tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83104665618334903602024-03-14T02:06:20.854-04:00Escential NewsEscential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-82032019180155010822017-06-18T19:58:00.002-04:002017-06-18T19:58:59.512-04:00<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BOOK REVIEW: The Aromatherapy Beauty Guide Using the Science of Carrier & Essential Oils to Create Natural Personal Care Products</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't give very many book reviews. But every now and then, a book of exceptional value catches my attention and I so very much want to share these rare shining opportunities with you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyone who reads my blog knows that my passion (and my work) is about toxin free products. Indeed, that is the sole reason for the existence of eScential Wellness, my company. As you already know, all of my products are crafted free of the Toxic Ten (or the Dirty Dozen or the Mean Fifteen...all similar lists.) My products are based on science and they work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That being said, there are those of us who just love to create for ourselves, too. Sure, you can buy MY products, but, sometimes you want to personalize your own. Do you like my NaturOil but want a different scent? Or a favorite carrier oil that I don't use? The only way to get exactly what you want is to do it yourself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What to do? Here is your answer! Our own Canadian Danielle Sade has written a definitive text on how to make your own personal care products! And what an excellent volume it is! She covers everything you need to know, in basic, easy to read and understand language. Starting with what skin is, and how it works, to what carrier oils and essential oils are and can do, she provides oodles of recipes for you to follow, but, also provides such a terrific, easy to understand explanation of how to put things together that you can even "tweak" these to get exactly what you want.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Danielle provides information on making your own cleansers, toners, creams, moisturizers, serums, lip care and so much more. She has 30 years of experience teaching aromatherapy and product development. Nothing makes me happier than to say she is also Canadian!!! There is not a better book on the market.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are one of those with an interest in making your own products, you can buy Danielle's book at Amazon.ca here:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.ca/Aromatherapy-Beauty-Guide-Essential-Personal/dp/0778805603/ref%3Dsr_1_1?ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1497828099%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Daromatherapy%2Bbeauty%2Bguide&source=gmail&ust=1497915498524000&usg=AFQjCNGBKaJ1yA2tqEwHRMfH4R1yrmVq6Q" href="https://www.amazon.ca/Aromatherapy-Beauty-Guide-Essential-Personal/dp/0778805603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497828099&sr=8-1&keywords=aromatherapy+beauty+guide" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.ca/<wbr></wbr>Aromatherapy-Beauty-Guide-<wbr></wbr>Essential-Personal/dp/<wbr></wbr>0778805603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&<wbr></wbr>qid=1497828099&sr=8-1&<wbr></wbr>keywords=aromatherapy+beauty+<wbr></wbr>guide</a></span></div>
Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-90356690289629965012016-09-08T20:02:00.002-04:002016-09-08T20:02:31.114-04:00Selling Cosmetics (and more) legally in Canada<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I have learned on this journey! All of eScential Wellness products are duly registered with Health Canada. ANY cosmetic product (which is a product meant to be sold for the purpose of making some portion of you "look" better) has to be registered with Health Canada. The forms look daunting, but, once you get at them, not so bad. You have to supply the ingredients, in what percent they are present in the product, and the purpose of the product.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because this responsibility (of registering) rests with the producer of the product, and not the retailer, what you are going to find as a consumer is that many, many, many products available on the shelves of your favorite Health Food Store are not, in fact, being sold legally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll be honest. I'm not sure how this would affect you as a consumer. If for some reason you were to have an adverse reaction to a product, I have no idea how this would affect your ability to receive some kind of compensation. The producer, we have to assume, with any luck, has insurance if not Health Canada registration. The retailer is not held responsible. So don't expect the store to do much for you, except to return the product to the manufacturer and rely on them to make things right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How can you tell if one of your favorite products is registered? Well, most registered products do not display a registration number. Nor are they obliged to. I will confess that eScential Wellness is so proud of working with Health Canada and doing things according to Canadian law that the number is available both on the website, and, on the label.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the big giveaway is often the wording on the label. The difference between drug and cosmetic is in the wording. A cosmetic cannot use any medical term on the label, nor claim it improves a medical condition. If the product does use these words, it is termed a drug (or, at least, a natural product) that requires a Natural Product Number to be issued. This Natural Product Number (NPN) is always displayed somewhere on the product. Acquiring a NPN is both enormously time consuming, and expensive. eScential Wellness, wanting to do things right, is pursuing NPN's for a handful of products.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, if your favorite Eczema product or Rosacea product uses these words on the label, but does NOT display a NPN, well..it isn't registered as a cosmetic, either. Because the cosmetic people will not issue a number for what is considered a drug. What's the difference? As mentioned earlier, a cosmetic makes you "look" better; whereas a natural product makes you "feel" better, or "fixes" a condition. Plus, no mention of medical terminology (cosmetics don't "heal" or "cure." They cannot be "anti-inflammatory" or improve a condition such as sunburn, or diaper rash, or rosacea.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gets tricky, doesn't it? eScential Wellness was even obliged to remove ALL testimonials whereby happy product users described their own experiences, but, not knowing the legal requirements of course, said that Baby Bum Butter took take of their child's diaper rash, for example. Or, that their Headache went away. Although eScential Wellness was not making claims, apparently, users aren't allowed to, either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can't even attribute medical terminology to <i>the ingredients. </i>So, listing aloe vera gel as an ingredient, for example. You cannot say it is "anti-inflammatory." Or that Baby Bum Butter, which is a mixture of friendly oils and waxes, "forms a water resistant barrier." And so on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rules are often arbitrary, and, often confusing. Unfortunately, what the rules do NOT provide for is a level playing field. Whereas eScential Wellness has met the challenge, the vast majority of my competitors are out there, selling products using terminology and claims that I cannot use.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As always, it's Buyer Beware. Who knew?</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-50090602541747737152016-05-09T17:19:00.003-04:002016-05-09T17:19:45.302-04:00Deodorant<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Warm weather is coming, and, we all want to smell nice. (Don't we?) Conventional deodorants may be effective, but there are plenty of questions regarding their safety. As usual, there are few answers, but, plenty of questions about ingredients.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First up is that darn aluminum. Unfortunately, labels don't always tell the whole story. There are so many aluminum derivatives. Labels may try to "fool" you by listing the ingredients as, say, "bauxite," which is aluminum. Or "alum salts" which is - you guessed it - a form of aluminum. Aluminum is used to block perspiration. And it works. It is not usually found in deodorants, but, rather, antiperspirants which are designed to stop sweating. Maybe not a good idea. Toxicology results </span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">show high levels of aluminum in the brains of patients who died from Alzheimer's. No conclusive evidence can link these higher aluminum levels to deodorant use.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the States, exposure to high levels of aluminum can cause speech disorders, dementia, and other neurological disorders. Again, there is no conclusive evidence showing aluminum salts are absorbed in large enough amounts to cause these neurological problems. Personally, I will avoid aluminum until they can prove to me that it is safe, however. I like to err on the side of caution.