Rosemary Orange Coconut Deodorant and Reducing Chemicals in My Daily Life
This is not a food related post, but it is something that is important to me, and I would like to share for all who would like to read it. I recently read a book by Anna Victoria Rodgers called Toxic World Toxic People and it opened my eyes to the many chemicals we are exposed to in our everyday lives which can be harmful to our health. So, I have made some changes since then to try and eliminate some of them that I can control. You should all read her book by the way if you are interested at all in feeling your best and being your healthiest.
At this point in my life I am always trying to do what I can in order to improve my health, so that I can feel my best. I wasn't always that way though. When I was in high school, I could have cared less what I put into and on my body. I ate junk food all the time, and wore lots of synthetic chemicals on my body. I started to become aware of these things being harmful when my Mom was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. She started to eat organic foods, buy more natural products free of scents and chemicals for cleaning and body care. I didn't listen at first, but then she said some of the stuff I was using was making her ill, so I switched to the more natural stuff myself. I also started shopping for organic veggies, and eliminating processed foods with fake ingredients and this is part of where my interest in health food started. Eliminating those chemicals helped both of us a lot. I have since done many more little things to improve my health, but it did not dawn on me that I was still using lots of things which could in the long run be harmful to me.
My makeup for one. I have worn makeup since I was in middle school, and I had never given any second thought to what was in it or that it might be harmful. There are tons of preservatives, heavy metals and chemicals in many of the large commercially made cosmetic brands. I looked at the ingredients on my cosmetics after I had learned what they were and I was shocked. These are things that are absorbed through the skin and into our blood stream. Luckilly I found a cosmetic company that sells clean cosmetics, Revescent. Their products make your skin look as beautiful as the other toxic brands and you are using a safe product on your skin. I feel like my skin is much happier after switching from the old makeup I had been using to chemical free makeup.
I am now also very careful reading ingredient labels on things like lotions and hair products. I have always had sensitive skin. Back in high school, I was getting mysterious rashes on my shoulders and back. When I went to the doctor he said it was most likely from sweating during cross country practice. When they didn't go away after the season ended, I knew something was up. I ended up switching shampoos for some reason and the rash disappeared. Turns out it was the heavily artificially scented shampoo I was using that caused the skin condition. Also I have had a few instances where I used a new product with artificial chemicals and scents and my face broke out in hives so bad that I had to go to the doctor for it. Since then I have been really careful about what I buy. Least ingredients is best as far as I am concerned and ingredients that I can pronounce and know what they are. Acure is a good skin care brand that I have found works for me. I also make my own body butter, bronzer, lip balm, and deodorant (the recipes or links below). It is fun and easy to make your own body care items, and you will know what is in them!
If you want to feel your best, I would urge you to be kind to your body and be very careful what you put on it! You can eat the best organic foods and be doing everything else healthy but still be bombarding yourself with chemicals every day. Every little change for the better you make matters!
Rosemary Orange Coconut Deodorant
Recipe adapted from Mind Body Green
1/4 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
1/8 cup cornstarch
1/8 cup arrowroot powder
10 drops orange essential oil
6 drops rosemary essential oil
1 Tbsp baking soda*
In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, then pour into an empty deodorant container, or a glass jar (I just set it on my counter, remove about 1/4 tsp with my hands and rub it into my armpits when I want to apply) and set in the fridge until solid (if your home is cool enough, you can store it on the counter, which is what I do and it is soft enough to rub in, but if your house is warmer than about 75F, then you should store it in the fridge (and if you are using a jar, you will have to chip out pieces to use).
*Note, some people are sensitive to baking soda on their skin, if this is you, leave it out.
DIY Bronzer
ground Cinnamon
ground Nutmeg
cacao powder
Mix the three together in a blend that matches your skin tone. For mine, I use just the cinnamon and nutmeg because I have a fairly light complexion. About 2 tbsp. cinnamon, and 2 tsp nutmeg. If you have a darker complexion or want more definition, use the cacao powder.
Vanilla Bean Rose Body Frosting
