You don’t necessarily have all of your non-toxic living products or tools with you while travelling because you’re limited in how much stuff you can bring. Plus, you don’t always have access to what you need where you’re travelling to.

Watch the video or read on below…

Essential oils for emotional and physical support during non-toxic travel

I always bring a good collection of essential oils with me during my travels. Essential oils can help reduce anxious feelings while travelling, support your immune system by helping fight germs in public areas and transportation, as well as help you get through jet lag.

Some of my favourites include Peace roller blend, OnGuard immunity blend, Peppermint and Lavender. Get these oils at 25% off here.

Non-toxic travel personal care products

Two non-toxic lifestyle tools I never travel without are:

• Tongue scraper: to remove the white film on your tongue that can contain bacteria and metabolic toxins. Get one here.
• Gua sha tool: to enhance circulation, smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, and give you glowing skin.

One of the many benefits of living more naturally is how little products you really need for personal care. You’ll notice many of the ingredients are multi-purpose. For example, I bring Jojoba oil as my face and body moisturizer. I also bring baking soda as my deodorant, shampoo and toothpaste (use sparingly).

Supplements to strengthen immunity and digestion on your journey

During my travels, I am extra diligent about taking supplements. I’m never quite sure what kind of food I’ll have access to so I bring my multivitamins, digestive enzymes and probiotics. This helps my body ensure it still get everything it needs and supports my digestive system which may have to work overdrive.

Staying hydrating and eating well abroad

One of the most important things to do while travelling, especially when a flight is involved, is to stay hydrated. I like to bring an empty stainless steel bottle with me so I can fill it at the airport and ensure I always have water to drink.

Also, bringing snacks will help you avoid succumbing to the processed airport and flight food options. Since we’ll be travelling domestically, I’ll be bringing fresh apples, grapes and oranges for hydration and energy. I’ll also bring dry fruit and nuts for extra sustenance.

I hope this gives you some good ideas on how to travel while still living the non-toxic lifestyle. If you have any questions or have your own tips to share, drop them in the comments below.

M.

Get my top 5 non-toxic living tips.

Join the conversation in the Non-Toxic Living Collective group.

The post Non-toxic travel tips: our family ski trip to Banff appeared first on Rustik Health.

These 7 habits will help you do just that. But I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed… Do as many of these habits as you have time for and stick to what resonates with you the most.

Build up to it. As you begin to implement certain habits, they will become second nature and you will find space and flow to implement more of them.

Always remember that the non-toxic lifestyle is not only about reducing your toxic load and swapping out toxic products that you currently use. It’s also about supporting your body in detoxifying itself and helping it remove any toxins you may be holding on to.

These 7 tips are going to address both of these facets. Watch the video or read on below.

(Note: affiliate links appear below)

Peppermint essential oil in your healthy morning routine

A lot of women and mamas out there complain about a lack of energy and general fatigue. Many of us need a big cup of coffee in the morning to get us going.

Although I believe this is part of a much bigger issue, one way to counteract this lack of energy is by taking a deep breath of peppermint essential oil when you wake up in the morning. This is not addressing the root cause but is a natural way to address the symptom.

If you feel like trying to skip the caffeine altogether, you can add in some coconut oil and apply to your temples and the back of your neck to deal with withdrawal symptoms. Just be careful around the eye area!

Tongue scraping when you first wake up

Tongue scraping is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that dates back thousands of years. It involves scraping the white film off your tongue to remove bacteria and metabolic toxins that accumulate while you sleep.

To do this, you can use a tongue scraper tool. If you don’t have one, you can simply use a spoon. Place the edge of the tongue scraper or spoon at the back of the tongue and then scrape forward.

Rinse the tongue scraper or spoon and repeat up to 3 times. Make sure to do this first thing in the morning before you drink or brush your teeth as part of your healthy morning routine.

Dry skin brushing before you shower

I admit, this is a tougher non-toxic lifestyle habit for me to do consistently and regularly.

Dry skin brushing is another great natural way to kick start your morning because it’s invigorating and energizing. It also stimulates the lymphatic system, which is essentially your body’s sewer system. So as you dry skin brush, you help eliminate toxins and detoxify your body.

