vegan Archives

Posted on April 3, 2014August 7, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Healthy Lifestyle – The Necessities of Water

There are a few of you out there that when you think about water, just a plain glass of water, you cringe. Then there are those who think about it and find the thought refreshing. We can understand that those of you who don’t like just plain water, might find it bland and unexciting. However, even though that is one con, the benefits of water definitely out weigh it.

Our bodies are made up of about 70% water. This keeps our body balanced and moist so we don’t dry out. It is a primary element in cells and helps them communicate with each other. Keeping your body hydrated properly helps your cells function. An individual should be drinking about eight cups of water a day, but this also depends on different factors.

These factors depend on how physically active a person is and how much they sweat, the amount of heat an individual is exposed to on a daily basis, the amount of soft drinks that person consumes, and also the amount of caffeine they ingest. Under these conditions, eight cups a day may need to be increased.

For instance, a person who drinks a lot of coffee may have to urinate more than average and thus waste a lot of their body’s water supply. This wasted supply must be replenished. Exercise, depending on intensity, also uses up the body’s water storage. Water is important during exercising because it keeps you from dehydrating when you sweat.

There are signs that your body will give you to let you know that you aren’t drinking enough water or getting hydrated. A sign of not drinking enough water can be seen in the color of your urine, it generally should be a pale yellow. If it is a dark yellow, you should go buy a really big, fancy water bottle because you are not drinking enough water.

Signs of dehydration or thirstiness are pretty easy to remember and you probably have noticed them once or twice. A sign of being thirsty is drying of the mouth, which usually fixes right up with a quick swig of refreshing water. Some signs of dehydration are fainting, confusion, dry mouth or swollen tongue, weakness, dizziness, and being sluggish. If a person experiences these symptoms and is dehydrated do not introduce excessive amounts of water, and seek medical attention from a professional.

How to keep your body from getting to that point of dehydration…keep yourself hydrated! Keep a bottle of water with you at all times. Even when it is cold, you can get dehydrated. We don’t recommending gulping down eight cups all at once; that is just the recommended doses throughout a day. Know your body, when you feel your mouth getting dry or you start to develop a headache, take a few sips. It could do you some good. Listen to your body.

The EE 411:

For those of you that are not the biggest fans of water, there are other ways to get your daily intake of water, although, a cup of water is better.

Fruits- These are some examples of fruits that are highest on the list to contain the most water:

Watermelon is about 90% water
Oranges
Grapefruit
Cantaloupes
Honeydew

Vegetables– these do not contain as much water as the fruits do.

Celery
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Green peppers
Romaine lettuce

Other foods/drinks– these foods have water in them as well

Oatmeal
Yogurt
Soup
Smoothies
Sports drinks
Flavored water

There are some benefits of staying hydrated:

Balances body fluids
Keeps calories in check
Fuels muscles
Keeps skin looking good and refreshed
Helps your kidneys sort through waste
Promotes normal bowel functions
Boosts energy helping with fatigue
Filters out toxins
Improves immune system
Helps body stave off cramps and sprains

Share with Us: After reading this, for those of you who disliked water, do you feel better about? Did it help you find new options? How about those of you who have always been fans of water?

(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!)

Posted on March 27, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Healthy Lifestyle – Preservatives: Facts & Fiction

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

What exactly keeps our foods and hygiene products from going bad too soon? What keeps what you buy from decomposing? There are preservatives in your food, hygiene products, and medicine that keep them fresh until the day they expire. Preservatives come in natural and synthetic forms, which means they are not all so bad for you.

Preservatives both natural and synthetic keep your products from falling victim to mold and bacteria that will cause them to decompose. Natural preservatives like salt and honey are actually produced in nature. Natural preservatives are not tampered with by outside agents like chemicals.

Synthetic preservatives are not natural, although some can be created with natural ingredients and chemical substitutes. These man-made preservatives are and designed to preserve and they fulfill their purpose well. However, sometimes these kinds of preservatives can have adverse effects on the health.

For instance, food preservatives like MSG (or Monosodium Glumate) can cause headaches, flushing, and other symptoms for those who are allergic to it. In hygiene or skin care products, there are some chemical preservatives like sulfates and parabens that also have adverse health effects. As an example, sulfates are used in cleaning agents and also used in hygiene products like shampoo. They have a tendency to dry out the skin and cause irritation.

