All Things O'Natural

Greetings, All..I hope all is well and joyful.

When it comes to skin, hair and insides, I strive to be as mindful as possible regarding the ingredients that I allow in and on them. Some may have asked the question, 'why are ingredients so important if we are putting them on the outside of our bodies and in our hair?' Great question and here's the answer. The skin is a huge organ that protects, well, our inside organs.Keeping in mind that the skin has these great little teeny tiny holes called pores where many many toxins are taken in and are exited through those little tiny holes. But, here's where things can go kinda haywire. When we apply products to our skin, many of those products can be loaded with skin clogging ingredients or toxic ingredients overall. When the pores of our skin become clogged, they can malfunction, causing the toxins within our bodies to become blocked from 'exiting' and trapped within our bodies. Then our bodies can become built up with toxins,which in turn can disrupt and harm our precious inside organs, blood and cells. Over time, our bodies, which are awesomely built machines, begin to break down much more rapid than designed. This is where sickness and disease can have a field day. While we may not be able to monitor every single thing that graces our temple, we can take some care in controlling what we can allow on our skin and in our hair..remember,the scalp is an extension of our skin, and has pores as well. 

Now, with that info out of the way, let's take a look at why commercial deodorant/antiperspirants can be a bit on the icky side when it comes to health. First, an antiperspirant is something that causes the pores not to release the perspiration (sweat) which is one way the body releases toxins from the body. Instead, it creates a reverse and tells the body not to do what it was designed to do. So, that's the question you must ask yourself, 'is it more important to sweat and release toxins..or not sweat and hold toxins in?' Well, can I have the best of both worlds..a natural deodorant that minimizes arm pit perspiration? Well, that answer will vary for each individual based on how much you actually sweat. The purpose of a deodorant is to prohibit bacterial growth that causes bad odor..we'll discuss that more in a sec.

WHY ARE COMMERCIAL DEODORANTS/ANTIPERSPIRANTS SO BAD?

Well, let's just discuss a few of the ingredients found inside of most commercial brand, non natural deodorants.

• Phthalates: These are endocrine disrupters which interfere with the body's hormone function and are and have been linked to breast cancer.

• Parabens: These are also hormone disrupters that mimic natural estrogen, which is a cause of breast cancer. Parabens have been found in breast cancer biopsies and are absorbed through the skin. (these are found in many synthetic fragrances)

• Triclosan: An ingredient added to many consumer products to reduce or prevent bacteria contamination. It is known to alter hormone regulation which can be linked to breast cancer. 

So, WHY BREAST CANCER?

Well, there are dozens of lymph nodes close to the armpit and breast that the chemicals in many commercial deodorants are touching everyday. My aunt, who is currently in remission from breast cancer was told by her doctor to steer clear of commercial brand deodorants..hmm, I wonder why? But, I'm a firm believer that prevention is the best cure, how about you?

HERE'S AN INTERESTING THOUGHT!!

Did you know our bodies do not naturally stink? The bacteria living in your body only react with what you feed them. The smell in your armpits wouldn't be offensive if they were just perspiring excess minerals and healthy metabolic waste products; however, they will stink if your body is sweating by products which come from eating meat and processed,refined foods. So, unless we are raw vegans, we may have the stinky's from time to time. And as much as we may wish to be 100% all O'Naturale, when the stink monster moves in, our heart may want to,but our brain and body may give in. So, let's take a look at how natural deodorants work and more important, how to get the maximum benefits and effects from them.

 IF YOU'VE TRIED NATURAL DEODORANTS.AND THEY DID NOT WORK, DETOX THOSE PITS AND PLEASE TRY AGAIN..

If you've tried the O'Natural deodorants and felt like they just didn't quite work, I encourage you to try it again,but this time, try an armpit detox first. I found this beautiful information at the knowledgeable people over at Campwonder regarding the benefits of detoxing those pits before using an all natural deodorant. 

WHY AN ARM PIT DETOX?

An Arm Pit Detox can help your body go back to it's natural state of clean perspiration faster. It helps to flush out old bacteria and chemical residue so natural deodorants can work better for you. Many of the products we use, ie, commercial deodorants can put our bodies in an acidic state and the use of a detox can help bring it back to an alkalinic state. One of the key ingredients in an Arm Pit Detox is the use of Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (I love the Bragg's brand). The ACV helps to balance the body's pH as well as create an overall detoxification of the body.  

HOW TO DO AN ARM PIT DETOX?

According to the folks over at Campwander, try to resist using your natural deodorant for at least a week, two is better. This way,the detox has a chance to work its magic getting those pores cleared and cleaned and functioning properly. So, here's what you'll need:

• 1 TBSP of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar(again,I love the Bragg's brand..found at many local groceries)

• Distilled or filtered water (I love distilled)

• 4 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil 

• 4 drops of Lavender Essential Oil

• 2 oz spray bottle

Instructions

• Add essential oils(the ones mentioned are both anti microbials and great deodorizers) and ACV to spray bottle then fill with water.

• Before bed, give bottle a shake (natural ingredients tend to settle) and spray both arm pits. Let dry and sleep tight.

• Next day, repeat the process. You may need to wash your armpits a few times per day during the first 2 or 3 days,but that will be short lived, and you will begin to see your body react to the detox well by day 5.

OK, I'VE DETOXED..SO, WHAT'S THE RAVE ABOUT NATURAL DEODORANTS?

Well, the beauty of natural deodorants are that they are not laden with those questionable ingredients found in most commercial brand, non natural deodorants. The ingredients found in natural deodorants utilizes clays, which draw toxins from the body; odor eliminators such as baking soda or arrow root powder or food grade Diatomaceous Earth; skin softening,non pore clogging natural butters, like shea or cocoa; healthy oils like Neem, Tamanu, or Almond; beneficial essential oils like lavender, peppermint, patchouli, to name a few for fragrance; moisturizers like Aloe Vera or Witch Hazel..All of which are nourishing to the skin and not harmful to the insides should they penetrate the pores or our skin. They are hand whipped and hand crafted in small batches by those who not only make the product but use the product for themselves and their families. Natural deodorants allow your body to do what it was intended to do without disrupting its natural function. It allows for the release of toxins stored in the body whether via food or ingredients or environmental toxins and many times keeps the old 'stink monster' at bay.  And, since we understand that stinky pits are the results of what we eat, we can work on being mindful of that, even if one bite at a time, one day at a time. The Pyramids weren't built in a day! 

THE IMPORTANCE OF SWEATING

• Helps maintain the proper temperature and keeps you from overheating. 

• Expel toxins, which supports proper immune function and helps prevent diseases related to toxin overload

• Kills viruses and bacteria that cannot survive in temperatures about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit

• Cleans the pores, which help eliminate blackheads and acne

Sweating...it's natural 

*this information is not meant to diagnose or cure any disease.