You’ll want to dry skin brush while your skin is still dry and before hopping into the shower. Always brush from your extremities towards the heart. On the stomach, you can do a circular clock-wise motion.

Hot / Cold shower to move your lymph

This is a relatively new habit for me that I plan on solidifying in 2020. I love that it provides immediate results.

Once you’ve skin brushed, you can hop in the shower and alternate between hot and cold water. I generally start with hot water, wash my hair and body then alternate hot / cold water 1 – 3 times before stepping out of the shower.

This is another great way to boost your energy levels and also stimulate the lymphatic system. It’s also said to strengthen resilience and grit.

Linen spray as part of your healthy morning ritual

One of my favourite things about the non-toxic lifestyle is how it can bring more joy into your life, help reduce stress and make boring mundane chores a lot more enjoyable.

For example, I am obsessed with making the bed in the morning and that’s simply because I’ve started making my own DIY essential oils linen spray and I spray the sheets every day when I make the bed.

I’m sure this is partly due to the essential oils working their magic on the limbic area of my brain but regardless, I just love it.

Also, this habit helps makes up for the lack of strong, lingering scent from switching over to a natural laundry routine. It will help bring back that freshly-washed scent that is so satisfying from taking the sheets out of the dryer!

While I’m at it, I usually also spray the inside of our closets, the laundry I haven’t put away and just anything really… Feel free to go a bit nuts with it.

Diffuse essential oils in your non-toxic ritual

If you have time in the morning before heading off to work, you’ll want to diffuse some essential oils in your home. Again, this will help with energy levels and enhance the general mood in the house.

It’s also a great non-toxic, natural way to bring more joy into your life and help reduce stress.

Get yourself some high-quality essential oils and put 5 – 6 drops in your diffuser. My favourite energizing and mood-boosting scents are combinations of mint and citrus essential oils.

Drink water with citrus to help detoxify your body

Sleep is an important part of your body’s natural detoxification process. It’s a time of deep rest when it can focus on eliminating wastes and toxins from your system.

Keep this momentum going by starting your day with a big glass of pure, natural water and ideally some citrus to pack extra punch. If you want to kick-start your metabolism, add a pinch of cayenne pepper. If you want an extra energy boost, add one TBSP of chia seeds.

When I have more time and a lot of citrus in the fridge, I will stick to a glass of straight water. Then, make myself freshly squeezed citrus juice for its powerful hydrating, astringent and detoxifying properties.

I hope this gave you some useful ideas and tips for starting your days naturally with a more non-toxic lifestyle ritual.

Do you have any healthy morning routine rituals?

M.

Get my top 5 non-toxic living tips.

Join the conversation in the Non-Toxic Living Collective group.

The post Healthy morning routine 2020 appeared first on Rustik Health.

Even though new year’s resolutions seem to be out-of-style these days, the start of a new year – or decade, in this case! – is a great trigger to make positive changes in your life. It can be your cue to start swapping out your products for non-toxic options, testing out DIY recipes and reconnecting with nature.

Watch me talk or read on below!

Start with something easy

This might seem obvious but it’s definitely worth mentioning. Plus, “easy” will mean something different if your goal is to buy natural products versus make natural products in 2020.

If you are committed to buying more natural products, pick products you can easily buy. These could be from the natural product section of the current stores you buy from or from a natural product store that is conveniently located. Don’t make it hard for yourself by getting a product that makes you go out of your way or that is hard to find.

If you are committed to making more natural products, pick recipes that are easy to make and have minimal ingredients. Don’t make it hard for yourself by choosing recipes that take a lot of time out of your already busy day! You also want to make it easy to refill this product once you run out.

In both cases, starting with something easy also means not swapping out a product you are currently really attached to. Go with something you don’t mind having out of your life right away. Something you buy without really paying attention to what brand you get or something you buy just because it’s on sale, for example.

Swap out products you use daily

To really create a new habit and, ultimately a new natural lifestyle, consistency is key. Start by swapping out products you use daily – like toothpaste or hand soap – so you can develop this consistency and also experience the empowerment that this lifestyle brings on a daily basis.

