Beware of What You Wear (and Eat)

You’ve heard the old saying “You are what you eat.”  Have you ever thought about this one---“You are what you wear”? I kinda get a chuckle out of people who say they’re living an organic lifestyle, but haven’t really considered what is being placed ON the body. That is, they’re eating organic foods but fail to think about what’s penetrating and being absorbed into his/her skin! Think about all the pollutants you’re scrub-a-dubbin on that awesome organ of yours. Yeah, your skin is your BIGGEST organ. Can you say you’re really taking care of it and everything attached to it? I’ve recently put all my products under a microscope. I’m rethinking their claims of brightening the skin, replenishing and rejuvenating those fine lines and sun spots, brightening those teeth or making that dull drab main so silky smooth. Oh just stop it! I know what you’re thinking…. she’s a damn hippy. Well. Maybe. But when I see cancer and other chronic illness rates climbing, you gotta stop and look around and take it upon yourself to become an educated consumer and make the BEST choices to reduce your risks. Because the bottom line is you are your best advocate and you have the freedom to improve your lifestyle with every choice you make.

If you’re like some people I know, the sentiment is, “we’re gonna die from something, so just live. Eat whatever. Do whatever.” No. That’s an ignorant way to live. God gave you a body--------- a body that should be a temple to serve and to be obedient. To testify, to love, to share. Taking the easy way out and living a life of just doing what makes you happiest is selfish and self-destructive. Of course that mantra is easier to accept when you’re asymptomatic, but when the body starts to fail you, then what? Life is fragile. Life is a gift. Let’s give it the healthiest attention and nurturing we can to serve God the way we’re all meant to. Amen?

I honestly set out to bring awareness to the antiperspirant you may be using but as I dug deeper into the research, I wanted to persuade you to take a close look at anything and everything being placed on your skin that could be making us sick or could potentially lead to chronic illnesses. What’s even scarier is the side effects of using products with harmful chemicals can mimic serious illnesses that may be misdiagnosed and mistreated; and I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to take any medication that I don’t need.

My Story
I had a little scare when I found several lumps in my breasts several years ago. It startled me enough to make a serious lifestyle change. I began reading labels and educating myself on toxins in health and beauty products and household cleaning products. There’s dangerous substances in so many products that we may not even be aware of that are making us ill. Or even your pets. The first product I became super interested in finding an alternative for was my antiperspirant. Why? Because the key ingredient that blocks your body from sweating is aluminum. I’m a heavy sweater even when I’m not exercising or exposed to hot temperatures. So I get it. It literally drips down my arms at times. I wore dark colors and sleeveless shirts so the sweat stains weren’t visible. It was sooooooo embarrassing, gross and quite stinky! Nothing worked. I tried the crystal thingy and every other paraben and aluminum free deodorant out there sold by Whole Foods and every other chain store. They were sticky, gummy and by mid-day I smelled like a wet, moldy dog under my pits. Nothing seemed to work until I found this gem.

Nubian deodorant

​YES!!!! I finally found a deodorant that works. It’s for real folks. I’ve purchased and shared this brand with family, friends and clients and all who have tried have confirmed its effectiveness. (SCORE!) I found it at our local health food market, but it can easily be purchased on www.amazon.com.  Go get yours! My favorite scent is Indian Hemp. And this line carries other an entire selection of beauty products. We use the bar soap as well. Another favorite is this shampoo and conditioner by Shea Moisture www.sheamoisture.com.

Shea Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner

Aluminum Dangers
Sweating is our bodies natural way of detoxify, so why in the world are we trying to stop a bodily process that is natural? It’s like controlling your menstrual cycle with meds to skip a period---don’t get me started on that one…just think of all the built up trash lining your uterus because you’re manipulating how your body functions. Ewwww. Sorry guys.
Sadly, aluminum is everywhere. It’s one of the most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust and the more we’re exposed, the greater the risk of toxicity, which is highly dangerous, particularly for brain health. The CDC lists the most common products and how we absorb or ingest it on a daily basis. Some are naturally occurring, but much of our exposure is from products we’re using.

Sources of Aluminum:

• Air
• Antacids
• Astringents
• Water
• Soil (planted fruits & veggies)
• Foods cooked in uncoated aluminum pots and pans
• Foods cooked in Teflon pans
• Buffered aspirin
• Flour
• Cake mixes
• Cooking utensils
• Sunscreen
• Toothpaste
• Commercial teas
• Infant formulas (especially soy based products)
• Soda cans
• Vaccines
• Food additives
• Antiperspirants
• Cosmetics
• Aluminum foil

 Quick Facts about Aluminum:

• An average adult consumes 7-9mg or aluminum daily
• CDC confirms aluminum CAN & DOES enter the body through dermal contact—AKA skin absorption
• May be linked to Alzheimer’s disease, chronic fatigue, epilepsy and other degenerative cognition
• The body excretes aluminum through fecal matter and urine, but when it becomes overloaded, it’s stored in tissues--- the liver, heart, bone, spleen, muscles
• Renal function (kidney functions) can become impaired when levels are above 30mg/L
• A study conducted by The Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry found deposits of aluminum in breast tissue samples of cancer patients, with the highest concentration of aluminum in the tissue that would be closest to the underarm
• The Journal of Applied Toxicology confirms aluminum is absorbed by the body and found aluminum in women’s nipple fluids

Reduce Your Risk NOW
Listen, I’m not trying to scare you; I want you to value your health and make the best choices to nourish our bodies, which ultimately will improve all areas of our lives. Common knowledge isn’t always common practice and I beg you to start making conscious decisions that empowers you to become the healthiest you. So what can we do right now to reduce our risks? Go back and review the list of products that are contaminated with aluminum and get rid of it all—trash it. Chunk it and say ba-bye to it all. Replace it with safer products. Here’s a few ideas and personal references to get you started:

• Replace pots, pans and cooking utensils with cast iron or stainless steel (if you have an iron disorder of any kind, contact your doctor to discuss if cast iron is safe for you to use)
• Avoid antacids—so choose quality foods and avoid foods that give you heartburn in the first place and try a more natural remedy
• Drink distilled water—the purified process generally uses aluminum sulfate to ‘purify’
• Store foods in glass containers
• Don’t cook or store foods in aluminum foil
• Read medication labels; if aluminum is present, consult your doctor
• Dr. Williams advises that you get enough calcium in your diet; it aids as a buffer so the body doesn’t absorb aluminum so freely
• Purchase whole foods (not canned or boxed)
• Get the deodorant I recommended and replace all your beauty products with non-toxic ones.
• For all your local cosmetic needs, contact either of these gals. I personally know them and trust them.

Paige Thompson, Clarity Skin Solutions www.clarityskinsolutions.com
Krista Bleisath, www.beautycounter.com/kristableisath
 
References:

CDC  http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=1076&tid=34
Dr. David Williams http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/avoid-aluminum-for-better-brain-health/
Dr. Joseph Mercola, M.D. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/22/aluminum-toxicity-alzheimers.aspx
Mount Sinai Hospital http://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/aluminum-toxicity
National Institute of Health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21337589
National Institute of Health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782734/
http://www.whale.to/a/alum.html
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Cheers to a Happier, Healthier You!
Tiffany Bryson