Have you ever wondered what life would be like without chemicals or pesticides?
I do.
My bet is that we’d have a lot less chronic disease, cancer, and other nasty ailments that rob our health and vitality. Not to mention neurologic toxicity and negative consequences to the ecosystem (source). Yikes!
But that’s just me.
Like you, I’m just a convicted mama on a mission to do the VERY best for my kids’ health and my family – and live long enough to become a vibrant great grandmother. You know, one of those?
That’s not too much to ask, is it?
When first setting foot down the rabbit hole of clean living, typically the first order of business is to buy organic (and ideally, non-GMO). Now, this can be overwhelming – and at times, impossible – I’ve been there.
Organic basically means that the produce or ingredients used in the food were not grown with pesticides. Pretty simple. But buyer beware – this can be a slippery slope when it comes to labeling. Even foods labeled “organic” can have some non-organic ingredients in it – so read your labels. This article sums it up much better than I can.
The good news: now that renegades like us are demanding it, organic options have become more plentiful. Unfortunately, there are many times that organic food – specifically produce – is not available.
So what’s a clean living enthusiast to do?
Well, for starters, use the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen list as your road map. Grab the list here or better, download the App here (so you can take it on the go to the store). Just note – it’s updated every year, so don’t grab the current edition, commit it to memory, and be done with it. It will change. Every year. Ahhh the perils of living clean…
Next, I wash ALL of my produce with not just water, but also a special produce wash that has powerful botanicals that are 100% natural and really effective.
What are they?
Essential oils! Yes, pure essential oils can not only support and enhance every SINGLE body system (our skin, our emotions, our sleep, our immune system, our respiratory system, and SO MUCH MORE), BUT are also a fantastic way to reduce the pesticide residue on your produce. Now, I’m not going to claim that this is a better option than organic (that would be silly), BUT it’s better than doing nothing, right?
So here’s the deal. A few years ago, Gary Young – the founder of Young Living Essential Oils – shared a story about a plot of land that they had acquired (Young Living owns ALL their own farms). Since Young Living is 100% committed to sustainable and pesticide-free growing, harvesting, and distillation practices, naturally they tested the soil to determine the level of pesticide residue. Since the land had been used for conventional farming, the results were positive. They ended up spraying the soil with DiGize Essential Oil Blend over the course of 3 applications.
Side note: DiGize is an amazing blend of Tarragon, Fennel, Ginger, Peppermint, Juniper, Lemongrass, Anise, and Patchouli essential oils. Its claim to fame is stellar digestive support – either taken as a supplement, inhaled, or applied topically (diluted with a carrier oil).
Ok, so back to the story…
Then what happened?
According to Gary, all evidence of pesticide residue was GONE! Amazing, right?
So, this got me thinking…if DiGize can work that powerfully IN the soil, surely it can help to remove pesticide residue ON my produce? It’s worth a shot, right?
I donned my spectacles, grabbed my beaker, and got to work…
After a bit of research and tinkering, I paired DiGize with another powerful blend called Thieves (which Young Living makes a produce wash with), and organic white vinegar (non-organic can contain GMOs), and BOOM – this purifying produce wash was BORN! It’s super cost-effective (compared to the conventional produce washes on the market) – costing about $1.50 to refill a 2 ounce bottle – and it’s truly 100% natural.
Disclaimer: Not all essential oils are created equal. Upwards of 90% of the essential oils on the market contain chemicals, pesticide byproducts, or are purposefully cut with other ingredients. Due to poor labeling laws, these bottles can actually have the words “pure” on the title. It is so important to know who your essential oils are coming from so that you can trust you are getting a high quality product. Young Living is the ONLY brand of essential oils that I trust and use with my family.
And now for the recipe…
- 2-oz. spray bottle (buy here)
- ¼ tsp. sea salt (buy here)
- 5 drops DiGize Essential Oil Blend (buy here)
- 5 drops Thieves Essential Oil Blend (buy here)
- 1 oz. organic white vinegar (buy here)
- 1 oz. distilled water (buy here)
- Place sea salt at bottom of bottle; add essential oils.
- Add vinegar and water and shake gently. Quantity may be adjusted for larger bottles.
- Spray as needed to skins of fruits & veggies, let sit, and then wash well with water.
- The powerful combination of DiGize & Thieves Essential Oil Blends (buy here) with vinegar can help reduce pesticide residue when organic is not available.
Would apple cider vinegar be just as effective (corn allergy so can’t use white)?
Wish I would have thought about the oils before following directions. Thieves and Digize are not really pleasant-smelling smelling scents that you want to have on food right before you eat it and digize helps with digestion which you might not necessarily need when you’re just washing your vegetables and fruit. Lemon, orange and or lime with the other ingredients makes much better sense.