Have you noticed that when you walk into a big department store these days, the air quality is worse than ever? Maybe it’s just me, but I do everything possible to avoid them. My husband and kids joined me after being in one last week, and you could smell the chemicals releasing off of them when they entered the van. The timing couldn’t have been better, because I was working on this blog post! It also seems like there’s a lot of people these days that complain about headaches, sore throats, and fatigue. I have to wonder if all those chemicals we are putting in the air, on our clothes, in our homes, and on our food are creating an unhealthy environment and destroying our immune systems.

Back in the day when we had a television, I remember a commercial for a toxic room spray that was supposed to kill 99.9% of germs. The mom sprayed her aerosol spay over a full trash can, a plate of fish, the toilet, and a pile of stinky clothes. It was obvious that they smelled bad. Thankfully I was just starting to see the light at that time, and I had no desire to use that same product that was sitting on my shelf. I was starting to realize how toxic these products were, and how spraying a bunch of chemicals into the air wasn’t going to fix the problem, and often caused suffering for me when I used them.

Our sense of smell was put there to protect us. If something smells bad, it could be harmful to our health, and it helps us to see the urgent need to take care of it. I also believe that smells can be an indicator that something is wrong with our health. If I were that mom in the commercial, I would have taken the trash out, cleaned the toilet, brought the fish out to the dogs and cats, and washed the clothes, because fragrances and chemicals only cover up problems in our homes and clothes that will not be fixed with a bottle of spray. Stinky or musty clothes means that mold or mildew is growing on them and they need to be washed and probably need extra care. With all of our farm work, I have learned that lesson. That stinky fish, trash, and toilet were probably growing harmful bacteria, and needed to be addressed.

I don’t know about you, but despite my best efforts at keeping everything clean and where it belongs, it’s impossible to keep everything smelling great, and that is why I love diffusors. After these problems are addressed, I like to use a diffusor with essential oils to add some nice scent to the air. Some of my favorites right now are peppermint and eucalyptus. This combination reminds me of mint chip ice cream. I am also using a lot of orange essential oil because it has a clean smell and it’s very reasonably priced.

I also love to have the windows open as often as possible to let fresh air in the house. So many items in our homes release chemicals, especially when they are new, and this a great way to reduce them in the air. Because I love being outside so much, it helps me to feel like I’m out there, when I’m working in my home. If you are hoping to take the next step to get the toxins out of the air you breathe, then keeping things clean, bringing in fresh air, and diffusing essential oils are great natural options for keeping the air smelling good.

Our family has learned to slow down, make careful observations of what heals/damages, get rid of the distractions, take a little more time preparing our food, and most importantly to seek the Lord’s wisdom. It’s a daily struggle and it never goes perfectly, but we just keep trying to do the best we can. If you are working toward a more traditional, clean, whole foods diet, and would like to take small steps to get there, then you are at the right place. Week one was get your salt right, week 2 was get your sleep right, weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were get your fats right, we had several weeks about seasonings and herbs, some important discussion about natural sweeteners, talked about Forgiveness, hopefully we got our eggs right, learned about the benefits of pastured, clean meats, considered getting mercury removed, we got the toxins out of our mouth, skin, and hair, and this week we will continue to focus on our house. Join us next Tuesday for Get Your . . . Right.