What is Natural Living? The 11 Tips to Living a Natural Lifestyle

Living in this world overrun by consumerism has led to chemicals infiltrating our food, water, air, and everyday products.

The never-ending rat race fuels an insatiable desire for more, more, and more, leading to the overproduction of products and food that aren’t any good for you, me, animals or the environment. 

From sustainable practices like making our own products to starting our own garden, we’ve been able to eliminate a lot of harmful chemicals in our lives, save a bunch of money, and truly get a different perspective on life. 

If you’re wondering, how can I live this way? We’ve got you.

In this article, we’ll do a quick rundown of what natural living is and the main tips to living this way. 

What is Natural Living? 

Natural Living means living a lifestyle that uses natural, minimally processed, and environmentally friendly products and practices.

It involves improving your health and those around you by choosing more sustainable choices in your daily life.

This includes growing and consuming your own foods, using non toxic products, reducing waste, and overall living more in tune with nature. 

Benefits

Living a natural lifestyle has many benefits, including

• Improved physical, mental, and spiritual health
• Reduced exposure to harmful chemicals
• Better nutrition 
• Lower environmental impact 
• Save money
• Personal empowerment through increased knowledge and skills in self-sufficiency
• Ability to enjoy simple pleasures
• Overall enhanced quality of life and longevity

Just to name a few! You’ll notice many additional benefits in your own life once you start your own journey. 

And remember, easy does it. 

There is no need to stress and try to incorporate these habits into your life all at once. This is a life-long journey, not a race. 

We learn new things every day and are more than comfortable with the fact that not everything we do will be perfect, and that is OK.

Practicing just one of these is a huge step in living a more natural life!

11 Tips to Live Naturally 

Get out in Nature

It’s proven that getting out in nature boosts feelings of well-being and contributes to our overall happiness while decreasing stress and anxiety. Our favorite ways of getting out in nature include:

• Gardening
• Hiking
• Biking
• Walking
• Fishing
• Picnicking 
• Visit the beach (everyone’s favorite)

Exercise 

Our bodies were meant to move, as evident by all of the research showing how beneficial exercise is for our bodies.

This not only reduces the risk of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, anxiety, depression, and cancer but also increases our feelings of happiness and well-being. Start small and be kind to yourself!

Make Your Own Products

Creating your own products will not only save you money but get rid of harmful, unnecessary chemicals.

It is also truly liberating!

We’ve put together guides on making all kinds of things, from cleaning products to beauty products like lotion and makeup. 

Think, “Do I Actually Need This?”

If we’re all being honest, many of the purchases we’ve made in life, we didn’t need.

Buying something new actually spikes dopamine, giving feelings of satisfaction and happiness, but it’s a short-lived feeling.

On the other hand, finding happiness through other avenues like personal achievements, connections with others, and experiences in nature, are much more fulfilling (and don’t drain your bank account!). 

Choose Sustainable Purchases

Following the tip above, we’re not saying to never shop. Just choose more eco-friendly ways to buy things.

We love to shop second-hand including garage/estate sales, thrift stores, and local marketplaces.

When shopping for new items, choose sustainable brands that offer items that either last a long time, are reusable/refillable, or are compostable/biodegradable. 

Reduce, reuse, recycle

I emphasize more of the reduce and reuse portion of this advice as the recycling system is very flawed and broken.

Recycling would be much more efficient if everyone paid attention to recycling rules but I understand most people just don’t care enough. 

As discussed above, buy only what you need to reduce waste but also reuse those items that can be repurposed in many different ways. 

For example, in our home, any food or beverages that come in glass get reused for storing all sorts of things. Also, we like to use old clothing as cleaning rags. 

Start a garden (even if a small one)

Starting our own garden is one of the more liberating things we’ve done on this journey. It allows you to connect with nature, exercise, grow organic food, and save money all in one! 

I suggest starting small with easy-to-grow produce such as herbs, tomatoes, potatoes, or berries. You will learn more as you grow with your plants!

Eat organic and locally grown foods (& Avoid Processed)

Whatever you don’t grow in your garden, buy organic and local. This is beneficial for many reasons:

• It’s healthier: Organic foods have more nutrients, higher omega-3 levels, and less exposure to pesticide residue when compared to those grown conventionally.
• Lower environmental impact: Organic farming has a much lower impact on the environment. 
• Fresher Produce: Foods produced locally are almost always fresher than those sourced from miles and miles away
• Support for local farmers: Buying local supports your local economy

Also, when shopping, be sure to shop the outside of the store and not the middle aisles (which are usually where all the processed foods are)

The less packaging your food comes in, the better.

Slow Down!

This isn’t just so you won’t get speeding tickets. Living naturally involves aligning with a more thoughtful rhythm.

Slowing down your overall pace of life will give you peace of mind that is more valuable than whatever it is you’re rushing toward.

A book I read called “Power of Positive Thinking” by Normal Peale (which I highly recommend to anyone) gave some powerful practicals for adopting this habit into your life which I regularly practice and has relieved so much stress from my life. 

Practice thinking peaceful thoughts throughout the day.

Just as you care for your body daily, care for your mind by recalling serene images like mountains or moonlit waters.

At least once or twice a day, especially when busiest, stop for 10-15 minutes to practice serenity. A relaxed body helps create a calm mind.

Practice Mindfulness and Yoga

An extension from the tip above, practicing mindfulness by engaging in yoga, meditation, and overall just being mindful in everything you do will add much more peace to your life. 

For example, think of how many of us even eat- on the go, fast, and in a hurry. Sit and take your time eating, savoring every bite, and your meals will be much more satisfying (while also being easier on your gut and digestion). 

Meditating twice a day for about 10 minutes a day is also life-changing!

Oh, and guys, don’t be afraid of yoga. I was always a heavy weightlifter but once I added some yoga into my routine, I had a big improvement in not only my flexibility but a boost in my mental health and clarity. 

DIY Natural Remedies

Before reaching for the medicine cabinet, we like to use natural remedies to help us first. Some of those include:

Turmeric: Turmeric has proven to help reduce inflammation which can help all sorts of diseases. Pain, sickness, injury? We go straight for the turmeric supplement and even cook with it regularly

Honey & Garlic: We make our own sore throat remedy by combining garlic and honey in a jar and letting it sit for some months. Putting a teaspoon of this not only boosts the immune system but helps with digestion as well. You could even take a teaspoon a day for a daily immune system boost. 

Magnesium: Magnesium supplements are our go-to whenever we need help sleeping or just some minor relaxation. Many forms come in powder and are great to add to tea or drink. 

Thanks for reading! 

And remember, take these tips easily and practice them at your own pace. Small but consistent changes can lead to big improvements over time!

And remember, take these tips easy and integrate them into your life at your own pace.

Small, consistent changes can lead to significant improvements in your well-being and the environment. Embrace the journey towards natural living, and enjoy the peace, health, and sustainability it brings.