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Simple Ways To Invest In Your Health For Total #Wellth

Author:

Sarah Villafranco, M.D.

July 21, 2016

Founder of Osmia Organics

By Sarah Villafranco, M.D.

Founder of Osmia Organics

Sarah Villafranco, M.D., is a natural skin care expert and practiced emergency medicine for 10 years. She received a B.A. from Georgetown University, and then went on to get her M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Photo by Stocksy

July 21, 2016

Recently, I posted this question on our Instagram feed: “What do you want to learn about natural skincare, aromatherapy, and living your happiest, healthiest life?” We got loads of great responses, but one that really got my wheels turning was from a customer who asked why natural and organic products cost so much. She said “I know it’s not glamorous to say this, but sometimes it just feels like health is for the wealthy.”

I made myself stop and think about this question from a more neutral position than that of a physician and a green beauty brand owner. What if I were a single mom, struggling to support my family? What if I were a young guy having a tough time in the job market? What if I were nearing retirement, and had to plan for life on a diminishing income? What if I had grown up in an environment that did not emphasize “natural” or “organic”, and these labels had little meaning to me, other than a higher price tag? Considering all these angles, I’ll try to answer the question.

I know it’s not glamorous to say this, but sometimes it just feels like health is for the wealthy

Organic food and products cost more because they’re harder to grow and make. It’s really that simple! There’s a fee to become certified organic, but that’s not the biggest hurdle. Organic farmers have lower crop yields and smaller crops, and have to manage pests with time-consuming, natural methods like crop rotation, interplanting, and the use of ladybugs, rather than simply spraying a plant with toxic pesticides. Animals raised by organic standards are fed higher quality food, handled more humanely, and grow more slowly without growth hormones—a more expensive way to raise animals.

As for the products you use on your skin and at home, I can tell you that my jaw sometimes falls slack when I see the cost of our raw materials. Don’t believe me? Google “organic rose otto essential oil” and check out the price for one little ounce. (When you’re recovered from fainting, keep reading.) In order to grow our company without compromising quality, we have to pass some of that cost to our customers, or we will end up as a failed business with a huge heart that did not make meaningful change for people and the planet. We don’t want that.

There are so many ways to choose health – diet, exercise, cleaning products, personal care, meditation – and there’s a cost spectrum in each category. Here are some inexpensive ways to maximize wellness!

Diet

Cook more, eat out less. When you start with real ingredients, you end up with real food in your belly.
Michael Pollan says it perfectly: “Eat food, less of it, mostly plants.”
Even if you can’t afford organic produce, you can still eat more produce, and cook it with healthier methods. Brown rice, whole grains, and healthy fats are all affordable!
Make your own kefir or kombucha—cheap, and amazing for your digestion and your skin.

Exercise

Invest 30 minutes a day in walking briskly. You don’t have to join a gym. Got kids? Walk with a stroller.
Try streaming yoga classes—inexpensive with endless options, even if you’re a total beginner.
Strengthen your core. It costs $0, and so many problems (like back pain) stem from a weak core.

Cleaning Products

Make your own baking soda, lemon juice, and white vinegar cleaning potion. All three are brilliant dirt-busters and incredibly cheap!
At the very least, use unscented laundry detergent. You’d be wise to get rid of sodium laureth sulfate, as well, since it causes terrible skin problems (perioral dermatitis, eczema) for so many folks. But if you can’t afford a natural brand, at least stop using the hormone-disrupting, petroleum-based fragranced ones.

Personal Care Products

Make a lovely body oil from sunflower (50%), olive (30%), almond (19%), and vitamin E (1%) oils. Use it on wet skin - you’ll never need lotion again!
Grow a pot of your own lavender, and infuse it in oil – divine!
Make your own deodorant with coconut oil and baking soda.
Try the NoPoo method—people swear by it!

Meditation

All you need is a chair or a pillow, and 5 to 30 minutes.

I know there are a lot of expensive ways to live a healthy life, but I hope this list is a good reminder of all the beautifully simple ways to do it. And, while health is not just for the wealthy, it does require an investment of your time and intention.

As Jason Wachob would say, health is for the wellthy, and anyone willing to make the commitment can achieve #wellth.