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aluminum salts are, however, definitely linked to contact dermatitis - redness and irritation of the skin, in some people.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Breast cancer is another disorder that is thought to be possibly connected to the use of parabens in deodorant. Parabens are preservatives commonly used in deodorants and antiperspirants. Studies are again not definitive. Parabens mimic hormones, which may increase breast cancer risk. Six different parabens were measured in the biopsy samples taken from women with breast cancer. High levels of parabens were found in the area near the armpit, which is where most breast cancers are found. But - no conclusions could be reached. </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The National Cancer Institute did find a link between women who started shaving and using deodorant before age 16, however. This group developed breast cancer at a younger age than women who started shaving and using deodorant at a later age.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What to do? Well...you can discontinue using deodorant all together. Or, try a toxin free deodorant like the one eScential Wellness offers. No aluminum. No parabens, or synthetic fragrance. Free from The Toxic Ten!</span></span><span style="line-height: 20.7px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://escentialwellness.com/products/toxin-free-deodorant</span></span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-27874330459150935552016-04-24T11:07:00.004-04:002016-04-24T11:07:51.377-04:00Spring Cleaning: Dust & Vacuums<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm in the midst of giving my annual Green Cleaning workshops. eScential Wellness is all about Toxin Free, so, Green Cleaning is a natural extension of what I believe in and practice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been reading and updating articles on cleaning, and, discovered some interesting facts about dust! No matter how fastidious we are, you can't escape it. We generate dust from dead skin, fungi, mold, carpet fiber, pet dander, decomposing insects, food particles and soil from our shoes. Cooking and room fresheners put particles into the air that land on our floors and counters. Dust enters through open windows, and from home furnishings, as well as cleaning products which release chemicals into our inside air. So, vacuum it up, right? Turns out the vacuum is part of the problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Home furnishings made before 2005 probably contain many chemicals; including fire retardants that have since been banned in the U.S. (because they had some links to breast cancer.) The Silent Spring Institute released a study that found 66 endocrine disrupting compounds in dust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Exposure to these have been linked to problems with motor skills, learning, memory, hearing and behavioural changes; especially in developing children. Hormone disruptors have links to cancer, brain dysfunction, memory loss, fatigue and infertility. And that's not a complete list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So let's vacuum! Unfortunately, one study (in Environmental Science and Technology) looked at 62 different vacuums (all types, sizes, models, some had special filtration systems to prevent particle escape) but, every single one released dust and bacteria back into the home. Vacuuming is not perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How can we make vacuuming more efficient? Here are some tips:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1) Make sure your vacuum is less than 10 years old. These are more efficient.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(2) Ideally, get one with a HEPA filter, as these are best at capturing, and retaining, dust.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(3) Wash your vacuum filter in a sink full of water, rather than just shaking the dust out of it. It is better cleaned, and, dust does not get back into the household air.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(4) Vacuum your couch and throw cushions. The fabric traps dust and animal dander, and the vacuum can remove these as well as some fire retardant dust (if the furniture was made before 2005.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(5) Hand dust hard surfaces with a damp rag, as dust will adhere to the cloth and not be just recirculated by being pushed back into the air</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(6) Minimize particles brought into the home by placing a doormat both inside and outside the door, and remove shoes on entering your home</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(7) Toss the toxic cleaning products and use your own, homemade, bio-safe and eco-friendly products. Recipes are abundant on the internet!</span><br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-47698416448072925902016-02-13T15:41:00.001-05:002016-02-13T15:41:45.488-05:00The Science of Healing ThoughtsThis title was handily provided by an article in the magazine, Scientific American. Science journalist Jo Marchant brought her considerable research and writing abilities to look into the idea that our mind is, in fact, capable of effecting great changes in our physical body.She noted that, unfortunately, most efforts of practitioners seem designed only to have us hand over our money. But serious science is now providing evidence that not only can our mind help keep us healthy, it can actually promote healing. Yes. Really.<br />
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There has never been any doubt that thoughts can cause physical reactions. Think of the nervous public speaker....before getting in front of a crowd, your heart rate accelerates, your hands sweat. Just thinking about the task ahead changes the body. So it's not a big leap to think that the potential for healing does exist.<br />
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In a nutshell, her research led her to the supported idea that our thoughts influence our immune system. Thus, how we perceive the world can influence the status of our immune system, leaving us better prepared to deal with future threats.<br />
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In addition, there is no doubt that the well known "placebo effect" does exist. But why does it? And under what conditions? Expectations seem to play a big role, but are likely not the only contributing factor.<br />
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Another effective technique in which the mind changes physical perception is to engage the brain in an alternate activity. It seems the "distraction" re-focuses the brain on the task at hand, and, leaves people in pain, for example, perceiving less pain.<br />
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The fascinating thing about these scientific studies is, to me, that they open our own minds to new ways of doing things: new ways of treatment, new possibilities for improvements and cures for a multitude of physical conditions where none currently exists.<br />
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The larger article in the Scientific American magazine can be found here; http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-science-of-healing-thoughts/<br />
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Or, if you are taken with the topic, you might want to locate Marchant's book, "Cure."<br />
http://www.amazon.ca/Cure-Journey-into-Science-Mind/dp/0385348150/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455395822&sr=8-1&keywords=Cure+Jo+MarchantEscential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-77903541836288857462016-01-28T17:15:00.003-05:002016-01-28T17:15:47.138-05:00Frankincense is a Natural Anti-DepressantFrankincense resin has been used in religious and ceremonial practices for literally thousands of years. There are many references to the burning of frankincense resin, and, its ability to achieve a spiritual state of being. Frankincense is still used in religious ceremonies today, and is often thought of as an aid to meditation.<br />
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Keep in mind that we are talking the burning of the <i>resin</i>, here, not the essential oil of frankincense.<br />
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Research scientists decided to look into these anecdotal effects, and see if there was any science behind the claims. Universities involved included Johns Hopkins University, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.<br />
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To see if there was some truth to these historical assumptions, the researchers were able to isolate the main component of the frankincense resin, a compound called incensole acetate. Again, keep in mind that this compound is found in the resin, but not in the essential oil. They administered this compound to mice. They then determined that this compound, in mice, affected the area of the brain that helps in regulating emotions. On a more scientific level, it activates the protein TRP3. This protein is found in animal brains, and is known to play a role in how the skin perceives warmth. The affect on the mind, however, is a strong anti-depressant, and also lowers anxiety. It can be so dramatic that a person may feel incredibly relaxed and at peace. As an aid to meditation, it may leave one so simply at rest that a person could just be mindful of the world around them. A more or less meditative state!<br />
