Plans to Live Healthier and "Greener"

I have been thinking a lot lately about the imprint I and my family are making on this planet.  I am also thinking about our health and happiness.  My thoughts have been a swirly twirly jumble of "greener" things.  I want a simpler, healthier life not only for me, but also for my family.  I truly do. 

But this thinking did not begin because I wanted to live greener but because I wanted to live healthier.  Last July my body began to rebel.  I  was not well.  And although my problems were not life threatening, I was devastated and scared and felt helpless.  As it began to get worse and no help from the four, yes four Doctors I saw, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I thought, could this be happening because of how I treat my body?  Is my body trying to tell me something?  Is it that I live on coffee, do not drink enough water, have too many glasses of wine?  Is it because I never make myself a meal worth putting in my mouth? 

When I heard from a friend and an acquaintance that they too were suffering form the same problem, I thought could we be poisoning ourselves with processed foods, too much sugar, hormones in our meat and milk? 

I needed to take control of my health and I started by drinking lots of water during the day.  Taking a multivitamin daily.  Limiting my alcohol intake and planning better meals for myself and my family.  And lots and lots of research, which my Type A personality loves to do.  You know research leads to plans, which leads to organization, which leads to control, which makes me very, very happy!  OK, lets get back to the point shall we?

I saw a connection.  Living a healthier life means to also live in what our society now calls greener existence.

So here we go : :

As I come upon what will be one year since I started to not feel well here are my my "resolutions" and plans:  


Living healthy means being healthy and living simply means starting simply. 

I will not say I AM or I WILL do this or that because that would be putting too much pressure on me and my family.  How I have decided to look at it is this,  I will try to . . . ,
I will do more of . . . , I will do less of..., and I will give myself a break when things don't go as planned.   

I would like to work on the following::

• drink more water
• use less paper products
• use cloth napkins while eating and kitchen towels/rags for cleaning
• stop delivery of all catalogs
• use more natural/healthier cleaning products
• buy more from the farmers market (our farmers market runs from May to October)
• eat more vegetables and grains and less meat and processed foods
• make our own bread more often (have you ever had a slice of homemade bread?  if so, then you know it doesn't compare to store bought!) 
• continue to take my children outdoors (even when I don't feel like it)
• start that garden I have always dreamt of (start small and eat fresh)
• start composting for said garden

Maybe I will do them all, maybe most, maybe only a few.  Only time will tell.  

As I stated above I have begun with my own health and body now it is time to start getting my family and home involved. 


Now if I could just stop drinking soda!