I never thought turning 35 would be a big deal for me, and in a way it isn’t. Turning 35 for me has been more of an even bigger eye opener on how important it is to keep my body moving, live a healthy lifestyle, and essentially age well. Over the past five years I have learned so much about my own body, which has sparked this passion to share the things I learn with others in hopes it, too, can help them live and move better.

I’ve always been somewhat of a product junkie. Just ask my mom how many shampoo and conditioner bottles she would find under our bathroom sink. But after having my babies and embarking on this health journey, I have become a different kind of product junkie. One that is on a mission to detox her lifestyle, body, and home. Looking back and knowing the things I know now, I cringe thinking of all of the things I put in and on my body. Oh the money I would have saved!

When I first started learning about my own health issues and the things I needed to nutritionally cut out of my diet, I started reading everything I could get my hands on about various toxins found in our food, household cleaners, and even skincare products. It’s been so fascinating to the point I crave to learn more and more. Weeding out the harsh chemicals I can and detoxing my body in ways I now call my rituals, I have cleaned up everything from the food I eat to the products and makeup I put on my skin. My husband thinks I’m a tad bit overboard, but once I have my mind set to something, I go full throttle and don’t turn back. And let me tell you, it has been the best thing I could have done for myself and my health.

My diet over the past two years has been based on eating clean, nutrient dense, whole foods while drinking lots of water. Cutting out grains, gluten, soy, dairy, and refined sugar, you would first think “what’s left?” Surprisingly a lot! As food allergies become more and more common, eating out and grocery shopping with food restrictions has been easier. It’s all about knowing how to read ingredient lists and food labels, talking to your waiter about the menu, and planning out meals to cook at home. I have found so many good Paleo alternatives to the foods I absolutely love, it has made the transition to this way of eating so much more enjoyable and successful.

To go a step deeper, I started detoxing my skincare and makeup. After learning how our skin is our largest organ and anything you put on it is essentially absorbed into your bloodstream, wreaking havoc on our organs and systems, I was shocked at how you don’t hear much about what’s in our products. Thankfully I stumbled upon Goop, a blog dedicated to clean beauty and wellness, and religiously started reading their articles learning more and more about the lack of FDA regulation on skincare and makeup, as well as, what exactly is in most products. All I can say is it is shocking! Once I made the switch and detoxed my products, my skin has never looked nor felt better.

Detoxing our home has been just as easy and I have found two brands I swear by and love. Instead of burning candles, I bought a couple diffusers and use essential oils. My go-to brand is YoungLiving and I have been using them for several years now. Outside of diffusing, I use essential oils to create cleaning sprays, tantrum roll-ons, skincare remedies, bug repellants, and to help get a better nights sleep. Another brand I use in place of your typical household cleaners found at the grocery store is Branch Basics. I love their starter kit and their packaging makes it super easy to mix each product. With having three small children in our home constantly running around barefoot and putting their mouths on everything, I feel comfortable knowing there is nothing harmful in our cleaning products. Plus, my youngest LOVES to help clean and we can both enjoy the time together without the worry of what is going on his skin or what he is inhaling in the air.

Aging well and living a long healthy life in order to be active with my children (and maybe one day grandchildren) is my ultimate goal. They are the reasons why I keep searching for ways I can be a healthier person and a better mom. Over the course of the next few posts, I’ll dive a little deeper into the nutrition, non-toxic skincare and household cleaners I have found that work well and safe to use. So stay tuned!

Are you cleaning up your nutrition, products, or home? In what ways have you found that work well for you and your family? I’d love to hear!