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In spite of such a long history of frankincense affecting the mind, not until now has anyone studied it's ability to do so scientifically. Depression is the largest cause of disability in the United States, and, an enormous number of people suffer from anxiety. Now that we know a compound in frankincense resin has promise in improving these disorders, we can hope that a natural treatment will follow.<br />
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If that weren't enough, it seems that frankincense can also play a role in reducing nausea, lowering fever and high blood pressure, minimizing coughs, and even repelling some insects.<br />
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What a find!<br />
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To read the entire article, click here: http://www.the-open-mind.com/frankincense-proven-to-be-psychoactive-antidepressant-1/<br />
<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-90591103869696378102015-10-24T19:52:00.002-04:002015-10-24T19:52:11.961-04:00Making Sense of Grade and Quality Designations of Essential Oils<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a lot of misinformation about the "quality" of essential oils. The internet seems to provide as many definitions and explanations as it has websites on the topic. Unfortunately, most of this is just clever marketing designed to make you believe that "their" essential oils are the best, or purest, or highest quality on the market. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's deal with the easy part first. An essential oil designated as "certified organic" means the plant from which the essential oil came was grown under certain conditions and standards, and, that these conditions were monitored and checked out by an independent third party. The United States and Canada have different respected bodies, but, they pretty much all meet the same criteria. Some examples of reputable designations are Ecocert and Oregon Tilth, as well as USDA Organic. There are others. These agencies monitor the activity of the growers and ensure that their standards are met. Getting these designation involves monitoring, and, consequently a hefty fee for the service provided.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other terms that are used to describe the conditions under which the plants are grown include "wildcrafted", "unsprayed", and "cultivated without chemicals". In all fairness, some of these products are indeed of an organic nature, but, without the designation, you have no way to be sure that the organic standards are met. Getting the organic designation is expensive, and small growers, who are often the best kind, may not be able to pay the large fees required for official designation and stay competitive. Although these products are very attractive, you have to accept that the growers definition of organic and yours may be different. The oils from these plants are not regulated, and therefore, not able to be certified.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now for the more complicated designations. You will hear various companies talk about their oils being "therapeutic grade", "pure" grade, "aromatherapeutic" grade, "perfume" grade, or designate their oils with numbers. Some of these terms are trademarked, and offered only by a certain supplier. But, there are NO unified definitions for any of these terms. They are a marketing tool only. To quote Steve Borden, a Compliance Officer for Essential Wholesale and Labs (an excellent supplier of many aromatherapy items in the United States):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "<span style="background-color: white; color: #006d4a; line-height: 20px;">I am not aware of any regulatory agency that defines, monitors, or enforces any such standards. Provided that there is no false advertising involved, a seller is just as free to market their products with these descriptions as consumers are to be attracted to them. So if you are buying a Lavender I, II or III you need to understand that this is strictly a marketing ploy by the supplier to sell a similar product at a potentially higher price. There may be little to no difference in the chemical makeup or aroma of that oil. Don’t be fooled by these terms, either an essential oil is pure unadulterated or it is adulterated. It is either certified organic or it is not."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, there you have it. Like so much else in life, purchasing essential oils is definitely a "buyers beware" kind of deal.</span></span><br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-1456726288579640532015-08-16T20:57:00.001-04:002015-08-16T20:57:43.879-04:00Can Aromatherapy Improve Health?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a lot of misinformation about what aromatherapy is....and, what it can do. Right off: aromatherapy is NOT nice smelling dish soap. It is the use of natural plant extracts, called essential oils, that are used in a therapeutic manner so as to achieve balance in body, mind, and spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island) noted in a recent review of 18 aromatherapy studies that "odours can affect mood, physiology and behaviour." It can do this, because nerves that carry odour signals to your brain communicate directly with areas involved with emotion and learning. It may explain why aromatherapy can do the following:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1) The scent of grapefruit dampens food cravings. This study was done at Osaka University, in Japan. Grapefruit is one of the oils used in eScential Wellness' Food Craving Tamer Inhaler (http://escentialwellness.com/products/food-craving-tamer)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(2) Lavender, sandalwood and sweet orange can relax a person, and may reduce anxiety. One study found the scent of these oils reduced anxiety in breast cancer survivors; and another found that the scent of lavender reduced the pain of needle injections for children who had had tonsillectomies. Yet another study provided evidence that sniffing lavender, roman chamomile and neroli calmed anxiety, improved sleep and stabilized blood pressure in heart patients who received stents to open blocked arteries in the heart. eScential Wellness Anti-Anxiety inhaler contains lavender, and other, proven anti-anxiety scents not mentioned in these studies. (http://escentialwellness.com/products/anti-anxiety-inhaler)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(3) The scent of rose essential oil leads to deeper, longer sleep. (Japan's Mie University Graduate School of Medicine.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(4)Rosemary improved memory (U.K's University of Northumbria)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(5) Peppermint oil, inhaled post surgery, reduced nausea. (See eScential Wellness' Nausea Relief Inhaler http://escentialwellness.com/products/Nausea-Relief-Inhaler)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next post, I will provide some ways to incorporate these oils into your life, and, provide some safety information. </span><br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-54681265503565574962015-04-16T14:16:00.001-04:002015-04-16T14:18:51.872-04:00Safely Using Essential Oils<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I give workshops throughout the year, and, I am always alarmed at the amount of misinformation that exists about the proper use of essential oils.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because essential oils are derived from plants, so are "natural," and they have been used for literally millennia, people often assume they are safe. Not necessarily so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They should never be ingested. They should always be diluted...a lot! before being applied to the skin. Occasionally, someone will have a sensitivity to an oil and develop a skin reaction, even if the oils were indeed diluted before use. There is nothing in existence that is incapable of provoking an allergic reaction in a sensitive individual. Sure, some substances are more likely than others to cause a problem, but even very "safe" products can cause reactions in some people. Very few essential oils have been tested in the same way, and with the same intensity, as pharmaceuticals. Yet people willingly swallow, apply and diffuse essential oils...even around children and pets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Children, with their undeveloped immune systems, immature livers, thinner skin and smaller body size and mass, can be particularly sensitive to essential oils.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is the small possibility that an applied essential oil could react with another medication a person is taking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even quality, pure essential oils vary in their components, so, what is in one bottle may not be in the next one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Always err on the side of caution.