Month: February 2015

February 25, 2015

Top 10 Ingredients to Avoid in everyday Personal Care Products

Read about the ingredients to avoid in our everyday personal care products.

For the past month or so I have been attending various seminars, discussions and group events held by The Big Carrot, all related to health awareness. Some of the events allowed me to gain valuable insight to products and ideas that I never knew existed and also educated me on topics that I knew little about, but, wanted to expand my knowledge on. So far, I’ve attended a movie night which featured a documentary called, Living Downstream on cancer survivor and ecologist Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D.. This documentary outlined topics related to cancer and its environmental links. I highly recommend this documentary to anyone who wants to know more on the effects of chemicals in the enviornment. Did you know that there are certain chemcials in our environment, like in trees and soil, that are unable to be broken down by natural means because they are so potent and keep accumulating over time? Well, that’s not all, there are many issues that our enviroment is facing thus, ultimately affecting us and our well-being.

Another seminar I am hoping to attend is on how to change the brain while allowing new chemicals to be formed to help produce healthy thoughts. This is especially important to me because this is something I am working on personally. The most important discussion I did attend to date, is on the Top 10 Ingredients to Avoid in Personal Care Products. After learning about this, I knew I had to share this with you all. Basically the most important thing I took away from all of this is, if you can’t pronounce it, it doesn’t belong on or inside of you. Take a look below at the list of all the chemicals that are used in every day products that we should avoid in order to live a healthier life. READ ALL YOUR LABELS!

  1. PARABENS – METHYL/PROPLY/BUTYL – Parabens are the most widely used preservative in personal care products, they stop fungus and bacteria from growing in creams and cosmetics. Especially if kept in a moist environment such as a bathroom. You will find them in almost all products such as shampoos, conditioners, mascaras, foundations and body lotion.
  2. FORMALDEHYDE – OR FORMALDEHYDE RELEASING AGENTS DMDM HYDANTOIN DIAZONLIDINYL UREA, METHAMINE, QUATERNUM-15 AND MANY MORE – These ingredients are a concern because they are a slow release formaldehyde which continously release small amounts over time into the product.
  3. PHTHALATES – Are a group of chemicals that are used to make plastics but is widely used in perfumes and nail polishes as well. These perfumes can also be used to scent body care products such as lotions, deodorants and body sprays.
  4. PROPYLENE GLYCOL – Is an ingredient widely used in products from brake fluids to snacks. It is commonly used as a solvent in most body care products mostly found in lotions and deodorants.
  5. ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL – Is used in many products as a solvent in perfumes and many other personal cosmetics. It can be used as an antiseptic and in oils to make them quick drying and fast absorbing.
  6. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE – Used as a surfactant, detergent and emulsifier in shampoos, body wash, face wash and toothpaste, a variety of personal care products.
  7. PETROLEUM – MINERAL OIL AND PARRAFIN – These all come from petroleum and fall under the same umbrella. They are widely used in many personal care items along with cosmetics.
  8. ALUMINUM – ALUMINUM COMPOUNDS – Found mostly in deodorants and cosmetics where it could become a potential health risk.
  9. OXYBENZONE-OCTINOXATE – Most commonly found in sunscreen and moisturizers that contain a sunscreen.
  10. ARTIFICIAL COLOURING – Widely used in cosmetics and nail polishes, or any personal care products that add artificial colouring to help with the cosmetic appearance of a product.

Here are some additional great links to look at for more detailed information on these ingredients and certain products;
www.Mercola.com
http://www.womenshealth.gov/
http://skinplicityofcary.com/

mindbodysoul

February 17, 2015

Food As Medicine

I want to talk to you about the importance of food and how it acts as a medicine to help us prolong our lives and cure ailments. Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions have, for thousands of years, been fascinated with the beneficial and healthy properties within specific foods. Did you know that certain foods are considered energizing, while others are considered detoxifying or cleansing? It’s true, different foods have different beneficial properties that target specific problems.

