If you’ve been doing your research, chances are you’ve figured out that conventional deodorant and anti-perspirants are highly toxic. Yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking – where does the mayhem end? Well, it certainly doesn’t end here, as these babies typically contain a heady concoction of chemicals which can do some serious harm in your body.
Common toxins found in deodorants and antiperspirants
Just to get you all riled up, here’s a quick list of toxic compounds commonly found in your average stick or spray-can of deodorant:
Aluminum: Used to block the sweat glands and keep sweat from reaching the surface of your skin. Preliminary research suggests that these aluminum compounds can be absorbed through the skin and cause changes to estrogen receptors in breast cells. The result, according researchers, is a higher risk of breast cancer with continued use of deodorants which contain aluminum.
Parabens: Used as a preservative to stop fungus or bacteria growing on your goods. Parabens are currently in the scientific hotseat for suspicions of contributing to breast cancer, due to their estrogen-simulating effect in the body
Propylene glycol: Keeps products from drying out. This nasty stuff was originally developed as a type of antifreeze, but is now being used in many deodorants and antiperspirants. There is no shortage of studies out there showing how propylene glycol is poison to our bodies, including this 2003 study and this 2007 study. Propylene glycol can cause dermatitis, kidney damage, liver damage, eye and skin irritation, gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, headaches, and central nervous depression. Seems like a great ingredient for your deodorant, right?
Triclosan: A synthetic compound used to kill bacteria on the skin (and inside your pits!). Triclosan has been shown to cause contact dermatitis, and has also been found to disrupt thyroid function.
The list goes on. Other nasty numbers found in your deodorant or antiperspirant include TEA and DEA, artificial colors and perfumes, and talc. Suffice to say that you need to throw those sweet-smelling cancer sticks out, ASAP.
Make your own healthy deodorant with doTERRA essential oils
You could shop around for hours, even days, trying to find a mass-produced deodorant that doesn’t contain any of these harmful chemicals. And even when you did, they’d probably have something else in them which is detrimental to your health. Admittedly, there are certain products out there which are legitimately clean, like this excellent natural deodorant stick from Green Tidings, but the cost of these products can add up over time.
When it comes down to it, your best solution is to make your own deodorant. Here’s a quick, easy set of steps to do just that. If you want to make your own deodorant bar, rather than just a paste that you rub on with your hands, add in some beeswax to harden things up.
Remember, you can buy doTERRA oils for much cheaper, wholesale prices if you sign up through our Thrive Primal doTERRA portal. More more information on how to get started buying cheaper essential oils, check out this article.
Also note that the Whisper blend is marketed “for women”, but the smell is definitely kosher for both men and women. As a man, I can confirm that it smells awesome and certainly doesn’t detract from my manliness!
Natural doTERRA deodorant instructions
There’s two ways you can do this recipe: the quick way and the fancy way. In our house, most of the time we opt for the “quick way” as we’re busy little bees. Essentially, this just involves leaving a jar of coconut oil somewhere warm (outside in the sun or beside the fireplace for a few minutes) and then mixing everything together in a glass jar. We don’t always use shea butter or cacao butter, but it’s nice to add them if you have the chance as they help to moisturize your pits. The “fancy way”, which admittedly will give you a better end product, is as follows:
Combine the coconut oil, shea or cacao butter in a double boiler, or simply a large mason jar inside a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water in the bottom. If you’re making a deodorant stick, add in the beeswax as well. I like simply melting everything in the mason jar, as it saves you having to clean hardened oils off a bowl at the end.
Bring the water to a boil, stirring ingredients constantly until they’re fully melted.
Remove oil mixture from heat and immediately add in the baking soda, arrowroot, and essential oils.
Give the mixture a good stir to ensure everything is fully incorporated. You need to make sure your oils are evenly spread throughout.
If you added beeswax for a deodorant stick, allow the mixture to cool for around 10-15 minutes at room temp. Once it hardens to a thick consistency, kind of like thick honey, carefully pour/scoop the mixture into an empty deodorant tube (you can literally just scoop out the old, nasty deodorant then rinse out with hot water) and leave overnight to fully harden. It’s better to wait until your deodorant mixture is thicker, so that you can make a mound inside the stick for ease of use.
That’s it! This should keep you and your family going for at least a few weeks, and sometimes a lot longer. If you didn’t make the deodorant stick, just scoop out a little with your fingers and massage gently into your pits.
It’s important to note that this isn’t an antiperspirant, so you will still sweat. But sweating is a healthy, natural bodily process – you need to sweat! And the good news that the longer you use this natural deodorant, the less you’ll sweat. Plus your sweat won’t smell bad, so you’re welcome.
If you start to develop a rash after a few days or weeks, don’t worry – if you’ve been using conventional, toxic deodorants for a long time this can sometimes happen. Doing an armpit detox like this one once a week until the rash goes away can make a big difference.
How did it go? Do you have your own special DIY deodorant blend? Tell us all about it!
Ok, so you’ve got your paleo/primal/Bulletproof eating down to a fine art, you’ve thrown out all your chemical-based household cleaners and replaced them with a simple spray bottle of white vinegar, you’ve thinned out the ranks of your cosmetics and personal care products, and you’re on the home stretch to becoming the healthiest human in a 10 mile radius. Nicely done.
But, and I hate to go picking holes in your otherwise impressive suit of health, do you have your laundry detergent sorted? Are you still using store-bought detergents? You know, the one’s filled with artificial fragrances, toxic cleaning agents, chemical stabilizers, ammonia, brighteners and phosphates? The one’s which are dousing your clothes (and therefore your skin) in a poisonous concoction of illness-inducing, disease-causing chemicals?
If the answer was “yes”, that’s a pretty big hole I just picked at, sorry to say. And don’t think that because you’re buying a purportedly “natural” or “plant-based” detergent from your local supermarket that you’ve somehow skipped the chemicals and found the real deal. Even the “healthy” store-bought detergents have their share of nasty ingredients, meaning you’re infinitely better off making your own.