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Less is more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some guidelines:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1) Never ingest essential oils</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(2) Dilute essential oils if you are applying them to skin. 18 drops in 1 ounce (30 mls) of carrier oil is a 3% dilution and should be safe for adults</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(3) Evidence is accumulating that essential oils should not be used around children under 6. Even diffusion. Ever, For any reason.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(4) ABSOLUTELY avoid eucalyptus and peppermint oils around children. They have an ingredient (1,8 cineole) that has been implicated in respiratory collapse in young children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(5) If any discomfort, irritation, rash or redness appears on the skin after applying an essential oil, wash it off gently with lots of water and mild soap. Do not continue use. See a doctor if the irritation persists, or, if there is any change in your breathing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(6) Keep all oils safely locked away from young children</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(7) Ingestion can cause damage to the esophagus, stomach and liver. NEVER SWALLOW AN ESSENTIAL OIL. Some oils can cause seizures if taken internally (like sage or camphor). Some are just plain poisonous (like pennyroyal.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(8) Dogs have very sensitive noses. There is speculation that using essential oils on dogs is unkind. If they are annoyed by the scent, they cannot escape it or wash it off. And, even if YOU can't smell the oil, it is very likely the dog can. I would avoid using essential oils EVER on pets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(9) Consult a certified aromatherapist if you have questions on the safety of essential oils. Sales people are NOT usually certified aromatherapists. Verify this before accepting advice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(10) Even the best trained aromatherapist is NOT a physician. Always consult your own doctor for diagnosis and advice.</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-19038687375589933382015-01-27T18:59:00.001-05:002015-01-27T18:59:16.892-05:00Can Essential Oils Be the New Antibiotics?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Jan. 26 edition of "The Atlantic" printed a lengthy article about the search for antibiotic replacements. As so many bacteria have become resistant to existing antibiotics, farmers are turning to plant extracts to keep animals healthy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The reality is that essential oils have many antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Research supports their use to alleviate health conditions such as migraines, nausea, and some of them can even kill cancer cells (in test tubes.) Although work done to date has only taken place in the lab, findings are encouraging that they may have a role to play in keeping animals healthy. At this time, about 80% of the antibiotics used in the United States are given to animals to keep them healthy in the crowded and less-than-ideal conditions in which the animals are kept. A lot of the antibiotics used to help animals grow are also used in people, to fight illness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, this overuse has allowed bacteria to grow resistant to the antibiotics. This means they are no longer effective in humans. The article goes on to explain that recent studies are promising. Chickens fed a mixture of oregano, cinnamon and chili peppers were able to stay disease free, but not have any side effects, nor cause bacteria to become resistant. A multi-year study at the United States Department of Agriculture is investigating the role that essential oils might play in reducing the widespread use of antibiotics in animals for prevention of disease (rather than treatment of existing illness.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lots of studies are underway. There are pitfalls: people are reluctant to change from existing methodology, and, there is no ability of pharmaceutical companies to make money from essential oils, so, money is not being channeled into research.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The article is lengthy, but fascinating. If you want to read more, click here: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/01/the-new-antibiotics-might-be-essential-oils/384247/</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-6526952766932095952014-12-22T15:16:00.000-05:002014-12-22T15:16:20.199-05:007 Quick Ideas to Scent your Home for the Holidays<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #141823;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 20px;">It's a busy time of year! Too much to do to spend time reading a lengthy blog post. :-) Here's a shortie:</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 20px;">Want your house to smell like Christmas? (1) Heat some water on the stove, and throw in a few cinnamon sticks, a few cloves and heat gently. Do not leave unattended; and do not let the wat</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 20px;">er evaporate until the pot is dry. (2) Use your diffuser. If you love that "real tree" smell, but have an artificial tree, try a few drops of Balsam Fir essential oil. (3) Bake cookies! (4) Diffuse some Bandit's Blend...it's a lovely mixture of cinnamon, clove, lemon, eucalyptus and rosemary. Bonus: it may kill airborne virus (5) Arrange some natural evergreen boughs in a wreath, on a mantel...anywhere they can scent the air (6) Stud an orange with cloves. Do a few, and put in a bowl where the fragrance can be appreciated. (7) Dry some pinecones. Dilute some cinnamon essential oil (25 drops in 1 cup of distilled water) in a spray bottle. Shake bottle vigorously; then spray pine cones. Mmmm! </span></span><br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-21521286765461671072014-12-12T19:54:00.000-05:002014-12-12T19:54:06.093-05:006 Tips To Keep Christmas Green<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Environmental Defence has provided a few suggestions to keep the "green" in Christmas!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1) Make sure your artificial tree is free of lead and PVC (polyvinyl chloride.) Older trees are often culprits. In California, trees carry warning labels for this. If you use a real tree, ask if the tree is grown without pesticides. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(2) Lights can also contain lead and PVC's (polyvinylchlorides). Purchase lights that are RoHS compliant (Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances.) This designation originated in Europe, and bans 6 toxic chemicals often found in electronics: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, & polybrominated diphyl ether. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(3) You can buy LED lights with the RoHS designation. They will use less energy and thus are better for the environment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(4) Scent your home naturally, using evergreen branches, cinnamon sticks and essential oils. Scented candles usually contain phthalates, a toxic ten ingredient linked to asthma and endocrine disruption. Holiday baking also fills the house with lovely fragrances!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(5) Printed, colored and foil paper can also contain nasty chemicals which are released into the air if burned. Do not burn used wrapping paper! Recyle or reuse. Better yet, make your own wrap by getting creative and doing some recycling of your own. Or, use cloth bags that can be re-used year after year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(6) The best gifts aren't things at all. Consider purchasing experiences, going for free activities, like a walk in the woods, snowshoeing, skating or building a snowman. Consider the joy in just spending time with loved ones. Or, make charitable donations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Merry Christmas from eScential Wellness</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-54438161476611356862014-10-29T16:12:00.000-04:002014-10-29T16:12:08.690-04:00Holy Molars!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A mere 6 weeks ago I did a blog post on safe toothpaste. I just read an article (originally published in August 2014) in Bloomberg News talking about this very thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The article highlights one of the best known, most used toothpastes: Colgate Total. In my previous blog, I commented on the fact that triclosan is one of the toxic ten and ought NOT be in toothpaste. Well, the Bloomberg article highlights that triclosan has indeed been linked to cancer cell growth and disrupted development in animals. It seems that the FDA (Food & Drug Association...the American government agency responsible for making sure consumer products are safe before granting permission for product use) may have not done its work properly 17 years ago, when it gave the go-ahead to Colgate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The article is lengthy. Doubt is cast on how well the supporting documents made their case for safety. New factors have come to light that cast doubt on the safety of triclosan. In addition, the 35 pages summarizing toxicology studies submitted by Colgate were held from view on the FDA. The pages were only released as a response to a lawsuit over a Freedom of Information Act request.