If you’re not quite ready to swap something out but want to add a more natural, non-toxic product or habit into your life, try layering it into your existing routine. For example, I’ve layered spraying our linens with anti-microbial and great-smelling essential oils every time I make our bed. Every time I go to make the bed, it’s my cue to take out the spray!

Do something that provides immediate benefit

Aim to really get that dopamine going and program yourself to keep living your natural lifestyle goals from the get-go. Swap something out or introduce a new habit that provides an immediate or obvious reward.

Examples of natural lifestyle habits that will leave you feeling amazing immediately:

• Diffuse essential oils to clean the air, enhance your mood and help reduce the spread of illness in your home. Breathe it in deeply and pay attention to how it makes you feel.
• Moisturize with 1 TBSP fractionated coconut or jojoba oil with one drop of lavender essential oil and feel how smooth your skin gets without any nasty synthetics.
• See how clean your dishes can get using simple, all-natural ingredients with a homemade DIY diswashing liquid recipe. Feel the power.

If you can start feeling the joy and empowerment early on, you are more likely to keep going on your non-toxic living journey.

Make your resolutions progressive

If you have many non-toxic living goals, take little steps at first. This is a progressive and ongoing journey. When I started on this lifestyle, I began with simply replacing my face wash and I waited many weeks until I mastered that step before moving on to other habits.

By making your resolutions progressive, you:

• reduce the overwhelm
• build confidence
• can celebrate milestones
• set yourself up for lasting change

Don’t give up on your natural lifestyle goals

Finally, and this is the most important tip, DO NOT give up! Sure, the start of the year is a great cue to make positive changes. But if you slip up anytime during the year, you can absolutely press the reset button on your new year’s resolution and try again!

If you’d like support on transitioning to or progressing in your non-toxic lifestyle, make sure to check out Purify. For more non-toxic living tips, download my free e-book.

Thanks for watching / reading

M.

Join the conversation in the Non-Toxic Living Collective group.

The post Natural lifestyle goals | How to CRUSH your 2020 appeared first on Rustik Health.

You might be fighting crowds trying to get holiday gifts for your family or trying to figure out the perfect present for a loved one. You might be looking at your calendar and feeling overwhelmed by the number of holiday gatherings you have planned. You might be looking outside at the snow-covered roads, dreading your travels to see family members.

Or maybe you are the one hosting the holiday gatherings and you find yourself busy cleaning, cooking and prepping your home before the guests arrive. You are bogged down by end-of-year deadlines at work and getting everything done before you take holiday vacation.

And either as a result of all of this stress or the germs going around – or both – you find yourself crashing and falling ill at this peak time…

I’d say there are 4 common obstacles that can prevent you from having non-toxic holidays. Here are some of my favourite tips on overcoming them.

Obstacle #1: Lack of time for non-toxic holidays

Probably the biggest obstacle to your non-toxic lifestyle during the holiday season is going to be lack of time. For all of the reasons listed above and maybe some additional reasons unique to your own circumstances.

But honestly, this might be the time of year when you need to gift yourself a bit of time for yourself THE MOST. To gift yourself the time to:

• soak in a soothing, detoxifying and health-promoting bath.
• proactively take care of your family’s health to maintain your sense of empowerment.
• commit to doing a daily non-toxic ritual that brings you joy.

So I encourage you to think of one non-toxic ritual that you love most and set up a reminder for yourself to do it during this holiday season. You can set up this reminder in your phone with a notification to complete it or write it out in your planner.

Don’t worry… if the reminder pops up and you’re just not feeling it that day, feel free to push it back to the next. The point of this is NOT to add any additional stress! But you want to make sure not to forget it entirely.

As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So keep filling your cup with non-toxic living rituals so you can feel joy and keep pouring into the cup of others without sacrificing yourself.

Obstacle #2: Lack of control over your holidays

Another thing we often lack during this time of year is control. You are at the mercy of traditions, family gatherings and expectations. You are no longer on your usual schedule, you might be staying and eating elsewhere and maybe indulging in excessive holiday cheer!

