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Organic Health – Fresh Veggie Gardening

Dear Earth’s Enrichers!

????????????????????????????????The idea of all-natural and organic is starting to set in and become an emerging norm. Some families, plant their own vegetables to place on the table at dinner. In addition to growing vegetables, they have the option to grow herbs and spices. In starting a personal garden, you could have an endless supply of what you need to cook and what you use to season your food. Not to mention, it saves money!

Now, before we go any further, it is important to realize that planting your own personal garden is a lot different from foraging. Foraging is for the experts! If you are used to going to the grocery store and buying your produce, then foraging is not for you. Foraging is the ability to identify different plants as edible/non-poisonous, collect them, and prepare them in a way that is safe for the body to process.

Unless you are well trained and have an extensive amount of experience, it is not a good idea to pick plants that you personally did not grow. You could end up with a serious case of poisoning. All of the vegetables that were deemed beneficial and good for a human being to eat have a doppelganger. Doppelganger, in the sense that there are very dangerous plants that look almost the same as the safe ones. There are slight differences in the plants that trained foragers or botanists are able to see. This protects them from making the wrong choice and they also know how to prepare certain edibles properly.

However, if you lack the foraging skills, planting a personal garden can help you have those fresh organic vegetables without possible detrimental outcomes. It could also help you save money on groceries and spices/herbs. Now, if you don’t have a green thumb, don’t worry. There are starter packets that can provide you with all the info and “how to do’s” of organic gardening.

Starting a vegetable garden maybe a fun hobby for the summer. It will take some care and patience but it has superb benefits that are financial, recreational, and healthy. This way you know you are making a healthy decision for your family.

The EE 411:

Gardening Tips & Benefits

When first beginning to garden, it is important to keep a few things in mind:
• Find or designate a place with less to no contaminates like run-off pollution, animal excretions, or pests.
• Study and research the kind of vegetable plants you want to have in your garden and determine their proper environment.
• Find a good starter kit that suits your needs like an herb or vegetable starter.
• Look for fertilizers, plant food, and potting soils that have the right nutrients and lack harsh chemicals.
• Patience and water are key.

Having a garden to plant your own produce has benefits. For Example:
• Store-bought organic vegetables can be very hard on the wallet/pocketbook; gardens can reduce the cost of having this healthier option.
• Extra handling that comes from the transportation of the produce to its destination like to the market, or the warehouse is eliminated.
• Gardening gives you something to do with your family a memorable hobby you can all share and enjoy the end product together at the dining table.

Here are some awesome websites to help you get started:
Organic GardeningBeginner’s Guide to Organic Gardening
Good House KeepingOrganic Gardening Tips

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments.  Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog.  More information about our  company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!) 

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Lip Balm – Nourishing Lip Balm

 

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Lip Balm - Nourishing Lip BalmThe weather is now at its finest and also, minus the humid days, it’s driest. Usually, the spring is known for its nice breezy days with moist rainy weather and the occasional thunderstorm. While, on the other hand, summer is known for its intense heat and days without rain. This means it kind of gets dry. Sometimes, like in the harsh winter, it can dry out your skin, especially your lips.

When the weather dries and the body starts to become thirsty or slightly dehydrated, the lips can start to become chapped and dry. It is important to stay hydrated and moisturize your skin, including having a lip balm and practicing healthy lip care.

We at EE narrowed down two main ingredients that we use in our lip balm that are sure to provide your lips with the nourishment they need. These ingredients are coconut oil and shea butter, which are well known for providing protection for your skin.

Coconut oil is a moisturizer that does more than hydrate your skin; it helps repair dry and damaged skin. Peeling, flaking, or rashes can be healed with regular usage. When lips are dry, they tend to peel and flake, which can cause pain or discomfort.

Coconut oil works great on other parts of your skin, so why not put it on your lips? It would leave them smooth and protect them from any sun damage as well—another grand benefit of coconut oil!

