Are you freaked out by the state of the world? Feeling overly anxious about your health and wellbeing? Naturopath Danielle Steedman considers the perils of modern living and the personal energy it can take to live a healthy, ethical and natural life.
While we are healthier today and living longer than ever before, there seems to be an ever increasing fear and anxiety in society about the state of our health. We know more now than we did before about what’s ‘good’ and what’s ‘bad’ for us and what steps we should take to ensure we stay well. So when does education and awareness become a hindrance to living your life rather than enhancing it?
There seems to be so many things that we can choose to avoid in our modern life to try and live a more natural, ethical, healthy life. I am constantly reading food labels, make up labels, cleaning products labels, personal care products etc etc for a long list of chemicals and ingredients that I would rather avoid. PCB’s, BPA, SLS, nanotechnology, parabens, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, flavours, colours, preservatives, additives...
………not to mention electromagnetic radiation, pollution……is it biodynamic/organic, carbon neutral, environmentally sustainable, recycled, non GMO, fair trade, sweat shop free, not tested on animals...
Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming, not to mention confusing, bordering on scary. The world can start to look a little ominous if you are constantly on the lookout for toxins. And if, like me, you get the feeling that sometimes some organisations may seem to promote this fear for their own agenda- it can be difficult to decipher what’s truth or fiction.
That said, these are issues I feel strongly about – living a more natural life, protecting the environment, helping those less fortunate than myself. I feel privileged that I am in a position to educate myself in order to make decisions that are in line with my values, and I have the freedom to act on these choices.
More importantly, these issues are bigger than what product I choose in the supermarket. Often I can make something myself, or better still, grow it, as nature has provided many solutions free and available to everyone. A real healthy, ethical life comes from the way of living, not purchasing. This leaves more time and resources to actually get out there and make a difference. These choices exist to enhance lives, not to make us so scared that we hide away in a protected bubble. So, here’s to making choices for a better life!
What do you choose to avoid, and why? What’s important to you as a consumer and a member of your community? Do you buy organic or grow your own veggies? Do you buy chemical free household cleaners or make your own? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
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