Actual Organics is:
"intended to provide you with a great resource for learning more about removing synthetic chemicals from your food, home and skincare. What we eat, breathe and think affects our health and energy levels. Small changes can make a huge difference in your life! "
(italic content from website)
SAPsMaMa's Story
I know it seems like forever ago, but it was only this past new year, January 1st 2010, that I decided I wanted to go more green.
Yes before this point I was a vegetarian (no longer am), I was already cloth diapering, buying SAP's clothes from resale, getting veggies at the local farmers market, making homemade baby food...many things that are considered green.
However, when I had made this New Year's Resolution, I had NOT known about all the toxic chemicals in everything. I knew the daycare we used was big with the bleach and I was not happy with the amount of hand sanitizer they used etc. and that cleaners could easily be harmful to children especially, but I did not know WHY, or HOW.
Now, just under 8 months after me making this new years resolution, I am honestly proud of how much I have learned and how far we have come as a family. I buy organic clothes if buying new clothes, I now buy only formaldehyde free furniture, toxin free cleaners, my entire body care products are also toxin free, air fresheners are no longer used, baby feeding utensils are toxin free as well as all of our lunches and kitchen food storage containers, and plastic toys have been given to other children and replace with more
natural toys usually made of wood or organic fibers.
Big changes! And lots more than that as well, but those are the most prominently focused on!
Then I had the question in my head...is it enough?
I keep learning more. Reading about the dangers of toxins in our every day lives from trusted sources, it really worries me! I see a pattern and I do not like it! I wanted to go further.
So when Joanna from Actual Organics held a twitter party last week Monday night and offered me a wonderful deluxe detox consultation, I was delighted! More than that, I was very nervous! I am a blogger, I talk online, behind twitter handles and acronyms, this was the first time I was to talk to someone on the phone that I had met online!
I had nothing to worry about, however, for Joanna did a wonderful job, and I would love to share with you just what she can offer and how much I learned (even with everything I've already learned!) just from one 45 minute conversation in a Detox Consultation.
What is a Detox Consultation?
A Detox consultation is basically life coaching, specifically for your type of lifestyle! Joanna helps guide you to making the decisions that are right for you and your family to lead a toxin-free lifestyle that is healthier and beneficial to everyone involved! What is holding you back from getting to where you want to be? What is causing you stress, and what do you think is the path you want to take?
The consultations are also suited for what you are loo
king for and you can choose to have just one session, or embark on a 6 or even 12 week coaching program! It's all up to you!
My Detox Consultation
My Detox Consult started before our 45 minute conversation over the phone. It started when I started filling out the questionnaire that Joanna sent me in my email. Always with questionnaires I am worried about filling it out wrong, but it was quite simple! It asked standard information about my family, what our normal meals consist of on a common day, and brands of products I use for cleaning, tooth paste, air fresheners, dryer
sheets...just very easy questions! And then there were the questions you sort of expect, like the last one on the questionnaire I received "What Stresses You Out The Most?" Yes I had a lot to say on that one! Can you guess on of the topics of discussion during our little conversation? lol.
I was told that for normal programs a longer questionnaire is usually used so although I felt this was more than adequate for our purpose, those of you who want a very thorough detox consultation or partake in the program will probably be in for some interesting insights!
Joanna of Actual Organics
I was not sure what to expect with the consultation, but it was not too formal, very comfortable! I was very much pleased and yet surprised at what Joanna focused on. I had complained in my questionnaire about my daughter not taking naps anymore recently and how working my full time job was stressful, and these were both things that were quite readily topics of discussion! Why was my daughter not sleeping any longer? What was causing this issue? I had gone through the list myself, everything from teething, a developmental stage, the vacation screwing up her schedule, she suddenly had separation anxiety....none of it fit our situation. It had seemed to be building as well. What was Joanna's suggestion? Something I would not have thought of! Our meals!
