Staying healthy…and sane.

…80% of the time, I aim to do the best, least toxic, most wellness-enhancing thing, and the other 20% of the time, I don't worry about it. ⁠
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For example: we invested a lot of time, money, and care into choosing a mattress and couch, where we expect to spend a ton of time, and own for years and years. The same for our indoor air quality, and most of our other furnishings. ⁠
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And then, a couple of weeks ago, I bought this Ikea chaise lounge. I wanted a cozy spot to sit in my office, and I wanted it to be inexpensive, get it quickly, and key point-- get it up our very narrow staircase. In short, it couldn't NOT be Ikea 😆. I chose the one with the least amount of foam (a 1 inch-or-so pad on top) but it definitely still smells like polyurethane, and I know it's off-gassing all sorts of VOCs that aren't healthy. ⁠
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But: it's OK with me. I keep the window next to it open 24/7 and brought the air filter that captures VOCs up into the room for a week. I know I'm taking care of myself in lots of other healthy ways, and it's so worth it to have a place to read and journal in peace. ⁠
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Like diet, or politics, I think sometimes the "non-toxic lifestyle" can veer into extremes. My goal is to stay balanced-- it's so important, but I think it's just as important to stay non-dogmatic, accessible, and practical. ⁠