Most of us get up in the morning, (and hopefully) brush our teeth, swish around some mouthwash and take a shower with our favorite soap bar or body wash, shampoo and conditioner. We glide on deodorant and use some hair stuff to get our locks or mullets just right. We squirt and step into a mist of some sexy smelling perfume, just like on TV. It’s winter. Better fight dry, ashy skin with a good slathering of lotion. Maybe we put on some combination of makeup – lipstick, foundation, eye liner.

At some point, we might go into the kitchen, heat a skillet, line it with that spray bottle oil and crack some eggs, maybe some turkey bacon too. The aromas are hypnotizing. Oh, and can’t forget OJ. Pop a vitamin for good measure. Maybe take a medication regimen. Go to the coffee shop drive-thru even though we’re running late, get super annoyed at how long the line is, wait anyway and finally order coffee with five pumps of flavored creamer. No six. Perfection.

The morning rushes by at work. It’s lunch time. Running behind, as usual. Better grab something fast. We run to the closest fast food place. We justify that a certain sandwich spot isn’t as bad as some of our other options because in fact, they tell us we’re “eating fresh.”

We get home, hand the kids a quick snack before homework, maybe a peanut butter jelly sandwich, scoop dog food into our spazzy puppies’ bowls and start making dinner. Grab some canned vegetables, beef and rice. Sweet tooth hits. Grab a couple of pieces of chocolate. We wipe the counter with a kitchen cleaner after dinner. Fill the dishwasher with soap. The dog farts. Ugh. Spray some air freshener. And at the end of the night, maybe a glass of wine or tea as we read a good book.

Time for bed. You know what that means. Brush our teeth, swish around some mouthwash. Go to bed. Wake up. And here we go again.

*****

Yes, every bold item most likely has preservatives in it. I know. It’s overwhelming to think about all the ways we’re exposed to them. But if done in steps, it’s possible to significantly decrease their use. One big way to prevent daily preservatives is by reading labels, and closely. Then, over time, substitute products you’d usually consume with natural ones.

By the way, if you’re not sure what an ingredient is, research it before buying. Some ingredients are masked as safe (natural flavors, for instance), while others sound much scarier than they are (sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda). It may initially mean you’re at the store far longer than you’d like to be, but the investment will be worth it.

Some grocery and department stores have aisles dedicated to natural products. There are many independent businesses popping up too, because people are literally sick of using preservatives.

My sister and brother-in-law are one example. They’ve created Organic Memories, where they offer preservative-free products like body butter, salts, lip balms and soap. The Natural Products Association can provide information on where to find preservative-free products close to you.

So rise and shine. What’s your day going to look like?

 

We’d like to hear about your preservative-free routine and recommendations on your favorite natural products.