Most people hear the words “Healthy” and “Family” and automatically think organic weirdos who spend too much time and too much money on too many changes. Going to be honest here: I use to be one of those thinkers! And even though I don’t have a family myself yet, I’ve realized having a healthy home for the hubby and I isn’t a bad thing, just something I have to continue to work on.

To start the process though, it all falls back on the baby steps you take. Here are a few suggested by Amy Boshnack at The Stir, who also needed to take baby steps in the process:

Sulfate-Free Shampoo

I am not very particular about my brand of shampoo and conditioner so switching to hair products that are sulfate-free was a breeze. This change just fell into the bucket of “why not?” — for me and for my kids. There’s really no arguing that fewer chemicals are better, and the options today are even greater than just one year ago. You can find sulfate-free shampoos at Target and Walmart and most drug stores around the country.

 

Oxybenzone-Free Sunscreen

Oxybenzone is terrible for you. You just can’t really argue that point. Everything we read tells us to avoid it if we can, yet it is in most suntan lotions on the market. Two summers ago it was hard to find oxybenzone-free lotions but now there are a ton to choose from. I stock up at the beginning of the summer and make sure there is a bottle in the bathroom, by the front door, and in my bag at all times.

 

Organic Fertilizer

We recently got a puppy and knew our backyard would become his playground (oh right, and for our kids too!) — so we wanted to make sure it was chemical free. Yes, we want a green lawn but we also have a puppy that likes to eat every stick and leaf out there. Going organic with our fertilizer (as our neighbor had done years ago) was a no-brainer. I don’t have a particular brand to recommend — but I can tell you that my fear of putting manure on the lawn was completely unfounded. It’s really not a big deal at all.

 

Drug-Free Sinus Care

I have horrible sinus congestion and so does my daughter — and we both hate nose sprays. So this au-natural product saved us both. We use Neil-Med sinus rinse, but really, any simple neti pot saline wash will work. It was difficult to convince my daughter at first to shoot water up through her nose — but the relief she felt was immediate — and now she asks for it whenever she needs it.

 

BPA-Free Receipts

Did you know that ATM and store receipts are toxic? As in, they have a chemical that seeps into your skin. And more importantly, they really aren’t good for kids to play with. So of all of the changes I’ve made — this was the simplest. I just ask the person at the register to either throw the receipt in the bag or throw it away. And no worries, I’m not neurotic about it; I am just more aware now and limit handling them.

 

Hormone-Free Milk

Hormone-free milk was a great place to start because it is sold every where and it tastes the same as “regular” milk. Plus, it doesn’t cost more money than milk from cows that are given hormones. And while LOTS of things I serve my kids have hormones in them (who can afford all organic meats?) this was an easy change to incorporate into my life. And my kids drink a heck-of a lot of milk!

 

Any shortcuts you’ve found for your family? Email anytime at Nikki@kvne.com