They say, “Nature holds all the secrets” but I believe nature is willing to share them if we’re willing to listen. I have discovered some of the best advantages of natural living by listening to nature and I want to share them with you. If you are new to this lifestyle or considering it, I want you to know that I have been going all-natural for about four years now so I get it.
Understanding that this is a commitment because the world sees things differently, It is normal to experience several emotions when deciding on a more natural lifestyle you might be a little skeptical, overwhelmed, excited, determined, and even a little afraid. However, I do believe even if you are not ready to jump all into this lifestyle, even the smallest changes will help you see some huge improvements in your overall health, environment, and quality of life.
There are several advantages of natural living but some of the best are:
1. Better Air Quality
2. Reduced Stress
3. Possibly Avoid Some Health Concerns
4. Improve Health
5. Positive Impact On the Environment
6. Reduce Exposure to Carcinogens
7. Better Skin
8. Reduce Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
9. Reduce Exposure to Chronic Illnesses
10. Positive Impact on Mental Health
What is Natural Living
Natural living can be defined as a lifestyle choice. It’s about choosing chemical-free alternatives when possible, being mindful of the ingredients in your products, how they are made, and the effect they could have on your health. Lastly, it offers an opportunity to use things from the earth before relying on synthetic options.
I would like to add that natural living is what you make it. Some other familiar names that you may have heard of are toxic-free living, chemical-free living, clean living, green living, conscious living, and I just call it going all natural.
Dangers Of Chemicals In Products
One of the biggest reasons I chose to finally make a commitment and go all natural was because of the health concerns that were being linked to chemicals. The chemicals in cleaning products were being linked to all sorts of things and honestly, it weirded me out.
I learned some years back the chemicals in cleaning products could be linked to lung problems, it’s pretty much the equivalent of smoking cigarettes. These chemicals can also be linked to affecting your endocrine system, and your gut health. Of course, not all people will experience symptoms from using chemicals and not all health problems can be linked to them. But me, being me, I wanted to avoid getting sick and take my health into my own hands.
Better Air Quality
Ever since I started my natural lifestyle one of the biggest advantages I’ve noticed is the air quality in my home. I know with the changes I have made I am inhaling less VOCs and I can appreciate that. VOCs are volatile organic compounds and a lot of the synthetic scents that I used to use possibly contained those harmful VOCs that could be linked to scary health problems such as respiratory issues, cancer, and even birth defects.
You can find them in some room deodorizers, aerosol sprays, cleaning products, and even some personal care products. I was having smaller symptoms like eye, nose, and throat irritation, almost every time I cleaned. I know they can’t all be avoided but limiting my exposure to this has helped me breathe inside my home a little better.
Positive Impact on Mental Health and Reduce Stress
Another advantage of natural living is the effects it may have on your mental health, in a good way. My anxiety and depression were so bad until I bought a plant and discovered essential oils. I know it sounds “far fetched” but remember at the beginning I said listening to nature she will tell you her secrets. Well, it’s true, I learned that it is power in plants.
For instance, there are plants out there such as the Snake Plant that is a great air purifier, yes a plant that can help detox your air. Another example is lavender either the oil or herb is great for reducing stress. It’s a ton of benefits to essential oils and if you are curious to learn more about them I highly recommend you grab your copy of this ebook I created. It’s the best option for beginners.
Improve Health
Unfortunately by now, most of us are aware that the chemicals and mixtures of ingredients in products we should mostly be avoiding because they are causing more and more health concerns. Half the ingredients aren’t being tested, companies could be mixing hundreds of chemicals to get a calming scent of synthetic lavender, or that fake tasty caramel flavor that some of us love. But all those chemicals mixing together could not only increase our risk of cancer but it can also affect our hormones.