This recipe is a slightly modified version of that provided by our friends over at mommypotamus.com. I know you’ve got places to go and people to see, so I’ve also fast-tracked it so you get that hole in your health suit patched up quick-smart and start living your life and being awesome again. You’re welcome.
Cut the bars of coconut oil soap into rough chunks, then add to a kitchen food processor along with the washing soda.
Blend on high until the mixture forms a fine powder. Consider placing a towel or cloth over your food processor during blending to prevent any powder from escaping.
Allow the powder inside the processor to settle, around 2-3 minutes.
Slowly pour the powder into a clean glass jar with lid.
In a top load washing machine, add 2 tablespoons of the detergent for a medium load and 3 tablespoons for a large load. If running a cold wash, consider dissolving the powder in a cup of hot water before pouring into the washing machine.
Add half a cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener receptacle, and 3-5 drops lemon essential oil in with the laundry detergent as a degreaser and natural fragrance.
This recipe was created by Liivi Hess, ThrivePrimal.com
Thoughts? Comments?
If you tried this recipe out, let us know how it went! Did you have to modify some of the ingredient amounts, or the ingredients themselves? If you’d like to mix things up a little, the folks over at morningchores.com have very conveniently gathered up 28 more DIY laundry recipes!
2. Go-to natural remedies for common children’s illnesses (How to detox your medicine cabinet and replace OTC meds with corresponding effective natural remedies)
3. How to ensure safety when using natural remedies and essential oils for children
Many of these dangers, remedies and safety measures will be very much relevant for adults too. I will link to each article as I complete them over the next couple of days.
In part one of this series we talked about the majorly risky practice of giving babies and children over-the-counter or prescription medications. Despite the best intentions of parents and medical practitioners, medicating young ones is often a shot in the dark with unknown repercussions. Children are being given drugs more and more, despite the fact that they are rarely tested on children. Check out that article here.
In part 2 we’re going to get super optimistic and reformative, looking at how to detox your medicine cabinet! I’ve put together a pretty extensive list of go-to natural remedies for common children’s illnesses. Please feel free to contribute more remedies that you’ve found helpful or effective in the comments at the end of the article.
I’ll be matching up the typical conventional medications with natural alternatives.
A quick disclaimer before we get right into it:
This should pretty much go without saying, but please always do your own research and only use remedies you feel comfortable with. Consult a practitioner if ever in doubt. The information here is for education only, and you should never delay seeking in-person care from a professional if your child is seriously ill.
improve nutrition with less sugar/more fat & protein – corrects insulin balance
correct neurotransmitter imbalances by supplementing with magnesium/B-vitamins/whey protein
reduce use of electronics especially at night (yellow/orange glasses are recommended)
introduce a little movement in the morning to boost serotonin
Vetiver essential oil, Cedarwood essential oil, InTune essential oil blend ** ensure any oils you use on your family are pure therapeutic grade, not just made for good smell. ** Here’s where I shop. (a 2001 study using brain scans to evaluate essential oil effectiveness for common behavioral challenges in children showed improvements in 100% of subjects with Vetiver and 83% effectiveness with Cedarwood)
local raw (un-pasteurized) honey – contains enzymes that are like a natural allergy shot with no downside. Local honey to where you live is said to help your body adapt to local allergens in your environment. Buy from a local shop or market, dose kids with 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon (adults a full tsp) one or more times a day
nettle tea or capsules – nettle is a natural antihistamine. When the leaves are dried they don’t sting anymore!
other probiotics such as raw capsules, unpasteurized kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut. Safe and beneficial in small amounts for babies and kids.
peppermint, lavender, lemon essential oils, doTERRA TriEase softgels (get pure, safe essential oils HERE). These oils bring down inflammation and calm an overactive immune response to allergens. For young children dilute the 3 oils in coconut oil and rub on the feet and along the spine.
heal leaky gut syndrome to prevent undigested peptides from damaging the brain (here is an article for reference, and this gut healing program is, in my opinion, the best out there)
asthma is considered an inflammatory condition, so soothe inflammation in the body by eating a whole real food diet (click the link for meal plans!) focusing on organic vegetables and animal protein, healthy traditional fats, fermented & cultured foods
For prevention or during an attack, instead of an inhaler (if it’s safe) try doTERRA Breathe respiratory blend essential oil – a blend of laurel leaf, peppermint, eucalyptus, melaleuca, lemon, and ravensara. Helps to soothe inflamed tissues, support the elimination of bacteria and viruses, and opens airways. I’ve read many articles and testimonials saying people no longer need asthma medication after starting to keep the Breathe blend on hand. Only $26.67 retail, or get a 25% wholesale discount. Get some HERE.
avoid sugar, caffeine, chocolate, not only for their direct effect but also because they promote Candida Albicans yeast overgrowth in the gut, which can cause anxiety
magnesium drink/rub/bath, and other mineral-rich foods such as homemade organic chicken broth, green smoothies (blend up cucumber, romaine lettuce, spinach, lemon, banana, berries), organ meats (try organic chicken livers made into gluten-free “nuggets”)
herbal teas such as chamomile, fennel, catnip (brew tea, steep with a cover on for 10 minutes, then let cool before putting in a safe bottle or cup for the child to drink from)
amber necklace – raw natural amber contains succinic acid, a natural analgesic and healing agent. Amber warms when worm against the body and the succinic acid is absorbed through the skin helping relieve anxiety, pain and other symptoms. I personally wear one 24-7!