I encourage you to remember that there is only so much that you can control… it is okay to release and enjoy this time of year. By remembering this and creating your reminder to keep doing your non-toxic rituals, you will maintain a better sense of balance.

Obstacle #3: Falling ill during this season

It always happens at the worst moment… and it often happens during the holiday season. You catch that illness going around at your child’s school or at work. The LAST thing you need is to be sick when there is so much to do and so much going on!

Prevention is key. There are simple non-toxic living rituals you can do to help support your immune system. I also highly recommend you work with a natural health practitioner to determine what is best and safest considering your circumstances and current health status.

Here are my favourite natural ways to strengthen my health and reduce susceptibility during the holidays:

• Get plenty of sleep.
• Start your day with a glass of lemon water and then fruit.
• Avoid sugary and processed foods.
• Get some vitamin sunshine.
• Use immune-supportive essential oils (I love tea tree for this).
• Add adaptogens (e.g. tulsi or ashwaganda) to your smoothie.
• Use garlic as a garnish generously.

These rituals not only support your immune system and help reduce your susceptibility, they provide you with CONFIDENCE. You can release some of that fear around illness because you are taking proactive steps against it. Carry this confidence with you always.

Obstacle #4: Fear of being judged by others

Not everyone is going to be on board with your non-toxic lifestyle. You might be referred to as the crunchy, tree-hugging, hippy-dippy family member. They might snicker at your DIY hand sanitizer or comment on your patchouli pure-fume.

My best advice to you is keep living your non-toxic lifestyle during the holiday season and make it visible. Even better, gift some natural DIY products to family members so they can experience first-hand the amazing benefits and see how easy it can be.

Most importantly, OWN IT. The more confident you are in your non-toxic lifestyle, the more others will be curious about it and convinced that it is worth trying for themselves.

For more tips on overcoming non-toxic living obstacles, get my free e-book.

Hope this helps you have non-toxic holidays!

M.

Get my top 5 non-toxic living tips.

Join the conversation in the Non-Toxic Living Collective group.

The post Non-toxic holidays: maintaining your natural lifestyle appeared first on Rustik Health.

As a teenager and even into my early twenties, I had very oily skin. I would wear tons of foundation and powder my face multiple times to give a semblance of perfect skin. As you can imagine, my pores were also quite clogged and I was prone to breakouts.

I tried multiple different face washes, creams and masks but nothing make huge improvements. To be honest, massive shifts only began happening once I became much more conscious of my diet and transitioned to non-toxic face products.

To celebrate, I haven’t used face powder or foundations in YEARS. I can remember the last time I put anything on my face except for blush. I’m actually terrified to put anything more on my face than that given all of the progress!

For a while, my favourite non-toxic DIY face mask was simply egg white. I liked the tightening effect and may go back to it someday but lately this has been my go-to…

DIY face mask recipe

• 1.5 tsp green clay
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 drop essential oil

This makes a one-time use portion, which I love because I don’t have to worry about it going back or adding preservatives to it. I leave it on for about 5 – 10 minutes, or dry, and then wash with water. I’ll then go over oil-prone areas with witch hazel and apply face oil to moisturize.

Watch video

To get notified each time I post a new YouTube video, make sure to subscribe to my channel.

I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to do this mask every week. I will sometimes change it up and only use green clay and water. I’ll also switch up the essential oils I use. My favourite include geranium, frankincense, black spruce and tea tree.

And your non-toxic facial routine can be as simple as that!

What’s your favourite DIY face mask recipe?

M.

Get my top 5 non-toxic living tips.

Join the conversation in the Non-Toxic Living Collective group.

The post DIY face mask | Clay, essential oils and apple cider vinegar appeared first on Rustik Health.

Since going no ‘poo several years ago, I do tend to notice a lot more buildup and flake on my scalp. For one, I go 7 days or more without washing it… so I guess that should come as no surprise.

I also don’t do the no ‘poo method perfectly. Apparently, one of the steps in between washes is to pull the oils from the scalp all the way down your locks every night. This also helps moisturize your hair completely naturally. I’m just way too lazy to do this!

