Battling the B.O.

Me: I think I'm going to stop using deodorant.
Husband: ...please don't.
Me: I already ran out about two weeks ago, and haven't worn any...
Husband: What is wrong with you?

The fact is that your body needs to sweat. Anti-perspirants (which is what most of us use) do not let your body do so by clogging up your sweat ducts. Anti-perspirants also contain Aluminum.
Aluminum has been associated with a variety of health issues including:

Breast cancer
Alzheimer's
Kidney Problems
Seizures

All this so you can smell good? No, thank you.
Guess what else? Since your body absorbs it, it is then secreted through breastmilk. Just what I want!! My baby to glow green.

The truth is we used deodorant and anti-perspirant interchangeably. Anti-perspirants pose health risks, and do not let your body sweat. Deodorants allow you to sweat, but kill odor-causing bacteria. However, some deodorants also contain aluminum, so be sure to check the label.

I have looked into the dangers of aluminum containing anti-perspirants/deodorants and the studies are inconclusive. One theory is, that since your body cannot sweat, it cannot release toxins from the body, accumulating it in your lymph (hence the breast cancer association).
Others say those claims are untrue.
Regardless, I don't need for studies to prove this or that, why risk it?

I decided to give making my own deodorant a go. There a few variations to recipes, but I used what I had on hand at the time.
I mixed 2T coconut oil, 1T baking soda, and 1T cornstarch. You can add whatever essential oils you like for a nice smell.
I wanted to make a small batch at first, because I didn't know if I was going to like it, so I poured it into a small make-up container. You can also save old deodorant sticks and pour it in there as well.
To be honest, I didn't give it a fair try, but people swear by it! Next time, I think I will vary the recipe a little, add some oils, and use a different container.

For now, I have been using the crystal stick, which is all-natural and aluminum free. On the bottle it states "Approved by the American Cancer Society." Shouldn't they all be?
It's just as important what you put on your body as what you're putting in it.

Caution, bottle may explode

In my quest to be greener, I came across the many benefits and uses of coconut oil (in food and cosmetics). The information is available for you on many sites and blogs, but I won't list anything I personally haven't tried myself.
One of the uses is shaving cream, so I decided to try it out.
However, first I took a look at my store-bought shaving cream and the bottle said:

"Pure and Natural"

 

"Dye and Fragrance Free"

 

"Moisturizing Eucalyptus Oil"

That doesn't sound so bad, right?

 "Caution, bottle may explode"

Wait, what?

 I decided to investigate the ingredients list a little further which you'll find at the end of this post.

Now on to the good stuff. I took some coconut oil into the shower, mixed it with water and slathered it on my legs. And then... ouch! This was like dry shaving. I sucked it up and shaved the rest of my leg, and by the time I started on my other leg, it went much smoother.
That is because coconut oil turns into a liquid at warm temperatures, so I just had to let it sit a little longer.
My legs were silky smooth when I got out and didn't have an "oily" feeling. Normally, they are so dry and itchy, but now they are baby skin smooth!  Coconut oil is also a moisturizer).
The only negative is that it really plugged up my razor and will probably make it dull quicker. But, that's a small price to pay in exchange for getting all of those toxins off my body (and the ridiculous cost of shaving cream).
I'm a coconut oil novice, but I can't wait to see what else it can do for me.


Here is the ingredient list along with what I found the effects on your body are (for the particular brand I have at home). Feel free to use the info, but please link back to me if you do.


Palmitic acid - alters central nervous system, disrupts the hormone insulin.

Triethanolamine - slight irritant, was shown to increase liver cancer in mice

Stearic acid - a fatty acid with many uses. Long exposure to large amounts increases risk of cancer.

Isopentane - Highly flammablae and volatile. Passes through skin. Can cause headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, irritate throat and lungs, drying and cracking of skin, may affect liver, heart, central nervous system.

PTFE - also used in non-stick cookware. Linked with cancer and thyroid disease.

PEG-90M and PEG-23M - little info available. Moderate organ system toxicity.

hydroxyethylcellulose - mild skin reaction.

Sorbitol - Ingesting causes multiple problems, couldn't find info for topical effects.

Isobutane - "generally recognized as safe"

Lavandula and Eucalyptus oil - lavender and eucalyptus oil .. I'm guessing not in their natural form.


And I've been putting this on my skin. Scary.

Squeaky Clean

It's almost bedtime and my 2 month old needs a bath. Ewww the tub is dirty. Ugh, I can't give her a bath in this! I need to clean the tub before I give her a bath, but am leery to use the scrubbing bubbles bottle I've got in the closet.. I just don't feel comfortable sticking her in the tub right after using it. Sure, it'll get the job done, but it'll stink up the bathroom and surely there will be some residue of the chemicals in the tub, even after a good rinse. Our water drips, so there's some rust at the base as well. So I scour the internet for a more natural solution, and came up short. A lot of the diy cleaners called for borax..which I didn't have at home..and what the heck is borax anyway? After a little research, I found that it's certainly safer than scrubbing bubbles and not actually toxic, but exposure can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Uhh, no thanks!
I did finally find a solution, and was surprised at how well it worked. I really thought the toxic, nasty stuff was superior. This solution not only took the grime off with ease (with the help of a scrubbing brush), but also removed the rust and soap scum..I actually kind of think it worked better, and my baby didn't have to inhale toxic, potent fumes or have that yuck on her skin.
Here's what I used:

You'll need:
A spray bottle (it makes enough for future uses)
Vinegar
Baking soda
Water
Dish soap ( I use 7th generation as it is more natural)

Add 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and a tablespoon of dish soap and put into spray bottle. (This is the solution you'll have for future uses)
Take some baking soda and spread it on the bottom of your tub. Spray enough solution on top of the baking soda to make a paste.. Scrub with a scrub brush. Rinse tub once clean.
Enjoy your clean fume and toxic-free bathroom!