Natural Homemade Deodorant

What's The Deal With Heavy Metals Under My Arms?

Aluminum is a Toxin

Aluminum is one of the most common elements in the environment and the world's most common metal. It is used in cans and aluminum foil, as lightweight sheet metal in airplanes and other machinery, in electrical wiring - and in personal care products such as underarm deodorant and antiperspirant. Aluminum oxide, also present in deodorants, is often used as a coating and is the major compound in rubies and sapphires.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and & Disease Registry reports that "Exposure to high levels of aluminum may result in respiratory and neurological problems."

In 1993, the World Health Organization said, "There is a suspected link between Alzheimer's disease and the toxicity of aluminum.

Some studies find a link between Alzheimer's disease and aluminum, while others deny that such a link exists. A 1993 World Health Organization "Public Health Report" cited autopsies that found high concentrations of aluminum in the brains of those afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.

Heavy metals such as aluminum are known to accumulate in the brain, where only the most effective detox cleanses can begin to restore health and remove them.

Breast cancer is high on the risk scale not only because its close proximity to the armpit but also because of the parabens and other harmful ingredients. These nasty ingredients pose the risk of disrupting hormones causing problems in the lymphatic and endocrine system.

Allergic Reactions

Many ingredients in underarm deodorants have the capacity to cause skin irritation, which can range from mild redness and burning sensation to a full allergic reaction. Aluminum, parabens, triclosan, silica, steareth, propylene glycol and talc are all possible allergens. Additionally, other less uniformly added ingredients may cause harm under the conditions of daily application, such as "fragrance," which, according to the Environmental Working Group, can encompass any number of harmful chemicals not required to be explicitly listed in the ingredients list.

So opt out of applying nasty deodorant day after day and take a step towards optimal living by making your own deodorant at home.

VERY IMPORTANT IN UNDERSTANDING BODY ODOR

The amount of smell you produce in your body odor determines the amount of toxins in your gut and body (as well as if you have bad breath, foul gas, bowel movements and urine). To help with bad body odor THE FIRST STEP is to take a high quality probiotic supplement as well as a digestive enzyme. These will help to balance your gut and improve your bodies efficiency of riding itself of toxins. If you smell bad throw away your toxic deodorant and START taking probiotics and digestive enzymes.

"Solid" Deodorant

What You Will Need:

6 Tablespoons Organic Coconut Oil

1/4 Cup Organic Corn Starch

1/4 Cup Baking soda (WARNING!!! Many believe that Arm and Hammer Baking Soda is contaminated with aluminum even though the company that makes it claims it does not. It has been confirmed that there is aluminum free baking sodas like Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda. If you have any information on this please add it to the comment section below.)

Tea Tree, Lemon, Orange, Lavender, Or Rosemary essential oil

*Optional; 2 Tablespoons Beeswax (this helps to keep the deodorant in a more solid state when the weather is warm. If you leave this out store your deodorant in a mason jelly jar rather than a deodorant stick.)

Mix all ingredients well and use as needed.

Liquid Deodorant

What You Will Need:

4oz reverse osmosis or distilled water

4oz Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon baking soda

10 drops essential oil of choice

1 tablespoon pink himalayin salt

Mix hot water, baking soda and salt until dissolved. Add lemon juice and essential oil. Store in a small mist spray bottle. Use as needed.

I like to use a combination of these two recipes. I usually only spray the liquid deodorant when I get out of the shower. Sometimes I need the solid deodorant but most times I only use one.

Remember the amount of smell you produce in your body odor determines the amount of toxins in your gut and body (as well as if you have bad breath, foul gas, bowel movements and urine). To help with bad body odor THE FIRST STEP is to take a high quality probiotic supplement as well as a digestive enzyme. These will help to balance your gut and improve your bodies efficiently of riding itself of toxins. If you smell bad START with probiotics and digestive enzymes.By Tabitha Kelley

The Top 10 Best Uses For Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint essential oil is one of the most versatile essential oils available. I carry my bottle with me everywhere I go. It's always in my purse when I am doing errands, working, traveling or at home.

I run into so many instances where I can use and share this wonderful essential oil.

Peppermint essential oil is incredibly powerful. Just one drop equals 28 cups of peppermint tea! Knowing this fact, you can appreciate how effective the oil can be when using it for the therapeutic applications listed below.

Also, my suggestions below are for an AFNOR/ISO certified therapeutic grade peppermint essential oil, such as Young Living's essential oils. Any other grade of essential oil will not produce desired results. But as I always say, be sure to know the growing, distillation and packaging methods of your essential oil supplier before purchasing essential oils.

The top 10 best uses for peppermint essential oil are:

(and in no particular order)

1. Soothe your digestive discomforts like nausea, diarrhea and indigestion:

Rub 1 or 2 drops on your stomach. Or, put one drop under your tongue or in a cup of water. It will relax the muscles of the stomach and intestines, helping you feel better, fast.

Actually, this is how I got involved with essential oils. My friend gave me a couple of drops of peppermint oil to put on my stomach when I was feeling nauseous. Three minutes later my belly felt completely normal. I was sold! And have been an avid essential oil user ever since.

2. Lower your fever:

Rub 3 drops of peppermint essential oil on the bottoms of your feet. It will penetrate the pores of your feet and enter your bloodstream within minutes, working to cool your body and lower your fever.

This method for reducing fevers is especially beneficial in children. If your child is under 2, dilute the peppermint in an organic olive oil before applying it to their skin. I recommend diluting 1 drop of peppermint to 1 drop of organic olive oil.

3. Clear your stuffy nose:

Dab small amounts of peppermint essential oil on your cheeks and forehead. Within seconds your congestion should begin to lessen and you should be able to breathe easier.

