Make Sustainable and Meaningful Changes
When I first started my journey towards a lower toxin lifestyle – it felt really overwhelming. There are so many accounts on social media, research articles, videos, etc out there that provide information. But it can be hard to know what information to follow. When you start to think of all of the harmful products you are consuming and putting on your body, you may feel like you don’t know where to start. I’ve been there, and sometimes I still feel that way.
If you are overwhelmed or take on too much information at once – you are less likely to follow through with changes you want to make. The goal of these changes are that they are sustainable, still enjoyable and meaningful. I have made a list of some simple tips to keep in mind while on your health journey to keep you encouraged, informed and equipped to make sustainable and meaningful changes. Let’s get to it!
1. Make Small Changes Over Time
Once you learn that something is bad or detrimental to your health, your first instinct may be that you need to cut it out now. While it’s important to turn your knowledge into action, rushing into changes may not be the best long term. If you consume and use products like most Americans do, there can be a lot of changes or swaps that need to be made overtime. It is unrealistic to expect to change your whole lifestyle in a matter of days or weeks. If you want to start making changes today, pick a couple of things that you use the most and start there. For example, I started by investing in a high quality water filter and air filter. I drink water and breathe air all day long, so I felt like those were the most meaningful changes I could make right away.
After making some initial changes, depending on your means and abilities, make a plan over time. This could look like making one swap every week. This could mean- when you buy chips this week at the grocery store you’re going to look for a better choice swap that uses avocado oil instead of canola. If you make one swap a week for a year – that’s 50+ changes! Or it could look like making swaps when you run out of what you currently have. So next time you need toothpaste, look for a better choice option without sugars, artificial flavors/sweeteners, food dyes, or fluoride.
You could even work in categories. This could mean over the next month your goal is to switch out your frequently used household cleaning supplies for a cleaner choice. Just make sure you don’t rush into a new product, do your research and make sure you have a clear understanding of why you’re swapping and what you’re swapping to.
2. It Doesn’t Have to be All or Nothing
Any positive changes you make are a step in the right direction. Just as it doesn’t happen overnight, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Sometimes you can’t or don’t have the means to make every change and have a 100% clean lifestyle. There is also still room for enjoying and indulging sometimes. It would be way too restrictive and unrealistic to have to live 100% clean and toxin free all of the time. Just because you like to eat out sometimes, doesn’t mean that ruins everything. Just because your kid eats something at a friend’s birthday party every once in a while, doesn’t mean it ruins their health. What you do on a regular basis makes the difference. Indulge, enjoy and take into account that life happens – but make sure the vast majority of the time you are putting your health first.
One thing to watch out for with this mindset is to not lose control. Sometimes it can be easy to slip into a mindset like “well I already ruined today, so I will start over tomorrow.” It’s like the metaphor of when you drop some food on the floor you don’t throw your whole plate on the ground. Same idea applies with your toxin load and healthy living. If you have a not so great breakfast, instead of having the rest of the day be not so great too – make better choices the rest of the day. It’s not about being perfect or not doing it at all. It’s about making intentional decisions every day to improve your health and make long-term sustainable changes.
3. Find The Right Creators
There are SO MANY creators out there on instagram, tiktok, pinterest, etc that talk about food and health. It is great that so many people are trying to advocate for others to improve their health. The challenge is making sure that the people you follow are promoting the right things. There are a lot of people out there creating fear and making their followers think that if they don’t eat clean 100% of the time, they will definitely get sick. People will judge you for not doing exactly what they do. Some people are promoting unhealthy foods and say they’re okay to be a part of your regular diet. None of these are great options for creators to follow and look up to.
Following creators who are accepting and encouraging is the way to go! You want to have an online community that encourages you to make changes, explains the risks of certain foods/products, but does not judge or preach an all or nothing mindset. Accounts that show you better choice swaps, healthier recipes, and cleaner products are great! Remember – this is a journey and having accounts you can follow and get advice from, can be really beneficial. Don’t be afraid of creators on social media, but just make sure you are intentional with who you follow.
4. Don’t Just Cut Things Out – Add Things Too
While on this journey, it can be easy to focus on the things you need to swap or cut out. That is important, but adding in healthy things is important too. If you feel like cutting things out is too hard right now, start by adding in. Add in healthy habits, superfoods, nutrient dense options, movement, and mindfulness. For example, adding in even 5 minutes of daily sunlight/time outside can be SO beneficial for your health. It’s easy, not super time consuming, and it’s free!
If you eat mainly processed foods, start by adding in a serving or two of fruits and veggies a day. If you don’t exercise, add in a 10 minute walk a day. There are so many simple things you can do to improve your health that don’t involve cutting anything out.
5. Try Not to Compare Yourself to Others
This one is so so important. Do not compare yourself or your journey to others. Someone may be a little further along when it comes to food but less so when it comes to household products. Circumstances may make it more difficult for you to make changes, compared to the person next to you. It may be easier for you to make a change to your diet than the person next to you. It is okay to be in different places than those around you. If you are working towards making healthy changes, that is a step in the right direction.
This especially applies on social media. When people are content creators on this topic, they are likely very far on their health journey and tend to be very educated on the topic. If you are just starting out, you can’t expect to be where they are. It is not helpful to compare yourself negatively to these people. Everyone is in a different spot in their journey and as long as you are actively putting in effort that is great!
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Hopefully this list is helpful and provides tips for you along your health and wellness journey. It is important to make small changes, take your time, find people you can look up to for advice, think about what you can add in too, and remember not to compare yourself to others.
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