Where Do I Start: Making the Leap to Low-Tox Living

When making the leap to low-tox living, there are a few things to keep in mind. In this post I talk about the top things to know, how you can go about transitioning your home, and multiple resources you can utilize so that you can feel empowered to do your own research and find things that best fit YOUR family. While I do share a few specific recommendations and what I use personally, the point of this post is focused on how to learn and research: you should never take one person at their word, including me, without looking into things yourself!

With that out of the way, let’s jump in!   

Top Things to Know 

1. Just because it says non-toxic or all natural doesn’t mean it is. Unfortunately, a lot of companies are greenwashed (say they are clean but really aren’t, like Seventh Generation, Ms Meyer’s, Meleluca, Argonne, etc). Focus more on examining the ingredients for each individual product you are looking into rather than the overall marketing for the brand. Very rarely are ALL products from a brand truly clean! 
2. You can never be completely non-toxic so don’t even try! The goal is to lower your toxic burden, cause you can never eliminate it, and that’s okay. Most people on this journey try for 80/20 or 70/30 or whatever split works for you! Even swapping out one thing makes a difference. For example, I swapped out most of my personal care products to cleaner options several years ago, but it was only last year that I finally let go of my toxic aluminum deodorant and hair spray! It’s a process, y’all. 
3. Along those same lines, don’t try to swap everything at once. The easiest thing to do is just swap things out as you run out, but you can also choose one or two areas of your life to overhaul immediately if you just can’t wait! 
4. There’s always a bad, better, and best option. If all you can do at the time is better, that’s still better that bad! For example, you many not be able to afford the $20 super clean “best” shampoo, but you can afford the $10 “better” option, so choose the better option without any guilt or remorse – you are doing the best you can with what you’ve got, and that’s all anyone asks of you, and ITS OKAY. 
5. Stressing about toxic things is just as toxic as the toxic things themselves. It’s so hard to rein in the anxiety, but one Oreo is not going to derail your life. The occasional Starbucks and Teflon pan are not going to ruin you. When you are consistent with the low-tox 80% or 70% or even 60% of your life, your body can handle detoxing the remaining 20%, 30%, or even 40%. You DO NOT have to be perfectly non-toxic 100% of the time because it’s simply not possible, and stressing about it does NOT help your health, it hurts it. So embrace what you can, and when you can’t be as low-tox as you’d like, write it off as your 20%, enjoy it, and move on with your life. 😉 

Common Areas to Swap 

So what should you swap?

You can break up your life into several categories. You’ve got cleaning supplies, kitchen stuff, personal care products, clothes, medicine, food, and laundry. What is top priority for one person may not be top priority for another. It just depends on YOUR unique situation. When I started swapping, I prioritized food and personal care products, cause those were the things I was having the most trouble with. After that, I started switching my cleaning supplies and what I used for medicine, then laundry, then what I used in my kitchen. I still haven’t switched out clothes (and probably won’t for a while). Although I am more mindful of what I buy, especially for the kids, it’s just not financially feasible right now to swap clothing, and that’s okay!

If you want a one-stop shopon how to go about overhauling your life, one of my favorite influencers, Jordan Lee Dooley, has a Lifestyle Overhaul Guide that will take you through conquering the overwhelm, giving you steps towards sustainable low-tox living. Make sure you give her social media a follow – she’s a wealth of information and has helped so much on my journey! 

Holistic Avenues to Explore Outside of Western Medicine 

Part of low-tox living is looking for natural ways to heal your body when you are sick or hurt. There is absolutely a time and a place for western medicine! However, we as a society have fallen into a bad habit of reaching for the latest prescription to suppress symptoms rather than supporting our body through sickness and letting the symptoms guide us to the root cause of the issue. For women in particular, when there are any female ailments, the first thing doctors tend to do is prescribe hormonal birth control (which is a group 1 carcinogen if you didn’t know!) rather than actually try and fix the problem. Note: this is usually NOT because they are purposely not helping, but rather because that’s just the way they were taught and don’t know any better. 

