SuperSweetLife

I am kind of a freak when it comes to being organic and eliminating toxins from my life. It started with me switching to organic produce, and has gradually morphed into all organic food, as well as organic cosmetics, body products, and many household items. I try to adopt a green lifestyle as much as possible, and only use what is truly necessary. Needless to say, my recycling bin is overflowing. Here are some of the ways in which I live this freakishly obsessive, yet satisfying lifestyle:

1. Non-toxic cosmetics

There are a lot of toxic products in our makeup that are not meant to be put on our bodies. When we use toxic cosmetics, those toxins get absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. Many of the makeup products contain lead, mercury, and formaldehyde, in addition to hundreds of other harmful products. According to the FDA, “The regulatory requirements governing the sale of cosmetics are not as stringent as those that apply to other FDA-regulated products… Manufacturers may use any ingredient or raw material, except for color additives and a few prohibited substances, to market a product without a government review or approval.” Yuck! We obviously cannot rely on those who are supposed to be looking out for our well being; we need to put in the extra effort to ensure that what we put into and on our bodies is safe. Safe Cosmetics is one website that has very valuable information, including a list of over 600 cosmetic companies that pledge to only use safe ingredients in their products. I recently bought some makeup from Makeup Junky, and was very impressed. Mattie, the woman who owns the company, was awesome. She mailed my order to me right away, and even included a nice thank you note. You sure as hell won’t get that service from most major makeup companies.

2. Water filters

I came across this bit of information on Aquasana’s website: “A recent report by the Ralph Nader Study Group, after a review of over 10,000 documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, confirmed that U.S. drinking water contains more than 2,100 toxic chemicals that can cause cancer.” Brita pitchers just don’t cut it anymore. Last year I purchased the Complete Countertop Filtration System from Aquasana. It has worked great and filters out all of the lead, chlorine, pesticides, and all the other crap that is in our water. Don’t even bother with bottled water. There are no laws in effect that even say bottled water has to be any different than tap water. Invest the $125 or so in a water filtration system.

3. Green cleaning products

There is a very strong link between cancer rates and those who use toxic cleaning products. “A 15 year study in Oregon, comparing women who didn’t work outside the home with women who did, found a 54% higher death rate from cancer in the women who stayed home. The study suggested that chronic exposure to cleaning products played a role.” (Source.) Grocery stores are starting to carry more and more green cleaning products. In my experience, Seventh Generation is the easiest brand to find. Many people think these products don’t clean as well, but I think they work just fine. And they don’t ruin your health in the process.

4. Organic Tampons

They don’t call it Toxic Shock Syndrome for nothing. Most tampons are made with rayon, which is commonly bleached with chlorine. Chlorine contains dioxin, a dangerous toxin, which has been linked to various cancers and immune deficiencies, yet the FDA does not require testing for dioxin levels in tampons. As if that isn’t bad enough, we all know that pesticides and other chemicals are sprayed on cotton crops, but most of us never stop to think that these cotton crops eventually become our tampons. Our poor vaginas! Luckily there are plenty of natural companies who sell organic tampons. Two brands that I have used are Organic Essentials and Natracare. Unfortunately, these brands are nearly impossible to find at major stores, but they can be bought at any health food store, as well as on their websites.

5. Non-toxic pet food

Pets are people too! We should apply the sames standards for our pets as we do for ourselves. This means drastically changing our pet’s diets. Processed pet food contains stuff you wouldn’t even feed your dog. (Pun intended.) Euthanized animals, road kill, spoiled grains, dead animal fur, bones, and chemicals are just some examples. It seems that anything goes when it comes to how pet food is manufactured.

Pets are not being fed their natural diet, which is raw meat, and as a result they are developing the same diseases and health problems that humans have. According to this site, “Dr. Kollath, of the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, headed a study done on animals. When young animals were fed cooked and processed foods they initially appeared to be healthy. However, as the animals reached adulthood, they began to age more quickly than normal and also developed chronic degenerative disease symptoms. A control group of animals raised on raw foods aged less quickly and were free of degenerative disease.”

Just like humans, animals need healthy, proper diets to thrive. There are many natural pet food suppliers out there. Only Natural Pet is the company that I use to buy a raw diet for my cat. He loves it and the food is delivered to my house. My only regret is not starting this healthier diet for him sooner.

