Hi! I’m Ashlee of @simplholistic, and I’m here to share my favorite ways to celebrate Earth Day!
I am so excited because my favorite day of the year is upon us – the day we get to honor all things dirty and organic. Some people live for Christmas, Halloween or the first day of spring, but I live for Earth Day. This is the one day that everyone is reminded of the importance of our big blue and green earth. Even folks who aren’t excited about Earth Day hear all about it because it is the hype of the moment. Though we’ve only been recognizing Earth Day since 1970, today the holiday is on the calendar in more than 193 countries. This means that, as it should be, this party is global. Here are a few of my favorite ways to celebrate.
Get dirty. Many people are obsessed with killing germs these days, but antimicrobial sprays and disinfectants are not always good for our health. We need daily micro exposures to dirt if we want to be healthy. I’m not just saying that. Dr. Axe is the genius behind this one. Have you ever head of SBOs? These are Soil Based Organisms that are readily available in our soil. When you eat organic, raw produce there’s a good chance you’re also eating SBOs. This is good news. SBOs are shown to be anti-inflammatory and help regulate the immune system. Basically, we need to eat more dirt! No, you don’t have to go outside a grab a rich handful. But I do recommend eating local, organic produce frequently and worrying less about germs.
Enjoy Nature’s Bounty. Celebrating the planet by enjoying her gifts is an awesome way to commemorate Earth Day. Here are a few ideas:
- Stock up on produce, honey, or meat, from the local farmers market to support your community.
- If you are a city slicker, get outside and go hiking, camping or fishing. Even just taking a few moments to enjoy a stroll in a nearby park can be very relaxing.
- If you’re planning an event with family and friends, consider making sustainable choices. This may look like not using straws, using reusable dishes, carpooling or eating raw for the day.
Eat Clean. This is one of my all-time favorite ways to care for our Earth. Each day we get three chances (or more if you’re me) to choose with our forks. By this I mean we get three opportunities to eat clean, ethical and sustainable meals that will either nourish or deplete our bodies. Having a positive relationship with food is really important. When we eat clean we feel better and have more energy to hike, run, play and get out.
Support Conscious Brands. Support Earth Day with your dollar by choosing sustainable brands in the grocery store. As you might have guessed, I love Made in Nature. Made in Nature snacks are organic and non-GMO. They are also free from preservatives, pesticides, sulfur, additives, colors and artificial flavors. Another cool thing is that Made In Nature fruit is picked at the peak of ripeness. This means that in addition to tasting delicious, you are getting fruit with optimal nutrients. Woohoo!
Here are a few of my favorite Made In Nature Snacks:
- Ginger Masala Chai Coconut Chips
- Maple Vanilla Coconut Chips
- Super Berry Fruit Fusion
- Mulberries
In the name of Eating Clean and Supporting Conscious brands, I created a delicious trail mix recipe using Made In Nature ingredients. Even better, you can make it with just your hands and a bowl. That’s right, no oven! It is so simple, it takes less than 2 minutes. Give it a try, your belly and the Earth will thank you.
- 1/4 cup Made In Nature Apple Rings
- 1/4 cup Made In Nature Goldenberries
- 1/4 cup Made In Nature Ginger Masala Coconut Chips
About Ashlee. Ashlee is a certified Nutrition Consultant with Simplholistic. She has been living a healthy lifestyle for over 3 years now and swears by the power of whole foods. She loves to spend time with her husband, teach health classes, travel to warm locations and make smoothies bowls. Gut health and peace of mind are her passions and she loves to work with like-minded friends. Her blog simplholistic.org is where she showcases her research, recipes, and adventures fueled by good food.