Three of my most favorite ways to support my body as a first line of defense is through herbal tinctures, homeopathy, and chiropractic care. Rather than reach for the Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or Tums at the first sign of discomfort, I utilize herbal tinctures and homeopathy first. Do I still have Tylenol and Ibuprofen on hand? Absolutely! It’s just no longer my first go-to. For example, if I have a headache, I might reach for Earthley’s Feel Better Fast or Pain Potion. When I have indigestion, I might reach for Earthely’s Mama’s Tummy Relief, or the homeopathic remedy Nux Vomica. When my child is teething, I’ll give them Earthley’s Teeth Tamer and/or homeopathic Chamomilla. In all of those situations I go see a fantastic chiropractor that will align my body, which then assists in clearing my body’s detoxing pathways and relieves any pressure, pain, or discomfort related to out-of-whack body alignment. 

There are soooo many alternatives to traditional western medicine, and for everyday ailments, 99% of the time, herbal tinctures and homepathy work far better and faster than western medicine. Common sicknesses like flu, colds, strep, UTI’s, and ear infections we treat with combinations of tinctures, homeopathy, chiropractic care, and other natural remedies. 

You might be thinking, if it’s so much better, why don’t more people know about this?! 

Cause of this controversial opinion: natural remedies don’t make pharmaceutical companies money. If you want a rabbit hole, dive down the Big Pharma conspiracy. What you find out will blow your mind! Some fantastic documentaries and podcasts are The Business of Being Born, The Business of Birth Control, and the Red Pill Your Life podcast just to name a few. Joe Rogan’s interview with RFK Jr, was also super eye opening as well! If you want another rabbit hole, look into Candace Owen’s A Shot in the Dark series. Vaccines are not all they are cracked up to be. 

The main point here is that you CAN and SHOULD question what you are told by “authority” figures. Trust your intuition. If something doesn’t seem right, research it. Homeopathy and tinctures don’t have side effects. You may think it won’t do anything, but unlike with western medicine, there’s no harm in trying cause there aren’t long lists of side effects. 

Favorite Instagram Accounts 

One of the easiest places get pretty accurate information and organize it all in one space is Instagram! Some of these accounts also have Facebook, but I personally prefer Instagram, so that is where I go to find out information. You are always learning something new, and not everyone I follow has the same views when it comes to holistic living: you have to take what you want and leave the rest. If something doesn’t sit right with you, listen to that and just move on! Just because its right for one family doesn’t mean it’s right for you. That doesn’t make it necessarily bad: it just means its not right for you at this time. I’ve learned so much and had to change my stance on multiple things multiple times as I come across new information and learn more about the products I use. Some of the information I utilize right away and add to my arsenal of knowledge and way of life, but some things I just don’t have the mental capacity/time/financials to deal with right now, so I save it to hopefully come back to, and move on. You can’t do all the things, so it’s important to give yourself grace and focus your time on things that you can do, rather than stress about what you can’t. 

All that to say, here are some of my favorite accounts! If you find someone you resonate with, look at who they follow: you can gems of accounts and people that way! 

@dontletthemfoolyou2: This account is the best for getting started! She has a website where she has vetted thousands of products and put them all in one place for you. She doesn’t necessarily comment on how well the products perform, but you know they have clean ingredients if they are on her site. She has options for everything under the sun at all different price points, so it’s a great place to start if you need something from a specific store or at a particular price point, but don’t know how or haven’t had time to figure out if a product is actually clean or not. She also has a lot of posts on ingredients to watch out for. 

@herhomeopathy: Homeopathy has changed my life, and I have learned sooooo much from her! She does take clients, so if you need a homeopath who specializes in women’s health, she is the girl for you! Highly, highly recommend her! 

@thealliewoods: One of my absolute favorites! She has recently rebranded, and you can check out her account for all things home: Homesteading, homeschooling, home birth, etc. She has soooooo many resources on holistic healing (with highlights on UTIs, mastitis, ear infections, yeast infections, vaccines, etc), birthing, skincare, life on a farm, her experience with her brother’s cancer diagnosis, their child’s journey with airway issues and oral ties, baby and toddler sleep, recipes, etc. She is definitely one of my favorites! 

@taylorkulik: She is an expert on respectful baby sleep and what is biologically normal in regards to infant and toddler sleep. She is so helpful in uncovering what is actually normal and she gives some great advice on alternatives to sleep training. 

@authentically.julie: She is awesome for all things birth, parenting, pregnancy, pro-medical freedom, and general low-tox living. 

