The Beginning of an Era

CHOOSING TO LIVE A TOX lyss LIFE

It’s 2023. The year of a health awakening, at least in my household. There seems to be a recent movement of people, across all social media platforms, who are adapting to a low tox lifestyle. A year ago, I didn’t think twice before dowsing myself in perfume before walking out the door, but then wondered why I had a headache later in the day. Convenience is a huge deal for us humans, and there seems to be a product for everything. Therefore, our bodies are exposed to an abundance of chemicals and toxins daily, which can have long-term effects on our health, especially if exposed often.

So, what does it mean to live low tox? In my opinion, to live low tox is to live in a constant state of awareness. I know what you’re thinking… seems exhausting, right? Although the initial lifestyle transition can be overwhelming, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Knowing exactly what my family and I consume daily is such an autonomous feeling. This means reading ingredients on EVERYTHING before purchasing (yes, I had to train my husband on this). For example, we opt out of products that contain seed oils, like canola, vegetable, and soybean oil, and opt in for products that contain coconut, avocado, and olive oil. Seeds oils are highly inflammatory for your body and should be avoided if possible; this is just the tip of the iceberg! Education is key when it comes to transitioning to a low tox lifestyle. Remember, don’t panic; this process can take months. chemicals that are known endocrine disrupters and can lead to some unhappy hormones.

The past year has been a challenge, between educating ourselves and researching low tox swaps, and yet our lifestyle is still by no means perfect. With anything in life, you must take this one step at a time. It can get overwhelming, confusing, and you may find yourself awkwardly explaining your new lifestyle to friends and family… because for some reason being healthy is taboo. At the end of the day, I am doing this for my family, my future children, my environment, and most importantly myself; and you should, too.

Written by Alyssa Carter

Alyssa Carter, B.S., is a photographer, wife, and full-time horse girl. When she’s not copywriting or editing for Portfolio, you can find her behind the lens of Salt & Spurs Join the movement and take the next step to live TOXlyss

Follow along on @toxlyss for your beginner’s guide to living a low tox lifestyle.

I started this new era of living after my mother’s third, and most recent cancer diagnosis. I simply could not fathom the fact that she was going through this, yet again, and I knew I had to make some major lifestyle changes, immediately. The first thing I did was ditch the synthetic candles, wall plug-ins, perfume, etc. These all contain what I would say is the biggest offender: fragrance. Fragrance is a general and extremely unregulated term for hundreds of thousands of