All this being said, through my obsessive research on acidosis and detoxification, I’ve learned that this crud on my head could actually be my body’s attempt to eliminate bad stuff from my body. Specifically, metabolic waste and toxins that are accumulating in my head. Yikes!

I like to take a holistic approach to everything so, on top of tweaking my food choices to address what may be going on in my body, I’ve been doing this non-toxic DIY scalp buildup recipe (source: doTERRA website).

Hair buildup recipe

• 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar (I haven’t tried ACV yet)
• 8 TBSP purified water
• 8 drops rosemary essential oil (some claim this oil can also stimulate hair growth!)
• 6 drops of lemon essential oil (great cleansing and dissolving oil)
• 4 drops of grapefruit essential oil (also great for cleansing and dissolving)

Mix everything together, apply to scalp and leave on for 20 minutes.

The first time I made this recipe, I mixed it all together in a glass measuring cup and poured it on my head. It was a bit awkward and a lot never ended up even making it on my head so the next time I used this handy applicator.

Also, the first time I did it, I left it on for more than 20 minutes and my scalp started itching. Make sure you apply this when you are sure to be able to hop in the shower after 20 minutes!

On top of removing buildup, this recipe will make your hair super shiny and silky!

I hope this helps you in figuring out how to remove hair buildup. Enjoy

M.

Get my top 5 non-toxic living tips.

Join the conversation in the Non-Toxic Living Collective group.

The post How to remove hair buildup | No ‘poo non-toxic lifestyle tips appeared first on Rustik Health.

I remember as a kid being excited to see my friends after summer break but also being super scared I would fail this new grade. And now I get to relive ALL of these anxieties through my own children.

Luckily, I feel super well-equipped to deal with this time of year thanks to the plant-based tools we always have on hand in our household – and you can too!

There are definitely lots more essential oil options… but here are my top 10 faves for back-to-school:

Cheer

I hate to admit this but we are MUCH more lenient with bed time during the summer months. That means, when September rolls around and the alarm clocks are set, the morning grumpiness meter tends to skyrocket.

Cheer, a pre-mixed essential oil blend, is one of my favourite oils to diffuse in the morning to enhance our moods (2-3 drops). You will want to ideally get this running 30 minutes before everyone wakes up.

Add a couple of drops of peppermint essential oil with your Cheer blend to also boost energy and wakefulness.

On Guard

Do your kids, like ours, also come home with all of the germs and sniffles at the beginning of the school year?

We fight that by diffusing 5-6 drops of On Guard, a pre-mixed essential oil blend, in the evenings. The chemical make-up of this blend provides powerful germ-fighting activity by helping to cleanse the air.

If you love the smell of cinnamon, orange and cloves, you will absolutely LOVE diffusing this blend! It is both comforting and festive.

Tea Tree

Ok, you might be like a lot of people and not particularly enjoy this smell. It can seem medicinal or remind you too much of cleaning products.

But tea tree essential oil is a great anti-microbial and support to the immune system. I disperse 2-3 drops in my son’s evening bath as a preventative measure.

I honestly believe EVERYONE should always have a bottle of tea tree essential oil in their home.

In Tune

This is actually one of the first essential oils I ever bought when I started introducing essential oils into my non-toxic lifestyle.

We got feedback from my son’s teacher that he was having a hard time focusing in class… so, like I always do, I asked myself what essential oil could support him through this and did some research.

To this day, I roll this blend on the back of my son’s neck on school days and especially before we do homework.

Kids Collection

These last six oils are pre-mixed essential oil blends conveniently packaged in roller bottles and specifically designed for children.

These are a lifesaver for any parent. They cover the big items kids deal with:

• Stronger – to help prevent illness (the kid’s version of On Guard).

• Calmer – to help unwind at the end of the day or manage difficult emotions.

• Steady – to help stay grounded and keep balanced.

• Rescuer – for playground + gym class “ouchies” and tension.

• Brave – to reduce anxiety and promote courage + confidence.