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Triclosan is already banned in the European Union. Colgate has already voluntarily removed triclosan from its SoftSoap liquid handsoaps, as well as Palmolive dish detergent - but not from Colgate toothpaste. Colgate's main competitor, Crest toothpaste, made by Proctor and Gamble, is 100% triclosan free.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This lengthy article provides a LOT of information for thought. Personally, I would like to err on the side of caution, and avoid triclosan; especially in toothepaste. You can read the entire article here: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-11/in-35-pages-buried-at-fda-worries-over-colgate-s-total.html</span><br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-78796521793882699462014-09-30T20:06:00.001-04:002014-09-30T20:06:29.166-04:00Pinkwashing<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. And now there's a term to cover companies that profess to be supportive of Breast Cancer research, but....are they really? There are often mixed messages, here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The most glaring is this article:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://action.storyofstuff.org/sign/procter_and_gamble_breast_cancer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here, we find that although Proctor and Gamble, maker of so many personal care products used by women (such as Cover Girl, Tide, Pantene and Herbal Essence) is trying to appear supportive of the breast cancer research ideal, but....no muscle behind it. True, they have apparently pledged to donate $100,000 to fighting breast cancer this year. But they have taken NO action on taking carcinogens out of their own products.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BHA, amongst others in their products, is one of the "toxic ten". Instead of focusing on making their products safer for women to use, they are throwing money at the problem and hoping we, the public, think they are "the good guys." Do read the entire article.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And they're not the only ones jumping on the "let's support women with breast cancer" bandwagon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The CBC has done an article on how big markets take advantage of this opportunity to sell more products to women. Often by offensive means. Read the entire article here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/pinkwashing-a-big-business-for-marketers-1.2775188</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) was chosen to be a sponsor of Breast Cancer awareness. Yet, their product (the chicken) likely contributes to obesity in North America, and, obesity is a factor in breast cancer itself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The article profiles a few other companies that have partnered with "the cause" yet more or less objectify women, and their breasts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beware pinkwashing. Think before you buy.</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-46102604444300632242014-09-19T14:44:00.000-04:002014-09-19T14:58:33.452-04:00Safe Toothpaste. Who knew it was so complex??<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been on a mission to find a safe toothpaste. This is not an easy task. For one thing, everyones definition of what constitutes "safe" is different. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right up front, let's get the flouride debate out of the way. Some people consider flouride toxic. And it certainly can be, if you ingest it in sufficient quantities. On the other hand, I grew up in a small town without flouride, and, I can assure you, my teeth are now more filling than enamel. I have paid a large price for the lack of flouride in my drinking water when my teeth were being formed. My own children, who did have flouride in their water, have about 3 miniscule fillings between the 3 of them. They are now full grown adults. Many dentists side with the cause of flouride in toothpaste; many do not. I think I will leave this particular, controversial ingredient for you to sort out on your own, according to your own conscience. For me, I think having a flouride free toothpaste for small children who swallow toothpaste is a good idea. But that's just my opinion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's move on to other ingredients. An easy one is triclosan. It's an antibacterial, and, one of the toxic ten. There is definitely no need to put triclosan in toothpaste. The mouth is a a natural home for many, many bacteria, and the odd brush with triclosan is not going to alter the state of affairs there significantly. Nor should it. But, using triclosan poses a threat to the environment, and may be responsible for the upswing of superbugs. Let's leave triclosan out of toothpaste!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Artificial dyes. Do you really need striped toothpaste? Or blue? or green? This is an easy one. Check your ingredient list for any mention of dyes...and do not buy any that use them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next one - this one just amazes me - is our fondness for foamy toothpaste. Foamy toothpaste sells. I guess we just equate a nice foam with cleanliness, and efficiency. Too bad, because there isn't a connection at all. And, the nice foam in toothpaste comes from SLS - sodium lauryl sulphate. Another toxic ten ingredient. Sadly, it does not clean your teeth or add to the health of your mouth in any way. It just feels nice...we've gotten used to it...so manufacturers include it because we want it. Silly us. Let's change our mind on the value of foam and get SLS out of toothpaste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was horrified to learn that a few toothpastes contain parabens! Parabens act as preservatives...but, are also in the toxic ten. Parabens are endocrine disruptors...and the results of that are too lengthy for this article. Avoid toothpastes with parabens! (Or any other personal care product, for that matter.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next up is the abrasion factor. Some abrasion is not a bad idea. It removes surface stains. Unfortunately, the toothpaste industry can go overboard with a good thing. Most, if not all, toothpastes contain something that removes surface dirt, stains and hopefully tartar. But how much is too much? Fortunately I include here a fabulous, 4 minute clip of research done at the University of Colorado on toothpaste abrasion. I found the clip fascinating. But if you don't want to spare the 4 minutes, there is a clever little chart beneath the clip that features about 65 toothpastes, and rates them as to abrasiveness. Pick the one that suits your level of personal comfort. Too much abrasion can cause tooth sensitivity. Here's the link: http://www.freysmiles.com/blog/view/toothpaste-abrasiveness-low-abrasive-toothpastes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like all other personal care products, let's read labels! Decide what is important to you, and vote with your wallet. If people do not purchase toxic products, manufacturers will stop making them.</span><br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-52870858009334210282014-09-09T19:37:00.001-04:002014-09-09T19:37:32.934-04:00<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Safe Deodorants</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well...if we didn't sweat...we wouldn't need a deodorant, would we? Why <i>do</i> we sweat? First and foremost, it's the body's way of cooling off and controlling temperature. So we sweat when it's hot outside. In addition to cooling us off, sweating also is one of the few genuine ways of removing toxins from the body. In the book "ToxIn ToxOut", the authors try many things to see what actually removes toxins from the body. Ionic foot cleanses and internal cleanses do not remove toxins. Sweating, however, does. Sweating is good for you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sweat itself isn't the problem. It has no odor of its own. Unfortunately, the armpit is home to many bacteria, and, it is the bacteria that causes odor. When resident bacteria meet up with sweat, you get, well...bad smells.