Green Living Helps Our Recovery – By Kathleen Russell

Mother Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd. Saving energy, using less and growing closer to “Green Living”, is a motivation for prevention of further destruction. We have our warnings and action is being taken by many of us to clean up the toxins and chemicals from our environments to protect our Earth. So what about our internal environments and the fundamentals needed to protect and restore our health? Does all this really enhance our recovery path?

In recovery, we are the tree of life in Mind~Body~Spirit. Our personal roots are stronger when combined with preventing toxic use of products in our daily lives, and our recovery from soul sickness and continued active addictions. Holistic health and our own well-being is all-inclusive, removing people, places and things that are toxic to our health. Our clean living is a healing process and offers us a foothold into emotional freedom. Our strength is based on the foundational roots that will provide us shelter from the storms.

Letting go of the toxic addictions and patterns from our past lives offers us a clearing from its wreckage. We can drop it and leave it. We can “Let it Go.” We learn new mantras through our lessons and together we build on our roots, we gain strength in numbers.  

As we grow in the care of our physical health, we also feed and protect our spiritual health as well. The question is, what are we not doing to move into physical healing? When we get a clear picture, we can move forward with new ideas. We can reverse some of our health concerns and prevention of further issues.

So how do our environments affect our mental and physical health?

You may find it interesting to know that we ourselves, without a blink of an eye, are exposed to  nearly 200 chemicals right in our own homes daily. Some people still use aerosol sprays, makeup, lotions, shampoos, air fresheners, that add to the toxic levels. It is safe to say most of them contain harmful chemicals.

Are there non toxic options available?  Thankfully Yes, there are many and some are better than others.

How many of you use filtration systems  for your drinking and or bathing water? How many of you buy heavy cases of plastic water bottles? We have been warned that plastic has become an unhealthy option to be used safely due to the chemicals found in this substance. Studies now say that heating our foods in a microwave and using plastic containers is unsafe. This is due to temperature changes and chemicals leaching into the food and water. Keep in mind that the water bottles we drink from are easily exposed to temperature change due to being left in the garage or worse the back of your vehicle? Simply buy your own BPA free water bottle and use a filter system.

The function of our brain needs our cooperation to prevent exposure to many of these chemicals. When we are enlightened, that we ourselves, are in part responsible, to possible physical disturbances we experience a revelation. You may feel fatigue, muscle aches, joint pains, and headaches, and even behavioral disturbances. Our very focus can be jolted, from the flood of chemicals emitted in the air during cleaning and laundry times. Primary and secondary diseases and disorders, including increased incidents of cancer have been linked to exposure to the various chemicals we use daily.

Shared over 29 years ago at a 12 step meeting room by an “Old Timer” Leo A., from Bedford Village, NY “Our disease is like a tiger in the grass just waiting to pounce. So we learn new ideas daily to arrest our disease and EVERYTHING changes.” As it related to food, personal and home care, it all matters.  

Below is a study that was done on children exposed to chemicals. It is copied from a book written by Doris Rapp MD called “Is this Your Child”. She uses this photo to show the incredible negative effects exposure to chemical has on the writing skills. Pretty alarming to see this huge impact to the brain’s inability to function normally.
Here are some simple ways to support our health and our Mother Earth:

It  only takes a few changes to make a huge difference overall. Choose your toxins wisely!

• Buy your own filter for water purification and a BPA free bottle.
• Put an ionizer air filter in your home, office, schools, nurseries etc. reduce toxins emitted.
• Add plants to the environment to help detox air and increase oxygen.
• Remove toxic products from the environment such as chemical air fresheners, harsh chemical cleaners. There are natural alternatives.    
• Drink your water to flush and stay well hydrated.
• Eat Organic to avoid flooding the body with pesticide herbicides and steroids.
• Detox your body naturally with healthy organic food options.
• Remember what’s on us, in us, and around us, becomes part of us.

Recovery from toxins can become a daily focus. We learn to modify and simplify. What best meets us where we are today?  With education, we learn as we go, and change happens. New and exciting ideas open many doors. So out with the old and in with the new! There are so many ways to increase the quality of our health and build on our recovery roots.

Please take advantage of the Nutrition Assessment at my website and the link for healthy green and toxic free choices for home, health and personal care, are available at my home page here.  

Health is Wealth~

Kathleen Russell, CNC, HC.