• Thinker – to remain on task + focused and promote clarity + alertness.

Roll these oils along the spine or under the feet daily, picking the blend best-suited to the situation.

You don’t have to “tough it out” or just “hope for the best” this back-to-school season. You CAN empower yourself and be that “annoying” parent whose kid just flows through childhood challenges like a champ.

Trust me, it’s fun

Get the oils you need for your family here, and join the Rustik Health community to save 25% on all your purchases by clicking “Become a Member” then “Wholesale Customer”.

M.

The post Top 10 back-to-school essential oils appeared first on Rustik Health.

This might seem incongruent but, IMO, it goes hand in hand. You see, a good portion of our toxic exposure comes from the foods we eat. That could be from conventionally grown produce that is covered in pesticide-residue or packaged foods filled with additives.

You might think:

• The pesticide amounts are so minute
• Our bodies are designed to detoxify/eliminate bad stuff
• It’s safe; otherwise, why would they sell it?

But really, who knows for sure?!

The lawsuits against a very large offender continue to this day…

The problem I see is that most of us have NO IDEA how well our bodies are metabolizing these toxins. Are you 100% confident your kidneys, liver, GI tract and skin are running optimally? I sure ain’t.

The more I research this area, the more I see our body leaves clues and we need to pay better attention to them. And the more I believe our detoxification + eliminative pathways are in need of more support.

Here are three ways to love on your detox organs:

• Eat organic: one of the best things you can do is avoid conventionally grown food in the first place. I realize this is not realistic for all of us… it’s not always available and can be cost-prohibitive. Just do your best. If it has a thick peel, like melons or avocados, it’s usually not worth spending the extra buck.
• Up your fruit intake: fruits are some of the most astringent and hydrating foods on the planet. They will help cleanse out your lymphatic system, which is basically your body’s sewage system. You want to make sure it’s not clogged up. Here are some of my favourites.
• Use essential oils: essential oils are a simple and effective way to help move toxins out of the body and support your cleansing organs. My whole passion for oils and the reason I became an advocate + educator stems from a detoxification blend called Zendocrine I purchased for my son. I am currently obsessed with Juniper Berry to support my kidneys. I shop my oils here.
• Rebuild with herbs: you can be rebounding to move your lymph or exercising to sweat out the toxins but if your eliminative pathways are blocked, you won’t get far. Herbs are a great way to support kidneys, liver, GI tract and any system in your body. Be sure to always check with your health practitioner before you begin using herbs if you have a medical condition, are on medications or have any concerns.

So now you better understand the two sides of non-toxic living: reducing your toxic exposure AND supporting your body’s natural elimination processes.

Got questions? Comment below.

M.

PS – do you want to learn more about non-toxic living and the different ways you can support your health naturally? Make sure to join my email list to receive valuable information every two months.

The post Nutrition and non-toxic living appeared first on Rustik Health.

The easiest way for me to define it is by explaining what it is and what it is not in my view.

What it is

Non-toxic living is about avoiding any man-made chemical in the products we consume internally, put on our bodies and use in our homes. It is also about ensuring our bodies are functioning optimally to metabolize any existing toxins we have stored over the years and the toxins we can’t avoid exposure to in our daily lives.

Non-toxic living is a continuum. You can take it as far as you want to go… and you can make it a quick journey or a slower, ongoing journey. Personally, I hopped on the bandwagon about a decade ago and made some drastic changes initially but have kept a more moderate pace ever since.

Non-toxic living is a LIFESTYLE. It is a practice that weaves seamlessly into your everyday living. And while it may seem daunting at first, you will soon realize that it is WAY:

• SIMPLER – no more driving across town to various natural health stores to get all the products you need. When you do run out, you can usually quickly whip up a new batch.
• CHEAPER – many of the ingredients can be found at discount stores and they often serve multiple purposes.
• GREENER – again, one product can serve multiple purposes so less plastic bottles make their way into our homes (and, ultimately, landfills).

