Category Archives: Health

Ingredient Spotlight: Ozone

January 13, 2012

 

What is it?

ozone for organic skincare

Ozone is a special molecule made of three oxygen atoms that sits primarily up in the Earth’s atmosphere. What you may not know about, however, is that ozone is also a fantastic natural health and beauty product that’s especially helpful for natural dental care.

If properly nourished and well taken care of, your body will take care of itself. Oral Care is no different. Keeping your mouth free of harmful bacteria and preserving its natural pH is really important to oral health. These two things, if taken care of, will lead to white, healthy teeth and full, pink, healthy gums. This is where ozone comes in.

 

Where does it come from?

Use of ozone for dentistry actually dates back to the end of the 1800′s when one of humanity’s great inventors, Nikola Tesla, founded The Tesla Ozone Company and started selling personal ozone generators to the naturopath doctors of the day. Ozone is naturally antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral and is very gentle on the human body. The ozone that these generators made was intended to be bubbled through olive oil to create a gel infused with nascent ozone which was then applied to the teeth and gums.

 

Where can I find it?

There are two ways you can start adding ozone to your daily dental regimen.

 

 Ozonated Healthy Gum Gel from Living Libations has all of the benefits of Tesla’s original invention updated for the modern organic healthcare world. With a whole host of organic essential oils and natural oral care ingredients such as seabuckthron, jojoba, clove, and rose otto to fortify and strengthen its restorative and healing power, this gentle gel can be easily applied anywhere in the mouth to strengthen gums, soothe sensitive teeth, and aide abscesses, gum pockets, mouth lesions, and cold sores.

 

 

 Ozonated Toothpaste is very similar to the healthy gum gel above, and is intended, as you probably have guessed, to be used as an actual toothpaste. The additional benefit of ozonated toothpaste is that it utilizes pyrophyllite clay which is rich in silica and electrolytes to leave your teeth polished to glistening health and feeling wonderfully smooth. Not only that, but it’s rich in magnesium which is an element that your teeth use for remineralization.

 

Also posted in Ingredient Spotlight, Oral Care – 0 Comments

Natural Remedies for Hair Loss

November 3, 2011

Hair loss can be a both physically and emotionally uncomfortable. So, it is important to have the tools to help heal the problem, naturally, rather than simply treating the symptoms with dangerous chemicals. All skin and hair conditions are the result of an internal imbalance. For hair loss, as with all skin and hair conditions, it is essential to heal internally and treat externally at the same time.

Natural External Treatments for Hair Loss

 

Morrocco Method Organic Hair Care

To begin heal hair loss with organic products I recommend a combination of Zen Detox Hair & Scalp Therapy and treatment with the Morrocco Method Shampoos & Elixirs.

 

Healing Internal Treatment for Hair Loss

If it is hair loss related to male-pattern-baldness, the main cause of hair loss is dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgenic hormone. Normally, DHT plays a major role in male sexual development but an increased level of DHT leads to hair loss. When there is too much DHT in the scalp, it binds itself to the hair follicles, blocking the blood supply to the follicle. If the hair follicle cannot get the nutrients it needs from the blood, it stops growing and then shrinks. This leads to hair thinning at first and then over time leads to baldness as the hair follicle begins to die.

The solution to the hair loss is therefore to block dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body.

Some of the most effective natural hair loss treatments are the following:

Saw Palmetto. An herbal DHT inhibitor. It stops the process that converts testosterone into DHT. It is completely safe, natural, and far less expensive than prescription drugs.

Pumpkin seeds. Help in the breakdown of DHT by the liver.

Zinc. Zinc, like Saw Palmetto, prevents conversion of testosterone into DHT. I recommend the liquid Zinc supplements by Mother Earth Minerals or Premier Research Labs.

Take these supplements/foods individually or look for a formula that contains these ingredients at your local health food store. There are many natural formulas available. They’ll often be labeled “Prostate Health,” as the same ingredients benefit the prostate, as well. Women that are experiencing hair loss, will often have a very similar hormonal imbalance, and these same ingredients will benefit women too.

 

Other Tips for Healthy Hair and Scalp

Plant-Derived Organic MSM

1) I highly recommend taking Organic MSM internally for detoxing and for clearer scalp and stronger, fuller hair.

Take with MSM with a high quality food-based Vitamin C. The Vitamin C helps the MSM work in the body.

2) Other Nutrients that are beneficial are food-based supplements like: Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B complex: PABA, Folic Acid, Biotin.

Here are my absolute favorite whole-food multi-vitamin/mineral supplements. For Men. For Women.

3) And of course, PLENTY of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. My favorite vegan sources are: (Golden Algae Oil, Chia, Hemp, Flax, Pumpkin Seed, Seabuckthorn, Pomegranate – Seeds & Oils).

 

As always, leave a comment below if you have any questions! – Jill

Also posted in Beauty, Beauty Foods, Hair, Healing, Men – 1 Comment

How to Naturally Heal Acne and Breakouts. (Finally!)