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seems like an antiperspirant would be a good idea, right? Antiperspirants prevent sweating, which means the bacteria have nothing to interact with, and, voila! No scent! But as mentioned above, sweating is a necessary and useful function. We actually do not want to suppress sweating. Another problem is, our skin is the largest organ of our body and absorbs whatever you apply to it. You are not only what you eat, but, also what you apply to yourself. So in addition to sweating being a good thing, we prefer to avoid antiperspirants because the chemicals necessary to prevent sweating are, well...toxic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deodorants are probably a better idea. They don't attempt to stop sweating, but rather, to kill the bacteria that causes odor. No bacteria = no smell. Sometimes deodorants contain scents to cover up any remaining odor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How to find a good deodorant? Well, here are some ingredients to avoid:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1) Talc. It may or may not contain asbestos particles...no way of knowing. Asbestos causes cancer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(2) Triclosan (one of the toxic ten!) It does kill bacteria, but also disrupts our hormones and endocrine system. It may accumulate in the body. It may also cause allergic reactions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(3 )BHT, BHA and Parabens. These are all preservatives. The first 2 may cause allergies and have been linked to cancer. Parabens are even worse! We know they mimic estrogen in the body. Further research is needed, but, they have been found inside cancerous breast tissue. Until proven safe, always best to err on the side of caution,.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(4) Propylene glycol. It's a known skin irritant. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(5) Phthalates. May be present on their own, or, be present but not listed because it's legal to not list them if they are part of the (6) Fragrance. Over 3100 chemicals fall into the fragrance category...and none of them have to be disclosed on a Canadian label. Many are untested for safety. Avoid synthetic fragrance!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(7) Aluminum chlorohydrate. This is the chemical that actually stops you from sweating. So, you will find it in anti-perspirants but usually not deodorants. Aluminum compounds are neurotoxic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What to do? Read labels!! Aim for a deodorant rather than an anti-perspirant, and check the ingredients list against Environmental Defence's Toxic Ten!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do check out eScential Wellness' deodorant: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://escentialwellness.com/products/toxin-free-deodorant</span><br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-83831821816445262732014-08-08T17:55:00.001-04:002014-08-08T17:55:54.457-04:0010 Ways to Use Castile Soap<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You're probably wondering what castile soap is...why it's special. Castile soap is a type of soap, not a brand. For example, think of the words "toilet paper" rather than "Cottonelle" or "Charmin." It is made of 100% vegetable oils and fats - no animal products. It is a true soap; not a chemical detergent, like most modern, commercial cleaners. This makes it biodegradable and very ecologically friendly. Did I mention that it's very affordable, too?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Incredibly versatile, it will replace a host of cleansers in your home. Here goes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#1 - Laundry detergent. There are literally hundreds of recipes on the internet, if you google "homemade laundry detergent with castile soap." But why go to all that trouble? Just use it straight. As it is low foaming, you can use it in your front loading washer. You may have to tweak the amount before you get it right. Less is more. By the way, this soap is fantastic for doing baby's laundry, as it is so pure. Also great for someone who has ultra sensitive skin and/or allergies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#2 - Use it for dishes. A small squirt will do it. Be prepared: as it does not have any form of chemical foaming agent, it does not produce froth and bubbles. But, it will clean your dishes just as well, and is gentler on your skin, your dishes, and the environment</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#3 - Hand soap. Just fill your re-fillable liquid soap dispenser with liquid castile soap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#4 - Glass and mirror cleaner. Take a spray bottle...fill it with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Add 2 drops of castile soap. Shake well before spraying. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#5 - Body wash. Yes! A squirt on a nylon scrubbie or sea sponge will actually produce a lovely foam. You can feel good about spreading it all over YOU and about it going down the drain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#6 - Toothpaste. I know. We've been so programmed to like the commercial stuff that foams in our mouth and contains sooooooo many chemicals. But a drop on your toothbrush (I like peppermint scented) will clean your teeth well, and safely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#7 - Safely, and economically, bathe your dog AND CAT!! Everyone knows cats are notoriously sensitive to shampoo and commercial soaps. As long as you use unscented castile soap, it's OK to use this economical alternative. I am biased...but because all commercial products have such a lengthy ingredient list, I dare say it is actually better for your cat than the overpriced commercial brands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#8 - Make a soft scrub. Fill a spray bottle with water, about 25% soap and 75% water. If you have tough scrubbing to do, sprinkle baking soda, a mild abrasive, on the area to be cleaned. Spray with the soap/water mix until you get a slurry. Scrub away! Always do a test area on an unobtrusive spot to make sure that the baking soda is not going to damage the finish of anything.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#9 - Love this stuff for washing my floors. Perfect for vinyl or linoleum, but I have a lot of hardwood. The only thing you have to be careful with is not using too much soap. In a small pail of water, a tablespoon is plenty! Maybe even 1-2 teaspoons if your pail is small. This is extra nice if you have pets that walk on the floor, or, infants that are crawling. No toxic film left behind! No rinsing necessary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#10 - Washing fruits with rinds or veggies. Washing watermelons, canteloupe, cucumbers, peppers...always a good idea. Castile soap is mild and rinses off easily and cleanly. It will dislodge any bacteria and/or dirt if used with a small brush or even a cloth and some elbow grease. Safe for the fruit, for you, and the environment!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you want to "customize" your soap, add a few drops of essential oils to it. Just a few drops will do! You can use lemon for that nice clean smell. I love a single drop of peppermint in floor wash water, or, to brush my teeth. Do NOT use one drop of peppermint per brush! Add one drop to 2 cups of soap.....stop this in a mason jar with plastic,screw on lid or other glass container. Orange is uplifting. Eucalyptus or tea tree smell a bit medicinal, are antiseptic, and can leave your bathroom smelling nice and clean.</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-14462384098604322972014-07-09T21:00:00.000-04:002014-07-09T21:00:09.112-04:00Safe Sunscreen<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember the days when no one had heard of sunscreen. In fact, people were known to slather on baby oil and go "bake" in the sun. Well. Times have changed!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we know that ALL tans are BAD tans. The color changes that take place in our skin is actually an indication of sun damage. We also know that sun damage is the single biggest cause of skin aging. If that weren't enough, these changes in the skin are responsible for the increase in skin cancer. Add to that climate change and the decreasing levels of ozone in the upper atmosphere (which filter out harmful sun rays to some extent) and you have a recipe for skin disaster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately, sunblock to the rescue! There are shelves and shelves of choices. How to pick? Latest research has shown that not all sunscreens are created equal. No surprise there, I guess. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are really two separate questions to consider. One is the actual "active ingredient" or sunscreen agent itself, and, the other is the lotion or gel base it is in. There seems some agreement on what constitutes safe and effective active ingredients. Mechanical blocks are best. Both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide meet this requirement, and are considered "good" sunblocks. The particles in these 2 compounds are actually large enough to sit on the skin and deflect the sun's rays off the body. Unfortunately, this sometimes leaves a white film on the skin, which is quite annoying. But not all sunblocks with these agents do. You have to try them and find ones that go on invisibly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some companies have decided to eliminate this problem by making the particles very tiny... they are called "micronized." Micronized particles are controversial, as there seems to be some question as to whether they are actually small enough to penetrate the skin and get into the bloodstream. Always safe to err on the side of caution and avoid micronized particles!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that we have effective and safe sunscreens, it is discouraging to see how many sunscreens put these into a lotion base that contains one, or more, of the toxic ten! Like all lotions, your sunscreen should be free of the toxic ten! Read labels! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 20px;">Environmental Defence has a 2 page download (free!) to guide you to which sunscreen agents are b</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 20px;">oth safe and effective. Or, you can find the Toxic Ten list on my website, www.eScentialwellness.com. To download your free Guide to Sunscreens, click here:</span></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://environmentaldefence.ca/reports/environmental-defence-guide-sunscreen" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://environmentaldefence.ca/reports/environmental-defence-guide-sunscreen</span></a></span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-71859516640780664442014-06-15T13:08:00.000-04:002014-06-15T13:08:13.566-04:00What IS the definition of an essential oil??For those of you who are really, truly interested in learning more about essential oils.....here is a great post from Dr. Robert Pappas about the origin, and exact definition of, an essential oil.<br />
