Natural Alternatives I Use

(in regards to food, healthcare, clothes, homeware, and kitchenware)

2023/12/27

Updated: 2024/02/21, 2026/07/28

Endeavouring to cut down on plastic consumption or usage and to opt for natural, organic alternatives can seem overwhelming at first, but I've slowly been finding ways to adapt to this change in lifestyle. I have chosen to do so for the sake of my health, especially due to the disruptive nature so many heavy metals, microplastics and general toxins play in human hormone health.

Everything I use definitely isn't all-natural, but over the past couple of years I've been doing my best to swap out many of the products I use in my everyday life with more 'natural' alternatives, for the sake of my health and also because I find it incredibly disturbing that it is so difficult to find products made using simple ingredients in most stores. Listed below are some of the swaps I have made. I buy most of these from a local holistic healthcare store.

I prefer to know exactly what is going into or being used on my body, and exactly what the purpose of each ingredient is.

Basically, I just check ingredient labels and try to avoid putting anything into or onto my body that might cause harm. I try to avoid microplastics by checking resin codes and opting for glass, steel or ceramic containers, and I avoid synthetic materials by checking labels.

Healthcare

• Scented body wash, facial cleansers, scented liquid hand soaps —> pure olive oil bar soap: This contains three ingredients, and one of them is water. It's brilliant for my eczema and psoriasis, which never bother me anymore now that I use it and haven't flared up in years. Overall, this doesn't irritate my skin or any part of my body. Milk-infused soap has also been great for my skin, in my experience, so if you can find that or you enjoy it I recommend it also.
• Plastic electric toothbrush —> biodegradable manual toothbrush: The bristles on plastic-free toothbrushes are far less aggravating to my gums, and don't shed microplastics directly into my mouth. It is easy to find toothbrushes with plastic-free handles, but very difficult to find any with natural bristles, so be vigilant of that if this is a swap you're trying to make.
• Fluoride mint toothpaste —> fluoride-free fennel toothpaste: Standard mint toothpaste always leaves me with an upsetting flavour in my mouth afterwards, and so many of the ingredients seem unnecessary. Making the swap to a fluoride-free toothpaste was more seamless than I imagined; my teeth seem to have remained just as healthy and strong after multiple years of usage, and my dentist has had zero complaints. This particular brand lists every ingredient's origin and purpose, which I love. They have fluoride options if that's what you prefer, also.
• Fluoride mint-flavoured plastic floss —> bamboo interdental sticks or fluoride-free compostable floss: Pretty much for the same reasons listed above. Better for the environment, less faff, no mint flavour, no plastic.
• Plastic tongue scraper —> metal tongue scraper: Easier to clean, less gross, more durable. Self-explanatory. If you don't scrape your tongue already, you probably should.
• Additive-filled liquid shampoo —> bar shampoo: I swapped to a brand that makes bar shampoo with very few ingredients, and I've had zero issues with using it. It takes a bit more work to lather in the shower, obviously, but I don't mind that.
• Toxin-filled beauty products —> no makeup: I never wore much to begin with, but after becoming more vigilant of what is actually in the products I use, giving up on makeup seemed like the wisest option. There are a few decent brands, but they're expensive and still not likely to do your skin or overall health any good. If I did begin wearing makeup again, I would probably attempt to make my own.
• Artificial perfumes and antiperspirants —> essential oils and organic solid deodorant: Because I live in a cooler climate I don't usually find these necessary anyway, although I usually use a vanilla buttercream scented solid deodorant from a local organic cosmetics company. I have no desire to use antiperspirants, just deodorant. I know of people who make their own perfumes from essential oils, although I don't do this because I cannot yet be bothered...
• Standard feminine hygiene products —> organic pads: People don't talk about this enough. Endocrine disruptors in feminine hygiene products pose a huge risk to hormonal health, and have been shown to contribute negatively to the risk of developing or worsening endometriosis and various cancers. I use a combination of reusable organic cotton pads and disposable organic cotton period products, the latter for convenience whenever travelling or away from home.