Hopefully this article got you thinking about the connection between organic products and good health. I’m going to leave you with this quote I found that I think is really interesting:”In the early 1900s, before the prevalence of chlorine, pesticides, herbicides and the tens of thousands of other chemicals that we are exposed to every day, the average American had a 1 in 50 chance of getting cancer, today one out of three people can expect to get cancer in their lifetime, one out of two males.” (Source)

Chef from South Park was right, “There is a time and a place for everything, and it’s called college.” There are great advantages to being a student, but they also come with some setbacks. Aside from the perpetual hangover, the lack of funds is often a downer. To help all those poor, unfortunate student souls out there, I’ve made up a list of my favorite methods of saving and making money. This list can be applied to just about anyone actually:

1. Student discounts

There are of course the student discounts at the movies, museums, etc. (although I am finding these exist less these days). Then there is the pity discount. This applies mostly to banks and credit card companies that want to charge you for late fees and insufficient funds. All it take is a phone call claiming in your most pathetic sounding voice, “I’m a student. I can barely afford groceries, let alone your $35 late fee.. Arggh!” Ok, leave out the pirate noises, but this usually does the trick. If it doesn’t work the first time, just keep calling back until you get someone to help your broke ass.

2. Gym memberships

Not all gyms offer student discounts. Or maybe they do and just don’t publicize it. I am a member of the YMCA and until recently, was paying full price for my monthly rate. Then I overheard a woman talking about a financial assistance program. She was able to get membership for all four members of her family for one third of what I was paying for just myself! Naturally, I applied for it and although I didn’t get as sweet a deal as her, I did end up shaving $12 off my monthly rate. Hey, I’ll take what I can get.

3. Sell your stuff!

Utilize Craigslist and Ebay whenever possible. In the darkest of my financial times, selling my belongings on these websites has really saved me. I’m not saying sell everything you own, but if you happen to have some extra things lying around, like some clothes, cds, books, furniture, whatever…get paid for them!

Craigslist also has a very valuable section called “free stuff.” Sometimes when I have run out of my own things to sell, I peruse through this section for anything valuable that people might be giving away. It’s a great way to get something for nothing, and then actually re-list it on the same site for a profit. Brilliant, I know.

4. Get the most bang for your buck

Let’s face it, no one likes working. I’ve tried to avoid it as much as possible over the years, but once I became a graduate student and was forced to live on financial aid, (which isn’t exactly living) I had to pick up some kind of part time job. I knew that whatever job I would get would have to pay me as much as possible for the little amount of time I had to devote to it. I also needed a job that would work around my crazy class schedule. Working as a nanny has successfully filled those two requirements. I am able to name my own hourly rate and decide my own hours. Once you learn to value your own time, others will too.

5. Shop second-hand

I used to think buying used clothing was gross. Then I realized a lot of the things I really liked on my friends were bought second hand, and that you could find some really great eclectic pieces at thrift stores. Personally, I have not had much luck with Goodwill, but stores like Buffalo Exchange or Crossroads Trading Co. tend to carry fashion from this decade. My two most recent purchases were a shirt from Weston Wear that retailed at over $100, (I got it for about $20) and a Banana Republic cashmere top for $22. Like stealin’ candy from a baby. The best part about these stores is that you can trade in your old clothes for either cash or store credit to buy something else. It’s recycling for the fashion-conscious.

6. Clip your coupons

I know it sounds nerdy, but coupons are awesome. Most people, students especially, do not bother with coupons because of pure laziness. They are missing out! I think I realized the true value of coupons when I worked at a grocery store in high school. All the soccer moms used to come in with piles of coupons and end up saving up to $100 dollars off their order. It was then that I realized, coupons are where it’s at.

Subscribe to your Sunday newspaper for all your clipping needs. The Entertainment Book also offers tons and tons of savings in coupons. It’s well worth it’s weight in gold. For about $35, you receive hundreds of dollars worth of savings at various restaurants, movie theaters, and pretty much any form of entertainment you can think of. My mother swears by this book. It’s pretty much her second Bible.

7. Get your craft on!

If you find yourself cringing at the thought of the holiday season, and wondering how on earth you will afford everyone’s gifts, try taking up a hobby, like knitting or jewelery making. Most craft and beading stores offer classes for beginners and typically run $30-45 per class. With one or two classes under your belt, you will have enough skill to put together a basic product. Continue to practice making this product and you’ve got yourself a few good presents for those who appreciate hand-made gifts.

8. Visit a beauty school

If you are someone who really values a good haircut, (like me) this may not be the best option for you. For those who are not as picky, I recommend getting your hair done at a beauty school. Haircuts given by students are often half of what you will pay in a salon, if not cheaper. I’ve gotten my hair cut once by a student and it was actually a decent cut. The only downfall is that the cuts are pretty basic. If you want something more edgy I suggest searching Craigslist for stylists offering their services. Several times I have come across professional stylists looking for hair models. These cuts are almost always free and you end up with a pretty rad head of hair!