Natural remedies for bacterial infections (alternatives to antibiotics)
Conventional treatment: Doctors frequently prescribe antibiotics just in case even if they don’t know that an illness is caused by bacteria, or which bacteria is causing it (source). This is leading to major damage to gut bacteria which regulates our digestion, immunity and much of our mood and mental wellbeing. It also leads to antibiotic-resistant bacteria which is a major threat to global health today. (source) I would highly recommend reading these articles for insight as to why your child probably doesn’t need antibiotics: Article 1, Article 2. As someone who has been a “victim” to likely unnecessary antibiotics MANY times in my life, and have struggled to re-balance my body in my adulthood, I would encourage you to seek alternatives and consult with a practitioner who treats antibiotics in a cautious and holistic manner.
oregano oil – please ensure you use a high quality pure oil from a brand that stands behind medicinal / internal use of their oils. This is the only place I buy therapeutic essential oils. Apply 1-2 drops diluted with coconut oil topically, in a bath, in a steaming bowl via inhalation, or by consuming in a vegetable capsule. You can also use a small amount in a neti pot with water.
garlic is a strong natural antibiotic which does not destroy beneficial gut bacteria. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (of the GAPS protocol) recommends consuming an entire head of garlic daily as an effective internal antibiotic. I would recommend doing this by eating finely chopped raw garlic in something tasty like pesto, hummus, real-food ranch dressing with veggies (recipe ideas HERE). Freshly chopped garlic is best, let it sit for 10 minutes before using/consuming as the allicin content will increase.
turmeric extract in doses of 400-600 mg 3 times daily, or as directed on the package (source)
support the immune system with rest, fluids (with pink salt and raw honey for electrolytes), fresh lemon, fresh herbs such as parsley and rosemary, and homemade organic broth
melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil – add 3 to 6 drops to a teaspoon of coconut oil, keep this in a small container for first aid use. This is where I get quality essential oils free of additives, synethetics, or pesticides.
make a compress with a mix of cool water and a little white vinegar to lift the heat
lavender essential oil takes the sting out of a burn and has been shown to help skin heal much faster without scarring or scabbing. Use generously straight onto a burn without using a carrier oil, as carrier oils can hold the heat inside of the burn. You must purchase a pure high quality lavender essential oil to get good results. Many cheaper lavender oils contain fillers that smell like lavender but don’t have the medicinal effect. Here is where I buy top-shelf essential oils.
use raw honey as an antiseptic cream to speed healing
homemade organic crock pot chicken broth with finely chopped garlic, onion, celery (instructions in this post)
warm lemon water – make it with fresh squeezed lemon, and let it cool a bit before adding some raw honey to leave the enzymes intact
cinnamon – mix 1 tablespoon with 1 teaspoon of raw honey and stir into hot water to make a spicy and very effective tea that helps relieve cough and congestion and lower fever. Another option is to use capsules.
facial steam – a bowl of hot water with 3 drops each of oregano, thyme and rosemary essential oils (here is where to get essential oils good enough to use medicinally: link) Place the steaming bowl under the face and drape a towel over the head to make a “tent”. Inhale for several minutes, but be sure to supervise a child to make sure they don’t get too hot.
1 drop of oregano oil diluted with a little coconut oil and rubbed under the feet a few times a day
Conventional treatment: Dicyclomine hydrochloride, simethicone, Anaspaz, Bentyl, Donnatol, Buscopan, Zantac, leaving your infant with other caregivers for respite. Not many treatments recommended other than suffering through it as it usually rectifies after a few months.
removing allergens from the mother’s diet (if breast-feeding) – these could include things like wheat and grains, pasteurized dairy, corn, soy, eggs
removing excessive stimulation and stressors from the environment, since this could stress the baby and hinder a healthy digestive process (ie noises, lights, screens, etc)
massage and movement to help release gas
cooled ginger or peppermint tea in a bottle – these assist digestion
belly and back massage with a digestive blend essential oil (DigestZen is the one I use and love) – dilute 5 drops of oil in 1 tsp of coconut oil, warm the oil until the coconut oil is melted (24 degrees C) and place a couple of drops in the belly button, then work outward in gentle circular motions
apply a warm compress like a cloth from the dryer over the essential-oil covered belly to help the oils penetrate and to help the belly feel comfy
Conventional treatment: medicated shampoo, ketoconazole, anti-dandruff shampoo containing tar, selenium sulfide, hydrocortisone cream, petroleum-based mineral oil or jelly
According to this article, cradle cap is associated with overgrowth of yeast, so probiotics for both mum and baby will be helpful. For mum I use and recommend the doTERRA brand PB-Assist product since it’s double coated to make it past the stomach, and also contains prebiotics with the probiotics feed on; this encourages them to colonize the gut rather then just pass through. If you would like to buy doTERRA products, here is my page with simple instructions.
dietary adjustments in the mother – increase good fats and omega 3’s (avocados, fish, walnuts etc), increase alkalizing foods (vegetables, greens, lemon etc)
coconut oil with essential oils applied to the scalp – coconut oil is naturally anti-fungal so will help bring balance to the skin. Add a maximum of 5 drops of lavender or melaleuca essential oil to 1 tsp of coconut oil.
add 1/4 tsp slippery elm to a bottle, this encourages a healthy gut lining to prevent further yeast overgrowth
Conventional treatment: inhaled medications such as racemic epinephrine, oral corticosteroids (prednisolone, dexamethasone)
Use a cool mist machine or steam up the bathroom and crack a window to create cool, damp mist. Going outside at night also often helps if the air is damp. 10-15 minutes minimum. You can also fill a bowl with ice and make a tent with a towel, and inhale the cool, wet air.
Therapeutic essential oils – With 6 – 12 drops of coconut oil apply 2 drops each Respiratory Blend, Frankincense and Peppermint to the child’s chest area (dilute more for infants). The blend of oils may also be applied to the bottoms of the feet and back as well. Repeat every 1 to 3 hours until the coughing stops. Protect small children from transferring the oils from their chest, etc. to their eyes. Get essential oils good enough to be used medicinally HERE.
castor oil chest compress – apply castor oil to a cloth, place on the chest, and put a hot water bottle on top to help the castor oil penetrate. Castor oil is an expectorant which means it helps loosen phlegm, so the child will cough it up and get rid of, being able to sleep peacefully again. Check out this awesome testimonial. Get castor oil HERE.
plantain herb – a common backyard “weed” with many medicinal properties – read more here. Make a poultice of fresh or dried plantain leaf and bentonite clay with water to form a paste. Or you can buy a ready-made plantain salve. Also a good remedy for bites and stings, rashes, poison ivy.