It is recommended if you have sensitive skin that you try to avoid chemical/synthetic preservatives. There are three main reasons why preservatives are used: to improve freshness, taste, and quality. They are not always made with the consumer’s health in mind. Learn your body and listen to it. Pay attention to its signals, it will tell you what it does and does not like.

The EE 411: Some Facts and Fiction

Preservative Facts:
- There are natural preservatives!
- Yes, there are adverse health effects with artificial preservatives (especially if you are allergic to them).
- The FDA regulates both natural and artificial preservatives.
- Antioxidants (sulfites, vitamin C, and E) are forms of preservatives.
- You can overuse products with preservatives (too much is never good).
- Pickling is a form of preserving, like salting. Vinegar is another natural preservative.
- High fructose corn syrup should be ingested responsibly.
Preservative Fiction:
- All preservatives are chemically made.
- Natural preservatives perform the same as synthetic chemicals.
- All bacteria is bad and must be eliminated.
- Preservatives are all safe without adverse health effects.
- Using products with artificial preservatives responsibly can have the same adverse health effects as using them irresponsibly.
- Artificial preservatives all have the same adverse health effects.

Share with Us: What other kinds of natural preservatives do you know about? Have you used any?

Posted on March 11, 2014August 7, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Ear Health

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

Your senses are all very important: seeing, tasting, touching, smelling, and hearing! But for now, we’re going to focus on your ears which help you enjoy music, pay attention to your surroundings, consume information at work, and aid in many other aspects of life. Lots of things happen to your ears in a day. They are sometimes ignored, scratched, and get headphones shoved into them. Ears are sometimes so unappreciated. So, here’s to your ears and how to take care of them!

Let’s start with answering one of the biggest questions about ears: cotton swabs or no cotton swabs? It is important to understand that (say this out loud) ear wax is good! Ear wax is the ear’s way of protecting itself. To clean it all out is actually contributing to possible injury to your ear.

Ear wax acts as a natural antibiotic and water proofing agent. It keeps the water and germs out and away from your ear drum. Clearing out too much of it heightens the chances for an ear infection. Another thing you should know before we answer the big question is where exactly your ear drum is.

Objects are closer than they appear; your ear drum is close to the outside of your ear. This makes puncturing of necessary parts of your ear more likely than you think. Lastly, the ear canal, if cleaned improperly, can actually back up with ear wax and cause damage or impair hearing. Gives a whole new meaning to folks telling you to clean your ears when you couldn’t hear, remember that?

So here’s the moment you have all been waiting for! Evidence shows that cleaning your ears with a cotton swab may not be the best idea after all. Cotton swabs make the chance of accidentally puncturing your ear drum greater since it’s difficult to know how far you are reaching in.

When cleaning with cotton swabs there is a chance you could end up pushing the ear wax into the ear canals. This could lead to impacting them and then it would require professional help to de-compact them.

What is recommended to clean, when it comes to ears, is the excess ear wax. Excess ear wax, or overflow, can cause infections. Nothing smaller than a finger should generally go in your ear, and you shouldn’t need anything larger than that to clean off the excess wax. For more information on how to clean your ears, ask your doctor or medical professional; that way she or he can give you a method that best works for your ears.

The EE 411: Things to Know about Ears

Avoid cotton swabs
Generally nothing smaller than your finger should enter your ear
Itching inside the ear can mean over cleaning; consult an expert before irritation worsens
Ear wax is good! It helps keep your ears safe.
Excess ear wax could cause infection.

Here’s a fun fact: when you eat something sour or something extremely sweet there is a sensation that travels through the jaw and ends toward the ear, have you ever felt it? It happens because there is a branch of nerves that travels from your taste buds to mid-ear called the Chorda Tympani.

Posted on March 5, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Health – GMO Behind the Scenes

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

One 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 EE, know 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?

Posted on February 26, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic v. All-Natural Skin Care

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

As you begin or continue your quest to a healthier living, you will or have already come across the products with the labels “all-natural” and “organic.” These labels, although they are both products that are meant for healthy living, are very different. It is important to know the differences between them. This is for many reasons:

Lifestyle
Beliefs
Necessity or need

Also, for those of you that are new to the world of natural and organic skin care, the information can help you decide whether you’re team all-natural or team organic—there will be some of you who cheer for both teams.

