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I’ve always thought that using natural products would be too expensive.
Even after graduating college and getting married, I still couldn’t make enough money to shop at my local health food store. I was frustrated, having knowledge about health and not being able to live the way I knew I should. But after gaining weight, having an outbreak of eczema, having a bad flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis, and seeing my husband struggle with health problems as well, I knew I had to do something.
So began my journey toward wellness. I started doing research and learned more about leaky gut syndrome, which appears to be the root of both my husband’s and my health problems. The major part of healing a leaky gut is cutting out the four main problem foods: grains, most dairy, corn and soy. At the same time, to find relief for my eczema, I have been desperately searching for natural skin care that would not break the bank.
Here’s what I learned: I can actually save money by living healthier!
Conventional medicine usually takes people down a scary trail of getting sicker and sicker, until permanent damage happens. I have watched so many loved ones find relief at the hands of conventional medicine, only to have disastrous side-effects or complications later. But I have also seen what natural medicine can do. I watched someone heal their cancer with carrot juice, and I know people who have cured irritable bowel syndrome by changing their diet. The body is designed to heal itself, and all it needs is some support to do so. Most of the time our bodies just need a break from all the chemicals and poisons we bombard them with every day.
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Here is a comparison of my old shopping list to my new shopping list. I shop once a week and rotate the items that last for a month. The prices are approximate and may be higher or lower in different parts of the U.S.
Former list
- Milk $4/gallon
- Cereal $4/2 boxes
- Orange juice $4/gallon
- Bread $4/2 loaves
- Cheese $4/lb.
- Turkey $4/lb.
- Mayonnaise $2/small jar
- Pasta $4/2 boxes
- Chicken $5/2 lbs
- Ice cream $4/3 quarts
- Body lotion $5/13oz.
- Conditioner $3/25oz.
- Shave cream $2/7oz.
- Shampoo $3/25oz.
- Antacid $6/16oz.
- Toothpaste $2/tube
- Laundry detergent $3/75oz.
- Glass cleaner $3/26oz.
- Mouthwash $5/30oz.
- Ibuprofen $8/80ct.
- Body wash $2/12oz.
Total $81
New list
Certified humane eggs $6/2 dozen- Organic parmesan cheese $3/half lb.
- Green peppers $2/lb.
- Local lettuce $4/2 heads
- Black olives $2/2 cans
- Certified humane chicken breast $5/lb.
- Extra virgin olive oil $5/bottle
- Zucchini $5/3 lbs.
- Certified humane ground beef $5/lb.
- Kiwis $4/10 fruits
- Extra virgin coconut oil $15/14oz. jar
- Coconut oil lasts a month and is used for: lotion, shave cream, conditioner, eczema treatment, in exfoliating scrub, and cooking.
- Baking soda $1/2 16oz. boxes
- Baking soda lasts a month and is used for: Shampoo, antacid, toothpaste, in laundry soap, dish soap, exfoliating scrub, and cooking.
- Lemon Juice $4/2 quarts. Lemon juice lasts a month and is used for mouthwash, in dish soap, and diluted in water for glass cleaner.
- Ginger (Crystallized) $2/16oz.
- Handmade Soap $4/long-lasting bar
Total $67
The more I replace unhealthy things with healthy things, the better I feel. Every small step in the right direction counts. And not only do the more natural products keep my family healthier, but they also make me more self-sufficient.
My eczema has healed up thanks to eating better foods to reduce inflammation, using more natural soaps to stop irritation, and mending my skin with coconut oil. The symptoms of my rheumatoid arthritis have lessened thanks to the changes in my diet, and I know that as my body continues to heal, all the damage from the inflammation will be reversed.
I have lost 12 pounds so far and am continuing to feel better. My husband and I have more energy, more clarity of mind, and I have noticed myself having more stable emotions.
Even though my family has a very small income, we can live healthy. All we have to do is take a little extra time and effort for planning — and making things from scratch.
What do you think? Can an organic life be cheaper? Tell us in the section below:
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