Baby Steps

I've been making baby steps in our switch over to a more organic diet. I've been buying only grass-fed or pastured beef, chicken and eggs. I've been getting all my fruits and veggies from Greenling or the farmers market. We already drank organic milk, but I found rBST-free (cow growth hormone) butter too. I've been buying organic bread and cereal and am trying to switch over the snacks to organic too. I haven't thrown everything out to do this. Just as we use items I replace them with an organic version. It's really helping me clean out the pantry and fridge.

I'm trying to do the best I can and not worry about being 100% organic, but just be better. I figure that every little bit helps and hopefully the levels of pesticides and chemicals in our bodies will be reduced by switching over to a more natural diet. I've also been trying to cook more and cut out so much processed food. It's taking a bit more time, but because I think it's worth it I don't mind.

There are some things I'm still waiting to use up before I switch:

Coffee...I think I'll buy Ruta Maya if I can find it without driving to the south side...try to be local and find shade-grown Fair Trade coffee so I know that it's being grown without knocking out rainforest and that the farmers are being treated appropriately.

Laundy detergent...we use ALL Free & Clear now but should probably try and reduce the chemicals in our clothes, bed linens and towels.

I threw away the sponge in the kitchen sink and am using the Skoy cloth. A friend of mine also recommended a cleaner sponge thing called the Spaghetti Sponge that I want to try.

I need to stop buying plastic water bottles. The only problem is that then I won't drink water because it's not cold enough for me. So I need to replace the filters on the sink and the refrigerator and fill up some water bottles and put them in the fridge.

I buy California Baby soap for the boys but I need to replace our soap and shampoo with more natural brands. I was reading something online about "chemicals of concern" and how they are finding these in cord blood, not to mention children and adults. These chemicals are getting into our bodies from shampoo, soap, hand-sanitizers, make-up, lotion, dishwasher detergent, cleaning supplies and loads of other things. These chemicals are messing with our hormones and body systems and causing all kinds of problems. So working on changing out soaps, lotion, shampoos is definitely on my list of things to do.

I know I may sound like I'm going a little overboard with all of this but once you start reading about all the crap that we come in contact with on a daily basis and what it can do to our bodies there's really only one thing you can do...make the effort to not expose your children and your self to that stuff any more. This is really a case where ignorance ISN'T bliss. We really need to start paying attention to what comes into our homes and into our bodies and requiring companies to be transparent about their practices and use natural products. What's good for the wallet isn't always good for the body!