You deserve safety, health, and peace of mind no matter your income or financial situation. I’ve rounded up some free and low-budget ideas to help you on your healthy journey.

NATURE IS NEAT

SUNSHINE

Over 65% of people are deficient in Vitamin D, which helps the immune system function by attaching to cells and producing antimicrobial proteins, which are antivirals. Try to get 15+ minutes of sunlight every day. Sunscreen inhibits the absorption of Vitamin D. Learn more here.

GROUNDING

Our body is made of positive and negative electrons. Too many positive electrons from inflammation and toxins can cause excess stress on the body.

The Earth’s surface contains an abundance of negative electrons. Thankfully, positive electrons can be exchanged with the Earth’s surface, grounding our body’s electrical/nervous system to lower inflammation in the body. This can be done when your body touches any natural surface: grass, tree, flowers rooted in the ground. Rubber is nonconductive of electrical energy so bare feet is best. If it's really cold, you can even ground on the concrete in the garage.

SLEEP

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) helps clear waste from our brain and this is improved while we sleep. Prioritize 7-8 hours every night! Create a simple bedtime ritual to help you get deep, restorative sleep. Sleep experts suggest avoiding blue light 1-2 hours before bed, keeping the room between 66-72 degrees. I spray my legs with magnesium oil every night, which helps me get into a deep sleep.

Tip: Sleep with a full bottle of water near your bed so when you wake up in the morning you drink water right away!

DETOX BATH

Magnesium helps to regulate the activity of more than 325 enzymes and vital bodily functions, including the elimination of harmful toxins, but most Americans are magnesium deficient. Learn how to take a weekly magnesium rich detox bath here. I also spray my legs with magnesium oil every night, which helps me get into a deep sleep.

Elevate your bath with my favorite detoxifying charcoal face mask. You can actually see the impurities removed from your pores. So satisfying!

EAT & DRINK

WATER

Drink more water! Did you know most people are dehydrated? Aim for 64 oz. or more every day! Drinking clean water is something I would recommend saving for. We love our Berkey, which only costs 1.6 cents a gallon. It is gravity filtered and can even filter pond water and urine (not that I’d ever want to try that), but we feel confident that we are prepared any time a natural disaster threatens our area. We have saved a lot of money not stocking up on plastic water bottles over the years.

EAT REAL FOODS

Whenever possible, opt for real, whole foods from the Earth rather than processed foods. Try to eat a variety of produce.

Prioritize organic foods from this dirty dozen list, which have the highest amount of pesticides. The Clean 15 have the least amount of pesticides.

Look into local co-ops and farmers in your area. Often they will sell mixed boxes of organic produce for much cheaper than grocery stores.

Beyond just produce, “organic” foods means no GMOs, synthetic pesticides, hexane, antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, or flavorings, no added hormones, no ionizing radiation, no glyphosate or roundup, no inorganic animal feed used, no herbicides, no TBHQ, BHT, or BHA, and no artificial preservatives.

WASH PRODUCE

A study from University of Massachusetts found cleaning with baking soda and water can remove pesticide residue on the surface of food better than bleach. Now I know we’re not going around putting bleach on our produce, but that’s exactly what farmers use after harvest.

The optimal ration is 1 TBS of baking soda to 6 cups of water, but I just eye-ball it. Soak your produce for 12-15 minutes to remove pesticides.

Vinegar is also an excellent affordable cleaning solution. It is known to be 99.9% effective against bacteria, kills 90% of mold, and can remove most parasites, fungus, and larva.

When soaking your produce with vinegar, use 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water . Note, vinegar is made from crops sprayed with glyphosate so opt for organic vinegar when possible.

BONE BROTH

Organic Bone Broth is rich in alkylglycerols, which are vital for the production of white blood cells. I try to make lots of soups and encourage my girls to sip right from the bowl. Try Bonafide Provisions, Fond, or make your own (other brands are loaded with preservatives and stabilizers).

THRIVE

My family has relied on Thrive Market since 2016 for all of our non-perishable items. It’s proven to be the cheapest way for us to support the brands we love thanks to wholesale prices delivered right to our house.

Everything is Non-GMO and you can quickly search by diet and saved lists. They are committed to regenerative farming practices, organic standards, and fair trade.

Best part? When you join Thrive, they give a membership to someone in need! Military, teachers, and public safety workers get free memberships, too!

Save 40% on your first order with my referral link.

BE SELECTIVE ABOUT OILS

Oil is highly processed, can be extracted with chemical solvents, bleached, then deodorized. The top genetically modified oils are soybean, canola, corn. Refined oils like sunflower, soybean,

corn, safflower can also be dominant in omega 6 fatty acids. Too much Omega 6 can cause inflammation in the body. Plus, many oils on the grocery store shelves are rancid or not pure, including olive oil and avocado oil which are “healthier” options. It’s so frustrating!