A lot of those chemicals that we see in everyday products are banned in several countries and are endocrine-disrupting chemicals. EDCs mimic hormones, and then they cause a disruption in the communication of our system and how it functions. I’m not even going to pretend to fully understand this, but limiting your exposure to these chemicals could support healthy hormone balance. Because the imbalance can show many different symptoms that we blow off as “oh it’s just (fill in the blank)” could actually be a sign your body is dealing with hormonal imbalance. So limiting the exposure of EDCs can be a great way to improve health.
Positive Impact On the Environment
Not only can choosing natural living improve health it can also have a positive impact on the environment. This is a huge advantage when you decide to get back to nature because there are several different levels to this, and one level is the eco-friendly one. Limiting the amount of waste, making your own cleaning products, avoiding plastics as much as possible, and choosing to grow your own food can all have a positive impact on the environment.
Trying to live an Eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle is a simple way to limit the amount of waste you contribute to while living on this planet. Using recyclable material, reusing jars, and using less packaging is all a great way to start. I’ve seen a ton of people who have chosen this lifestyle talking extensively about saving the planet and the positive impact it has on the environment.
Reduce Exposure to Carcinogens
It is so many ingredients in products and food, and some are carcinogenic, and with long-term use can possibly cause cancer. So reducing that exposure to carcinogens can be really beneficial to your health. I’m not going to say it will help you avoid certain cancers, but it can help lower the risk.
According to The American Public Health Association States, “Access to nature has been related to lower levels of mortality and illness, higher levels of outdoor physical activity, restoration from stress, a greater sense of well-being, and greater social capital.” Just by surrounding yourself with nature, you’re able to make huge improvements to your overall health, environment, and quality of life.
Reduce Exposure to Toxic Chemicals
Not only are there toxic chemicals in a ton of products and foods we use, but it’s also in the air. But nature has a pretty impressive way of helping us remove some of those toxins from the air and our environment. Some plants such as snake plants are natural air purifiers and even sunflowers which could naturally absorb heavy metals from contaminated soil.
I love Snake plants, aloe vera plants, and even pothos for my home. They have also been known to be some of the easiest to care for and could remove formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene from the air. Pothos plants can possibly remove some carbon monoxide from the air. So with that being said, nature is a great benefit to reducing our exposure to toxic chemicals.
How do I start going all natural
Unfortunately, just getting houseplants isn’t going to be enough but it is a great start. If you are looking to really tap into the advantages of natural living consider transitioning to a more natural lifestyle. There are plenty of small changes you can make but I want to share a few ideas here.
1. Try natural alternatives to store-bought cleaning products. There are a few real natural cleaning products already on the market, or you can make your own using simple ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils.
2. The fewer processed foods the better, I personally try to find foods with as few ingredients as possible, and whole ingredients.
3. Reduce the chemicals in your personal care products, by switching to the less toxic natural personal care products, that so many small growing businesses create. The type of chemicals you want to avoid is parabens, phthalates, and fragrances.
4. Switching to reusable containers, glass storage Tupperware, and avoiding nonstick pans is a great start for avoiding harmful chemicals in cookware.
5. Natural remedies use plant-based options such as herbs, essential oils, and more.
6. Spend more time in nature and just simply touch the grass and allow the sun to kiss your skin.
7. Get a copy of my eBook that breaks it all down from natural alternatives, essential oils, ingredients to avoid, natural products to purchase, small businesses to support, herbs, and more.
Is It possible to live completely natural
Now will doing these steps help you become completely natural, probably not. I personally don’t think it’s a way to live completely naturally, because it’s chemicals everywhere, and some we can’t even recognize or see.
However, us limiting the exposure will help us take advantage of the benefits of natural living and can possibly avoid certain health risks, and side effects of overexposure to carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and more.
Why it’s important that we value nature
In conclusion, these are some of the best advantages of natural living, and it’s okay to try a few or add some of your own. Remember, nature provides a huge variety of benefits that are essential for our survival, as well as our health and well-being. Spending time in nature has been shown to have several amazing health benefits, from better-looking skin to reducing stress, sometimes improving mood, and even strengthening our immune system and the way our system functions. Valuing nature means recognizing the importance of preserving nature for our future.