What it is NOT

Non-toxic living is not about perfection. Nope… I don’t own an organic mattress (yet!) and I haven’t replaced my stash of nail polish (I just avoid wearing any as much as possible) and I’m still searching for an effective DIY dishwasher machine soap (working on it!). It’s about focusing on the positive changes you are making and not on the places you fall short.

Non-toxic living is about accepting certain social constraints and, especially, not judging others. Yes, I will use that toxic-ingredient-filled hand soap at the restaurant and won’t dart out of a room sprayed with synthetic fragrance (although I may hold my breath for a while… lol!). We’re not all of the same mind or beliefs and that is TOTALLY OKAY.

Non-toxic living is not about knowing and understanding all of the questionable toxic chemicals out there. Honestly, I used to try to remember them all… then I figured why on earth would I bog down my brain with that useless information?! At the end of the day, all you need to know is they are either: neurotoxic (super bad for your brain), endocrine-disruptive (they mess with your hormones) and/or carcinogenic (screw up your DNA).

When you live a non-toxic lifestyle, you frankly couldn’t care less about the names of all those toxic ingredients in our foods and products because they are no longer part of your world… they become completely IRRELEVANT.

Innocent until proven guilty

People will argue that in many cases there’s no proof these man-made chemicals carry negative effects. I say that’s exactly why I avoid them as much as possible. I’m not going to be a guinea pig (and neither is my family), plus there’s no good reason to use most of them. Nature has provided us with the powerful and safe tools we need.

While I see value in the notion of “innocent until proven guilty” in the context of criminal justice, I see ZERO value in it in the context of the safety of man-made chemicals.

What steps have you taken lately towards a non-toxic lifestyle?

M.

PS – I’ll soon be offering group challenges to help you either get started on your non-toxic lifestyle or push your existing journey one step further. Sign up below to BE THE FIRST to know more!

The post What is non-toxic living? appeared first on Rustik Health.

At the time, I didn’t know the blend included catnip… so minutes after I sprayed “Kitterson”, he was licking himself all over! That was a fail.

As an essential oils educator, one of the top questions I get asked is if oils are safe to use around pets. Just Google the topic and you’ll find TONS of controversy and opposing opinions on this.

Here are my favourite sources on the topic to help you form your own opinion.

What a famed aromatherapist says…

British aromatherapist Robert Tisserand is said to have renewed interest in essentials oil when he published his book The Art of Aromatherapy in 1977. He has since written an authoritative book on essential oils safety, done many lectures and presentations, and written multiple research articles.

On his website, Robert Tisserand addresses the issue of essential oils and pets. He focuses specifically on cats, given cats almost completely lack important liver enzymes which support the metabolism of many essential oil constituents. Because of this, cats are at the most theoretical risk of toxicity (it’s much less of an issue with dogs). That being said, he believes a small amount of any essential oil, and a moderate amount of most, will not harm your cat.

A small amount of any essential oil, and a moderate amount of most, will not harm your cat.

What scientific research says…

Ok, well… there isn’t a ton of research on essential oils and pet safety, and that is part of the issue. But one holistic British veterinarian did some great investigating and I recommend you read the article.

Here are the main takeaways I got from it:

• In cases where toxicity was observed, applications were 5 – 10 times more concentrated than usual.
• Given the lack of enzymes, one must consider the dose and frequency of essential use with cats to allow for proper metabolism.
• The quality of the essential oils used matters.

There are a few oils that make the list as contraindicated for cats – but truly remain listed as contraindicated for almost all of the aromatherapy world. 

However, there are a few oils you would definitely want to avoid using around pets but these are the same oils you want to avoid yourself: Bitter Almond, Boldo, Calamus, Garlic, Horseradish, Mustard, Sassafras, Wormseed (Chemopodium), and Pennyroyal.

What the largest essential oils company says…

I know what you’re going to say.

Of course the largest essential oils company in the world is going to say oils are safe to use around pets. They want to sell more oils. And to that I would say the largest essential oils company in the world would not have become so if it was harming pets left, right and center

Here is a great one-pager from doTERRA with tips on using essential oils with animals.

Do you use essential oils around your pets?

M.

The post Essential oils and pets appeared first on Rustik Health.