Food

• Hydrogenated plant oil spreads —> organic, grass-fed local butter or extra-virgin olive oil: Self-explanatory, if you know anything about nutrition. Trans fats are bad. Happy cows: happy butter. >:D
• Caged hen eggs —> organic, free-range local eggs: You can usually tell quality of eggs by the colour of their yolks; the darker, the better. You can look up studies on your own on the difference in nutritional density, if so desired. Animal welfare is human/dietary welfare.
• Processed sugary snacks —> raw local honeycomb and fruit: Provides sugar in my diet without a bunch of unnecessary, highly processed additives. Tastes better and makes me feel better after.
• Pre-cooked meats or low-fat cuts > whole-fat uncooked local (largely grass-fed) nose-to-tail animal produce: To utilise all of an animal after butchering it is to show both it and yourself respect. Organ meat is incredibly nutrient-dense, and where I live it's laughably cheap (usually just given to you for free). Meat that is 'pre-cooked' almost always has various unnecessary additives and stabilisers. Saturated fat isn't the devil, and darker meat or fattier cuts are invariably cheaper where I live. They also taste far better.
• Sweet carbonated beverages —> organic herbal or fruit loose leaf teas and fresh fruit juices: Aside from often providing natural remedies for various ailments (e.g. I take peppermint to aid digestion), herbal/fruit teas are just pleasant to drink. Carbonated sugary beverages wreak havoc on your teeth, even aside from everything else, and tea is a wonderful alternative. I don't consume caffeine, so my favourite is fruit tea, which I usually source from Sostrene Grene (very cheaply) or Brew Tea. I brew loose-leaf varieties to avoid plastic teabags, which release an obscene amount of microplastics; also, they taste better. Sometimes I also press my own fruit juice at home.
• Farmed fish —> locally-caught wild fish: This is mainly an animal welfare point, but I'm sure that translates to nutritional value, as it always does. I decided to try to make this switch after learning how to catch, kill, and gut my own fish. It is important to know where your food comes from, how it gets to your plate, what it's been eating, and so on.

Clothes and Homeware

• Synthetic fibre clothing (polyester, acrylic) —> natural fibre clothing (organic cotton, wool, linen, silk): More breathable, and thus more comfortable. Better for the environment and your hormones, more durable, better temperature regulation, prevents odour and bacterial buildup, et cetera. You get the drill.
• Synthetic fibre bedding —> natural fibre bedding: Much of the same reasoning for the above applies here, but silk bedding comes with the added benefit of being incredibly gentle on hair. As someone with curly hair this is really important to me, as I no longer wake up with matting and frizz. I sleep with a silk bonnet every night, and I use silk pillowcases. My duvet is wool, which keeps me cool during heatwaves and warm during the cold winter weather, and I use cotton sheets.
• Paraffin candles with synthetic fragrances —> natural wax candles with essential oils or steam diffusers: I tend not to burn candles anyway because I tend to live in places with sensitive smoke alarms, but whenever I do I opt for natural wax alternatives for candles or wax melts. I sometimes also use essential oil diffusers.
• Synthetic rugs -> animal pelts: I find these far more pleasant to sit on or touch, and they aren't made from synthetic materials. You know exactly where they've come from, and I like the way they look.
• Plastic-fibre shoes -> full-grain leather boots: I bought my first (and only) pair of leather boots about six years ago, and they are still incredibly comfortable, sturdy, and reliable. I polish them with a blend of natural waxes every once in a while, and they still look good and have never let me down, even during long work shifts or walks. The wax blend I use also helps to make them water resistant. I bought my particular pair from Doc Martens in a full-grain leather variety. I have never needed to purchase another pair, and I wear them for almost every occasion outside of substantial hikes, where I wear a pair of dedicated Merrell hiking boots. If you are going to invest in a pair of leather boots, I would urge you to find a full-grain leather option and steer clear of synthetics or 'vegan' alternatives completely, as these will not age well in the same way a high-quality leather will.

Kitchenware

• Plastic bottles, food storage containers or tupperware —> glass, steel, ceramic or wood containers: It is incredibly difficult to avoid all sources of plastic, and some food will inevitably come packaged in it, but at the very least you can use glass storage containers whenever heating up or storing food. As a bonus, it makes your fridge and freezer a lot cleaner and more organised.
• Non-stick cookware —> cast iron or stainless steel cookware: Prevents the release and subsequent consumption of toxic chemicals. You can find cast iron, steel or even ceramic cookware fairly easily at most kitchenware stores.
• Synthetic dish soap —> pure olive oil bar soap: As few ingredients as is necessary. Standard stuff. Use a stainless steel soap cage and run the soap under your water to turn it into suds for washing your dishes, or use a natural bristle dish brush.
• Artifical sponges —> natural loofah or natural bristle brushes: Biodegradable, better for the environment, and better for you.
• Microfibre cloths —> organic cotton cloths: Plastic-free, and replaces microfibre pretty seamlessly. You could use these for dishes if you like. I use them for surfaces and to clean my glasses.
• Clingfilm —> beeswax wraps: I use these to store chopped vegetables and fruits that I want to store leftovers of. I keep leftover meats inside of airtight glass containers instead, but for non-meat options beeswax wraps are very versatile and replace a huge amount of plastic for me. You can even easily make your own at home.