5 Essential Natural Living Tips for a Healthy and Sustainable Lifestyle

Living a natural and sustainable lifestyle has become increasingly important in today’s world. As we become more conscious of the impact our choices have on both our health and the environment, many of us are seeking ways to embrace a more holistic and sustainable approach to living. Natural living encompasses various aspects, including what we put into our bodies, the products we use in our homes, and the overall choices we make in our daily lives.

In this blog post, we will explore five essential natural living tips that can help you cultivate a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. By incorporating these tips into your everyday routine, you can not only enhance your well-being but also contribute to a more eco-friendly and mindful way of living. From adopting organic foods and eco-friendly household products to exploring alternative health remedies and reducing waste, these tips will guide you on a transformative journey toward holistic well-being.

The Benefits of Natural Living Practices

By embracing natural living practices, you can reap numerous benefits. Firstly, you can enhance your overall health and well-being by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals and additives commonly found in processed foods and conventional products. Secondly, by opting for sustainable lifestyle choices, you can minimize your ecological footprint and contribute to the preservation of the planet for future generations. Lastly, by embracing natural living, you may find that it aligns with your financial goals as well, as it often involves conscious consumption and a focus on long-term cost savings.

There really is no drawback once you get the hang of it. It may seem difficult at first, but as you build new habits, you will get into the natural flow more easily. So take small steps every day, and you will eventually reach that place of natural peace and clarity.

Natural Living Tip no. 1: Switching to Organic Foods

The most important thing you can do for yourself and your family, is to start making the switch to organic foods. You don’t have to do it all at once, but the more you can opt out of the ultra-processed foods and instead focus on organic produce, the better. The reason for this is getting increasingly clearer as the researchers slowly make their way towards better health guidelines for us. Ultra-processed foods (UPF for short(, are devoid of nutrients and instead filled with junk that wreaks havoc on our systems.

As a matter of fact: The link between ultra-processed foods and cancer is getting more evident. It’s best just to leave it on the store shelf and head towards the produce isle instead.

Ideally, we should eat nature based foods. Some examples are vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, mushrooms, grains and seeds. These foods are nutrient dense and beneficial to both body and mind. You can also add a little bit of organic meats and broth, and some dairy if you can tolerate it.

So how do you make the switch?

It may not be all that easy if you have a family who is somewhat set in their ways. But how about greening it up just a little bit? Try making the tomato soup from organic tomatoes instead of making it from the semi-finished packets. You could also add some more organic greens to the pizza.

Natural Living Tip no. 2: Embracing Eco-Friendly Household Products

We have all been tricked into believing that disposable plastic is easier and more convenient, but that’s not the case. You have to keep going to the store to up your supplies, and it creates a lot of garbage that you will have to take out at some point.

On the other hand, if you get the glass containers and the beeswax wraps, you will have everything you need at hand all the time. It’s clean. It’s peaceful. And it’s way better for your health, as it does not contain the chemicals found in plastic.

You could also invest in cast iron pots and skillets instead of using the cheaper casseroles and frying pans. These are products that will last you a lifetime if you take good care of them, whereas the cheaper solutions will wear out and need replacements after just a few months. You will also get the benefit of added iron to your diet, instead of whatever chemicals are to be found in the cheap stuff.

When it comes to soaps and cleaning products, there is also a lot you can do to make it more green and sustainable. Castile soap and vinegar combined with essential oils will get you far, and you can choose eco-friendly store bought versions if you don’t want to make everything yourself.

Natural Living Tip no. 3: Embracing Mindful Eating

Eat as much as you need. Nothing more, nothing less. It sounds easy, right? But the truth is, most of us are missing the mark. It could be that we are too stressed out and the body just goes into this fight/flight mode where it thinks it needs more energy to survive. Or it could be that we are so distracted that we can’t even make out the body’s signals anymore. Or something in between.

But either way, most of us overeat or eat the wrong kinds of food (see tip no. 1). The ultra-processed foods tend to make us want to eat more. This is partly because it’s so nutrient deficient that we have to have more calories in order to fill opp with sorely needed vitamins and minerals, and partly because it’s designed to do so. After all, if we crave more, we buy more, and if we buy more… Well. It’s easier for the companies behind it to make a better profit.

You can break this cycle by slowing down and practice mindful eating instead. Savour the moment. Enjoy the taste and the texture. Notice how your body responds to what you’re feeding it, and give yourself time to rest and digest.

Natural Living Tip no. 4: Practicing Sustainable Fashion

Sustainable fashion is one of the key elements to natural and sustainable living. Why? Because the fashion industry is one of the biggest threats to the planet. Not only are we producing way more clothes than we need, but many of those are also made with synthetic fibres which eventually will make it to the ocean. Microplastics for dinner, anyone?

And there’s also the fact that even if we did grow everything we need to get plant based fabrics like cotton and linen, we would be using a lot of resources for that too. Like water. And what might have been used as topsoil for growing food instead.

So what can you do? Opt for organic fabrics, and say goodbye to the fashion trends once and for all. If you buy timeless fashion instead, and choose quality over quantity, then you are set for years of wardrobe sustainability.

Natural Living Tip no. 5: Prioritizing Natural Self-Care

It might sound strange to include self-care in a blogpost about natural living and sustainable lifestyle. But like I mentioned earlier; we tend to make better decisions when we are calm and somewhat collected. This is why self-care is essential when you start making changes to your lifestyle.

Just think about how much calmer and more balanced you are after a yoga session or a massage, and you’ll see where I’m coming from with this. Because you know, there is a whole lot of pressure going on in the world, pushing you towards eating the foods you don’t need or the clothes that will be outdated in just a few weeks. Inner peace will help you steer clear of that.

So where is the stress in your life? What will calm you? Use these questions as a starting point to see where your personal self-care should be amplified.

Maybe it will be yoga. Buy yourself a high quality and organic yoga mat, put on some comfortable clothes, and stretch out the tensions of the day.

Or maybe it will be skin care. The tactile feeling of being pampered can really up your oxytocin levels!

But remember: Natural living and a sustainable lifestyle is never a one size fits all kind of thing. Your natural lifestyle will evolve right along with life itself, through the ups and downs as you move through the phases and your budget changes. What’s right for one person could be totally wrong for another, and vice versa. So listen to your own body and tune into your own life to see what would be the best way to approach a more sustainable lifestyle for you.