How to Choose Natural Health & Beauty Products

There has been a big call to go "green" lately. But what does it mean to be green besides recycling and driving a hybrid? How can you fit natural products into your lifestyle? And what is "natural" anyway?

Natural products  generally are free of artificial colors or dyes, mineral oils, petrolatum, harsh chemicals, and skin irritants. They also do not test on animals, they fully disclose their ingredients in their labeling, and meet GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards. Any product in the drugstore.com Natural Store has also been designated as "green".

What is the best way to transition to a more natural lifestyle? Slowly. Take one step at a time so it's not a big lifestyle overhaul. Generally, the best place to start is your diet. Think of all those chemicals, pesticides, preservatives, hormones, and antibiotics that are in the foods you eat today. Now think of how much healthier you'll be if you only give your body natural and organic foods. Start reading the ingredients of the foods you eat and eliminate anything with artificial flavors or sweeteners, chemical food coloring, preservatives, or hydrogenated oils. Some of the most popular brands of natural foods are Luna Bar, Balance Bar, Eden Organic, and Kashi. Luna Bars are 70% organic and 100% natural. They're high in protein and fiber and are delicious! And another great thing about them is that Luna is an active sponsor of The Breast Cancer Fund. Balance Bars follow the 40/30/30 distribution of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. They're tastier than most nutrition bars too. And, a portion of proceeds from Balance Bar supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of America". Eden Organic makes delicious nuts, seeds, and fruits such as Dry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and Dry Roasted Tamari Almonds. Kashi has a wide assortment of healthy cereals, bars, and crackers. Their most popular item is their GoLEAN Crunch, a delicious high fiber, high protein, low fat cereal.

The next step is to replace any product that touches your skin with a natural alternative. This means lotion, shampoo, hand soap, dish soap, laundry detergent, etc. Chemicals can absorb into your skin and be a detriment to your health. The good news is that there are so many natural products out there that do as good a job or better than their non-natural counterparts. For example, Burt's Bees, makes a wide variety of lotions, lip balms, soaps, shampoos, etc. They all smell great and are consistently customer favorites. The most popular Burt's Bees items are their Beeswax Lip Balm, and Doctor Burt's Res-Q Ointment for cuts and other owies. You can get natural toothpaste from any number of brands - Tom's of Maine,  being the most popular. And they're not just limited to toothpaste - they have great deodorants, soaps, and mouthwashes,  as well. Kiss My Face, and Avalon Organics,  are also very popular brands that carry everything from anti-aging skin care to hand soap. Kiss My Face's All Night Crème, is a very popular product - it contains natural olive, almond, wheat germ, and avocado oils and can moisturize and even skin tone as well as similar non-natural products. The minty fresh scent of Avalon's  Peppermint Glycerin Hand Soap, will wake you up as the glycerin formula thoroughly cleans your hands.

When replacing cleaning products such as laundry detergent, dish soap, toilet bowl cleaner, etc, you have a great selection to choose from.  Seventh Generation, makes top quality Liquid Dish Soap, Laundry Detergent, Paper Towels, even Unscented Baby Wipes,! Another great brand is Ecover. They make highly rated Ecological Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Ecological Automatic Dishwashing Powder, and Dishwashing Liquid, as well as Ecological Laundry Wash, Fabric Softener, and Stain Remover. 

Now you're on your way to living a more natural lifestyle. Get ready to feel healthier!