August 18, 2011

I have struggled with Acne for ages and have felt the pain and frustration associated with it. It’s an uncomfortable issue and a complex one. The reason it can be complex to treat and heal, is because there are many possible causes.

These include:
•    Diet
•    Toxic load in the body
•    Stress & Stored Emotions
•    Hormone Imbalances – increased insulin production can signal the body to release extra male hormones, called androgens, which are involved in excess sebum production, congested follicles, and thus acne formation. Also, sudden changes in hormonal balance, such as those brought about by pregnancy can have a huge affect on skin and acne. An imbalanced estrogen to progesterone ratio in the body will often lead to breakouts before, during, or after menstruation. Any other hormonal abnormalities will also have an affect on acne creation.
•    Medications – including some contraceptive pills, anabolic steroids, lithium, iodine-containing medications, and some anti-epileptic medications, can cause acne do to the imbalances they create in the body.

With all of these possible causes, what can I do?

Well, all of these causes in essence are an imbalance in the body. So, the key to to help your body get back in balance. Here are ways to to do that:

Here are my internal recommendations:

1) A healthy diet and body free of toxins is essential. A healthy diet is more about what you exclude than what you include!  A very acidic diet (animal products, meat & dairy especially, refined sugars, and processed foods) contributes to acne.

Foods to avoid
Regardless of what diet you choose, specifically steer clear of:

  • sugar, definitely refined, but even natural in excess
  • refined starches and grains
  • gluten
  • alcohol
  • caffeine
  • dairy products (especially pasteurized cow dairy)
  • red meat
  • all processed and chemical foods

Foods that are particularly beneficial

  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids: (Chia, Hemp, Flax, Pumpkin Seed, Seabuckthorn, Pomegranate – Seeds & Oils, Algae oils)
  • Marine Phytoplankton
  • fresh organic vegetables and vegetable juices
  • raw fermented foods
  • healthy fats like Coconut Oil, Avocados, and Sun dried Olives.
  • superfoods
  • herbs
  • wild foods
  • fresh organic fruits (in moderation) (berries are healthiest type of fruit)

Herbs and Supplements

Water, Water, Water – spring water or the most pure water available

2) Detoxing is absolutely essential for clear skin. Consider doing fasts and cleanses. Skin issues arise when your internal body is so overloaded with toxins that aren’t being eliminated, so the toxins begin eliminating through the skin. A green juice fast for at least several days or weeks is intensely healing and alkalizing to the body and rejuvenating for skin. I highly recommend Colon Hydro-Therapy in general and it should definitely be included as a part of any cleanse!

Regular exercise is essential not only for overall health, but also for clearing toxins. Also saunas, skin brushing, and massage. Other things to consider in cleansing the body are possible Candida overgrowth. You can find questionnaires online to test yourself.

3) Acne can also be caused by poor fat metabolism. This means that the liver is not capable of fully digesting and assimilating all of the fat and oil entering the system. The health of the skin is often a reflection of the health of the liver. There are various ways to cleanse the liver. Drinking water with lemon every day helps. Eating Raw, Fresh, Organic Fruits and Vegetables is important. I like add large amounts of dandelion to my fresh juices for liver cleansing. Products like Liver Rescue and herbs like Burdock Root, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root in tincture or tea form are also simple daily ways to keep the liver healthy. Avoiding drugs, medications, and alcohol. Also look into doing liver flushes and cleanses, seasonally, or more frequently for a congested liver. For rapid and highly effective liver cleansing, coffee enemas are excellent.

4) Good skin care makes a significant difference! Immediately remove all chemical acne treatments, like benzoyl peroxide, or any other “medicated” products from your life! The chemicals and the drying effect are awful for skin health and overall body health. Look for products that are naturally antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. With ingredients such as MSM (methylsulfonylmethane, a vital naturally occurring sulfur compound), Niacinamide (vitamin B4), Willow bark extract, Neem, Zinc Oxide, Witch Hazel.

Beneficial Essential Oils to add to carrier oils, skin care products, or to apply neat (for certain essential oils take caution before applying neat, or dilute first): lavender, niaouli, immortelle/helichrysum, thyme linalool, carrot seed, rosemary, blue tansy, geranium, bergamot, chamomile, grapefruit, palmarosa, sandalwood, vetiver, basil, cedarwood, rosewood, tea tree, rosemary.

Here is a magical acne and blemish healing essential oil blend.

Here are some products that are amazingly helpful.

5) Hygiene is also important. Change your pillowcase regularly and avoid touching your face with your hands unless you have just washed them.

6) Healthy skin is often a reflection of a healthy emotional body. Focus on healing undigested emotions and emotional wounds.

There is no quick treatment or pill for skin health and healing. Pills and medications only cover over symptoms, create health problems, damage skin, and stop the possibility of healing. Healing is always a process. Acne can take weeks or months to heal. Just take it step-by-step and take your time. Enjoy the loving process of coming into balance again.

