Healthy Living in 3 Easy Steps

Photo: Istock/ Photo Illustration Gloria Dawson

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Most of us have been inundated with healthy eating and living tips, suggestions and comments. While those tips are great and probably helpful, sometimes it is nice to have an easy healthy living plan. A guide to eating, cleaning and looking good.

Let's break this down:

Healthy Eating: By now everyone has seen The Biggest Loser or some other show about how to eat healthy and work out. We are going to focus on what you already eat. A green aspect to eating healthy is to buy locally. Now that summer is in full swing, farmers are growing like crazy. Take some time to buy locally grown produce.

Try eating really healthy by buying that apple that was grown 20 minutes away rather then the cupcake that was produced in a factory 1,000 miles away. Changing your buying habits around slightly will not only help you on the health path, it will reduce waste, help your local economy and your neighbors.

A second tip is to buy BPA-free products. Bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to obesity, neurological issues, thyroid issues and some sexual issues. This simple action is an immediate step that can be made towards living healthier.

Cleaning: Some people love cleaning and others hate the chore. Personally, I used to not be such a fan. First there was the fact that I was way too lazy and second, the products smelled to high heaven. The first excuse changed when I had a child, which then led me to change the second aspect: the fumes.

Fumes from chemicals can lead many homes to have worse air quality than outdoor air. Not good. The simple solution is to trade in that chemical product for some green cleaners. You may be skeptical at first, but they work just as well and will not poison you or your family.

Looking Good: Every day men and women primp and prime themselves in order to look good. Many of the products we use may hold some hidden ingredients that we may want to think twice about using. One such ingredient is paraben, a preservative used in many cosmetics. It has been shown to mimic estrogen. While the FDA still says the link between paraben and cancer is not conclusive, it may be time to look at the ingredients. There are many cosmetics that are now made without harmful perfumes and ingredients.

Healthy living is more than just taking a daily walk, although that is important. Our daily lives can be transformed into regular healthy living activities. From the food we eat to the products we already use, switching can be a great step to "Guilt-Free Green Living."

Ezra Drissman is the content writer for GreatGreenIdea.com, a site that is dedicated to healthy living and the green world.

Also from GreatGreenIdea:
What You Should Know about Bisphenol A
Why Should Massage Therapy Be an Alternative for You?
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Green Celebrities
Green Cosmetics

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