to live a simpler life, a greener life, a more conscientious life. I don't want a situation where my children feel like they CAN'T have. . . but how cool it is for us to make things together, learn things together, and keep our bodies more pure. I also want to note that I'm not trying to preserve my life. . . I'm just trying to have the best quality of life on this earth as possible, and help my children learn more of that kind of living, much earlier than myself. And it's not for lack of trying. . . it's just that with information at the tips of our fingers, we can learn and see and know SO much more than any generation before us.

My hope is that in cleaner more pure living, we can eventually join the movement that demands this is the way food and cosmetics and clothing and all things we use are produced. That one day "green" will just be the norm. That we won't have to pay exhorbidant prices for organic, US products, locally made, etc.

I'm not on a personal quest. I'm not trying to change everyone, I don't want to be seen as some "purist" who is searching for something that just can't be found anymore. I'm just trying to move my family towards a less toxic path for body wellness. It's a long, tedious path. I don't think it's sustainable or reasonable to run through the house throwing out every possible toxin in one day.

Five years ago, I became aware and began sifting out products with high fructose corn syrup and msg, partially hydrogenated oils followed. I had to become a label reader. Grocery items I'd ALWAYS purchased were no longer options, I had to find substitutes or just let go of purchasing them all together. I had to be aware that these three ingredients were found in a multitude of things I never thought to consider. . . and yet, the soda train has been the hardest to let go of. It's these "impurities" these "exceptions" that I have to slowly let go of.

When my daughter began eating solids, I was more focused on whole foods and preparing at home. . . but slowly slowly, I became less strict about her diet and fast food slipped in, eating out, buying "exceptions." I have been purchasing organic goods in more and more varieties over the past three years or so now. But recently realized we were spending a fortune on organic, yet eating out far too often and of course NONE of this was organic. . .so what's the point?

We are on baby 2 now, she has recently begun solids, and we also just watched Food Inc. . . . now that I finally have real backing from my husband that encourages me to prepare food at home, to buy organic despite some of the costs, and to focus even more on whole foods. . . . I feel like I can begin moving onto other areas where toxins enter our lives. . . cosmetics, diaper wipes, diaper creams, sunscreen, body wash.

Here, on this blog I plan to share recipes for some of these cosmetics, home remedies, etc. Perhaps some new grains I'm trying as we likely won't eliminate white flour, but work to decrease it. Recipes, tips on buying organic. Buying US made products (or trying to). . . . all sorts of different ponies will be ridden here. It's just a simpler kind of life.