Skin care products that are “all-natural” use ingredients that comes from natural resources. Basically, any resource that comes from nature, itself. They are minimally processed and do not contain any synthetic chemicals, yet some natural ingredients can be synthesized.

An example of this would be putting additional vitamins into a product that does naturally contain those vitamins. Let’s say for example vitamin E is synthetically created, and placed within a product. This product will have the benefits of vitamin E, but not the actual thing.

However, ingredients that are “organic” do not use natural synthetic replacements for natural products. They use the real natural deal derived from living organisms, water, and sea salt are not considered organic material because although it comes from natured it was not derived from a living organism. They also cannot be genetically modified (GMO’s) do not contain any chemical preservatives. This would include artificial flavors, etc.

There are carrying levels of organic products made with organic ingredients. A USDA certified product must contain at least 95% organic content; the company must also have its facilities, ingredients manufacturing procedures and packaging certified to make sure the process matches with the USDA requirements. A product can still be considered organic or contain organic materials, but basically without that USDA certification seal you are taking the company’s word for it. So, pay close attention to the labels and ingredients because it makes a difference.

A less restrictive level of “Organic Products” are those containing at least 70% organic content. These products can be described as being “made with organic ingredients” may and can contain synthetic chemicals, preservatives, or GMO. So, be careful and read what you use. You’ll be surprised at what you find sometimes.

As for lifestyle, beliefs, and necessity or need, these reasons contribute to helping you decide which team you’re on. If you don’t believe in the creation or use of genetically modified organism (like plants and/or food), then you may want to go the route of organic. If your skin does not “agree” with chemicals or synthetic ingredients and you don’t want to risk it with “all-natural,” you may want to go organic as well.

Lifestyle plays a big role in what you chose because this not only incorporates your needs/necessities but incorporates your accessibility or the amount of funds you are willing to extend towards all-natural and or organic skin care.

In some cases, you may find that organic skin care may be more expensive than all-natural skin care at the moment. Or that all-natural or organic skin care may still be too much. This is okay and understandable.

As we mentioned last week, companies are starting to realize that all-natural and organic skin care is what it needed. The rise of all-natural and organic skin care products has made accessibility to both worlds much easier. Now-a-days it’s becoming easier to not have to choose between the two. You can have both all-natural and organic, while looking out for the benefits you need for your skin.

The EE 411:

Organic Ingredients:

Defined as coming from living biological matter like plants.
Government regulated and certified
Contains no artificial or chemical anything
No GMO
No synthetic natural replacements like synthetic vitamins
Can be USDA certified

All- Natural Ingredients:

Not regulated in skin care
Cannot be USDA certified
Can be altered and contain preservatives
Can also contain perfumes and some chemical ingredients
May be more affordable and offer more product options

There are other healthy living skin care categories out there, did you know? Although, they are sometimes incorporated into organic and all-natural skin care they are not always recognized as their own categories. Mostly because the products can’t always satisfy all the requirements of each group. Other skin care categories are Vegan and Cruelty-free.

Some products may be all-natural and/or organic but still test their products on animals which violates the cruelty-free rules. Cruelty-free means not testing their products on animals, or causing harm to animals in the development of the product.

Then, in the cases of vegan, some all-natural and organic skin care products use ingredients that come from animals and other living creatures. This means that the product may be totally organic, drawing from natural resources that come from living creatures. This violates the rules of being a vegan product. Vegan products contain no ingredients that come from living creatures.

EE’s products are an example of the new found access to all-natural, organic, non-gmo, cruelty-free, gluten-free (except Honey Granola), and vegan (except Honey Granola). Try some body bars that can give the experience of all these traits and see how it makes your skin feel.

Share with Us: Are you team all-natural, team organic, or team both? Why?

Posted on February 19, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Skin Care on the Rise?

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

Over the years products, like skin care, have been made with the idea of efficiency and effectiveness. It had to work properly, which meant actually cleaning or moisturizing the hair or the skin, for example. To do this, some companies used chemically made substances that fulfilled the product’s primary purposes.

These products were also made to have a powerful, yet delightful smell of the customer’s choosing. Usually these scents were made from affordable and easily acquired materials like artificial scents which can be chemically based as well. The sort of ingredients that these companies turned to can have latent and sometimes extreme effects on the skin. Also, the customers could be allergic to these chemicals without knowing it.

To test the safety of these products for human beings, some companies turned to animal testing. That meant if the product was not safe for humans, then, well, you know what would happen. Over the years, research and discovery have linked certain skin care problems/health risks to certain chemicals in skin care like parabens, sulfates, etc.