Shea butter and coconut oil are the perfect match when it comes to creating a fusion base for a lip balm. Shea butter is a natural moisturizer and it is great for soothing the skin, after the coconut oil regenerates and heals the skin, the shea butter maintains your lips silkiness and nourishes them. Also, just like coconut oil, shea butter can protect against aggressions like wind, cold, and sun making them a great team when it comes to lip care.

The EE 411:

Please welcome Lemongrass Mint, Honey Vanilla, and Coconut Chai lip balms. These lip balms have the coconut oil and shea butter fusion base. However, there are some other awesome ingredients in these lip balms that are dedicated to healthy lip care.

In Lemongrass Mint, we added lemongrass and peppermint. Peppermint helps nourish your skin, while lemongrass helps ward off skin infections or fungus, which is great protection to have for your lips. Just think, how many times do your fingers, writing utensils, or other foreign things touch your lips?

Honey Vanilla is made with vanilla and honey. Not only does it produce a great aroma, but these ingredients are also great for your skin. Vanilla can help reduce stress and prevents the damaging of skin cells. It also helps improve skin tones. It can boost your lips’ natural color. Then honey swoops in with the protection. It helps protect your skin from harmful sun rays and also helps hydrate your lips.

Last but certainly not least, Coconut Chai has cinnamon. Cinnamon helps bring various nutrients to the surfaces of your skin. Not to mention, it has an invigorating fragrance.

Share with Us: What are some of your favorite lip balm flavors?

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments.  Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog.  More information about our  company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!) 

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Body Balms – Moisturizing Body Balms

 

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Body Balms - Moisturizing Body BalmsWe hope that you are enjoying this beautiful weather! Since the weather is becoming a little more consistent and the temperature is on the rise, it’s about that time for the tank tops and shorts! Now, we have to ask, what do you put on your skin to keep it nourished and moisturized? Are you a lotion person or a body balm person?  

What are Body Balms?

You do know the difference between lotions and body balms, right? Lotion, of course, moisturizes but it is not as thick or as creamy as a body balm. Lotions are made of oils and water. Body balms are much more dense and contain less water and more oil.

Why People use Body Balms?

One of body balm’s primary purposes is to moisturize skin effectively in a way that lotion cannot moisturize. The lotions you use may contain too much water and may not be giving your skin the level of moisturizing it needs.

Since body balms contain less water, they have enough of the proper oils to nourish the skin. When an individual applies lotion and it takes a good glob or handful of lotion to effectively nourish your skin, then a body balm may be what you need. It takes less than a big glob and can be used on the legs, face, arms, and feet.

Now, lotion is not all bad, but it is more convenient for you and healthier for your skin if you know how much moisturizer to apply. Lotion may not be enough to help you reach smooth, nourished, and moisturized skin. Also, it’s troublesome when you have too much of the lotion in your hands. Have you ever put too much lotion in your hands and looked for someone or something to wipe it on? Confess up!

Not to mention that wasting the lotion is kind of like losing money. Body balms usually come in a jar like ours. That way if you take too much you can just put it back in the jar and close the lid. Also, it is important to be careful when using dense oils to moisturize your skin, especially if you have naturally oily skin. Too much oil can cause break outs. So, use dense moisturizers responsibly.

What are the benefits of Body Balms?

If used appropriately, body balms can have many great effects on the skin. It’s a means of moisturizing your skin without suffocating it. They also give your skin a natural glow and make it more vibrant.

Body balms also come in many different fragrances. Each scent can come with its on benefits based on the ingredients that are used. For instance, here at EE we have three different scents: Lemon Fresh Shea, Calming Spa Seaweed, and Lavender of the Valley.

Before we go into the individual benefits, there are three main shared ingredients that we use in our balms. These ingredients produce the basic benefits of each balm. The three ingredients are sunflower oil, shea butter, and coconut oil. Sunflower oil helps the skin regenerate, reducing scars, improving aged skin, and has vitamins A, D, and E, while Coconut oil prevents the skin from flaking, helps with rashes, and protects against sun damage. Shea butter is a natural moisturizer that soothes the skin and helps protect it from elemental radicals like the wind and sun.

