How Do I Go Organic and Enviromentally Safe in My Home?

Hi Y.! I am so proud of you!! You are making some great decisions, to try to eat healthier and cut back on toxic cleaners! I will preface this by saying I am down in Wellington, FL..2 1/2 hours from Orlando..so I can't suggest stores near you..but I do have lots of suggestions :) . Many years back, I decided to omit all of those yucky toxic cleaners from my home. I went full force into it, and made all my own cleaners from things like vinegar, borax, etc. Well, they were okay, but once I had a child, I did want to make my home a little cleaner. Let me suggest that you pick up a copy of the book, "Home Safe Home" by Debra Lynn Dadd http://www.amazon.com/Home-Safe-Debra-Lynn-Dadd/dp/087477... . That is a good place to start, because the author points out all of the many toxic substances that we bring into our homes. It is pretty eye-opening. She does offer natural solutions. I needed one step more than the baking soda cleaners, so after trying almost everything in the health food stores, I started using Method products. I absolutely love them. They are all non-toxic, and sold in recycled plastic bottles. You can buy them at Target, and they are very budget friendly, and smell awesome!!! The only one "yucky" thing I own is Comet. I sprinkle a little in the toilets to clean them, and in the kitchen sink. Honestly, all those heavy duty Clorox cleaners are not cleaning your home any better. It is more the illusion of clean. If you can make it okay, in your mind, to let them go, you will see your house getting just as sparkly with other, non-toxic cleaners. There have been so many studies out now, saying things like anti-bacterial soaps, etc, are no more effective than traditional soaps. We really don't need that "extra" cleaning power. I also have switched out our families laundry products. I use, and LOVE Seventh Generation liquid laundry soap. That is all I use. Safe for everyone from newborn and up...and no fading of our fabrics. Now when I smell Tide on someone, I almost gag. The perfumes are so strong..but you get immune to them when you use them all the time. It is interesting. I feel like removing all those products has cleansed my respitory system..and now I am more sensitive to all the chemical smells. I can tell when something is not healthy for my family, b/c it bothers my lungs. We don't use dryer sheets..they are totally toxic. I also use the 7th generation dishwasher powder. You can buy 7th generation at every health food store, and now I am seeing it at Publix and Target.

Now, on to food. The "healthy" rule of thumb is to shop mainly in the outer rim of the grocery store, and buy as little as possible in the interior. The outer rim has all the dairy and produce items. You want to stay away from as many processed foods as possible. Read, read, read ingredients. If you buy something w/ ingredients that sound like a recipe, you are in good shape. Something filled with chemicals, and things you can't pronounce..put it back. My basic rule is to avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup. To me that is a sign of a poorly made food. I also will not buy artificial sweeteners..which as I am sure you know, are associated with cancer. In fact, it is estimated that 30-60% of all cancers are caused by diet. I am sure that there must be a Whole Foods in your area. That is my FAVORITE health food store. It can be pricey, but they have a store brand, 365, that is more budget friendly. You know, even Target's store brand, Archer Farms, has lots of Organic products. Now, don't be fooled, and pick up anything that says organic. That doesn't necessarily translate into healthy. Look at sugar content as well. If it is loaded with sugar, it is not the best choice. Organic produce can certainly be expensive. Here is a list of the top 12 produce items to buy organic http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/slowfoodorganiclocal/a/or... . These are all items with thin skins that the pesticides can more readily penetrate. It would be awesome to buy all organic..but it is so expensive. Things like bananas and pineapples have thicker skins, that you don't eat..so they are generally safer..but with a strawberry you eat the whole thing, and want to get organic. Target also does have some organic produce. Even Publix does as well..but I find their prices high, and selection low. Publix does, however, offer Greenwise products. Sometimes in each aisle..sometimes all grouped together in one aisle..but you can find more natural and organic products there. I don't know if this is an option, but I am even in the process of planting my own, mini organic garden. I have just ordered my supplies from a company, Gardener's Supply company. I am going to try 2 3x3" grow beds http://www.gardeners.com/Grow-Beds/NewOutdoorPlanters_Cat... . I think it will be a fun project with my daughter. I hope any of these suggestions help. I am big on health. If you have any further questions, feel free to write me. I have read up on lots of healthy magazines, and would be happy to offer any more suggestions!! Good luck..you are being a great mama!!!
A. C.