Individuals also began to become concerned about their skin health. Noticing that some products they used seemed to only further worsen some conditions like eczema or create extremely dry skin. Thus, a need for products that contained better solutions for getting the job done became apparent.

Organic and all-natural skin care became a better solution for cleanliness and other needs, offering products that not only aid your skin with some irritants, but also keep and maintain its healthiness. For instance, oatmeal can help relieve the irritation of eczema.

So if you’re wondering why organic skin care is important and how it became so popular, think about the secure feeling you have washing your child in all-natural, organic, and safe ingredients that support your child’s skin and help keep it healthy. Or imagine the peace of mind you may have knowing that you don’t have to worry about the possible adverse effects of sulfates when you’re bathing with rosemary mint or chai tea. It’s a wonderful feeling, isn’t it?

The EE 411:

There are a whole lot of options now-a-days to find products that are all-natural or organic. There are blogs, websites, and whole companies dedicated to putting your needs first, like here at EE. There are also options and information out there that can give you alternatives in relaxation, hair care and skin care.

The best alternatives to helping maintain your health are eating well and exercising. Eating well pertains to taking in foods that will benefit your skin, hair, and internal health. Exercising helps regulate your body and keeps your body active. This maintains weight and emotional/mental health as well.

Take care of your body inside and out. Listen to your body and discover its likes and dislikes. Doing this could help you maintain/achieve great health. Of course, regularity is important too—no matter how much you may hate it.

Share with Us: Describe your stories and experiences with organic or all-natural skin care products.

Posted on February 13, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Organic Tea – Floral Tea Bouquet

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

On Valentine’s Day a bouquet of flowers is another nice gift to give to your loved ones, but did you know that some of those very same lovely flowers can come in a delicious, floral variety of teas? If you want to try something new and innovative this year, especially if your loved one fancies teas, we think a floral tea bouquet would make a perfect way to say “I love you.” This way you incorporate something into your gift that not only stimulates his or her senses, but also provides a healthy alternative to sugar filled treats.

There are many kinds of floral teas from lavender to rose bud. They provide assistance with many aspects of health including but not limited to aromatherapy. Imagine sitting in your favorite chair, surrounded by warmth, after a long day of work with a fresh batch of your favorite tea brewing.

The aroma wafting around you as it brews, and you indulging yourself in its welcoming fragrance. As you inhale, the long day is pushed aside and all troubling thoughts seem to evaporate. All of this and you haven’t even taken a sip yet.

Floral tea has a wonderful scent when brewed and some kinds have been recommended for stress relief like lavender, chamomile, and white chrysanthemum. Others are known for their empowering and robust fragrances like rose or rosehip.

Some floral teas have been prescribed by TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) practitioners. For example, chrysanthemum tea is recommended as a natural coolant. It has also been used to help with sore throats, and some respiratory problems. It’s also naturally caffeine free.

In some instances, floral teas can be categorized as herbal teas. They also have a tendency to be mixed with other teas like green, oolong, or black. Also, as we always say, know your body. If you are allergic to pollen or a certain type of flower don’t try them or ask your doctor is it is okay to drink.

The EE 411: Floral Tea Benefits

Below are a few examples of floral teas and some of the health benefits they are known to possess. Remember, some of these health benefits being effective depends on varying circumstances and may not always provide you with the intended outcome. We encourage you to research more if you are interested and want to better understand the floral teas.

White Chrysanthemum– can contain Vitamin C, helps reduce some discomfort in colds (antiviral and antispirochetal), caffeine free, natural coolant, can help detoxify the liver, eases digestion, and helps relieve sore throats and respiratory problems.

Chamomile– a natural relaxant, helps achieve better sleep, helps ease stomach or intestinal problems, helps ease migraines (headaches), helps with stomach and menstrual cramps.

Hibiscus– helps reduce blood pressure, moderates cholesterol, helps with coughing, can relax muscles and upset stomach.

Rosehip– Contains Vitamin C, helps with colds, helps with stomach irritations, helps with weight loss, high blood pressure, constipation, and could help with some symptoms of arthritis.

Rose Bud– sometimes caffeinated, contains vitamin C, soothes nerves, and eases constipation.

Lavender– helps relieve indigestion and insomnia, can help with migraines, also can help relieve anxiety.