witch hazel – apply a small amount of soothing witch hazel distillate directly to a wound. More info here or get some witch hazel for your non-toxic medicine cabinet HERE.
coconut oil is naturally antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral and very soothing & protective to the skin. Apply this completely non-toxic remedy with confidence. Get some good coconut oil HERE.
homemade neosporin – check out this recipe from Wellness Mama
Diaper rash may be “common” but that does not make it “normal”. It’s caused simply by prolonged skin contact with urine and feces, with too much dampness and not enough ventilation. The skin gets very sore and can become infected. The simplest remedy is to allow baby to be diaperless for at least 20 minutes 3 times a day between diaper changes to allow the skin to breathe
Use non-plastic diapers that breathe better, such as these (imagine your butt wrapped in plastic all day, you wouldn’t be very happy either! Plus there is evidence plastic diapers can cause hormonal & fertility problems. If you need disposal diapers, Nature Baby Care is the best option)
Use less toxic wipes and ointments, or just use a warm cloth followed by some coconut oil each time. You can keep all the baby-bum-cloths in a separate odorless storage bucket with a few drops of tea tree oil in it, then wash them in their own hot water load (with unscented laundry soap)
Make natural ointment with coconut oil, lavender and melaleuca essential oils. Frankincense and Grounding Blend (Balance) also work well on some babies if they don’t tolerate lavender or melaleuca. (more info here) You only want to use the most safe, pure, effective essential oils on your baby’s sensitive young skin, so I strongly recommend investing in good essential oils. See mine HERE.
Conventional treatment: Though the majority of ear infections are viral, most doctors treat ear infections as if bacteria were present just in case, and will prescribe antibiotics (amoxicillin, cephalosporins, clavulanate, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, azithromycin). Other common treatments include Tylenol and other OTC medications, puncturing the eardrum to drain fluid from the middle ear, tube insertion surgery, adenoidectomy
Fill a cotton or wool sock with oatmeal, rice or sea salt/pink salt (antimicrobial properties) and bake until it’s very warm but not burning. Use as a heat pack under the affected ear.
Cut an onion in half and bake until you can just start to smell it. Let it cool until it’s a tolerable temperature to touch, then apply to the ears (lying down) and hold it on gently by tying with a natural fabric like wool or cotton (ie a scarf or old t-shirt). The antiviral properties of the warm onion enter the ears. Leaving a chopped onion in the child’s bedroom overnight is also a great cold remedy.
Drop 1-2 drops of slightly warmed garlic and mullein oil into each ear (one at a time, let it rest a few minutes then let that ear drain onto a cloth while you do the other ear, then drain again)
Dip a cotton ball in some of the ill person’s urine, add a couple drops of rosemary or basil essential oil, and put the cotton ball gently resting in the ear. You may use a bandaid or masking tape to hold it in the ear overnight. (Think this sounds WHACK? Read more about the awesome medicinal properties of urine HERE)
the skin is the mirror of the gut, therefore healing the digestive system will heal the skin. Increase bone broth and organic veggies, decrease and eliminate processed/coloured/flavoured foods, wheat/grains, commercial pasteurized dairy, soy, non-organic corn.
use coconut oil as a soothing moisturizer, and add 10-20 drops of essential oils such as lavender, melaleuca, geranium or a topical blend. HERE is where I get essential oils good enough to use medicinally.
Conventional treatment: Tylenol, Advil, Motrin. Tylenol can cause altererd liver function in children and can even spur Febrile seizures. (source)
a fever in itself is not a bad sign – it shows that the body is fighting off bacteria or viruses, and the increase in temperature is one of the body’s main weapons. It heats up to make the body less hospitable to these invaders. It’s more important to keep the child hydrated and comfortable, using natural approaches to support the immune system, and not worrying about the number of the fever too much. As long as the child is still drinking, urinating and responding well, the fever can be monitored at home (read more HERE and HERE)
Don’t wake a child to give medication, sleep is more important.
Keep the kid hydrated and comfortable using remedies such as natural popsicles (recipe), homemade chicken broth (instructions), room-temperature water with lemon/pink salt/raw honey for healthy electrolytes
Apply cloths soaked in apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or egg whites to the feet (and put socks on top). People still swear by these age-old remedies; if they bother to still do them then they must work!
supplements such as calcium lactate (gives the body raw materials to make white blood cells, which it normally has to withdraw from bones, so by supplementing you get less of that achey feeling), a cup of raw apple cider vinegar added to a warm bath
Consider taking further action / visiting the hospital if an infant under 8 weeks old has a fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or if any fever has no known source or symptoms, or lasts longer than 5 days (source)
See remedies listed above for colds and fevers – in general, keep the ill person hydrated and comfortable, support the immune system, use smart herbal remedies listed above
How to support and heal food intolerance & digestive problems
a diet and lifestyle protocol to help remove bothersome foods without feeling overwhelmed or deprived, and healing the gut (I highly recommend this gut healing program)
DigestZen essential oil – a safe and very effective blend that you can get HERE
Conventional treatment: Most people just ride this out until they vomit or poop so much that they need to go to the hospital and get an IV to get re-hydrated. Over-the-counter medication to treat vomiting and diarrhea (which may be counter-productive because this is the body’s only way to rid the poisoning)
as soon as any stomach pain starts, prevent it from progressing by sipping a mixture of equal parts raw apple cider vinegar and water with 1/2 tsp activated charcoal mixed in, or use activated charcoal capsules. Drinking this strange black drink will absorbs and de-activate the invading bacteria, and should help within minutes.