Be very careful not to get it into your eyes! It will burn and make your eyes water! But if this happens, relieve the burning sensation by dabbing some organic olive oil in and around your eye. Olive oil is safe to use in your eyes to reduce the burning. Or you can just wait it out! The burning only lasts a minute or so.

4. Freshen your breath:

Use a smidge of peppermint essential oil on your tongue. You don't need much! It will kill the bad breath bacteria and make your breath smell minty-fresh!

Using it as a breath freshener is a great replacement for chewing sugary gum or sucking on mints. Better for your teeth, too!

5. Cool you off from a hot flash or heat exhaustion:

Advantages of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

Derived from plants and offering life-enhancing practical benefits, the advantages of essential oils become apparent. These oils are a by-product of the plant's metabolism and thought to be their immune system. They are extracted by steam distillation, which is the purest way, from various parts of the plant such as the petals, stems, seeds, leaves, bark and roots or by expression from citrus peels.
These oils, contrary to the word describing them does not have an oily feel to it. Most are clear although some are diluted with carrier oil such as sweet almond, apricot kernel or grape seed.
What is Aromatherapy & Essential Oils?
Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential oils to improve physical and mental well being. It is a process of diffusing pure essential oils which is then absorbed through the skin and through inhalation. Smell has a profound effect on how we react physically, emotionally, and mentally to our surroundings.
Many every day scents remind us of the different seasons, a location or situation and happy times. Thus essential oils may also have an effect on our physical, mental and emotional well-being. The inhaling of these oils can also influence the release of brain chemicals such as serotonin.
How Are They Used?
Every oil is unique with various ways of applying. They can be used in an electric or candle-type diffuser, mixed with water to use as a spray, blended into carrier oil for use on the skin, or added to soaps, lotions, and other body care products.
Help for stress, depression and fatigue can be found in geraniums, bergamot and lavender. Eucalyptus stimulates and along with oregano is a good antiseptic and antihistamine. Neroli from orange blossoms is good for insomnia and rosemary is a good physical and mental stimulant as well as for relaxing at the end of a long day.
How Long Do They Work?
After inhalation or absorption through the skin they efficiently leave the body through exhaling and perspiration in about four hours. Therefore, there is no residual build-up or any side effects that can often be associated with pharmaceuticals.
How Are Essential Oils Stored?
Care must be exercised in their storage. Keep them in dark, air-tight, glass bottles away from exposure to heat or extreme temperature fluctuations. Handle with great respect and responsibility because these are concentrated oils. Keep them out of the reach of children.
Organic or Non Organic
Organic oils are extracted or distilled from plants not treated with pesticides, herbicides, irradiation, or any other type of unnatural treatment. Non-organic oils may contain toxic and unnatural substances that can be harmful or cause allergic reactions. You will pay more for oils distilled from organic plants because of the higher cost of growing with organic means.
Purchasing Essential Oils or Making Your Own
It is important to check out the information provided by the merchants for their products. Ultimately the decision is yours and based on your research you can find the blend best suited to your needs.
Important oils can often be bought as blends. However, there is no control over the blend when not mixing it yourself. Essentially the advantages of making your own are the savings realized by not buying every essential oil individually. However there may be a problem reliably doing your own blending.
History
Aromatherapy is widely thought to have originated in Egypt. Medical writings dating around 1555 BC give remedies for many kinds of illnesses and methods of application that are used in aromatherapy and herbal medicine today. It is a believed that the ancient Chinese civilizations were using some form of aromatherapy at the same time as the Egyptians. Going back to about 2700 B.C an herbal book written by Shen Nung is the oldest surviving medical book in China. It contains information on over 300 plants.
The Egyptians extracted oils from aromatic plants and incense was one of the earliest ways of using aromatics. Frankincense was burned at sunrise as an offering to the sun god, Ra and myrrh was offered to the moon. Many fragrant oils were used after bathing and for massages.
The Greeks also used aromatic oils for medicine and cosmetics. Taking much of their medical knowledge from the Greeks, Rome was known as the bathing and massage capital of the world and they went on to use and improve aromatherapy.
Trade routes began opening up to East India and Arabia so new products were being imported to Rome. It took several years to perfect the process, but the physician Avicenna who lived from A.D 980 to A.D. 1037 is thought to have first used the distillation process to obtain the rose essence. About that same time, the Arabs discovered how to distil alcohol making it possible to produce perfumes without a heavy oily base.
One of the main aspects of traditional Indian medicine known as ayurveda - using aromatic massage - has been used for more than 3000 years. The invasion of South America by the conquistador's brought about the discovery of more medicinal plants and aromatics as the Aztecs were well known for their plant remedies. The Spanish were amazed at the number of medicinal plants found in Montezuma's botanical gardens.
The North American Indians were also using these oils and produced their own herbal remedies. About the 19th century scientists in Europe and Great Britain began their research on the effects of essential oils on bacteria in humans.
Rene Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist, began researching the healing powers of essential oils after burning his hand and immersing it in lavender oil. He was impressed by how quickly the burn healed. In 1937 he wrote a book about the anti-microbial effects of the oils and also coined the word 'aromatherapy'.
French medical doctor, Jean Valnet, biochemist Margaret Maury, and Madame Micheline Arcier, who has been practising aromatherapy for forty years in London, combined their techniques and created a form of aromatherapy now used all over the world.
Important Tips for Purchasing Oils
Do not buy anything in a clear glass bottle as the light can damage the properties; not in plastic which can cause contamination; not with a rubber dropper which can dissolve and contaminate. And finally, look for a vendor who tests oils and will supply samples.

Joan Braunberger