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.

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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.