Zero Carb Keto
Staying Zero Waste, Plastic Free
It has been about two months now since I decided to go zero waste and plastic free! To recap, here's the things I have done that are working well for me:
-The Keeper 100% natural rubber menstrual cup instead of disposable products
-eyeglasses instead of contact lenses and solution
-locally made soap wrapped in paper instead of hand soap and body wash
-washing soda in a cardboard box instead of shampoo, dish liquid, and laundry detergent
-stainless steel compost bin and BioBag compostable bags for waste
-using BioBag compostable bags when shopping at the local meat counter instead of their plastic-lined paper
-buying canned grassfed beef from a neighboring state which comes in recyclable steel cans and a cardboard box, instead of local beef wrapped in plastic or plastic-lined paper
-buying local pasture-raised eggs and giving the cartons back to the farmers for re-use
-using butter wrapped only in compostable paper and not a box, instead of marrow bones wrapped in plastic for side fats
-gave up deodorant, lip gloss, eyeliner, and moisturizer altogether
-dental pic instead of nylon floss
-baking soda instead of toothpaste
-diluted vinegar for household cleaning
-paper towels wrapped and shipped only in paper, toilet tissue wrapped only in paper
-signed up for 100% renewable energy from my utility company
-wearing only 100% natural fiber clothes and washing by hand with washing soda
-using bulk henna and indigo powder for hair dye
-sWheat flushable and compostable cat litter in a paper bag
I am so happy with my changes!
I have not had any gut issues yet with the butter, but I do notice my keratosis pilaris (bumpy skin) is aggravated again already. I had ordered Fatworks goat milk ghee in the hopes that might be less inflammatory than cow milk butter or ghee, but they still shipped it in plastic despite my emails with them confirming that they would ship plastic-free. So unfortunately that is not a plastic-free option. I will keep looking for plastic-free fat options that are not dairy, but I am not very hopeful about it.
My body fat is still good and low for a 46-year-old female, at just 14%. The only exercise I do now is urban hiking on our city trail network. My blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin, heart scan, cardovascular scan, etc., are all in "athlete" range. That's great! My menses are regular, light, and free of any pain or discomfort. I do not ever take any pills, pharmaceuticals, or supplements of any kind.
I am so happy to have made these changes in my life!
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Local pasture-raised eggs
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Hair washed with washing soda
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Hi Mellie. Can you tell me more about the washing soda? What is it and where do you get it? I have been washing my hair once every other week with Dr. Bonners castille soap. But when I do, my hair gets oily. Also, my hair does not look very healthy in general. Will the washing soda help with that. Your hair looks so pretty. To wash my body I use a salt scrub that I make with salt, coconut oil and essential oils. I haven't worn makeup now for a while but still use chapstick and body butter which I make myself from tallow, olive oil, and essential oils. I hate the feel of dry lips and dry skin. Does your skin dry out? How long did it take your body to adjust? I don't really put on deodorant but I am worried that when summer comes and it gets really hot here I will start sweating and stink. It can get over 100 degrees here. At the end of this month will be 6months zero carb for me and I still get acne all the time. Also, I still don't have a period. My guess is that it will just take a long time for my body to heal. I noticed you stopped doing ballet barre. Any particular reason?
ReplyDeleteHi Lori! Thank you! The washing soda is in a cardboard box in the laundry aisle. It is sodium carbonate. I just put a little in a jar, add a good bit of water, and wash my roots with it. I try to keep it off my ears and skin since it is very alkaline. But it cleans my naturally oily hair very nicely and makes it full of body and shine. I don't need to wash again for about three days! That is unheard-of for me. My lips and skin adapted after a couple weeks of going off moisturizer and lip gloss. 100 degrees is pretty hot! I know some people use coconut oil for deodorant. I stopped the ballet because I felt like I was wearing myself out by doing it every morning. It's pretty strenuous. Urban hiking is working better for me. I am surprised you are still getting acne and not having a period after 6 months zero carb. How are you feeling generally?
ReplyDeleteSo the washing soda is just baking soda? I am using backing soda already to brush my teeth.
DeleteRight now I'm sick and have been for over a week. It just keeps lingering. I think I feel okay most of the time. I would like to have more energy and mental clarity. I do wake up in the middle of the night often and sometimes feel tired. I just started graduate school in January and I am a single mom of three children so life does get a bit stressful. I know stress can take a huge toll on the body hormonally. The pitted edema in my legs is still there. My feet are always in varying degrees of numbness and by the end of the day my legs feel very heavy. I also have reoccurring Raynaud's syndrome (not officially diagnosed, but I don't have medical insurance to see a doctor, but pretty sure that what it is) particularly in the cold months in my hands and feet. I was hoping that these things would improve once going zero carb.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, and washing soda is just sodium carbonate. It's more alkaline than baking soda. I've been using it to wash my dishes too, and I hear you can also use it for scrubbing in the bathroom. I get Raynaud's syndrome occasionally on one particular finger. Such a weird thing! I remember that I had that heavy leg feeling too, for a while. For me, eating salt helped. Have you tried eggs or organ meats? Maybe some folate would help.
DeleteOk. I will look for sodium carbonate.
DeleteThat's so interesting the you get Raynaud's as well. I tried to use salt again for a bit and it just made my pitted edema worse so I cut the salt out. I have not eaten eggs for a while and organ meats are not available. I just recently had my folate tested and it is extremely low. But how can I do that without having taking a supplement? The main food sources of folate are not meat. Any ideas?
Yes, I started getting Raynaud's after spent a few months in a really, really cold location in Canada. It has improved on zero carb, but I still get it from time to time. For folate, you might want to consider eggs, or ask for chicken or pork liver at the meat counter. They might have it and just not display it. You could also look for canned liver pate', if you can handle seasonings. Liver and eggs are both good sources of bio-available folate, and liver especially.
DeleteI don't handle seasonings well. The only liver available would be from feedlot grainfed commercial chicken pork. Is that better than nothing? I guess I could try eggs again. I haven't had them in a while. I wonder if I will have a reaction to them. I could buy quality liver from US Wellness meats, but it is so pricey. Ugh! Why do the good quality meats, organs, and fats have to be so expensive. But, being sick is also expensive I suppose.
DeleteYes, that's better than nothing, I think! And yes, true, being sick is expensive too!
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