Today, I thought I’d share what conscious living means to me and my family.  For us the biggest theme of conscious living that we have been concentrating on lately is paying attention to the implications of what we buy.  Not just where the dollars go but where what we buy comes from and most importantly what the ingredients are.  With examining ingredients, it also encompasses how those ingredients could potentially affect our bodies. 

     For example, if there is a question regarding a link between the aluminum you stick under your armpits every single day, and eat in your baked goods, and Alzheimers, then I would rather be cautious and buy aluminum free baking soda and deodorant.  When you have a father that died at 44 from Leukemia directly linked to benzene exposure, a mother that died from congestive heart failure at 48 when she didn’t have heart problems and kids who had an adverse reaction to an immunization, you tend to look at things a little more cautiously.

     All too often, we have had instances where things were approved by the FDA as being safe, then we find out later that they weren’t as safe as the company presented them to be in their studies.  Or even more pathetic, we find out about cover ups from people who didn’t want to get sued.  In my studies of environmental science in college, I know all too well about allowable limits of toxins.  I’m not an anarchist by any means, but until someone not involved in the government, a chemical company, or a company that makes these questionable substances that are in our food supply and beauty products, can show me good, solid, long-term scientific studies showing safety, then I don’t want to buy it. 

     I am thankful that my kids live in an environment where we don’t have to take someone’s word for it anymore.  We can have access to studies and other reliable information in order to make better judgments about everything.  Needless to say, there is plenty of bad information out there as well.  I have seen websites and movies that are marketed to inform the public that are funded by questionable interests; usually big business.  It takes diligence and discretion to take the time to weed through it and take responsibility for your own decisions instead of relying on mainstream media. 

     I encourage all of you to start somewhere.  Try taking one ingredient that you are not familiar with and look it up.  Have fun on your journey of discovery and instead of getting angry about it, turn it into something positive.  Even if that just involves not putting it in your body anymore.