We live in a time where we have become so accustomed to taking prescription medication for almost every itch, sneeze or cough. Medicine not only costs a lot of money, but, we also risk enduring harmful side effects because of these medications. Wouldn’t you rather ingest something natural that’s produced by mother nature instead of something chemically based and man made in a laboratory? Don’t get me wrong, I respect and understand the value of medication, however, I don’t believe we need to pop a pill for every minor health issue.

Did you know that ginger is a natural remedy for nausea? Or how about honey, which is an effective medicine for coughs. Saffron contains antioxidants that protect us against age-related vision loss. Garlic helps thin the blood, thus, lowering the potential risk of stroke. Or nuts, they support heart health and even men’s fertility. There are many beneficial health properties in foods, we just have to take the time to research and understand. And that’s where I come in, to help remind you of how awesome nature really is. Below are a few foods that you may want to look into to help you target specific problems. Take a look and share with your family and friends, because I know, we all could use a little reminder every now and then.

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February 7, 2015

Stop the negative self-talk

For most of my life I’ve dealt with negativity, as I’m sure many people have as well.  The negativity that I’m speaking of is constantly being told that my actions are never good enough or that my performance was just ok.  I hardly ever heard any words of encouragement or appreciation for what I did or tried to do.  I was never told that I made someone proud until my 30th birthday, I am now 31.  I was always compared to other people my age or within my culture and even though I was more successful than others it was never acknowledged.  So, those of you reading this might think, “Well, ok buttercup, just suck it up and move on because life could be worse”.  And yes, you’re right life could definitely be worse.  I could be living in Syria right now and witnessing my family and friends being blown to pieces because of false wars.  But, the reason why I am writing about this is because this negativity that others deal with has now spilled over into my own personality.

I have always been the type of person to look for the best in every bad situation.  I am an encourager and I understand that in order to motivate others and myself you have to build people up, not break them down.  I am fully aware of this, however, after years and years of being spoken to in that manner, I started speaking to myself negatively.  At first, I reasoned with myself and convinced myself that being insulted is a good thing.  In fact, if you go back to my previous blogs you will see I even wrote about how being broken helps push me to make better decisions in life.  However, as I’m noticing my own negative self-talk I am seeing how it actually affects me.  It’s one thing to be spoken to in that manner by others, but, why would I want to speak to myself that way?

I got into a bad habit over the last little while where I would literally stand in front of the mirror and talk down to myself whenever I slacked off or didn’t accomplish a desired goal.  I would tell myself horible things like, “Bitch you don’t deserve this business because you’re lazy”.  Now, I’m not saying this to myself in a derogatory way, whereby, I’m yelling at myself and being condesending.  I’m talking to myself like I would a friend and use the term “bitch” to mean bad ass girl not that I’m actually a bitch.  But, as I kept doing this I realized how negatively this was impacting my emotions.  Instead of walking away feeling uplifted after my pep talk, I felt defeated and be flooded with doubt.  This negative talk was something I had just gotten so used to that talking to myself in a loving manner seemed super foreign and abnormal.

Once I realized the negative implications of negative self-talk I changed my habit and started showering myself with compliments.  I would look at myself in the mirror and tell myself things like, “You are beautiful and you deserve the absolute best” or “You are so talented and you should be proud of yourself for how far along you’ve come.”  The simple choice in talking to myself in a loving manner drastically improved my life and my perspective of myself.  I no longer look at myself with pity or regret, instead I see infinite potential.  I finally don’t need any validation from anyone else because I’m providing that to myself.  The feeling is great, to be told you are amazing, even if it’s you talking to yourself.  So, going forward, I have decided I will forever STOP the negative self-talk and be my own cheerleader.  There is already so much negativity that exists in this world, don’t add to it by being your own worst critic.  Learn to love yourself and speak to yourself in the same manner you would to a boyfriend or girlfriend.  This change in language and attitude will make a huge difference in your life and give you the confidence you need to tackle anything and everything.

mindbodysoul

“By reinforcing negative thoughts, I am giving up on self-worth.” ~ Andrea Marti