Local Blogger Helps Others Eat, Look And Feel Great -- Naturally
By Kristina Dougherty
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With a new year comes new resolutions, whether it be weight loss or simply being healthier, almost everyone resolves to change something.
For one local blogger it wasn't a new year that inspired a change in his life, but more of a wakeup call.
Lee Singletary says, "I recently launched Whollychic.com in October 2014. After someone close to me was diagnosed with cancer and I was faced some health challenges of my own, I found myself researching and increasingly learning more about food and drug regulation, nutrition, and possible toxins in my home. Wholly Chic is my journey to discovering more about how to live a healthier, more natural lifestyle, while inspiring others that it's possible to do the same."
The move to modify his food habits sparked an entire transformation for Lee to live as naturally as possible.
He says, "I was personally inspired by the urban surroundings in downtown Philadelphia. I started thinking, 'where will I buy groceries, shop for clothes and housewares, but more importantly how will I shop?' I started reading labels, understanding the difference between USDA and Non-GMO labeling and shopping local markets and boutiques that make a commitment to sustainability."
Wholly Chic also keeps readers up to date on the latest news and changes that affect the food individuals are consuming. For example, he posted about the FDA putting an end to arsenic chicken and antibiotics sprayed on berries that may cause allergic reactions.
But the industry is always evolving, and he admits it can be difficult to keep up.
"The biggest challenge to going all-natural is how overwhelming it becomes when you try to avoid some of the questionable and down right hazardous chemicals some of our consumer products and foods contain. Each time I learn a new phrase, acronym or ingredient, I add it to the "glossary" to share it with my readers. Over time, it should be a pretty comprehensive guide to organic terms of the trade. I'll admit I'm not 100 percent there, but it's a journey that's playing out live on the blog…. I'd say I'm about 60 percent living a completely organic life."
But Wholly Chic is more than just a blog about eating naturally, it also features eco-friendly party planning tips, a skin care guide for men and how to do your own dry cleaning free of toxins.
"I hope readers find that making more natural, healthier choices doesn't have to be an expensive, difficult process as once thought. Yes, I admit, once you start living more organically, you'll find that it's an inevitable lifestyle change since much of what consumers purchase contains chemicals, dyes and potentially hazardous materials. However, living a life that's better for you and the environment will ultimately make communities stronger. I want to be an inspiration to show that going all-natural does not mean you now need sacrifice your personal style."
He adds, "Eating organic foods and shopping sustainably are choices that can sometimes interfere with the day-to-day. But, when more people seek, initiate and participate in change, the consumer market changes right along with it. The supply of eco-conscious products and organic foods will increase so long as the consumers demand it, and that shift is happening now."
So what's next for Wholly Chic?
"A picture is worth a thousand words, but in the near future I'm working on adding a video series with instructional DIYs, recipes and more. WhollyChic TV is coming soon! The main categories on the blog are Looking, Feeling and Living, but those are more specifically broken down into "Pretty Natural," "Real Food + News" and "Wholly at Home."
So whether you want to eat more organically or learn more about sustainable fashion, Wholly Chic is sure to help you look, live and feel great. After all, "'Live life naturally fabulous' is the mantra of the website," Lee says.
To visit Wholly Chic, click here.
