While I have always told our daughters that every day is a mother's day, there has been a day specifically set aside to honor her. This year that day is May 8. Wonderful, well meaning children will try to pamper her with wonderful smelling body care products. But is that the healthiest for mom over the long term?
Most over the counter products contain toxic laden ingredients that include parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, triclosan and artificial fragrances. Some say knowledge is power but it couldn't be more true in relation to good health.
Parabens are synthetic preservatives. They include a long list of products which end in 'paraben' and are found in many creams and lotions. Parabens mimic estrogen and disrupt the body's hormone system. Estrogen, and synthetic chemicals that act like estrogen, play a role in stimulating the division of breast cells and effect other hormones that stimulate brease cell division. Your body does not easily break down synthetic estrogen, and it can accumulate in fat cells, including breast tissue. Deodorants are one of the culprits of this dangerous ingredient which is applied right by the lymph nodes uder the arms.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, the bubble maker, is absorbed into the body from skin application. Once absorbed, one of the main effects is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications but the primary ones are PMS and menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers (specifically breast) where oestrogen levels are known to be involved. Natural soaps and shampoos are a way to avoid this nasty ingredient.
Triclosan, used as an anti-bacterial agent, have been documented to generate abnormalities with the endocrine system, particularly with thyroid hormone signaling and weakening of the immune system. Anti-bacterial soaps and even toothpaste contain this agent but it can hide in other cosmetics also.
Fragrance oils are proven to be hormone disrupters so staying away from them is also a move toward health.
According to Dr. Mercola, the body can accumulate up to five pounds of toxic cosmetic chemicals per year. That's a scary amount! So....this Mother's Day, love on her through products that will also extend her life!
Mother's Day sale through May 15, 2016 on Creams, Lotions and Soaps. Use coupon code "LoveMOM" at checkout!
Teeth that crack are a real problem so it's important to keep teeth moist to prevent cracking. But how do we ensure that it's done right? Glycerin can be very instrumental in this process but are all glycerins created equal? NO!!
Synthetic glycerin, known on ingredient labels as Propylene glycol, is highly irritating to the skin and should be avoided. The Cosmetic Safety database reports this on this ingredient: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry reports this substance causes effects on the blood at very high doses in laboratory animals.One thing that impacted me was 'laboratory animals' and the other that it affects 'blood' (at high levels). If you injest daily, would that fit? Just a question to ponder.
Vegetable glycerin on the other hand, is a natural occurring by product of soap that is created from the saponification process . It is a rich emollient, humectant and lubricant naturally extracted from vegetable oils.
So what difference does it make in regard to our teeth? The synthetic glycerin coats your teeth with a chemical substance which would take 27 rinses to remove from your teeth according to Gerard F. Judd, Ph.D., Chemist, Researcher for 18 years and Professor of Chemistry for 33 years. The impact of that is trapped bacteria and a host of dental issues. Natural glycerine only takes a few rinses to remove but leaves the moisturizing benefits behind.
The simple cleaning process of using 'Soap For Teeth' not only cleans your pearly whites, but also allows nutrients from your saliva to nourish and re-enamelize your teeth. Healthy teeth come from Natural Products that don't infect your bloodstream with toxic chemicals.
One of the things that we've always said is that God has put all things on the earth for our health and wellness. He is the creator of all and gives us wisdom on how to use the gifts He has given us. One of those gifts, we believe, is the Neem Tree. Although realitively unknown in the United States, neem is a cornerstone of the ancient Ayurvedic heath care and is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs in the world. Our focus today will be Neem Bark/Leaves in Oral care.*
Gum Disease is a recognized public health problem in the western world. The widespread chronic infection of gums (gingivitis) is even believed to contribute to heart disease. Chewing on a neem twig has been the commonly preferred way to prevent gum disease and maintain healthy teeth in India for centuries. Researchers found that neem twigs helped villagers avoid cavities and tooth loss, even without access to modern dental facilities.
Neem Bark contains natural immune-boosting phytonutrients such as azadirachtin and nimbidol.*
Years of traditional use in India shows that neem can:
prevent and heal gum disease,
prevent cavities,
eliminate bacteria that cause cavities and inflammation of the gums,
prevent bacteria from adhering to your teeth (reduce plaque),
enhance mouth immunity in general,
and through all this freshen the breath naturally
While these statements are not out there to make claims of curing disease, we do know that ancient traditional medicine has proven over and over again to provide benefits that outweigh modern medicine. It's our job to harness it and bring it back into our daily lives. To do that, we have formulated our Oral Care Line with Neem Bark which includes Tooth Chips - Soap for Teeth, Tooth Spritz with Neem Bark and our newest Neem Mouthwash, to bring this ancient tradition into each and every home that God allows us to touch. None of these products contain fluoride, parabens, tricolsan, or other nasty chemicals.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are in no way meant to diagnose, cure or prevent disease.
The handmade / artisian soap industry has gained momentum throughout the last decade as people become more aware of the impure ingredients such as sodium laurel sulfate, in the mass produced soap industry. Realizing that what you put 'on' your skin goes 'into' your body is finally making headway into the homes of informed people. So with the rise of this industry, why would one choose Goat Milk Soap over soaps made with water?
Properties in Goat Milk cannot be reproduced in any chemically produced body product!
It's unique and God given.
Goat Milk has been used since ancient times as a natural cleanser. It is one of the finest moisturizers and has excellent emollient properties. Goat Milk contains vitamin A, and several B vitamins including riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12. Vitamin A is extremely important in skin care and aids in curtailing acne and may also help with eczema. Water based soaps can add vitamins, but most don't so this benefit is lacking.