Conventional treatment: Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, Aleve, Nurofen, Panadol, escalating to more serious interventions such as prescription drugs and injections for migraines
food intolerances are a common source of headaches, see the tips above for resolving this
ensure the diet is low in sugar and processed foods
essential oils such as Peppermint, Deep Blue and PastTense are totally awesome for headaches. Be sure to keep minty or wintergreen ones away from the eyes. Here is where I personally buy these high quality medicinal oils.
ensure enough movement and hydration, and don’t use screens too much
if a headache is due to jaw tension, PastTense oil (above) and an amber necklace can help calm the tension
mineral imbalances can cause headaches, try using pink salt instead of regular salt, and adding a magnesium drink/rub/bath
accupressure – squeezing and rubbing the fleshy part between the first finger and thumb quite firmly/aggressively for 5-10 minutes
Conventional treatment: as referenced in the first article in this series, children are frequently prescribed behaviour and mood-altering medications these days. Ritalin, Adderall, Wellbutrin etc.
balance sleep patterns with these excellent tips, trust me you need these!! – helps balance hormones and neurotransmitters for normal behaviour
improve nutrition with less carbs & sugar/more fat & protein – corrects insulin balance for less “hangry” times. Try these paleo-friendly kids snack ideas.
correct neurotransmitter imbalances by supplementing with magnesium/B-vitamins/whey protein
reduce use of electronics especially at night (yellow/orange glasses are recommended)
introduce a little movement in the morning to boost serotonin
Vetiver essential oil, Cedarwood essential oil, InTune essential oil blend ** ensure any oils you use on your family are pure therapeutic grade, not just made for good smell. ** Here’s where I shop. (a 2001 study using brain scans to evaluate essential oil effectiveness for common behavioral challenges in children showed improvements in 100% of subjects with Vetiver and 83% effectiveness with Cedarwood)
Soaking a chamomile tea bag in warm water and placing over an eye for 15 minutes every 2 hours will relieve pink eye in less than 24 hours. (source)
How to Treat a Seizure Naturally
I will work on expanding this section, however anecdotally I have heard that high quality frankincense essential oil is an incredible cure for seizures (source) Comment below if you have knowledge/experience of this?
Natural remedies for Teething / Tooth pain
amber necklace – raw natural amber contains succinic acid, a natural analgesic and healing agent. Amber warms when worm against the body and the succinic acid is absorbed through the skin helping relieve anxiety, pain and other symptoms. I personally wear one 24-7!
clove essential oil is said to work wonders for teething and tooth pain, but some babies might be sensitive. If you don’t feel comfortable using clove, go for German Chamomile instead. Frankincense is also great for tooth pain. These essential oils are pure and safe enough for use on babies and kids.
How to treat an Upset Stomach / Constipation / Diarrhea Naturally
a diet and lifestyle protocol to help remove bothersome foods without feeling overwhelmed or deprived, and healing the gut (I highly recommend this gut healing program)
DigestZen essential oil – a safe and very effective blend that you can get HERE
mineral imbalances can cause digestive issues, try keeping the person hydrated using electrolytes like pink salt instead of regular salt, and adding a magnesium drink/rub/bath
drinking a teaspoon of lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar in a glass of water a few times a day can help stimulate better digestion
How to get rid of Plantar Warts and Skin tags Naturally
Conventional treatment: Salicylic Acid, Compound W, liquid nitrogen – scary chemicals that eat the skin away
oregano oil! Get a good one here. Apply 1-2 drops directly to the spot at least once a day for a month. If the oil is too “hot” on the skin, dilute with coconut oil. You can cover the spot with a cotton ball and/or bandaid to keep the oil on. I’ve had success with this personally on a recent wart! I didn’t even remember to use it every day and it went away in about a month, without having to endure any discomfort or cutting or burning or anything.
What do you have in your natural medicine cabinet?
What are your go-to natural remedies? Do you find they work as well as conventional treatments? Have you or your loved ones been able to stop using medications thanks to natural remedies? Share your experiences below, you could change someone’s life!!
Eating fermented foods is a must if you want to optimally digest and absorb everything you eat. Our ancestors ate cultured and fermented foods constantly, so we would have a steady stream of friendly bacteria coming into our system. Nowadays these traditional foods have mostly fallen by the wayside, along with their plentiful benefits.
Everyone should eat fermented and cultured foods, but particularly if you suffer from any sort of chronic health issues. I find it really helps my digestion!
Why it’s worth it to DIY instead of buy
Store-bought probiotic foods or capsules will never be as fresh or contain as many friendly bacteria as what you make at home. Plus they are super expensive.
They are also frequently pre-pasteurized, and then the culture is added back in. This is a crappy unnatural way of doing things according to the requirements of the food industry. Making things yourself gets you the biggest health benefit and saves you the most cash.
FACT: The fermentation process of sauerkraut causes the vitamin C content to multiply by 10 x! Sailors historically ate sauerkraut to avoid scurvy because it was so nutritious and didn’t spoil easily.
How to make sauerkraut in 3 steps
First collect your stuff.
Cabbage (any size and type will do, organic is best)
Knife and chopping board
Large mixing bowl
Large glass jar (bigger than your cabbage. I normally use a medium-size cabbage and a 2L jar)
Another smaller jar that fits inside the mouth of your large jar. I normally use something like a tall skinny olive jar or sauce jar.
Salt (Pink Himalayan Salt is best, but sea salt is still better than table salt)
If you use whey, your sauerkraut will be ready in 3-4 days. If you don’t, it will take 1-2 weeks.
Step 1: Chop
Take off the outer 2 leaves of your cabbage and set them aside – you’ll need them later. Then go nuts and chop your cabbage as small as you can be bothered chopping it. The pieces definitely shouldn’t be any bigger than 1cm x 1cm, but they can be as small as you want (but not puree!). If you have a good food processor you can use that too.
Step 2: Salt and Sit
Get your bowl and plunk in about 1/3 of your cabbage, then sprinkle a big tablespoon of salt over it. Put in another 1/3, then another tablespoon of salt. Last 1/3, then 2 tbsp of salt. The rough guideline here is 4 tbsp salt per 1 kg of cabbage. Generally this would mean 3 tbsp salt for a small cabbage, 4 tbsp for a medium cabbage, 5-6 tbsp for a large cabbage.
Then let your salted cabbage sit for about 20 minutes. The salt draws the moisture out of the cabbage.