13 moms found this helpful

I just found this great site and I have bought their fruits and veggies: http://offthevineproduce.com/

I order the medium box and it gets me to feed the kids their fruits and veggies so I don't waste. They also have milk, butter and bread products. Our office has a few people, including myself, that orders this so it cuts down on shipping. They only charge one flat fee. One of the girls here has a church that does that.

5 moms found this helpful

I make my own glass cleaner mix in a spray bottle 2 cups of water 3 tablespoons of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of dish soap. It works really well and I use a microfiber towel instead of paper towels. I also use this as a surface cleaner to clean my counters and such. Also this works great on the shower glass doors takes the soap scum and hard water stains right off.

4 moms found this helpful

Baking soda and/or vinegar can clean and disinfect just about everything-- cheaper to make and better for the environment than just about anything store bought. Here is a great website for some make-your-own cleaners:

http://checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail...

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Here is a local organic delivery: http://www.orlandoorganics.com They include locally grown produce whenever available, and they also can bring eggs (from a farm in Ocoee). Whole Foods has the greatest variety of all types of items, but they are also the highest priced health food store in the world. Chamberlin's is better priced, but has less variety to choose from. Most of the grocery store chains now have an organic section.... not all of them, but more and more are catching on!!

I am originally from San Diego and we have many different health food stores throughout the city, all of which carry a good variety of FRESH produce -- not to mention the farmers' markets with locally grown food. I like Orlando Organics because freshness is important to me, and also their prices are fairly reasonable. (my last name is Colby in case you decide to go with them and use me as a referral)

For overall safe products I have been using Neways for years because they are all made without the use of any toxins, carcinogens, or other harmful ingredients at all. Too many of the so-called "safe" products being sold (even in health food stores) still contain many of the less publicized but highly dangerous harmful ingredients. You can go here http://www.safe4babies.com and there's a page with a list of ingredients to watch out for (it's actually two pages long).

I noticed a couple of the tips included using vinegar for cleaning -- that's one of the main ingredients in the Neways glass cleaner!! and the laundry cleaners use enzymes and oxygenation (something like that) as the cleaning agents.

Good for you for wanting to live healthy, not only environmentally but spiritually and mentally as well. It is a tough choice to home-school in today's career driven world, and (of course you know already) in later years you will be so happy you did this.

4 moms found this helpful

Love all the previous advice on the food. The only one I have to add that I found a great deal was at Walmart they carry a brand called Mom's Best Naturals. It is cereal and contains no high fructose corn syrup and is all natural. The boxes are large and they are only $2.12!
For cleaning check out this company that uses enzymes. There are absolutely NO chemicals in any of their products.
http://wowgreen.net/ If you would like more information on it, you can contact me privately.

2 moms found this helpful

So many more stores are offering organic/green products now. Publix has a great 'Greenwise' section in their stores...depending on the store, it's either it's own section by produce with all organic items, or smaller sections throughout (for example, organic cookies in the cookie aisle). Whole Foods is also a great store, and there are two in the Orlando area--one in Winter Park, and one just off I-4 at the Turkey Lake exit. EVERYTHING in Whole Foods is organic/green. They don't sell it otherwise. Costco even has many organic/green items now!

As far as cleaning products go...Seventh Generation products are good, and are sold at Publix in the cleaning aisle. Also, Babies R Us (at least, the one in Altamonte) sells many, many green cleaning products. GL!

1 mom found this helpful

I live in the Cocoa area and shop at Publix. They have a pretty good organic food section.
A few years ago I found a great cleaner--TKO Orange. It is an organic orange oil. Only orange oil, no detergents. It can be used to clean anything and everything--even in bath water and pets. I also use a steam cleaner and the TKO can be added to the water. I order it out of Canada. Just Google TKO Orange. Orange cleaner was invented down here in Titusville but I have to send to Canada for it--go figure. I usually order several and friends get it from me.
God Bless and Good Luck, M.

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