As you take time to enjoy the outdoors and prepare for summer, take some time to appreciate and preserve the beauty of our Earth while simultaneously improving your own health. It may require a change in your daily routine, but you’ll see an enormous payoff when you make the choice to live more naturally. Not only will you feel healthier, you will be more connected to your local community and environment.
Remember, a healthier Earth means a healthier you and if you’re looking to live a long and healthy life, you’ll need Mother Earth on your side!
Go For Green Cleaning
Another way to reduce your impact on the Earth is to use natural cleaning products at home. Conventional cleaners may look and smell bright and shiny, but they leave toxic residue, produce poisonous runoff that affects our water supply, and come in containers that waste plastic. Because the manufacturers of these products don’t have to label all of the ingredients on these products, they generally don’t – so you may not even know what you cleaning products contain.
Switch to cleaning products that have a list of recognizable ingredients and don’t contain words like “danger” or “poison” on the label. Or better yet, make your own low impact cleaning products. They clean your home just as well, without the health concerns.
To make your own all-purpose cleaner, mix half a cup of vinegar, a quarter of a cup of baking soda, and two liters of water in a spray bottle.
Filtered Water: Less Waste, More Health
More than one hundred million plastic water bottles are thrown away each day in the U.S. Not only is that a lot of added waste in our landfills that can take hundreds of years to decompose, but do you know what’s in your water? According to an investigation by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), there are at least 315 pollutants in the tap water Americans drink. Where are these pollutants coming from? Industry, ingesting large quantities of toxins from an unsafe food product.
While most foods on the market shelves are safe to eat, there are still plenty of cases where harmful substances get into our food.
For instance, take the chemical arsenic, which has been showing up more frequently in food. Arsenic is more likely to be found in grains like rice because it requires high levels of water and pulls chemicals from the soil.
Don’t let this news frighten you – you can help protect yourself by making sure that you’re sourcing your daily nutrients from a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Diversify your diet and you won’t have to worry about the ill effects of one bad food product.
agriculture, pollution, and runoff from urban and suburban sprawl are the biggest contributors.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, water is viewed as a strong symbol of the life that exists on our planet because it nourishes land, plants, and people throughout its journey.
Likewise, this is the same life force that flows within the channels of our bodies, so protecting our water supply is crucial.
Start by protecting your water at home with a filtration system that uses carbon based filters. The EPA has designated carbon as the best current technology for filtering out volatile organic compound (VOCs) like formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals.
Consider trying the Aquasana water filter that I recommend for your home. Use your own reusable glass or stainless steel water bottle to carry your filtered water around with you, instead of continuously buying plastic bottles of water.
As it turns out, bottled water has been found to be no healthier than tap water – plus all those bottles add up to a real waste problem.
Reduce stress on the Earth while you nourish yourself!
Enjoy More Organic, Local Food
Most people can’t afford to eat organic produce all the time; however, if you want the health benefits of eating organic without sacrificing your entire budget, focus on the foods that matter most when buying organic.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) created a list called the “Dirty Dozen” that acts as a guide to the 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide levels in them: apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines (imported), grapes (imported), sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries (domestic), lettuce, and kale or collard greens. By buying organic versions of these foods, or avoiding them altogether, you can reduce your pesticide
exposure by almost 80 percent! And when you reduce your exposure to pesticides, you’re taking action to help support a healthier Earth.
Diversify Your Diet
In addition to organic and local fare, make sure that you are eating a variety of unprocessed whole foods and grains. This will help offset your risk of unknowingly.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
Dr. Mao Shing Ni, best known as Dr. Mao is a bestselling author, doctor of Oriental Medicine and board certified anti-aging expert. He has appeared regularly on “Dr. Oz,” “The Doctors,” and “EXTRA.” Dr. Mao practices acupuncture, nutrition, and Chinese medicine with his associates at the Tao of Wellness in Santa Monica and Newport Beach. Dr. Mao and his brother,Dr. Daoshing Ni founded Tao of Wellness more than 25 years ago in addition to also founding Yo San University in Marina del Rey. To make an appointment for evaluation and treatment please call 310.917.2200 or you can email Dr. Mao at [email protected] To subscribe to his tip-filled newsletter please visit www.taoofwellness.com.