@thenaturalmindedmama : An AMAZING mama who has been walking through a hard time with her youngest, who had a surprise diagnosis of CDH and is going on four months in the NICU. She has an incredible testimony and is a great example of balancing holistic living with western medicines and Chick-fil-A! 

@innate_fertility: She is all things fertility, preconception, prenatal, and postpartum! Even if you aren’t looking to conceive, her information is fantastic for any women in their childbearing years, regardless of whether or not they want children. 

@raisingwellkids : This is a fantastic account that is all about empowering parents to raise WELL kids, reducing toxins & breaking cycles. They have soooo many different resources on safer swaps, gift guides, education, and all the things. 

@joette_calabrese : One of my favorite homeopaths! She is a wealth of information which she shares generously with her followers. 

@the.enlightened.homeopath : Another one of my favorite homeopaths! 

@fiercelizzie : She is amazing for all things birth! She is pro-informed consent and all about women’s rights when it comes to birth and hospitals and such. If you want a homebirth-like experience in a hospital, then she’s your girl! Her course Unmedicated Academy is a MUST for any mom having a hospital birth, ESPECIALLY for first time moms. 

@organic.gannett : Sadie is an RN, but does it differently. She shares about informed consent, realistic holistic , unpopular truths, and the importance of following your intuition and Jesus, not just her. 

@trusting_birth : I love this account because they aren’t afraid to change the narrative and question or combat today’s fear-based birth practices. A must for any expecting mama! 

@ignitedhealth : An RN who utilizes natural remedies, focuses on holistic health, and has all sorts of fantastic information for approaching illness naturally and how to support your body daily. 

@jordanleedooley : I already mentioned her above, but she has been instrumental in helping me on my journey. She has walked through three losses and has recently been blessed with not only one, but TWO little boys. If you are in a season of loss or waiting, she has so much encouragement and hope to share. 

@justtheinserts : This is an amazing, unbiased account that has the actual inserts for several of the most common medications and vaccines. She is all about informed consent and learning how to research, how to read the inserts for yourself, and how to be truly informed when it comes to your healthcare. She has a free course you can take that teaches you how to do all that! She also has her companion account, @justthealternatives, where she gives lots of alternatives for the traditional medications she covers. 

There you go! Those are my top favorite instagram accounts, and that’s just a few of them! There are soooo many great ones out there, you just have to look. 🙂 

Current Favorite Swaps

Okay, so now you have all the why’s, some resources to do your research, and places to start. Now for the fun stuff! Here are some of my personal current favorite swaps! These are the things that I have personally tried and loved, and actually perform just as well, if not better, than your toxic faves. The IG accounts listed above have lots of swaps for different things in all different price points. You can also absolutely make just about everything yourself for pretty cheap and it works really well, but it does take time, and I am not in that season of life right now. I barely have time to shower much less make the soap I shower with! Lol. Now, just so you know, some of these links (not all) ARE affiliate links. When you purchase through my link you are helping to support my little family so that I can stay home with my kids, not only at no extra cost to you, but often getting you a discount! So, with that in mind, here we go: 