Step 3: Knead and Pack
Spend about 5 minutes or so kneading, squeezing and punching your cabbage to get as much juice out of it as possible. The goal is to get enough juice out to cover the cabbage once it goes in the jar.
Pack it into the jar as tightly as you can, pushing it down to get any air out. Add a few tbsp of whey if you’re using it.
At this point see how much liquid you have – you might need to top up with a little more whey or water (filtered/purified if possible). The liquid should be 1-2 cm above the top of the packed cabbage surface.
It’s imperative that the liquid covers the cabbage bits since we are going for anaerobic fermentation (no air contact allowed!).
Grab the cabbage leaves you saved earlier, fold them and place them on top to make as good of a ‘lid’ as you can. This is to keep the cabbage below the liquid. Weigh down this lid with your smaller jar. Put some water in the smaller jar to keep it weighed. Check that all of the chopped/packed cabbage is below the liquid. This is important to avoid mold. It’s ok if the cabbage leaf ‘lid’ pokes above the liquid, because you won’t be eating it.
How to check that your sauerkraut is ready
That’s it! Now place it in a cupboard or a cool dark place out of the way somewhere. Wait for 3-4 days if you used whey, or 1-2 weeks if you didn’t.
It’s always safe to taste, as long as there is no mold. You’ll know it’s ready when it starts to taste kind of sour, fizzy, and a lot less salty. When it’s lost enough saltiness for you, take out the weight and the leaf lid, put the lid on the big jar and keep the sauerkraut in the fridge.
A few tips:
If your big jar ends up being pretty full, I recommend putting it in a big bowl while it’s fermenting. There will be gases produced and the liquid level might rise. The big bowl is in case of overflow.
Keep checking it to make sure everything is below the liquid. Add a little water if it’s looking a bit dry.
If you see mold, most articles I’ve read recommend throwing out the whole batch. If you’re not sure whether it’s mold (ie a small white floating patch) you could scoop out a significant area surrounding it, and then continue fermenting. If the white stuff / mold doesn’t come back after a few days, it should be safe.
As a general rule, if there’s no mold it’s safe to eat. Mold is a risky area and if in doubt, just get rid of it and start again. Next time make sure you pack the cabbage down really well, put enough liquid in, and keep everything consistenly below the liquid level.
How did it go?
Share your tips, questions, comments, experiences below. Is your digestion better? Skin clearing up? Immunity boosted? Sauerkraut rocks :)
Over the past couple of years, Will and I have been getting more and more “crunchy”. Eschewing commercial cleaning and self-care products, and instead making our own, or sometimes just foregoing them altogether :)
The time that I didn’t wash my hair for 3 months…
I tried that foregoing thing with shampoo for awhile – I was determined to make my hair self-cleaning. I stuck it out for about 3 months, which I thought would surely be enough to let it adapt. Some days it looked ok, but mostly I looked like a drowned rat and felt pretty darn un-sexy.
The classic no-poo method
Previously to that I tried the no-poo method, which is baking soda mixed with some water and poured onto the scalp to cleanse, (rinse out), followed by some apple cider vinegar mixed with water and poured over the hair as a conditioner to balance the pH.
I didn’t mind this, but felt that after awhile it made my hair kind of dry and brittle. This is a common review if you google around a little bit.
Effective DIY natural no-poo alternatives; aka washing your hair with breakfast
Most blogs I’ve read lately have shared the most success with occasional baking soda/ACV washes, alternating with various natural food-based rinses and cleanses in between.
You could basically walk into a diner and rob some unsuspecting person of their breakfast, smoodge it all over your head, and walk out with clean hair.
You can wash your hair with:
kefir
rye flour
egg
coffee
honey
And any number of other items. Personally I’ve had great success with both rye flour, and an egg-honey mixture.
How to make DIY non-toxic egg & honey shampoo with essential oils
This is such a quick and easy process, just grab a bowl and get mixing.
crack a free range egg, grab the yolk with your fingers and put it in your bowl. (keep the white for something else if you like)
whip it up a bit with a fork, then mix in a heaping teaspoon of raw honey (if your honey is creamed, you may want to dilute it first with some warm water to soften it)
use comfortably warm (rather than hot) water in the shower so the egg doesn’t cook on your head
You will find your hair is silky and infused with protein to make it stronger. The honey is a good gentle cleanser, and the essential oils add strength, cleansing power and a nice scent as well.
My no-poo routine
Lately my routine looks something like this:
baking soda/ACV wash once a month
egg wash once every 1-2 weeks
rye flour wash 1-2 times per week
In between I just rinse my hair with water, or preen it using my natural boar-bristle brush, or use a little dry shampoo (I just use baby powder).
Pretty easy, non-toxic, and it keeps your hair healthy with a variety of different nourishing, natural cleansers and conditioners.
One last tip: coconut oil for hair
If you find the ends of your hair get dry, try this:
Wet your hair in the shower
Scoop out a little bit of coconut oil and rub just through the ends of your wet hair
Continue with your chosen no-poo cleansing method and rinse well
Your ends should be just conditioned and moisturized enough, without getting a greasy ratbag head from too much coconut oil. The key is to put it on the ends only!
How is no-poo shampoo working for you?
Have you been experimenting with any DIY non-toxic natural shampoo alternatives? What’s working for your hair type? Are you finding balance in your routine? Please share so we can all help each other out!
Eczema, psoriasis, acne, cysts, blackheads, whiteheads, milia, keratosis, dandruff, ingrown hairs. If you experience any of these skin issues, I feel your pain.
Having unattractive skin can be really difficult. Your skin is how the world perceives you, and if it’s riddled with any of the above, it isn’t easy to feel attractive, or even presentable.
Over $175 BILLION is spent every year on skincare and makeup, yet more and more people experience these problems and turn to spending yet more cash on medicating themselves, in the desperate search for balance and beauty.
Why it’s all a dirty money-grabbing trick
Here’s some news for you friends:
1. Applying washes, scrubs, creams, serums and other potions to the surface of your skin will do very little to actually improve your skin quality.
