36
yummy
“I'm no
A recent Soil Association survey showed that spending on organic foods and skincare products had
increased by 40% in the last year, much of which can be attributed to the phenomenal rise of what
experts are calling the ‘Organo-Mum’. Broadcaster, writer and mother Janey Lee Grace talks
about what it means to be an eco-mum.
I don’t feel I fit the label
of ‘yummy mummy’ and I
don’t want to be fixated with
organics either. In fact, before
I had my first child, I was
content to settle for many of
the ‘BOGOF’ (buy-one-getone-free) options and any
old skincare would do for
me. However, once I’d had my
own precious baby it acted as
a wake-up call. I wanted to be
as natural as possible in what
I ate, drank and used and that
inspired me to write my books
to help other mums and dads
do this too.
Safeguarding your
baby’s skin
When it comes to your
precious baby’s skin it’s even
more important to be as
natural as possible.
However ‘gentle’ they claim
to be, many regular baby
products are full of a cocktail
of chemicals. Even the humble
baby wipe often contains not
only artificial perfumes and
synthetic preservatives but also
a dose of antifreeze! They’re
great for wiping felt tip pen
from walls but I’d draw the line
at my baby’s bum!
Fresh food’s fantastic
Most of us know that it’s best
to eat as unprocessed a diet as
possible, with locally sourced
foods, organic fresh fruit and
veg. And if you’re going to eat
meat you really should ‘know
your cow’! Beware though:
the word ‘organic’ has been
hijacked in recent years. Now,
anyone can slap an organic
label on the packaging and
yet it may contain only a
tiny percentage of organic
ingredients. So what should
you do? Look for products
that are accredited by the Soil
Association and recognise that
it’s often what’s not in it that’s
important... if you get my drift!
To avoid these, try making
your own baby wipes using
absorbent fabric remnants or
even paper towel soaked in the
following homemade solution.
Add two chamomile teabags,
a few drops of almond or olive
oil, and a drop of lavender oil
to two mugs of hot water. Allow
to cool and then transfer it to a
spritzer bottle or pour over the
wipes in a plastic container.
There are back-to-basics
alternatives for just about
everything you could possibly
need. If you want a cheap
effective moisturiser, the best
you’ll ever find for yourself and
you