Going Natural

Going natural, or going green, means something different to everyone. From giving your home a complete ‘green friendly’ renovation to cutting meat out of your diet, the awareness of the importance of natural living is i taking the western world by storm.

Each person will have their own reasons for going natural. Making a conscious effort to read labels and understand what we are consuming, is so important, but many times even the most consciousness buyer is unaware what is contained in their intimate and contraceptive products.

Going Natural In The Bedroom

Going natural in the bedroom can be just as important as in the kitchen. The same way you take an interest in stocking your kitchen with natural or organic produce for health and environmental reason, any women have stopped using hormonal birth control because of the potential health and environmental risks. Natural Intimacy is here to bring you the latest in natural and healthy intimate products. Feel free to drop us a line and tell us why YOU’RE going natural!

Have you ever thought about turning your bedroom into a natural, chemical-free oasis where uncomfortable barriers and hormones don’t interfere with you and your partners intimacy?

There are a number of ways to go natural when it comes to your bedroom. If you use a typical generic lubricant, make the switch to all natural, organic Yes Lubricants. In the same way you wouldn't ingest harmful chemicals, you definitely don't want to put potentially harmful chemicals into the most sensitive area of your body Yes lubricants are vegan and also certified organic by the Soil Association.

And talking about ingesting harmful materials, lets talk about synthetic hormones. Instead of taking hormonal birth control pills most days of the month, even when sex can scientifically not result in pregnancy, you can switch to natural contraception.

Natural contraception works by monitoring your basal body temperature to determine if you’re fertile or infertile on a certain and with a contraceptive monitor like Cyclotest 2 Plus all the work is done for you. Methods of birth control like this are totally natural and often referred to as Natural Family Planning (NFP) or the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) of birth control. When used correctly they can be 99% as reliable as contraceptives, which is pretty much the same as the hormonal pill - with the benefit of being completely natural.

When you’re aware of your fertile and non-fertile days, you are able to plan your natural love life in advance.  If you wish to avoid pregnancy, you can either abstain from sex or use a barrier contraceptive on your fertile days.  Barrier contraceptives range from diaphragms to cervical caps like FemCap or condoms. They are completely irreversible forms of contraception and do not interfere when you decide to try and become pregnant. Here we recommend French Letter Vegan Condoms which as the name suggests are vegan. The FemCap is a cervical cap which is also a vegan product as it's manufactured without any animal by-products.

Both the condoms and the FemCap can be accompanied by a product which is fairly new to the UK, ContraGel Green which is a natural and vegan alternative to spermicide. Traditional spermicide (or rather it's usual ingredient, Nonoxynol 9) has a tendency to cause irritations for both partners whether its embedded in a condom or applied to a FemCap or diaphragm. Luckily ContraGel being natural and water based is available as an alternative and is compatible with Yes lubricants which are also water based.

Going Vegan

Going vegan is a serious commitment! A vegan will not consume or use any animal products.  In its most strict definition, these people are commonly known as ‘ethical’ vegans and reject the use of animal products, dietary or otherwise.  ‘Dietary vegans’ (or strict vegetarians) eliminate all animal products from their diet but can use and consume other animal products.

Donald Watson, co-founder of the British Vegan Society, coined the term ‘vegan’ to mean ‘non-dairy vegetarian’ who also does not consume eggs.  In 1951, the definition was broadened to ‘the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals’. In 1960, H. Jay Dinshah founded the American Vegan Society and the vegan movement has been growing internationally ever since.

Vegans are less likely to suffer degenerative diseases such as heart disease, although they may suffer from nutrient and vitamin deficiency if they do not plan their diets carefully.

The diet of a vegan consists mainly of plant based foods such as fruits, salads, vegetables and tofu. Everyone is familiar with mainstream vegan meals like hummus, falafel, veggie burritos, pizza, tacos, rice and beans. Luckily these are becoming more popular with non-vegans so eating out is becoming easier now for vegans and mixed groups, taking the pain out of planning where a group should go out to eat. Meat replacements or ‘mock meats’ are also a popular choice among vegans and include everything from vegetarian mince to veggie sausages.  Cheese alternatives, made from soy, tapioca and nuts are also available.

Succeeding At Your Vegan Lifestyle

When choosing to go vegan, it’s important to be aware of whether or not a product, item on a menu or ingredients at the grocery store are ‘vegan’.  . This becomes an issue as what one person considers to be a vegan product or dish another might not. Does it contain eggs? And what about fish? You'll be surprised about what some businesses describe as vegan!

Doing this can be difficult at first, as it takes time to learn about new brands and to also get used to questioning waiters at restaurants about the ingredients in their menu.  You may find yourself choosing to eat at different restaurants that are blatantly safe for vegans.  You might also start shoping at health-food shops or stores which specialize in organic products, which cater more to your new vegan lifestyle.

Veganism is increasing in popularity all over the world, providing vegans with many more dietary and product options.  For this reason, following a vegan lifestyle is becoming easier with each passing year, a trend we’re happy to see continue.

Going Organic?

Going organic can benefit not only your health, but also the environment.  To better understand why you should go organic, you should understand what the label, ‘organic’, actually means.

According to the USDA:

“Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.  Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.  Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.  Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.  Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Of course going completely organic is often difficult for most families, mainly because of the higher associated costs. If you’re interested in making the switch to organic produce, you should educate yourself on which foods are most beneficial to buy organically.  For example, thick-skinned produce such as bananas and avocados are less contaminated with pesticide residue compared to fruits such as strawberries, therefore it’s less important to buy organic produce with peels.

Going organic promotes biodiversity, helps local farmers and assists in eliminating farm pollution.

With the increasing popularity of organic food, making the switch or a few small changes to include more organic products into your diet and life is becoming easier and easier.  The demand for organic products is continuing to rise across the world, and more and more organic versions of common food are popping up in local grocery stores. Do your part and try switching to organic to experience the true difference in quality and taste.

And it's not just food that can be organic. Remember that the 'organic' bit is about the growth of the plants in the soil and how that is managed. Plants can also be grown for non-food purposes. Organically grown hemp can be used to make organic textiles and organically grown Aloe Vera can be used in organic cosmetics with many more options for expansion of the organic produce available.

The Yes range of organic lubricants stands as testimony to the diversification of organic ethics and how organic products can end up on the bedside table.