Part 1: Clean Body Products

About six months ago I came down with a case of vertigo.  I posted about my experience on Facebook in the hopes of bringing awareness to the condition and the successful treatment I received.  In so doing, a former client of mine who is extremely well-read asked me, “Have you been tested for aluminum toxicity?”  I had not, and when I asked her if it contributed to vertigo she said it has a detrimental effect on the neurological system.

Well, that’s all it took.  A more in-depth discussion with her, an RN/Holistic Health Practitioner friend of mine, and two cancer-survivor clients ensued as I learned about the connection between environmental toxins, cancer and alzheimer’s disease.  I thought I’d covered my bases with my BPA-free water bottle, avoiding artificial chemicals in my food and not microwaving plastic.  Being so health-conscious, how could I have missed this?  Although rates have declined due to better screening and treatments, the fact remains that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.   A whole new world of disease prevention has opened up to me, so I did some research that I want to share:

  1. I am now using deodorant instead of antiperspirant.  I’m finished putting aluminum right next to my lymph nodes, and love the Kiss My Face lavender  deodorant – www.kissmyface.com.  It is scented with all-natural lavender essential oil and smells great.
  2. I said goodbye to SLS (sodium laurel sulfate) which is in most toothpastes, facial cleansers, hand soaps and shampoo.  It’s what makes things lather and has been found in trace amounts in the breast tissue of breast cancer patients.  Toothpaste: Colgate and Crest, take a hike – now it’s Kiss My Face SLS- free Triple Action toothpaste – www.kissmyface.com.  Facial products: I was trying to keep my costs down here with Cetaphil and Oil of Olay but I’ve decided you can’t put a price on your health, so hello Beauty Counter – www.beautycounter.com.  Shampoo: no more Matrix Biolage, now it’s Enjoy – www.enjoyhaircare.com or Beauty Counter hair care products; Hand soap: I tossed my CVS Softsoap and bought Dr. Bronner’s organic pump soap with essential oil fragrances – www.drbronner.com.  On a side note, fragrance is not regulated by the FDA and contains some of the most harmful toxins, but you can never go wrong with essential oils.
  3. No more petroleum or petrolatum: it’s another word for crude oil and is in many body creams, vaseline, lip balm and personal lubricants.  I now use Avalon Organics lotion – www.avalonorganics.com; I got rid of my Burt’s Bees (it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be) and bought EOS Vanilla Bean Stick balm – www.evolutionofsmooth.com; for a “personal lubricant”, good old fashioned olive oil works well vs. the petroleum jelly found at your local pharmacy.
  4. I found a 100% water-based brand of nail polish and remover, free of formaldehyde, petrochemicals, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or other phthalates, Triphenyl Phosphate (TPHP), polyurethanes or polyurethane film-formers, parabens or camphor, mercury, lead, FD&C or coal tar.  Go to www.acquarella.com.  Contact me for tips on quick and easy polish removal.

The bottom line for me is that I feel a whole lot better knowing I’m putting clean, healthy products on my body each day.  Send me your questions or comments and look for my post next month on kitchen products!