Detox, re-tox...is there a mid-level tox I can sign up for?

Detoxing...does this sound like any fun?

I feel like this is something I am supposed to do? That question may be totally false...but it sounds true. There are a million different ways to supposedly detox, but which way is best. Do you need to detox? Eating well and working out, shouldn't that be enough?

Do I really need one more thing to add to the list of have to's to find true health?

Maybe?

Too much research has left me confused. Very confused. I read through databases comparing organics food, products I use and lotions and detergents I use for my child and see if any of the ingredients have potential dangers for prolonged use. Ugh. The problem is that now I know too much.

I can't knowingly put lotion on my son that has ingredients in it that may be harmful down the road...or do that to myself. But, I don't want to go crazy checking lables and websites for every thing we use. I want to have time and energy to have a life. So, how do I not spend all of my 'lack of free time' researching?

I decided to start a personal journey of minimal detox...pick the things I felt were most important and do-able and see how it goes...the ups the downs...how many times I fall off the wagon, etc...

I started with food...ofcourse...

buying organic when the budget allows - this part has been easy and tasty, but sometimes pricey, so I have to pick and choose

limiting animal product consumption - this has been easy too

limiting processed foods - not so easy...processed foods are everywhere, in our routine, easy, fast, and many are cheap eats. I can make healthier choices in this category, but cutting it out completely feels overwhelming

limiting most processed sugars - this has been REALLY hard...I am on the sugar roller coaster...I know it's not healthy and I know I am addicted. when I cut processed sugar out, i am able white knuckle it for a week or so and then I crash and end up at the bakery buying chocolate chip cookies....and then craving sweets for days afterwards. ugh!

limiting alcohol - keeping this to a couple of beverages per weekend is normal for us, but cutting it out is not my idea of a good time. We do love craft beer and great wine...so this one may not get changed. the calorie loss in limiting alcohol would be awesome and its easier on the budget for sure...but we still like it...hmmm....however, this one is clear, alcohol is a poison to the body...anyway....back to this on another blog post

Now I am working on skin products, this is overwhelming. there is so much out there to choose from and so many sources for information on what ingredients are good, bad and totally dangerous. I am starting small...as I run out of whatever product I normally use, I am replacing it with a more natural (and supposedly healthier and safer product).

My latest experience has been with natural deodorants. I am trying to find an aluminum free, paraben free and preservative free products that helps me not stink...hmmm...this is challenging. I rounded up my experts (other friends who use natural products, lol), books and websites and skimmed over ratings. I chose one that seemed like the perfect product. Supposedly, conventional antiperspirants have clogged our sweat glands and normal bodily processes so much that it takes a couple of weeks on a natural product to work your way through the funk so that the natural product can even work...that's right...up to a few weeks with the funk. Look out people on the treadmill next to me, lol!

It's been a few weeks now and the stink is substantially less stinky, thank goodness! But still not the greatest. I have to re-apply through out the day and the consistency is so sticky that it attracts lint like crazy. If the particular brand I bought doesn't pull through in the next week, it will be time to try another one.

Until then...rock the funk, or not...

and sweet dreams!