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Dr. Robert Pappas is an adjuct professor at Indiana University, and President/Technical Director of Essential Oil University. He can help the non-chemists amongst us understand the chemistry behind essential oils. I found this a fascinating little read, and, if you are really "into" essential oils, you will, too!<br />
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For the full article, click here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/essential-oil-university/the-definition-of-an-essential-oil-and-why-wikipedia-is-wrong/10152588925928083 <br />
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<br />Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-82765227489108362572014-01-25T12:47:00.003-05:002014-01-25T12:47:43.083-05:00Book Review: ToxIn ToxOut by Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">An appropriate sequal to "Slow Death by Rubber Duck." "Duck" was a book that explained how insidious toxins are...where they lurk in our environment (everywhere) and how they get into our bodies. And, unfortunately, often stay there. On subsequent book and talking tours, the authors were often asked, "How do you get the toxins OUT of your body?" They decided to answer this question in depth in this book, "ToxIn ToxOut....Getting harmful chemicals out of our bodies and our world." Anyone interested in greener living will appreciate the work and thought that went into this sequel. They investigate a half dozen ways that may help eliminate toxins from our systems: eating organic foods, bottled vs. tap water, perspiration, indoor air quality and the role big business has to play in cleaning up our world. Insightful is an understatement! With the current lack of political will to improve our toxic planet, it is up to a grassroots movement to produce change. As with "Rubber Duck" this book ends on a high note....citing 10 ways to easily, relatively inexpensively and without deprivation, decrease the level of toxins in YOU. I love the feeling of empowerment that knowledge provides!! Don't hesitate to pick up a copy of ToxIn ToxOut from all major book retailers, and set yourself up for a decreased level of toxic body burden.</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-68330057773323585392014-01-06T20:08:00.001-05:002014-01-06T20:26:51.202-05:00Update and Re-Post of a Book Review - Slow Death by Rubber Duck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6K6n77OZleU/UstXJ9nq_BI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/xj0oQmkyDL0/s1600/slow+death+by+rubber+duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6K6n77OZleU/UstXJ9nq_BI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/xj0oQmkyDL0/s1600/slow+death+by+rubber+duck.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;">I am doing an updated, but re-printed, blog post. Why do something I have already done, you ask? Well, this is a book near and dear to my heart. It explains why I do what I do - make non-toxic personal care and first aid products. (See my website, www.eScentialwellness.com, to learn more about my products.) The reason I am re-printing this book review is because the authors have just come
out with a NEW book, which I received for Christmas. It's next on my
"must read" list and when finished, I'll review the new book. But for those who missed the first post, or need a refresher on the first book, here it is! Then you can rush out and buy the new sequel, "ToxIn ToxOut". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">The 2 authors are Canadian...which is significant, to me, as I too am Canadian. I
am going to cheat, (but credit! ) here...I am going to lift the
synopsis of this book directly off of the Amazon.com website. Not that I
am too lazy to do my own summary, but....I couldn't have done it more succintly or better than they did. Here it is: "</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Pollution is not only an abstract, distant problem seen in belching smokestacks
and contaminated waterways; it’s also personal. Some of the most
dangerous pollutants come from commonplace items in our homes and
workplaces—shampoos and toothpastes, carpets and children’s toys.<br /><br />To
prove this point, leading environmentalists Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie
conducted their own research by ingesting and inhaling a host of things
that are part of our everyday lives. Using their own bodies as the
reference point to tell the story of pollution in our modern world, they
expose the miscreant corporate giants who manufacture the toxins, the
weak-kneed government officials who let it happen, and the effects on
people and families across the globe. This book—the testimony of their
experience—exposes the extent to which we are poisoned every day of our
lives." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">For
those of you with a keen interest in environmental toxins, this is a
must read. The authors, Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie are two Canadian
environmental activists. The good news is that the book is a fairly
easy read, humorously written, and not really fear mongering. True, the
bulk of the book can be a bit scary, but, before you despair, the last
part of the book provides you with simple things you can do to de-toxify
your life. I finished the book feeling empowered, not depressed. Knowledge is power.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: arial;"> I confess that I did throw away my non-stick fry pans, and am now storing food in glass rather than plastic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"> I have been using Dr. Bronner's soaps and my own glycerin soaps and products for years, anyway!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"> If you have any inclination to be kind to yourself and the environment, </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;">read this book</span><span style="font-family: arial;">!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">It is available at Chapters, Indigo, Coles, Amazon and your public library.</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-54886232986875095792013-11-17T15:08:00.001-05:002013-11-17T15:10:17.809-05:00Holiday Shopping & Scent<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A previous post detailed how what you smell can affect what, and how much, you eat. But, did you know that scent can also affect how much money you spend when shopping??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Needless to say, retailers are often happy to take advantage of this fact. I receive a trade journal for retailers, and one article is subtitled, "How retailers can utilize scent to increase sales.'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Of course, the most obvious link comes from the fact that our sense of smell is linked to our emotions and memories, as all 3 of these are processed in the same part of the brain. Shopping is often an emotional experience rather than a financial one, or one we approach without feelings. Memories that scent conjure up can be very powerful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A device (new to me) called a "scent cannon" can actually shoot scent into a retail environment at pre-determined intervals. One enterprising gas station in California used a scent cannon to project the smell of coffee around the gas pumps as cars approached. This resulted in an increase in coffee sales of 300%!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Scents are carefully chosen. It's easy to eliminate scents that may contain petroleum derivatives, or alcohol, that may cause respiratory irritation, headaches or allergic reactions. Many stores choose "signature" scents that are designed to become associated with their store. Generally accepted as pleasant scents, like lavender, can help create a positive mood in a retail store, and, increase the likelihood of you parting with cash. A positive mood also makes you more patient in a lengthy checkout line, and, if you smell the scent elsewhere, you may actually think of the store long after your shopping experience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Cinnamon scent seems to have a calming effect, and, citrus scents are mood lifting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One retailer actually uses a heavy scent so as to keep "older" shoppers, which they define as over 25 years of age, out!