1. Makeup: My all-time fave is Crunchi! Rowe Casa and Toups & Co. are also great, but for me, Crunchi has performed the best. Their foundation is AMAZING, their moisturizer actually moisturizes, and their I Am the Balm makeup remover is the legit BOMB and I will never be without it again! Bonus: use my link and the code ADVOCATE10 for 10% off your first order. 🙂 
2. Skincare/Personal Care: I love Crunchi’s facial bar, moisturizer, and toner. I love Carina Organics body wash, but I am going to try Earthley’s soap bar next cause I want to cut down on all the bottles in my shower. I use Rael feminine hygiene products, but HoneyPot (NON herbal!) is great too. For deodorant, Primally Pure is hands down my favorite. After trying a ton of different ones, it is the only one I have found that cuts the postpartum funk!
3. Shampoo/Conditioner: I’ve used Carina Organics and liked it, but my current favorite is Kitsch’s Rice Protein shampoo and conditioner bar. Not sure exactly how clean they are, but they at least fit into the “better” category, and hair is one place I’m willing to have my 20%! My all time favorite hairspray is Carina Organics. I’ve tried every clean hairspray under the sun, and Carina Organics is the ONLY one that actually works and isn’t overly sticky. I can’t live with out! 
4. Herbal Tinctures: I LOVE Earthley Wellness’ products. Every single one I have tried I have absolutely LOVED. I always make sure to have Teeth Tamer, Feel Better Fast, Pain Potion, Whipped Body Butter, Nourish Him/Her Naturally, Infant/Mama’s Tummy Relief, and Energy Plus. I have several more in my cabinet, but those are my faves! If you or someone you care for has ADHD tendencies, Calm and Clarity is amazing! You can use my link and code CHOOSENATURAL for 10% off your first order. WishGarden Herbs also has some great tincures as well. Their AfterEase was a lifesaver after having my second child. Second birth after pains are no joke! 
5. Homeopathic Remedies: Boiron and Ollois are the two name brands you see most often. Both are fantastic, but if you are super sensitive to lactose, you will want to get Ollois brand remedies instead of Boiron. Ollois is my go-to for single remedies and remedy kits (like their Digestion kit), while Boiron is my go-to for combination remedies like NauseaCalm, ColdCalm, SinusCalm, SleepCalm, and their Arnica Roll-on. Not affiliated with either one yet, but hopefully will be in the future! 
6. Laundry: There are several good ones out there, but we either make our own or use TrulyFree. TrulyFree is by far my favorite! Their laundry soap combined with their enzyme cleaner and OxyBoost is the BEST! Their stain stick is magical also. They also have a fantastic softener and dryer sheet alternative, the Dryer Angel. Also not affiliated with them…yet. 😉 
7. Housecleaning: We have tried a few things, but we currently use TrulyFree‘s Odor & Stain Eliminator, Everyday Cleaner, Glass Cleaner and Floor Cleaner. I don’t have one yet, but from what I’ve heard, if you need a Clorox or Lysol replacement, Force Of Nature is the best! We have used Aunt Fannie’s before, but I hate the smell of vinegar and I didn’t like it as much as I like TrulyFree. 
8. Bathroom Cleaning: Again, so many good options. Because I like getting everything in one place in this season of life, we also use TrulyFree’s bathroom cleaner. Force of Nature would also be great for this!
9. Kitchen Stuff: We use TrulyFree’s Everyday Cleaner and Dishwasher soap. I actually don’t like their dish soap, so still looking for a good swap for that myself. I’ve heard Puracy is good, and so is the Rosey brand from Thrive Market. It’s also pretty easy to make your own, I just haven’t yet. When looking at kitchen appliances and dishes and such, you want to look for stainless steel, glass, or non-coated ceramic. We use mostly stainless steel and glass, with a few random toxic Teflon pans thrown in there that we haven’t been able to replace yet. 80/20 people, lol. 
10. Bedroom: If you are in the market for a new mattress, try to find one that is OKEOTEX certified and/or organic. If you can’t get an organic mattress, try and only purchase organic cotton sheets and pillowcases. This is one area we haven’t been able to swap, but next time we purchase anything we will definitely be looking into more organic options. 
11. Food: This is one where everyone tends to have different priorities. A general rule of thumb is that home cooked is better, the fewer ingredients the better for you it is, and if you can’t pronounce or know what an ingredient is, you should probably avoid it. Limit processed foods. Raw sugar and natural sugar are good, and so is grass fed meat and eggs, and raw diary is the BEST and far superior to conventional pasteurized dairy. Plant-based is not all it’s cracked up to be, and quality meat is necessary to get needed nutrients. It is so easy to get caught up in over analyzing the food you eat, which is NOT healthy. Just focus on making better choices when you can, but don’t sweat the occasional fast food, frozen pizza, or cupcake at a party. You want to choose foods that nourish you and give you energy, but you don’t want to live in fear. 

And I think that about covers it, at least at a bird’s eye view. There’s so much that you can research and learn, but hopefully this at least gives you a place to start. Remember, living a low-tox life is not about perfection. It’s about making a lot of little choices and choosing better or best, which adds up to an overall healthier lifestyle. Do what you can, don’t sweat the small stuff, and when things fall into that 20% toxic, don’t worry about it, enjoy it! 

What are the first things you are going to swap? Do you have any further questions? I want to know! Leave a comment below, or shoot me an email. I always love to hear from you!