In EE’s Lemon Fresh Shea Body balm, we have other ingredients like lemongrass which wards off infections and fungus. In Calming Spa Seaweed, there are ingredients like seaweed and rosemary mint. Seaweed helps protect and nourish the skin while increasing blood circulation and combating inflammation. Rosemary mint soothes the skin and relieves any itch or irritation. It also is great for nasal and respiratory problems. In Lavender of the Valley, there is lavender which helps you relax and has gentle healing benefits. We invite you to try them and see which one is to your liking.

The EE 411:

As you all know, we encourage you to try things that are good for your health, not just for your skin but your overall wellness. In order to effectively maintain good health, it is important to know what is best for your body.

Body balms are great for the skin, but they must be used wisely and appropriately. Pay attention to where your body prefers deeper moisturizers. If skin on parts of your body produce more oils than others, keep it duly noted. You do not want to over burden your skin with oils.

Also, if you find that some places are more likely to become dry, then it may be the primary spot you want to apply the body balm. If used excessively without proper hygiene, the oils in the body balm could clog the pores. That is why it is important to know how much is too much for your skin and maintain your body’s cleanliness. That way you and your body know and have a proper balance.

Share with Us: Do you use body balms? If so, how and where do you use them?

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments.  Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog.  More information about our  company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!) 

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Organic Health – GMO Behind the Scenes

 

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

Organic Health- GMO Behind the ScenesOne day you’re casually perusing around your usual market and you stumble across a product that says No-GMO. You think to yourself what is that? GMO? Does it have something to do with the military? Is it poisonous or toxic? Why No-GMO? To be able to answer these questions that this strange notation produces, you must first realize GMO is an acronym for genetically modified organism. How many of you knew that?

Genetically modified organisms are animals or plants that have been biotechnically altered for “better” appearance, taste, and/or longevity. This way, they combine aspects of different species and create something that cannot be created naturally. Whether GMO is natural or not is currently up for debate– it’s really quite a controversial topic in the industry.

GMOs are becoming increasingly popular due to the lack or over usage of some resources like plants. They were also deemed necessary to grow because of the need for successful crops.

Pests and the survival of crops have been problems for years, and GMO’s were a resolution to those problems—in other words, GMO products have been around, used, and eaten for years.  It seems that research now has shown some concerns with ingesting or using GMOs.

GMOs have been connected to increases in weight, kidney problems, and liver problems.  Also, in larger quantities of GMO foods, herbicides have been detected. Yet, all of this information is inconclusive since there hasn’t been any definitive research showing a direct connection between GMOs and these problems. Nor has the government actually ruled whether or not GMO’s are safe.

As far as effects on the skin, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has declared that there isn’t any evidence that GMOs negatively affect the skin. Some researchers have found inconclusive connections to Morgollens disease. As we say at EEknow your skin. Pay attention to the products you use and listen to your skin. If irritations begin to happen, notify your doctor or a specialist.

You should also learn your products. Research what may be GMO and what is not because many companies do not label it. Be aware that some products that say “all-natural” or even some products containing organic ingredients can also contain GMOs. 

The EE 411:

Some companies do not label whether their product have or do not have GMOs. Here are a few ingredients that can be genetically modified:

  • Canola
  • Corn
  • Corn oil
  • Corn flour
  • Soy bean
  • Lecithin
  • Proteins that can come from yeast
  • Flax
  • Rice
  • Cotton
  • Wheat
  • Vitamin C
  • Citric Acid
  • Corn Syrup
  • Flavorings that are natural or artificial

There are many more products that can be GMO. The best way to make sure your food or skin care product doesn’t contain GMOs is to look for the USDA Certified Organic Seal or a specific “non-GMO” designation; those products cannot contain GMOs. To be careful, just to be on the safe side, some companies are cutting out GMOs, joining GMO- free companies such as EE.

When you have some free time, do a little research on your own. That way you can discover all the answers to your questions.

Share with Us: Anything on the list that surprised you? Or is there anything you’d like to add? What do you think about GMOs?

(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments.  Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog.  More information about our  company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!)