Be careful when trying new things, and remember there can always be too much of a good thing.

Also, just for your info check out our website for great Valentine’s Day sales. Save 15% on your entire order (placed between 2/1/14-2/15/14) plus get free shipping on orders over $49. Use the promo code: LOVE.

Share with Us: Do you have a favorite floral tea?

Posted on February 6, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Fruits for Your Valentine

Dear Earth’s Enrichers

Love is in the air! It’s Valentine’s Day, are you planning anything special? Whether you’re sharing gifts or actually spending time with one another, Valentine’s Day is the perfect moment to do so! Aside from red boxes of chocolates, EE would like to share other red goodies that could symbolize romance as well as good health.

To keep your Valentine’s Day healthy and unforgettable, looking at other culture’s means of romance is a great way to discover riveting romantic tales and find tasty treats that are beneficial to your health. That way your treat for Valentine’s Day won’t be a guilty pleasure. One of the fruits that is represented as a positive symbol is an apple. The apple does more than keep the doctor away! In the Greek culture the apple can symbolize love and passion. A ticket to romantic happiness, if you will. In other cultures like the Chinese culture, it is a symbol of peace and is eaten around their New Year. So, this Valentine’s Day you could feed each other apples to set a peaceful, romantic mood.

Another fruit that represents multiple romantic notions and is quite perplexing in itself is the pomegranate. The pomegranate symbolizes passion. In some Indian cultures, it symbolizes prosperity and fertility. This is a great fruit to decorate the plate with and while you wait for the meal, snack on. Also, if you are not into wine, pomegranate juice is a great substitute for wine with a similar color and sweeter flavor.

Grapes and wine. Both interchangeably romantic as they symbolize a transformation from one good thing to another. In Greek culture, grapes symbolized fertility, which could mean abundance in many things. Then after feasting on grapes you and your loved one can move on to the wine. Although, this is about red things of amore (love), white wine is better for your teeth, but red wine also has great health benefits as well as a rich flavor. It is recommended to drink it through a straw. A perfect excuse to share a special moment with your loved one.

Last but certainly not least, the popular aphrodisiac the strawberry. It’s an aphrodisiac in Rome, France, and Greece. It goes great with champagne and even better with sugar, chocolate or sweet cream. This delicious treat would be great to share as an after dinner snack… a romantic end to a lovely evening.

The EE 411: Health Benefits

Here are few listings of health benefits to romantic red fruits:

Strawberry– Vitamin C, antioxidants, boosts immunities, promotes great eye health, helps fight cancer, helps fight wrinkles, reduces inflammation, helps regulate blood pressure, and boosts fiber.

Apple– helps whiten and make teeth healthier, helps protect against Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, decreases risk of diabetes, reduces cholesterol, helps prevent hemorrhoids, irritable bowl, constipation, and diarrhea, and helps control weight.

Pomegranate– antioxidants, benefits the heart and blood vessels, lowers cholesterol.

Grapes– about 100 calories a serving, vitamins K and C, and full of antioxidants.

Wine– promotes longevity, reduces heart-attack risk, risk of heart disease, risk of type 2 diabetes, lowers risk of stroke, reduces the risks of cataracts, and cuts risk of colon cancer.

Share with Us: Do you have any red healthy treats for Valentine’s Day that you recommend?

Posted on January 29, 2014August 21, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Natural Skin Care – Remedies

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Time for a skin care trip to the past! Ever wonder how they came about? Skin care remedies have been passed down over the years. Remember all those stories that your mom and grandmom used to tell you about home remedies to help with your skin care? The truth is that there are a lot of similar remedies shared by many cultures with their children and their children’s children.

If you look at many organic or all-natural skin care products, you will notice that some of those ingredients that your loved ones told you about can be found in them. Some examples are honey, oatmeal, avocado, milk, and so on. Their benefits tend to vary and some can have multiple benefits.

Imagine way, way back then, having just finished a bath with your skin beginning to dry and become ashy; what do you think they would use? They might also have to worry about skin ailments like eczema, callouses, acne, and stretch marks/injuries on their skin. For most moisturizing situations, coconut oil would be very useful. For aliments that would need aid in healing or to ease the discomfort, aloe vera would be useful. Both are included in many organic skin care products today.

There are many other remedies used by people all over the world that help them maintain healthy skin. This would even include the way you eat. A healthy balance of both food and hygiene makes for a remedy of healthy living!

