If you’re wondering what on earth a ‘hygiene floatation fluid spray’ is - it’s a fancy name for body deodorant.
I had a break from using baking soda as a deodorant for a few days to try out Dr. Mist, and I have to say, this product is a lot better than I thought it would be. It did everything it promised on the bottle, it was fragrance free (and made me fragrance free!), didn’t stain my clothes, was colorless on my underarms and non-oily. I used it when I went rollerblading (the hottest and sweatiest I get) and it didn’t make me smell at all. I’d even say that this product works better than both the crystal deodorants I’ve used and the baking-soda.
The active ingredients in Dr. Mist are potassium sulphate and sodium chloride. Potassium sulphate is a naturally occurring mineral salt and sodium chloride is your common table salt which a lot of people use in their food. Both substances are perfectly safe to use on the skin, especially when they’re used in such a small dose as with Dr. Mist. Continue reading →
Okay, so it’s not really my tip, I got this one from a friend of mine. But it’s a great one, and I can guarantee it will be the cheapest deodorant you will ever find. I love this tip, it works incredibly well and is awesome for anybody will allergy problems AND for people who don’t like using chemicals.
It’s really important to use a natural deodorant because a lot of toxins are released from your body through your under arms. The last thing you want to do is keep those toxins inside of you. They are going to have to come out some way!
I’ve even used this deodorant when I’ve gone rollerblading, and it’s REALLY hot in Brisbane at the moment so that definitely counts for something. If it’s passed the rollerblading test then it is something I feel confident in recommending.
What’s the secret? You’ll have to watch to find out …
If you do try this deodorant, leave me a comment and tell me how you went!
I received an email from my sister after my last post on the importance of using natural toothpastes, Toothpaste is poison! This is what she wrote:
Your blog article got me worrying about my toothpaste. I was wondering if you’ve heard any feedback about using non-fluoride toothpaste at all? I soooo don’t want to get holes in my teeth. I rang the Australian dental federation once and they told me that they can only recommend using toothpaste with fluoride to prevent cavities. Only thing is, I think ALL companies have to test on animals to gain the federation seal of approval. I know this is a fact in America and so I’m assuming it’s the same here. CCF just send me a animal testing booklet so I’m feeling horrible about using fluoride toothpaste.
I did find one company in America ‘Tom’s of Maine’ that has a natural toothpaste with fluoride and is not tested on animals. They specially petitioned the federation to get approval via test methods not using animals. Only thing is it will cost me $90 postage to get the stuff posted out. I’ve emailed Tom’s of Maine to try and get them to send it to me cheaper. I recently read Tom’s of Maine might soon be bought out by Colgate so that will rule them out soon anyway.
I’m really curious to find out whether or not we we actually need fluoride in toothpaste to adequately protect our teeth. And if it’s really okay to use natural toothpastes that do not contain fluoride.
There is no doubt that fluoride in high doses is toxic. There is also no doubt that fluoride is a chemical and putting any chemical into your body is bad for you. You only need to do a very short Google search to pull up thousands of sites, even government studies on the adverse effects of fluoridation. What I really want to find out is do we really need fluoride to properly protect our teeth from cavities. Can I feel comfortable using toothpaste without fluoride, or do I need to get a fluoride treatment from my dentist every six months?
My fluoride conclusions
I’ve done a bit of Internet research and I have to say, it’s difficult to find any conclusive studies because I don’t think any have been done. I have come up with a few conclusions from the research I’ve done.
As I’ve already stated, there is no doubt that fluoride in high doses is toxic.
We are exposed to too much fluoride. Fluoridation should be a choice. Adding it to out water is not a choice that should be made for us.
I’m still undecided about children, but I personally feel that adults do not need fluoride in their toothpaste. There are heaps of alternatives out there to keep your teeth cavity free, one being Xylitol which is a natural sweetener that is great for fighting tooth decay. I chew Xylitol gum which is one way of naturally fighting tooth decay. Spry sells a Xylitol toothpaste but I haven’t seen it at my local health food stores.
Exposure to too much fluoride in children can lead to fluorosis (mottled teeth). I actually think I have fluorosis on my teeth. I was giving fluoride tablets every day for the first ten or so years of my life, and although I’ve never had a cavity, I have very yellow teeth with a couple of brown stains and some mottled white bits. The dentist has tried to polish these stains off but the stains are all the way through the teeth. I’ve never been a smoker and don’t drink coffee so I can’t blame the yellow teeth on either of those. I was teased as a child and still get asked occasionally about my yellow teeth so to be honest, I’d much rather have a few cavities than yellow and mottled teeth.
My research has made me completely comfortable with not using toothpaste which contains fluoride. I also don’t like the fact that all fluoride toothpastes are tested on animals.
Before I have children (which is a few years yet anyway!) I’m going to do a lot of research and find out what the best options are. If you know of anyone that has had absolutely no fluoride in their toothpaste, drinking water, or trips to the dentist, write a comment because I’d really like to know what state your teeth are in. Fluoride in toothpaste was first marketed in the 1950s so I’m not that confident I’ll find anyone.
For now, no more fluoride in toothpaste for me – I’m using natural dental care only. All I have to do now is find a holistic dentist …
I can’t remember when I started using natural shampoos but I do know it took me a long time to find a good one. I have really long red wavey hair that gets oily really quickly so I have to wash it every couple of days. The natural shampoos I originally tried stripped too much oil out of my hair making it really dry and a bit like straw which was weird because I’m used to having a lot of oil in my hair.
I got really fed up with the quality of these natural products until I came across two brands which I now absolutely love, Wild and Organic Instinct (which is sometimes called Natural Instinct, I can’t figure them out).
