New Beginnings: A New Approach to Natural
by: Lola Edwards
Hello and thank you for being here at the frontier of something big and beautiful: the Grand Opening of Lola's Philosophy! This began as a passion-fueled vision of what a better-informed and honest approach to natural and holistic living could be, and has quickly evolved into something bigger. Our mission is to create an interactive platform for the eco-conscious, naturalists and health-conscious consumers to engage with their health and personal care in a holistic way.
Why is Natural/Holistic Health Important?
To begin, what exactly is holistic health? The philosophy behind holistic living is centered around a way of healing that takes the whole person into consideration - mind, body, soul, emotions and everything in between. This can be summarized as promoting health through balance and individual harmony within oneself. Many ancient civilizations believed illness and poor health arose when a person was out of harmony, either within themselves or with the world/nature. So healing, by extension is focused on restoring this balance.
So, why exactly is nature important to our personal wellbeing? We are in a symbiotic relationship with the Earth. As separated as we may seem from the primal and untamed undercurrent of nature, we are very much a part of, and immersed in it. We rely on it for everything: our air, food, water, shelter, land etc. Historically, humans were hunters and gatherers, then farmers: we lived off the land and had a close relationship to it. Now, with commercialism, industrialism and many other -isms, our connection to nature has been severed; it is no longer easy to remember how we are connected to the Earth. Studies have shown that being in nature or being outside in general is better for our health. It can boost self-esteem, reduce stress, improve mood, improve sleep, increase energy, mitigate pain, boost your immune system and much more.
In recent years, 'going natural' or embracing a more holistic lifestyle has become commonplace, as we become more self-aware and health-conscious as a society. Our access to the internet places an almost infinite amount of information at our fingertips, so we can better differentiate between what is good for our health and what will harm it. Natural products and medicine have been shown to generally, be better for our health compared to other approaches to health and wellbeing. While we have made great strides forward as a society, evolutionarily speaking, we are not much different physically and biologically from humans several hundreds of years ago. It takes millions of years for genetic changes and adaptation to take hold - and such, our bodies need much of the same things people hundreds of years ago needed - and they managed to do it without modern science and technology. Many of the generic brands and products available today are designed to mimic compounds and qualities that already exist in nature.
Why Natural Products Better
We've discussed why natural products are, on average, better than its counterparts, but in what ways are they better. Here are ten:
Enhances Natural Beauty: Natural ingredients often contain vitamins and minerals that our bodies already use to sustain itself. As such, when we use natural products, they enhance, accelerate or aid systems in our bodies that already use these compounds. For example, retinol, or vitamin A1, is an antioxidant that boosts collagen in skin. It is commonly found in animal products like beef liver, egg, and some cheeses, but most of us are likely more familiar with retinol face serums.
Reduced Risk: Using natural ingredients means less risk of an allergic reaction, irritation, drying, or otherwise disrupting your body's natural rhythm
Eco-Friendly: Natural means from the Earth, and with little to no processing, natural products can return to the Earth from whence they came - nothing simpler, or more eco-friendly than that
Environmentally Sustainable: Environmental Sustainability refers to the ability to use, create, or process a material in a way that can be replicated repeatedly without harming or damaging the environment or the systems within it. Oils, butters, and a majority of additives used in natural products are raw or minimally-processed derivatives of nuts, fruits and other natural material
Economically Sustainable: A majority of the skin and hair care products we use today are sourced from many second- and third-world countries. Shea butter is an irreplaceable beauty staple, with Ghana being one of the largest producers. Continued use of these natural products creates jobs, supports communities, and provides us with a nutrient profile we may not otherwise find locally
Achieve Similar Results to Pharmaceutical Products: Oftentimes the hesitation towards natural products is that they many not deliver the desired effect as other processed products. In actuality, there is a herb, tincture, remedy or therapy for most of our ails. One of the comforting aspects of natural remedies is they are quite literally as old as time, they have experienced the rise and fall of many civilizations, travelled around the world, and somehow still remain on our must-have list - even through the centuries
Inexhaustible Remedies: There is a wealth of knowledge and experience to tap into when it comes to natural and holistic therapies. Different groups and practices can use the same herb in several different ways to treat a variety of conditions. The options are as limitless
Gentler: With natural products, there is rarely any need for fillers, stabilizers and other types of additives, making it kinder and gentler on our bodies. Additionally, this reduces the chance of an unexpected reaction or damaging exposure to harmful substances. This is what makes natural remedies suitable for children, people with sensitive or mature skin, pets, and for everyday cleaning and use
Better Response: Our bodies respond better to natural products. In recent years, the rule of thumb has become if you can't pronounce it, you probably don't want it in or on your body. We trust things that look and feel familiar: if we can understand what's written on a label, then we automatically understand it as safe. Our interactions with the ingredients outside of the context of the product is what tells us that we can trust it. We have no such frame of reference with synthesized or chemical ingredients because we wouldn't find or interact with them in our daily lives. Our bodies respond better to natural ingredients because it recognizes them and knows how to use its compounds
Better Nutrition Profile: Natural products often deliver a higher and generally, better nutrient profile than other products. They often contain essential vitamins, minerals, acids, fatty acids, antioxidants, and more that our bodies need
Zen: Achieving a Delicate Balance
Lola's Philosophy was born out of a passion for natural products, however this does not mean we only believe in or represent natural and holistic remedies. Like all other things in life, this too, requires balance. Holistic medicine and therapies are designed with achieving this balance in mind. Our goal is not to replace modern science or medicine with our products and information, but rather to supplement it. The most important part of our health and wellness journey is listening to our body and what it needs. Sometimes it requires the more precise and targeted aim of a Tylenol to a headache. Other times, it requires a gentler and more nurturing approach, like gentle exfoliation to brighten dull skin, but one thing is not interchangeable: our attention. Our health requires an attentive eye so we properly tend to its needs.
Nature is not a one-stop solution. Your switch to all-natural products is not in itself a solution to all your health and beauty problems - it takes time, patience and consistency. More importantly, your internal health is just as essential to your overall health: eating well, staying hydrated, proper hygiene, all the boring, repetitive to-do's we've grown accustomed to hearing. These all have proven, time and time again to be essential to our ideal health.
Nature is often overlooked when it comes to our health and wellness, but it's time we pay a little more attention to it and take advantage of its many benefits. Lola's Philosophy was created with this aim in mind. Our goal is to educate, spread awareness, and share love and appreciation for some of the abundance the Earth provides that we are privileged to enjoy. Experience a new and complete balance by incorporating Nature's Best Remedies in your daily regime.