In some countries like China, they still practice their old remedies that have been passed on from generation to generation. Traditional Chinese Medicine or, as coined, TCM uses herbs and food for certain ailments. A specialist or YiSheng, would conduct a physical to assess your ailments then give you the proper dosage of herbs and a proper diet to aid in good health. This approach focuses around the concept of Yin and Yang, that healthy eating and hygiene (in the sense of taking care of yourself) helps balance out your health.

Really, if you think about it—good skin health should equal all around good health. Switching to organic or all-natural skin care should be the first step to better healthier decisions. So if you’ve already moved on to organic, all-natural products start thinking about incorporating healthier foods into your diet like fruits and vegetables. Remember, organic all-natural skin care products cannot fix everything on their own. However, they can be helpful in aiding in better, healthier skin by avoiding ingredients that could cause harm to your health.

The EE 411: Highlights on Remedies

There is no guarantee that these remedies will work or even be effective to any extent. As always, know your skin and body to protect your health. These are some highlights of old and new remedies:

Toothpaste- The mint in toothpaste is used to ease the pain of zits that have reached a painful point. Also, mint could be an anti-inflammatory.
Aloe Vera– Used on dry patches, and skin ailments like burns.
Honey, milk, avocado, or almond oil could be used as moisturizers.
Baking soda, lemons, or oatmeal could be used on irritated and itchy skin.
Black tea is used to clot blood (some dentist prescribe it to create blood clots after Wisdom Teeth surgeries).
Crème de Menthe could be used to help stomach nausea.
Apple cider vinegar could be used for acne (dry it out) and with honey may be used to help arthritis.
Sugar or brown sugar- with vinegar or honey was used as an exfoliant.
Ginger- used for colds and to soothe coughing and sore throats.
Alfalfa tea- used to help with arthritis.
Juniper- used by Native Americans on the surface of skin for irritating ailments.

If you are interested in more home remedies that go beyond skin care, check out Pioneer Thinking, where people share their own remedies and suggestions. Just remember though, that people suggest or share what works for them, and this may not be necessarily true for you. Like with Chinese herbal medicine, those specialist prescribe what’s best for you based on your needs, not everyone else’s. Take care!

Share with Us: What are some of your family’s remedies for skincare?

Posted on January 22, 2014August 20, 2015 by Earths — Leave a comment

Flammable Skin Care – Products on Fire

Hey Earth’s Enrichers

Ladies and gentlemen if you look to your left you will see a product of beauty vastly known for containing alcohol and if you look to your right you will see another containing Ethyl Acetate– both of them are products on fire! Well known products such as deodorants, perfumes, nail polish removers, and especially hair sprays can contain high amounts of flammable ingredients. So much so, that if you- don’t try this at home; it is extremely dangerous—sprayed it on a candle it would produce a flame thrower.

The flammable nature of these products is not the only concern. Not only should you use extra precaution when using them, but they are also not very healthy for some types or skin. Flammable products can irritate the skin or dry it out (alcohol). When using perfumes and other products with these ingredients that are sprayable, try to avoid applying them directly on your skin. And of course, do not spray anywhere near a flame.

It is also important to realize, such as with hair spray, that once applied on your body or hair, these products can still put your body at risk. If you wear your hair down and you smoke or are head level to a flame, keep them far out of reach from your hair. The same goes with clothes. Especially for those that like to spray perfume and cologne generously on their clothing —you know who you are—take precautions not to get too close to the flame when cooking or when using a lighter.

When it comes to products that are used directly on skin like deodorant or even sunscreen (ironically), pay close attention to your skin. If you start to notice a change in your skin’s quality or health, you may need to study your products and select something else much more beneficial. What if you have been using these products the whole time? Challenge yourself! Try using organic, all-natural products and see if you feel a difference in your skin. It couldn’t hurt to give it a try.

The EE 411:

Here is a list of products that can contain flammable and/or hazardous chemicals:

Lotions
Hand soap
Make up
Hair spray
Deodorant
Nail polish
Nail polish remover
Fragrances
Hair color

Pay close attention to your products and as we always say, know your skin. If your skin is having difficulty with certain products, first, if it is breaking out or irritated you should consult a professional; second, you should make a switch to products that help benefit and nourish your skin properly.

Tell Us: What has been your experience with organic products that don’t contain flammable ingredients?