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Next time you're shopping, pay attention to what you smell. And, be mindful of sticking to your budget! Happy holidays!</span>Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-3361123700766139652013-10-11T20:28:00.000-04:002013-10-11T20:28:06.839-04:00Can What you Smell Affect How Much you Eat?<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It sure can! There's been a lot of work on various scents, and whether or not they can be a useful tool in weight loss. How is it possible that scent could cause us to eat less? First, remember that how food tastes depends a lot on smell. It's a bit complicated....but identifying food is actually determined by smell and sight, rather than "taste". Scientific American published a great article on how this works, if you want an explanation. (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=experts-how-does-sight-smell-affect-taste). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There are specific scents that dull our appetite. Grapefruit, for example, affects the nerves that are below our consciousness, (called "autonomic nerves") and smelling grapefruit reduces both appetite and body weight...in rats, anyway. (Read the study synopsis here: <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15862904">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15862904</a>) Other studies, involving humans, show that the smell of grapefruit may somehow affect liver enzymes to suppress appetite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Peppermint scent also works. In 2007, a university in West Virginia did a study whereby participants smelled peppermint every 2 hours. The study looked at hunger levels when the participants smelled peppermint, as well as when they didn't, in addition to how much food they actually ate and what was in the food (e.g., fat intake, caloric intake, vitamin and mineral
intake, etc.) over a period of two weeks.</span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
Results showed that participants who were exposed to peppermint consumed
nearly 3000 fewer total calories from saturated fat, total fat, and
sugar <u>each week</u>. That's about 23% fewer calories based on 1800
calories/day diet for 7 days. Participants also rated their hunger level
significantly lower during peppermint inhalation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Even Dr. Oz has cited this study...as well as supporting the smell of grapefruit as a tool in weight loss. (http://www.sharecare.com/health/weight-loss/article/curb-hunger-with-peppermint) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As in all things, individual results will vary. But here's the good thing: inhaling pure peppermint scent and/or grapefruit, ideally from an essential oil, can't hurt any! There are no side effects to worry about. Something to ponder with our holiday season fast approaching, and, the temptation to overindulge on rich food, or have second helpings! </span><br />
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Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-26137456699403186602013-09-27T15:02:00.003-04:002013-09-27T15:02:56.894-04:00What's the Phuss over Phthalates?eScential Products are Phthalate free. So many aren't...why should you care? Phthalates act as fragrance extenders. They make scent last a long time, something we, as consumers, like. In Canada, you do not need to list phthalates on the label. But, as they are used as part of the fragrance cocktail, if the label says "fragrans," "fragrance' or "parfum", you can bet it has phthalates. Have you ever walked outside, and smelled someone's laundry...that whiff of dryer sheets so potent it drifts out into the great outdoors and can be smelled literally half a block away? Well...that's the persistence and power of synthetic scent. It is not a good thing.<br />
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If that's not bad enough, I recently watched a commercial for a new product that you add to your washer, along with your laundry detergent, to make the scent in the detergent extra long lasting. And let's not forget those pesky plug in fragrance products to make your room smell good.<br />
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There are many kinds of phthalates, but 2 commonly used ones (dibutyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate) are rated a "10" by Skin Deep. They are considered an endocrine disruptor by the Environmental Working Group, as well as by Environmental Defence. They are toxic to the reproductive system, and normal development. They persist in the environment, and, show up in both blood and breast milk. They are linked with an increase in allergies and asthma in children. As children are so small, they are especially sensitive to the effects of phthalates.<br />
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Phthalates are found in anything scented. BUT...did you know, that they can even be lurking in products that are NOT scented? In Canada, if you add scent to a product not to make it smell pretty, but, strictly to mask the scent of the raw materials in the product, they do not have to list scent on the label. Even worse - if this is the case, they can label the product "Unscented"!!! No wonder it's hard to get a "clean" product!!<br />
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Phthalates are listed as one of Environmental Defence's Toxic Ten. Always read labels! Even the word "unscented" on a product is not a guarantee of being phthalate free. Search out cosmetic lines that actively promote "toxin free" products.Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310466561833490360.post-2320092408786608642013-09-07T15:29:00.000-04:002013-09-07T15:29:02.052-04:00How "Clean" are your Cleaning Supplies?<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Adria Vasil, the Goddess of Green, has reviewed some commonly used
household cleaners that are advertised as being non toxic. But,
"greenwashing" is a Big Problem. Greenwashing is when a product is
promoted as being non-toxic, but, isn't. Sometimes ingredients aren't
listed. Companies can use the escape hatch of saying their formulas are
proprietary information, and may not be required to list all
ingredients. Sometimes, even reading labels is not enough! </span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">I am always amazed by how smart packaging and expensive marketing campaigns promote products-cleaning, cosmetic, whatever - in such a fashion that consumers have <i>no doubt</i>
that the product is both harmless to them, and to the environment.
Sadly, this is most often not the case. With cosmetics, at least you
have the opportunity to read the ingredient label and decide for
yourself. Checking the ingredients against the "Toxic Ten" list is a
quick and easy way to see if your cosmetics are following the old adage,
"First, do no harm." But cleaners are a different story.</span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Of
course, there are lots of other cleaners out there, in addition to the
ones that Adria has reviewed. Be wary! Adria's pick (also my own) is to
clean with baking soda and vinegar. You can pretty much do your entire
house with castile soap, baking soda, and vinegar. A few drops of
essential oil (your choice of fragrance, though lemon and orange are
always popular) can provide a great fresh smell! I'm very fond of Dr.
Bronner's Peppermint scented organic and fair trade liquid castile soap.
Wonderful for hardwood floors! You only need a tiny bit....just a
teaspoon in a small pail of water. Too much can leave a floor streaky.</span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Another hot tip is to add a tablespoon of vinegar to your automatic fabric softener dispenser in your washer, <u><i>instead of</i></u>
any fabric softener. Fabric softeners are dreadful! They coat fabric
with chemicals, they contain a ton of synthetic scent...that's why
clothing comes out of the dryer and stays scented for weeks! In fact, I
have been outside for a walk, and, can occasionally smell the air coming
from someone's dryer vent because they are using dryer sheets. Ugh! You
just <i>know</i> that cannot be a good thing. Vinegar prevents static
cling, disinfects the clothes and washer. I have a front loader, and, I
no longer have that "skunky smell" so common to front loaders. Towels
dry fluffy. Save money...use your own cleaners. </span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Have a look
at Adria's chart to see if what you are currently using meets her "clean
and green" standard.</span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JDmPeESAFSQ/Uit9kekFL7I/AAAAAAAAAKU/DG_w8Os3LVU/s1600/Ecoholic+cleaning+products+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JDmPeESAFSQ/Uit9kekFL7I/AAAAAAAAAKU/DG_w8Os3LVU/s320/Ecoholic+cleaning+products+chart.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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Escential Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11794145678936183505noreply@blogger.com3