Why bother with natural shampoo?
If you think about it, we put these shampoos, conditioners, hair treatments and hair dyes directly onto our scalp only centimeters away from our brains. This is a little too close to that very special vital body part for me. Most of us have no idea what’s in these products either. Ask yourself this question, what would you feel safe having that close to your brain? Do you really think your skin is a magic shield that blocks everything from going into your body? Of course it’s not. Skin is a porous organ that can soak in whatever we put onto it.
Most ‘regular’ shampoos contain harsh chemicals. Here are just a few:
Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), sodium laureth sulphate (SLES) and ammonium lauryl sulphate (ALS) are detergents, surfactants and foaming agents. They’re also the same ingredients found in car washes, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers. Animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and even death.
Alcohol, isopropyl (SD-40) is a drying solvent that is made from propylene, a petroleum derivative. This chemical can act as a carrier, accelerating the penetration of other harmful chemicals into your skin.
FD&C color pigments are synthetic colors made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins onto the skin.
Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores.
Hmmm yeah, not on my head thanks.
Fran’s shampoo recommendations
I can only recommend shampoos for my type of hair. If you’ve had a good experience with your hair and a natural shampoo then write a comment about it, I’d love to know what other people have tried. I’m especially looking for a great natural shampoo and conditioner for my good friend Yaro who has very curly hair.
Wild shampoo and conditioner
Wild is a great shampoo for all hair types. It recommends different amounts of the shampoo and washing time be used for oily and dry hair. I found this shampoo can be a little drying but generally it kept my hair looking soft and healthy.
Organic Instinct
This brand has a range of hair and body products. I love their face cleanser and moisturisers as well. I probably prefer to use Organic Instinct more than Wild because it doesn’t dry my hair as much. During certain times of the month when I start producing more oil (girls, you know about this one), it can keep my hair a little too oily so this is when I usually switch to Wild. Two of my friends have also tried this product. One loved it like me, but the other prefers Wild a lot more. Organic Instinct is very inexpensive and cheaper than Wild which makes it a great regular shampoo to use.
Hairdressers and hair dyes
You’ll probably find an organic hairdresser in your town. There are at least two in Brisbane that I’m aware of. They’re especially popular with pregnant mothers who want to continue dying their hair and people who choose not to put chemicals onto their scalp. I’m lucky I have a hair colour that I’m happy with so I choose not to dye it, but there are heaps of men and women out there who do dye their hair so something natural and organic is definitely a better way to go.
Give your brain a break and next time you run out of shampoo, buy a natural one instead. Give it a test run and see if you’re happy with how it makes your hair feel. Your body and your brain will certainly thank you for it.
My laziness forced me to buy some natural toothpaste a few days ago. I was on my way home from work and needed a few things including toothpaste which I’d completely run out of. I couldn’t be bothered making a trip to a ‘normal’ food market so I just picked up some natural stuff from the health food store.
When I think about it, really, you put this stuff into your mouth and swish it around twice a day. During this process the paste is absorbed by your teeth, gums and mucous membranes of the mouth. I’m sure we all accidentally swallow a bit too. Go get your toothpaste tube now and try and read the ingredients. Have you any idea what those things are? You’re putting it directly into your body so you might want to find out and make a decision whether or not those things are safe to ingest. Actually, I’ve decided they’re not. There’s a reason why we have to spit toothpaste out, obviously it’s really bad for you!!
I bought a toothpaste called ‘Silicea’ which is made in Germany. The first night I used the paste it was horrible. The taste is really salty and it doesn’t foam up so it sort of started dribbling out of my mouth (so gross). I was a bit unsure whether my teeth were clean enough too, so I brushed twice then considered chewing some xylitol gum. The next morning I put about four times more paste on my brush than the night before and it was a little better.
It’s now three days later and I’m getting used to it. This morning my teeth felt clean and the salty taste didn’t bother me as much. A friend of mine recommended the brand Weleda (also a German brand) so I bought a Weleda paste today (they have three toothpastes in different flavours I think). At $8.50 it was a little more expensive than the $4.50 Silicea but the tube is bigger to start with. It also had a more peppermint flavour and although it didn’t foam up, the gel was slightly thicker so it didn’t dribble out of my mouth as much. I brushed an hour ago with the Weleda and my mouth still feels really fresh!
What’s so different about ‘natural’ toothpaste?
Natural toothpastes are free from fluoride, detergents, synthetic fragrances, colours and preservatives. The kind of stuff that you don’t want to be putting directly into your body. Out of the five toothpastes in Weleda’s range, I bought the ‘Plant Gel Toothpaste’ which is to protect delicate gums. To be honest, I had no idea what the difference was between them when I was at the shop, the information is hard to find on the box. I just bought the green one because it looked like it would have a peppermint flavour which is what I’m used to when it comes to toothpaste.
So, until I find something better Weleda is my brand of toothpaste (by the way, the also have my favourite lip balm). It puzzles me why I didn’t think of all this before. That’s 27 years of putting toothpaste chemicals into my body twice a day, that’s not good!
Price: AU$12.95 (50 mL bottle)
Okay, so it’s not really my tip, I got this one from a friend of mine. But it’s a great one, and I can guarantee it will be the cheapest deodorant you will ever find. I love this tip, it works incredibly well and is awesome for anybody will allergy problems AND for people who don’t like using chemicals.
Fran’s shampoo recommendations
My laziness forced me to buy some natural toothpaste a few days ago. I was on my way home from work and needed a few things including toothpaste which I’d completely run out of. I couldn’t be bothered making a trip to a ‘normal’ food market so I just picked up some natural stuff from the health food store.