2. Your skin has a natural oil balance, and products only serve to strip off that oil (rendering your skin effectively a dry desert) and then force us to replenish that moisture balance artificially with yet more products.
3. Cosmetics are not legally considered food, and therefore have very few regulations applied, despite the fact that something you apply to your skin can enter your blood stream in less than 30 seconds. When you apply all those lotions and potions, you might as well be EATING all those toxic yuckies. Would you eat your sudsy body wash? Your perfumey moisturizer? Well surprise, you ARE.
According to this article by save-the-planet guru David Suzuki:
Some of the ingredients in beauty products aren’t that pretty. U.S. researchers report that one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, and hormone disruptors. Many products include plasticizers (chemicals that keep concrete soft), degreasers (used to get grime off auto parts), and surfactants (they reduce surface tension in water, like in paint and inks). Imagine what that does to your skin, and to the environment.
We surveyed Canadians to see how many of the Dirty Dozen ingredients below appeared in their cosmetics, and our findings show that 80 per cent of entered products contained at least one of these toxic chemicals.
Your skin comes from the inside out. It’s a mirror of what’s going on inside your body. Literally your skin is a reflection of your digestive system; if your intestines are seething with crap food and gas and bacterial overgrowth, it’s likely your skin will look similarly junky. Whereas if your guts are glowing with wholesome real food and probiotics, your skin will glow and thrive in response.
You can’t out-product a bad diet
Have you ever heard the saying that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet? Well, you can’t out-skincare-product one either.
I can personally attest to this one. A few years ago, actually when I got my first full-time job after university, I was trying to figure out why I was getting sore lumps of cystic acne on my back. I tried all sorts of treatments, and even resorted to spending lots of my hard-earned moolah on special medicated bodywashes to try to fix the painful lumps. I also used extra-strength acne-fighting wipes, which gave me huge patches of super painful eczema, which I then had to go get a prescription cream from the doctor for. Talk about backward, pointless, multi-level bandaid solutions!
I’ve since made the connection that it’s totally linked with diet and stress. Now that I live a clean lifestyle, I can see the effect very explicitly: Every time I’ve gone on holiday this year, if I’ve let things get a little lax in the diet and sleep department, I notice very soon after that I start getting a little cystic acne on my back.
There is no point in spending all that time in the aisle of the store reading bottles figuring out which product to spend another $20 on, and then doing some 5-stage regime every morning and evening to fix your skin. This is exactly what the marketers want you to do.
You can ride the merry-go-round of potions and drugs for years, or you can get a much more affordable, more permanent, and more body-loving solution by fixing the problem from the inside out.
When your car isn’t running right, do you give it a coat of wax and touch up the paint? Or do you open the hood and actually get the engine repaired? We should treat our bodies the same way, seeking out and addressing the root cause of these issues instead of just slapping on the commercial, slickly marketed, bandaid solution that comes in the shiny bottle.
Step 1: Support your Liver
Another word for supporting your liver is ‘detoxing’. It’s a pretty flashy marketing term these days that is surrounded with all sorts of products and programs, but it basically just means supporting the liver with clean foods and smart supplements.
Your liver is responsible for trucking out all those nasty toxins that can come from food, the environment, plastics, products etc. If it can’t truck ’em out properly in your poop, your body tries to seep them out in other ways, such as through your skin. Hello acne!
These same detox foods will also help get rid of extra estrogen (in men and women both), which can be a contributing factor to acne and skin issues.
It can be really overwhelming to try and find good supplements that are worth your hard-earned dollars. My partner and I spend a lot of time researching this stuff, and here are the best we’ve found for B vitamins and a superfood greens powder that contains algae.
Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw B-Complex – a highly absorbable real food-based B vitamin complex. There is no point taking cheap low-quality supplements that your body can’t absorb, therefore real food-based supplements are a lot more worthwhile.
Mighty Maca Greens Superfood Powder – a tasty mixture of South American maca (awesome health-promoting herb in like one million ways) and super greens, which you can get in little single-serve packets to bring along to work etc. I really like it mixed with a little lemon juice and then shaken in a big bottle of water to sip throughout the day.
Step 2: Supplement Wisely
Once you’ve taken care of the detox pathway, you can add in nutrient-dense foods and supplements which will literally help your body build better skin. These are some of the building blocks of healthy skin which are often missing from our modern diets.
Zinc: Personally I’ve found that if I eat pumpkin seeds or take a zinc supplement, the dry skin under my feet goes away (so key for summer!). I’ve heard it also helps hair grow thicker; I’m currently experimenting with that! Go for whole foods, or here is a great source for a supplement: Garden Of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc
Magnesium supports hundreds of important things going on in your body, and due to industrial agriculture our diet has become very magnesium-depleted. I prefer using Natural Calm Magnesium Liquid and either just mixing with some coconut oil and smearing it on, or making a simple DIY moisturizer that I use once or twice a day. You can find local stores to buy from, or here’s a place to buy online: Liquid Magnesium. You can also use their naturally flavoured tasty magnesium drink, although I find it a little sweet (depends on your taste).
Another option for magnesium is a simple epsom salt bath, which is also very effective. Dissolve 2 cups of salt into a bath and you only need 7-12 minutes for it to absorb. Grab some epsom salt here.
Collagen and gelatin are so key for soft, youthful, healthy skin. Make bone broth with organic bones at home, or take a good quality supplement like Great Lakes: Collagen Hydrolysate
Vitamin A: The animal form of Vitamin A is crucial for healthy skin. Keratosis pilaris is the official name for the little bumps that can form on the backs of your arms and elsewhere. These are easily treated with Vitamin A. Here is where to get the best cod liver oil supplement with highly bio-available Vitamin A: Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Step 3: Stop Abusing Your Skin
This step is a little counter-intuitive. Marketing would have us believe that if our skin is oily and acne-ridden, we just have to cleanse it more often and with stronger stuff. We are also told to use several different steps of skin care products at different times of day.