Avoid: canola, corn, sunflower, vegetable, palm, safflower, cottonseed, and soybean oil

Choose: grass-fed, pasture raised butter, olive oil, avocado, ghee (occasionally), or coconut oil (occasionally)

True Olive Oil:

Kirkland Organic
Corto EVOO
Cobram Estate
California Olive Ranch
Ellora Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Lodi Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
TERRA Delyssa

True Avocado Oil:

Marianne’s
Chose Foods

CLEANING

When I first started this journey on a teacher-budget, I made my own cleaning solutions. Since having kids, I’ve used Branch Basics for almost everything in our house. One bottle makes all of these so the cost is well under what I’d be paying at the store for cleaners. Since it has been tested to be as safe as saline, I never worry about my kids helping. They love it!

You can use Branch Basics as dishwashing detergent, hand soap, laundry detergent, and more. Other options we use can be found here.

BUDGET-FRIENDLY SWAPS

LODGE CAST IRON

For only $25, you can start cooking on a safe option that will last a lifetime. Nonstick pans contain PFOAs, known as the “forever chemical,” because they accumulate in our body. Avoid teflon and PFTE which has been linked to ADHD and long-term illness.

ORAL HEALTH

Over 80% of our immunity comes from our gut health, but did you know your oral microbiome influence your gut health? This podcast episode is an absolute must. Our very favorite toothpaste is Risewell. It is nontoxic and uses natural hydroxyapatite to remineralize teeth instead of fluoride. (Fluoride is a neurotoxin). Save 10% with code sunnyseed. Boka is another option.

JOJOBA OIL

Replace your lotion, face wash, rash/eczema cream, sun-burn relief cream with organic jojoba oil. It’s antimicrobial, rich in antioxidants, and has natural healing properties. It’s also a humectant, which means it helps seal skin with a protective barrier to keep moisture in. Jojoba oil helps regulate sebum production because it closely mimics the sebum our body naturally produces. Bonus, it’s noncomedogenic so it won’t clog pores.

LADY THINGS

Cotton is the most heavily sprayed crop there is! It’s loaded with chemicals and pesticides you do not want in your delicate lady region, okay!? Switch to 100% cotton tampons and pads or take a quiz on Put a Cup In It to see which menstrual cup might be best for you. Be sure to get one made from medical grade silicone only. You can get chlorine free, 100% organic cotton, biodegradable tampons and such from Cora, Thrive, or NatraCare on Amazon (slightly more expensive).

Hormonal birth control is linked to depression, micronutrient depletions, dysbiosis, and increase inflammatory factors by 400-800%, which can trigger a slew of issues. To learn more, check out @empoweredautoimune’s research-based story highlights on Instagram. To dive deeper into safer options, read Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Condoms can include paragons, glycerine, benzocaine, nitrosamines so try LOLA instead.

FABRICS

I’ve been able to find OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified kid clothes, towels, sheets, pillows, and bedding at Target. This is the next best thing to organic! OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 is a certification which bans the use of several harmful chemical flame retardants. Every component of this these articles, i.e. every thread, button and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the article therefore is harmless in human ecological terms.

REDUCE

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Open your windows as often as possible to get a nice fresh breeze. Indoor air quality is actually 5 times worse than outdoor air quality according to the EPA. When budget allows, opt for an Air Doctor.

DUST

Dust is a collection of particles including viruses, bacteria, dead skin cells, dust mite feces, VOCs, toxins, and more. Children absorb 5x as much dust as adults, so be sure to dust often.

STRESS

Physical stress, mental/emotional stress, and stress from toxic overload cause inflammation and decrease immunity. Even our gene-expression is negatively impacted by stress. Try meditating, going for walks, a weekly detox bath, calling a friend, reading fiction, limiting social media, working out, or whatever helps you relax!

PLASTIC

Opt for stainless steel, glass, or silicone over plastic any chance you can! Check out my suggestions for kitchen items here.

EMF EXPOSURE

Turn wi-fi off at night while you’re sleeping. Sleep with your phone on airplane mode or at least 8 feet away from you. Turn off bluetooth when not in use. Unplug your microwave or just get rid of it. If you frequently work from your computer while on the couch or in bed, try an EMF blocking blanket across your lap.

INCREASE

EXERCISE

A study of 650,000 people, found that 150 minutes of moderate exercise (or about half hour five days a week) increases your life span by 3.4 years

A Penn State University study found that people who exercised, whether it was a mild, moderate or vigorous workout, had more pleasant feelings than those who didn’t.

COMMUNITY

We are wired for social connection! Research shows that lack of social connection is a greater detriment to health than obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure. A strong social connection leads to a 50% increase in longevity and strengthens your immune system.

I’ll continue to add to this list!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I've linked to these products purely because I recommend them wholeheartedly and they are from companies I use and trust.