We can talk and think about something until the cows fly! But it is what we really DO that matters; that creates results. If you’ve been thinking and talking about eating and using more organic products and creating and maintaining an organic lifestyle for your family, now is the time to act. Here are 12 steps, one for each month of the year, to get you started on the path to an organic lifestyle and keep you moving forward for months to come.
Step 1 (January): Make the decision to start living a healthier organic lifestyle.
Talk to your family. Please share any information you have so far and your reasons why you think organic living is a good option. Ask them to share what they know or think, and then investigate together.
Step 2 (February): Incorporate an organic product into each of your daily meals.
Think about the things your family eats regularly and try some organic alternatives. This will help familiarize everyone with organic varieties and show them that the taste is better, if there is a noticeable difference at all.
Step 3 (March): Plan an organic vegetable, fruit and/or herb garden.
Again, get your family involved and plan an organic garden that everyone can participate in. Plan out the space you’ll need, the plants you’d like to grow, the materials you’ll need, and the maintenance functions for everyone.
Step 4 (April): Start a compost pile.
Once your organic garden is growing, you will need a continuous source of organic soil and you will have a lot of organic waste to dispose of. As your organic lifestyle grows, so will the materials you can add to your compost over time.
Step 5 (May): Try 3 new organic cleaning products or methods.
Think about the products you are using to clean your house and how you can eliminate some and replace others.
There are many harmful chemicals in traditional cleaning products on the market today. When we use these products, we expose ourselves and our families to these chemicals on a daily basis. We are also impacting the environment with many of these non-organic products, in a negative way.
Try 3 organic or all-natural cleaning alternatives. You can start by learning more about some very common household items that make great natural cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, and lemons.
Step 6 (June): Drink more water.
With summer comes the need for more hydration. If your family is used to drinking sweet drinks; soda, lemonade, sweet tea or sports drinks, introduce them and encourage them to drink more water.
Consider a water cooler for your home. The cost is reasonable and the benefits are significant. It will become everyone’s “between-meal” drink of choice before you know it.
Keep bottled water cold and take it with you when you go outdoors or travel for an extended period in the car. A small cooler can easily be carried along with a bottle of water for everyone.
This is a good time to consider how much water you are using for cooking and where it is coming from. A kitchen water filtration system can be used for cooking and help further reduce your family’s chemical intake.
Some other great drink options you can make at home are organic fruit juices and smoothies, which are always a welcome treat in the summer.
Step 7 (July): Harvest your organic produce.
Now that you have an organic crop of fruits, vegetables, and/or herbs, you’ll need to put them to good use.
Of course, you’ll want to use as much of your organic, garden-to-table produce as possible, but chances are you’ll have more, too.
Consider canning or preserving, where appropriate. Think about the different ways your fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be preserved for later use. Again, make it a family project, involving everyone in the planning and processing. You’ll be surprised at all the different ideas and solutions that come to mind.
Step 8 (August): Review your organic life plan and adjust it, if necessary.
Review your family’s organic lifestyle. Is your family involved and are you seeing results? Are there now organic products that you buy and consume regularly? Are you constantly introducing new organic alternatives? Is your family “thinking” more about what they eat and the products they use?
Is there room for improvement and can more be done?
Make adjustments, if necessary, and continue to research, talk, and do things that will support your organic lifestyle and life plan.
Step 9 (September): Introduce 3 new organic or all-natural skin care products.
Our skin is the largest organ and absorbs 70% of what we put on it. Shampoo, bath soap, makeup, deodorant, lotion, sunscreen, hand soap, etc., and are traditionally full of chemicals and preservatives that our skin absorbs directly into our body.
Consider 2 new organic or all-natural alternatives to the daily skin care products you use now. You may have to try a few brands or types to find the products that work best for you, but it’s well worth the effort.
You may also consider a filtered shower system. Along with the chemicals and preservatives in our skincare products, the water we shower with also contains harmful contaminants that our bodies absorb on a daily basis.
A filtered shower head/system will remove a significant amount of these harmful chemicals, leaving your hair and skin healthier than you’ve probably seen in quite some time.
Step 10 (October): Boost your immune system, organically.
As summer fades and colder weather sets in, colds and flu become more frequent. In fact, you can DO things to boost your immune system, now and in the winter months.
Eat more organic fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. One of the BEST ways to get the most nutritional value from these fruits and vegetables is to juice them raw.
Drink 4-6 oz. Juicing fresh, organic fruits and/or vegetables twice a day is a great, all-natural way to boost your immune system. The vitamins and minerals provided will help keep your body healthy so that it can fight viruses and bacteria more efficiently and effectively.
You may also want to consider some organic herbal supplements. There are many herbs available that will help boost your immune system before, during, and after you catch a cold.
Sleep, exercise and water. It is not organic in nature, but it is critical to the health and well-being of our bodies, especially during those times when our bodies may be most vulnerable.
Step 11 (November): Plan an organic holiday menu.
There are many opportunities this holiday season to cook and bake with organic produce. Plan an all-organic holiday meal, and if you have guests, see if they notice any difference other than how delicious everything tastes.
Now is also a great time to have fun and create some organic desserts that your whole family will enjoy.
And don’t forget to incorporate some of those festive natural and organic fruit juices and/or smoothies you’ve been making all year!
Step 12 (December): Buy someone an organic gift.
Now is the time to share what you and your family have learned with others.
Give a gift that will help others create or maintain their own organic lifestyle. Books are always great gifts, or gift certificates to organic stores, and even a shower filter or fruit/vegetable juicer would make a great organic gift.
It’s really fun to “give” a gift that you know someone will benefit from. And who knows, your gift could be the only thing that starts them on their own journey to an organic lifestyle.
BEYOND THE 12 STEPS
Once you start making more organic life choices, you’ll start to see and feel the wonderful benefits and want to do and learn more.
Keep it simple and take action, every day, and you’ll be amazed at the results.
Always keep in mind, too, that what you are learning and sharing with your family today about organic living will serve them for a lifetime. You are giving them an education that will enable them to make the best decisions for their own health and well-being, throughout their lives.