It seems that recently non toxic products are the new trend. Many brands are now starting non toxic lines and people are actually starting to look at ingredient labels. This is such an amazing thing and I am all here for it!
While my journey is in full swing now, it has been an on and off battle for years. It started in college when I was in my dietetics major. I started to eat healthier and I felt better. I ate less processed foods and my mental health was better. I knew there had to be a link between toxins and mental health.
Around the same time in college, I was diagnosed with depression and was put on medication. This was pretty hard for me. I did not like the idea of being on medication and flash forward to now, I still don’t like it!
I have struggled with my depression pretty much since I was diagnosed with it. I have gone periods of time on my medicine and periods of time off my medicine hoping I would just feel better. I have spent nights trying to drink it all away. I have spent days trying to exercise it away. And, I have spent days trying to sleep it away wishing I would just feel better.
Depression is a very tricky disease. Depression does not care if you have a shit ton of work to get done. Depression does not care if you have two children looking up to you. Depression does not care if your husband comes home with amazing news. Depression does not care how many goals you have for yourself. Depression certainly does not care how many times you write out how grateful you are for everything you have. It is still there. It still lurks in your mind.
When I went through periods of eating healthy and noticed my mental health improving, I knew it was the processed toxins. As much as I wish I would have started my journey when I first realized this, I didn’t actually start until after Jeffery was born in 2018.
After Jeffery was born, I went through some pretty rough periods of depression. I did some research for things to help and stumbled upon some accounts dedicated to removing toxins to help with depression. I was really inspired especially since I had already realized there was a correlation between toxins and mental health.
I had had enough and I wanted to feel better. I had to figure out something that would stick though because I was tired of the yo-yo. That’s when I decided to start switching out products for non toxin ones. But beyond that, I had to figure out my why so I knew I would stay committed.
My why is pretty easy to guess, it’s my family. I wanted to make sure I was showing up for them everyday. I wanted to make sure I could model a healthy lifestyle for my kids. I also wanted to make sure if they were diagnosed down the line, they would already have the tools they needed. I wanted to make sure I was the supporting, caring wife that I knew I wanted to be.
My kids are at a very curious age. They are observing and learning things. They can tell when I am upset and depressed. They realize when I spend extra time in bed sleeping. They understand when I am in a fog and not really listening to what they are saying. They can feel when I am pulling away. These are not things I want them to feel. I want them to see me healthy and engaged in their life. I want them to see my taking care of myself so they understand that it’s important.
Because my family means the world to me, my why is also myself. I know I have to be able to take care of myself to be able to show up for them. I take care of myself so my kids get the best version of me. I take care of myself so my marriage doesn’t suffer. Taking care of myself, mentally, physically, emotionally, has been the best thing I have ever done for myself and I will preach it until the day I die. I need to be whole in myself to be able to set my children up for their own future.
There have been numerous links between toxins and depression. While it will not be an instant switch and an instant change in mental health, I do believe over time it will lead to me being able to be medication free. For now, I am committed to my family and removing toxins to improve my overall health.
Having this why has really helped motivate me. I have some pretty big goals set for this household for both this year and next year! This year I plan to have all the household beauty products (lotions, skincare, haircare, etc.) toxic free! I have a little bit more work to do but I know I can get it done!