I feel you… this was actually me for a long time! Every now and then, I’d find DIY containers at a natural health store but they were often expensive or it wasn’t exactly what I needed. It seemed way too daunting to start making my own products.

There are many reasons why you might want to consider making your own DIY products. As we all know, you can simply buy pre-made “eco-friendly” products.

But keep in mind:

• There’s still a lot of greenwashing out there. Companies make themselves look more non-toxic and environmentally-friendly than they really are…
• Many natural product companies have been bought out by large corporations (think Burt’s Bees and Tom’s of Maine). Do you really trust these big conglomerates who make tons of toxic, synthetic-chemical filled products?

Over time, I discovered that finding containers for storing DIY products can be easy! Here are a few of my favourite hacks.

Watch the video or read on below.

Tip #1: reuse existing containers for storing DIY products

The easiest DIY container hack is to use what you already have around the house. For example, “empties” of the following products:

• Glass food jars
• Lip balm containers
• Glass sparkling water bottles
• Mason jars
• Essential oil roller bottles
• Glass or stainless steel tupperware

Re-using existing containers is also a great way to lower your environmental impact.

Tip #2: store-bought containers for DIY products

If you don’t have any empties ready to use or you need more, you can find many suitable containers at every day stores you might shop at or have nearby.

I’ve found great soap dispensers at a reasonable price at stores like Walmart and Ikea. I’ve also found the perfect dishwasher powder and bath salt containers at the Dollar Store.

If you have something very specific in mind, you might still have to scour the natural products stores in your area.

Tip #3: order low impact storage containers online for DIY products

Nowadays, you can order almost anything online. If you need something specific and don’t want to hunt down natural products stores, it’s likely available on Amazon.

If you just don’t want to leave the house, you can also find a variety of DIY product suppliers online.

Tip #4: reduce your need for DIY storage containers

As you progress along your non-toxic lifestyle journey, you might finding yourself needing to make less and less DIY products. One-ingredient products can be very effective for your skin, as a deodorant and more!

For example, my skin lotion has simply become fractionated coconut oil – no mixing required! I’ll sometime add a drop of essential oil to it straight into my hand.

My face lotion has simply become jojoba oil. I have a pre-made roller bottle of essential oil mixture I’ll often dab in a few key spots on top of the jojoba oil on my face.

For nearly 10 years now, straight baking soda has been my non-toxic deodorant and I haven’t looked back!

Tip #4 is the ultimate in reducing your environmentally impact. If you can find a bulk store to refill your one-ingredient products, even better!

I hope this was super helpful. If you weren’t exploring non-toxic DIY recipes because you didn’t feel set up for it, maybe now you’ll at least think about it.

Because, honestly, one of the best ways to ensure you are using TRULY non-toxic products is to make them yourself.

If you have any other DIY container hacks, please share them with us 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 Storing DIY products | Preserve your non-toxic recipes 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.

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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.

The other day, I read a quote about “romanticizing your life” and I completely fell in love with this concept. It encouraged us to find excitement, fun and all-around joy in the simple, mundane aspects of our life.

I fell in love with the concept because it’s what I preach and teach about the non-toxic lifestyle. I just never had such a beautiful label for it. Your success in transitioning to a healthier way of living will be influenced by your ability to find joy in using cleaner + greener products for your body and home.

Every time you exfoliate with your coconut salt scrub, take a moment to recognize the nourishment you are providing to your body – free from any synthetic chemical that could disrupt the functioning of your cells and endocrine system. Every time you spray that essential oil + vinegar mixture onto your counters, feel the satisfaction of knowing there’s no harm being done to yourself or the earth – in fact, you are getting side health benefits!

I recently shared in my social media stories how I like to turn making the bed into a more enjoyable chore by spraying my linens with a non-toxic DIY linen spray. This is just one of the super simple ways you can romanticize your non-toxic lifestyle. This is how I do it.

This idea is so much easier to implement in your life once you master your health, mindset and habits. I support you through this with Lead Your Health and Mastering Emotional Intelligence for Health.

Non-toxic DIY linen spray recipe

• Take a 4 oz stainless steel spray bottle
• Add 15 drops of high-quality essential oils
• Fill with water

I go crazy spraying the pillows, sheets and comforter with this non-toxic DIY linen spray. I even open the closet and spray our clothes. And I feel gosh, darn amazing and powerful doing it. I actually look forward to making the bed in the morning!

My favourite essential oil mixture is 5 drops of a citrus oil, 5 drops of a flower oil and 5 drops of a mint oil. The citrus provides a fresh scent, the flower smell is romantic and the mint is energizing.

This non-toxic DIY linen spray lasts me a couple of weeks and I have just as much fun coming up with a new scent combination.

How do you romanticize your non-toxic lifestyle?

M.

Get my top 5 non-toxic living tips.

Join the conversation in the The Health + Mindset Collective group.

The post Non-toxic DIY linen spray and romanticizing your lifestyle 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.

So my smoothie recipe is not for every palate. If you’re a crunchy health nut like me, you might think it is delicious! Otherwise, don’t get your hopes up

This is my basic recipe, and it rarely changes:

• 1 banana 
• 1 cup pineapple  or mango  
• 3-4 kale leaves or a handful of spinach
• 1/2 bunch parsley 
• 1 chunk cucumber  
• 1 tbsp goji berries 
• 3 tbsp hemp seeds or chia seeds
• 1 tsp spirulina or chlorella
• 1 tsp Maca or Tulsi
• 1 tsp bee pollen  
• 1-2 cups spring or coconut water
• 1 tbsp coconut or MCT oil (occasionally)

No dairy… no store-bought dairy alternatives… no protein powders… just simple, mostly unprocessed foods!

What’s in your smoothie?

M.

The post What’s in my smoothie? appeared first on Rustik Health.