In reality, your skin maintains its own balance quite nicely,when it’s not constantly interfered with. It maintains a healthy pH and moisture level, as well as exfoliates itself consistently. People weren’t ugly ragged beasts in the days before they had 6-stage facial care product systems. We don’t need these things to survive and in fact our skin can be much more balanced and beautiful without them.
The skin has a delicate layer called the ‘acid mantle’ which gets destroyed by commercial cleansers and exfoliators. Basically the skin turns into a dry desert, and then we have to use serums and lotions and creams to artificially re-hydrate what we just removed. Totally pointless, and way confusing for the skin. That’s why we often find we get super oily too fast, because the skin is freaking out trying to re-hydrate itself after being stripped dry.
The other thing we hear often is to drink “lots and lots (and lots)” of water if we want nice skin. It’s true the average person probably doesn’t drink enough water. However it’s easy for this advice to go too far.
When you drink too much, the vital minerals in your blood become too diluted and you pee out too much valuable nutrition. Your kidneys can only process an absolute maximum of 1 L per hour at their highest capacity.
You should only be drinking around 2 to 3 L of water per day (depending on your size and activity level) – enough that your urine is not clear, but rather still pale yellow (perhaps a lemonade-like colour). Your skin will certainly benefit from being properly hydrated, but it’s a delicate balance.
Another great tip would be to purchase a filter for your shower head. This will remove much of the chlorine and prevent your skin from drying out so much.
This is the one we currently have and I’ve found it to be perfectly effective. It was pretty affordable, very easy to install and should fit any wall-mounted shower head. Sprite High Output HO2 with matching Chrome Showerhead
If I were buying one now, I would probably order this one online: Culligan Level 2 Wall-Mount Showerhead. It has really good reviews, plus massage settings :)
Step 4: Care for Your Skin Gently
There are so many wonderful ways you can nurture and care for your skin gently, rather than abusing it with chemical cleansers and smothering it with petrochemical-laden potions.
Exfoliating: Use a soft natural-bristle dry brush or natural sea sponge to gently disengage old skin. This helps circulation and lymph fluid flow as well.
Clean and Nourish: Apply coconut oil to the skin before washing or showering. Coconut oil is gently antibacterial and very nourishing, plus it is slightly acidic which matches the skin’s natural pH. Then, use filtered warm water (not too hot – it scalds and strips the skin). When you get out, you’ll find the perfect amount of moisture is left and the skin feels heavenly!
Balance: If you feel the need to tone or tighten the skin, a 1:10 mixture of raw apple cider vinegar to filtered water is a gentle, natural way to do that. If your tap water is very mineral-rich (and has a strongly basic pH, you’ll know if you get white build-up on your kettle) then the vinegar rinse may be a good idea.
Detox and Repair: Sweating every day is so important – it’s the skin’s natural cleansing system and it’s so easy. Just google “quick interval workout” or similar on youtube, and you’ll find any number of ways to get a quick sweat on in less than 10 minutes. No excuses!
The other absolute vital factor is sleep. This is when your skin repairs itself and becomes its naturally gorgeous glowing youthful self. Your hormones (your body’s messengers and signalers) also need sleep to stay balanced and effective. You’ll know how shitty and haggard your face looks after an all-nighter or a long flight or what have you. Sleep is sooo important. Sleeeeeep.
The Skintervention Guide
This is a good overall good-skin approach, however if you have a particular condition or concern, and want a detailed protocol (aka user-friendly, hand-holding, day-by-day action plan) to fix your skin, I have a GREAT recommendation.
Instead of spending another $10, $30, $50 plus dollars on another hit-or-miss product that is advertised by air-brushed models, I would highly recommend checking out Liz Wolfe’s Purely Primal Skintervention Guide.
This guide is a deep dive into what exactly is going on underneath each specific skin condition. What imbalances might be happening or what might be setting it off, and exactly what to avoid, what to eat, and what to adjust in your lifestyle to bring things back to normal. In fact not only to normal, but even better than your skin has ever been.
The author, Liz Wolfe, is an absolute POWERHOUSE of awesome actionable info. Her style is friendly and practical so it’s easy to read. Useful and empowering, not boring or overwhelming.
Don’t smear on another cream and hope for the best – rebuild healthy skin from the inside out instead, using a proven system from an established expert. The image below will take you straight there for more info…
Do you have any tips or success stories to share on how you’ve overcome skin concerns? Or any good books, supplements, protocols to recommend? Share & help others below!
A few months ago I started getting wise to the idea that the “normal” oral care products that we use without a second thought may not be the best for our mouths.
Ingredients like fluoride, alcohol and abrasives in mouthwash and toothpaste are a result of the ultra-commercialization of our self-care routines and may not actually give us the result we are looking for, which is of course: strong beautiful healthy teeth and gums!
I’ve found many sources that support the idea of making your own natural oral care products with safe household ingredients. The underlying thought is not to put anything in your mouth that you wouldn’t eat! You definitely wouldn’t eat toothpaste – it has a warning right on the tube that says do not swallow more than a pea-sized amount.
The gums, mouth tissues and sinuses are one of the fastest routes to the bloodstream through an ultra-thin layer of skin. Why do you think people take cocaine by rubbing it on their gums or inhaling it? Gross reference, I know, but it’s true. Therefore I’m happy to have stopped administering chemicals right into my bloodstream with commercial toothpastes and mouthwashes.
Here is what I use for mouthwash instead:
Just mix up in a glass (rough amounts):
1. 1/2 tsp of baking soda
2. 1/3 tsp of good sea salt
3. 2 drops of tea tree oil
4. 2 drops of peppermint oil
5. the powder from one emptied-out calcium-magnesium capsule
with a little bit of warm water, so that it looks like this:
Mix it up until the salt crystals dissolve, then slurp it back and slosh around your mouth thoroughly for a good minute or so. Sometimes if I put too much water in I have to do it in 2 mouthfuls to use up all the good ingredients.
It doesn’t sting or burn like commercial mouthwash, and leaves a nice clean herbal taste.
Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments! Or maybe you have your own recipe you can share? I’d love to hear about it!