I am a full time worker, a college student, and a mother. My fiance is a part time worker and a college student and a dad. Little can I say we are very busy and, as much as we would love to have wonderful meals, often succumb to quick and easy boxed meals. This has been especially true this summer since we lost our food stamp benefits and are paying for all of our bills and meals out of pocket, it's difficult to pay for organic quality food! boxed dinners and frozen pizza had turned into a a common dinner. And what may be found in some of these boxed dinners to my surprise? MSG! Did NOT expect that! And THIS is what Joanna thinks may be causing not only sleep issues, but hyperactivity! Such a little change can hopefully change this situation around for the better for ALL of us!
So how do we start eating healthier, less toxic meals on a budget? With our time constraints, Joanna suggested slow cookers! We have a crock pot but I have NO idea how to use it or prepare anything for it. That is SAPsDaDa's expertise, and it can stay there! But it sounds so simple, I do hope it helps us!
So do you see what I mean about finding ways to help YOU better yourself? How she can see things that you may have overlooked, things you may have thought were trivial or insignificant might make huge differences!
There was so much more Joanna helped me with. I have already started to implement change! Today while downtown I picked up a Fresh Farm Atlas of our state! I know it seems simple to think about buying local but it had not occurred to us the extent of our resources before my little chat! No longer am I just looking to pick strawberries or get veggies from the farmer's market, but I can find organic, locally grown meats of all kinds, a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, even other products like wool that I can now have access to. Much more green, much better for our local economy, and much less toxic!
I have decided to take our time implementing changes in our lives. In just 8 months we have come a long way and I feel now I need to work a little more slowly and make informed decisions. I intend to take Joanna's suggestion for a better sleep and turned off my cell phone at night, but am choosing to wait a couple weeks until our life settles down and switching to relying on a traditional alarm clock to wake me up will be less drastic a change for me (yes I am that hooked to my cell phone!). So do realize, you can do this over time, you do NOT have to do everything at once! Even one small change makes a difference, but if it is not done right it will not stick, do what is right for your family!
A Mini Interview!
I feel this is the right path for my family. But besides heading towards a more non-toxic lifestyle, I also wanted to thank Joanna for the lovely talk. It is quite rare to get much support in our decisions, let alone converse with someone that understood what we go through daily with friends and family misunderstanding or dismissing our choices, or even demeaning it at some points. To hear actual compliments from someone I had respected over the web and do so even more now, and get the support for what we are embarking on as a journey to create a healthy life for our family, it was so refreshingly wonderful! I thank you!
So with this detox consultation that I received, I asked Joanna a few simple questions so you can get to know her and Actual Organics better!
What types of clients do you see most often scheduling detox consultations?
I had expected Joanna to tell me that most of her clients were newbies, looking to go green and needing a helping hand to start out, but was surprised that she received a good mixture of clients! She gets a good number of clients that are looking to reach a new level in going toxin free in their lifestyle, as well as the many new clients I had anticipated. So no matter your level and what you are looking to achieve in a detox consultation it seems she has a good amount of experience available and will be readily able to help you achieve your goals!
What are most of your clients looking for overall out of their consultations?
Another surprise to me, but I can definitely understand, for I did receive this out of my consultation as well and I was glad to have! Joanna believes most clients are searching for support and acknowledgment out of their sessions. This is of course in addition to the expected tips and coaching, and without this aspect I believe the consultation would not have been as great as it was, so I am glad she recognizes this aspect!
What else does Actual Organics (and you yourself) offer besides detox consultations?
Joanna used to participate in many home parties, getting toxin-free products more accessible to families and helping spread the word on toxin-free products! Besides her detox consultations she does many educational talks in schools and other places to teach how to makes safe choices in our daily lives!
Interested in a Detox Consultation or want to learn more?
Actual Organics not only offers detox consultations and programs, but also is a wonderful resource for everyone! Their articles are very helpful for tips on making changes in your home, and their blog always has some great interesting reads! I also love their updated random tips on facebook and Joanna is great to chat with on Twitter especially during her Monday #actualorganics twitter parties! I try to be there too so follow on twitter so you know when they're coming and come chat with us! :)
Website: http://www.actualorganics.com/
Blog: http://www.actualorganics.com/blog/
Personalized Coaching Programs: http://www.actualorganics.com/about-us/life-coaching/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/actualorganics
Twitter: @ActualOrganics
Thank you once again Joanna for the wonderful Detox Consultation!