Alpha-hydroxy acids contained in goat milk are believed to have rejuvenating effects on skin cells and the rich butterfat softens and moisturizes. Alpha-hydroxy acids penetrate the top layers of the skin, epidermis and upper dermis, to achieve exfoliation (sloughing of old skin cells). Exfoliation stimulates the skin and healthy cells are regenerated. The effect essentially is "anti-aging." The skin is smoother and softer with an overall lessening of fine wrinkles and skin discoloration. The hydroxy acids are also used to improve scaling, precancerous growths (actinic keratoses) on sun-damaged skin. In addition, there is also great benefit with acne. Dead skin cells are exfoliated, opening the pores. Alpha hydroxy acids have been used for thousands of years as a skin rejuvenating product.Water based soaps can add chemicals that result in this process, but skin damage will always be the end result.
Goat milkwith it's abundance of cream actually 'feeds' the skin and permeates through the cell walls delivering calcium similiar to patches applied to the skin. In hair care, goat milk replenishes the moisture in every strand by penetrating the hair shaft. It nourishes the scalp which adds life, luster and body to the hair. Because we milk our own goats, we can assure our customers that no hormones or antibiotics are included in this milk.
Goat Milk contains minerals such as selenium. This important mineral is believe by scientists to have an important role in preventing skin cancer. We provide 'free choice' minerals to our herd and provide extra selenium for them to ensure their health which is transferred into their rich milk.
We personally make all of our goat milk soaps by hand in small batches using the cold process method. To make soap, there is a liquid and oil side. The liquid side of our soaps contain 100% goat milk with no dilutions unless specifically included on the label. That is one reason that our soaps produce such dramatic results with your skin.
Assaults on home based business face yet another governmental intrusion with the possibility of new regulations proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine). The Personal Care Products Safety Act (Senate Bill S.1014) Feinstein says, will make the world a safer place by scrutinizing "everything from shampoo and hair dye to deodorant and lotion." She is supported by her corporate backers (listed below) whose products, if you screen them through the Cosmetic Safety Base, show greater health issues than most small producers. She introduced the amendment to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, because of troubling negative health effects from chemicals used in personal care products.
Is there some validity to the concern?? You bet. That's why many of the cottage industry soapmakers screen their products for safe ingredients. Personally, we have spent an incredible amount of time researching items included in our products to insure the safety of every family member!
There are five basic ingredients that this bill is targeting:
Methylene Glycol - an ingredient popular in hair smoothing treatments. It turns into formaldehyde when heated and exposure has been reported to result in hair loss, rashes, blisterd scalps and an incresed risk of cancer.
Propyl paraben - a preservative used in a wide range of products including shampoos, conditioners, lotions and can mimic the hormone estrogen. This ingredient can potentially disrupt the endocrine system and cause reporductive system disorders. (Have you heard us preach about parabens????)
Diazolidinyl Urea - a preservative used in products including deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath and lotions. (What you can't pronounce - don't use)
Lead Acetate - used as a color in hair dyes. (Why I ask would anyone want to use anything that contains the word LEAD????)
Quaternium-15 - another preservative used including shampoo, chaving cream, skin creams and cleansers.
NONE OF THESE INGREDIENTS APPEAR IN ANY OF OUR PRODUCTS!
Feinstein does not propose to ban these dangerous ingredients from soaps and cosmetics, just REGULATE them with tests and warning labels, FEES and RECALL AUTHORITY. Feinstein says her proposal is a 'streamlined national system of oversight" and it won't cost the taxpayer anything....but wait, I'M A TAXPAYER AND IT WILL COST US A LOT! Because of all the proposed fees and nightmare of paperwork to small companies, ultimately YOU will pay the price through highter fees incurred to obey the law. Your options will be to abandon the small businesses and go to the corporate backers and other companies that are more concerned with the bottom line dollar instead of the wellness of your families. Will you fight for us? Please contact your Senators/Congressman and let them know that you don't want them passing this bill.
Our family, as well as other soapmakers earning a little extra to help their families along, we thank you for your support in this battle.
Companies and brands that support the bill:
Johnson & Johnson, brands include Neutrogena, Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Lubriderm, Johnson’s baby products.
Procter & Gamble, including Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Clairol, Herbal Essences, Secret, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Ivory, CoverGirl, Olay, Sebastian Professional, Vidal Sassoon.
Revlon, brands include Revlon, Almay, Mitchum
Esteee Lauder, brands include Esteee Lauder, Clinique, Origins, Tommy Hilfiger, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Donna Karan, Aveda, Michael Kors.
Unilever, brands include Dove, Tresemme, Lever, St. Ives, Noxzema, Nexxus, Pond’s, Suave, Sunsilk, Vaseline, Degree.
L’Oreeal, brands include L’Oreeal Paris, Lancome, Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl’s, Essie, Garnier, Maybelline-New York, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, The Body Shop, Redken.
Growing up my mom went against the course of traditional medicine and treated us with herbs. Chamomile and garlic were by far her favorites. They were used for everything - from earaches, pink eye to breakouts in our teenage years. This had been handed down from her mother and stories about her grandparents and their healing methods were always so interesting to listen to. To think that in a tiny plant there are attributes that bring healing to our bodies. It's so sad that in an age of advancement in so many areas, we've regressed so much in the field of medical plants. I'm thankful that there seems to be a surge again in people wanting to know more about this avenue of health and healing.
Having my own assortment of medical herb books, I know that going through them can be overwhelming. I especially enjoyed this post from Homestead Lady. She details medical herbs, how to use them and how to grown them. Hope you enjoy her post...Must Have, Must Grow Medical Herbs!
This post contains wonderful links and books to help you begin your journey if you haven't already started.