Also posted in Acne, Beauty, Healing, Nutrition, Skin and Body – 1 Comment

How you can enjoy Beauty, Immunity, and Longevity with only 5 minutes of your time each day!

April 9, 2011

I have something very special to share this week!

An Exclusive Interview with the stunningly Radiant and the uber knowledgable Bethanne Wanamaker, Co-Author of Superfood Beauty Elixirs.

Superfood Beauty Elixirs is my FAVORITE recipe book for super nutrition. I blend several radically beautifying and rejuvenating Elixirs from this cutting-edge Ebook every day. These Elixirs are the foundation of my diet and the nutrition I consume for ultimate health and beauty. You can survive on standard whole foods, smoothies, and juices, but to truly THRIVE at our highest potential, Elixirs like these are essential!


Interview with the Radiant Bethanne Wanamaker, Co-Author of Superfood Beauty Elixirs

Bethanne Wanamaker is a passionate Certified Nutrition and Natural Beauty Educator and Author who is wholeheartedly devoted to empowering women to take control of their own health, make conscious lifestyle decisions, and become responsible and accountable for their actions and results.Her mission is to help women understand the power they hold with regard to their health and the irresistible potential that lies within when we commit to ourselves! Her story, as written in Volume 3 of Thank God I: Stories of Inspiration, was the catalyst experience for transforming her own health, as well as finding her true purpose in this blessed life.

Bethanne is the founder EdibleGoddess.com, a company dedicated to sharing the truth about nutrition, cutting edge health and natural beauty strategies, and a growing range of products that lead to everything you could want for yourself. She studied at Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition to become a Certified Nutrition Educator and has pursued an immense level of continuing education and teaching others in topics relating to holistic nutrition, cleansing and detoxification, longevity, raw foods, Superfoods, super tonic herbs, natural beauty, flower essences, human potential, self-development and discovery.

1. What inspired you to create Superfood Beauty Elixirs?

We had been making simple versions of our elixirs for some time with MSM and whole food vitamin C and then just kept taking it to the next level – for taste, benefits, and to maximize the synergy between the ingredients we chose. It really started with these MSM/Vitamin C drinks (such as the Morning Beauty, Orange Snow Breeze, Pink Limeade) and then a cascade of ideas poured in!

The Green Supreme was created because I was traveling to Southern CA to work the LongevityNOW Conference and wanted to make a powder blend that covered all my needs while I was on the road and working super long hours. I needed to be able to mix it with just straight spring water and have it taste good, and keep me going throughout the weekend. This is one of our longest list of ingredients for our recipes (which I’d like to change in a future edition of the book) because of this. It’s the “all-in-one” – the one to make ahead of time if you have limited access to your Superhero goodies while away from home. I remember driving back home with friends, drinking my Green Supreme (which did not have a name at the time), and my friends kept saying, “you know, everyone loved your elixirs this weekend – you could really do something with this.” And from the moment I got home, Christian and I played in the kitchen taking our original simple elixir ideas combined with our recent inspiration, and created the book.

2. Do you drink elixirs like these every day? Give us an example of how you work them into your schedule.

I do drink the elixirs every day, and typically between 1-3 each day. During the 6 months it took to write our book, we made elixirs every night to test, re-test our sweet creations. Ever since, we’ve gotten in the habit of making an elixir as a “night cap” just a few hours before bed (maybe an hour after dinner or so) and we’ll enjoy it that evening and then I save a cup for myself in the fridge so I have something ready for me when I awaken the next day. We brew tonic herbal tea multiple times per day: we use it as part of the base in a seed/nut mylk for a Superfood smoothie, on chilly afternoons to keep warm and cozy, and in the evening as a nice hot cup of satisfying tea (sweetened with stevia). We go in phases with the kefir, but usually have at least one batch per week which will make us a few ultra-refreshing coconut kefir elixirs. The kefir recipes have become some of my favorites in the book and because of the high probiotic content, each drinks FEELS massively healing, which I love. There is something unbelievably quenching about the kefir recipes, and it’s always an exciting moment when we have the kefir ready to make chilled elixirs.

3. Why Superfoods and Superherbs? Can’t we just eat plenty of fruits & vegetables or drink plenty of juices?

This is a question that will always come up in the raw food movement and that’s great because many of us want simple answers to complex issues. Yet, in each of our own experiences with eating solely fruits, vegetables, and freshly made juices, it was great in the very short-term, but felt there were something missing ultimately – even with a diverse selection of local produce. Bringing wild foods, Superfoods, and tonic herbs into the diet really do take your health to the next level and it’s usually a level of health that was not imaginable beforehand. With environmental pollution so prevalent, and the fact that our soils are not even close to being as healthy as they were 100 years ago, even organic fruits and vegetables do not have the potential to allow your body full gene expression. Christian and I want seriously be as healthy as we can be, and that means hand-selecting from different dietary approaches and taking the very best of them, and compiling our own version of the optimal individual diet. Wild foods, Superfood, and tonic herbs bring with them an immense potential for activating the innate healing regenerative energy within us all and considering it is we that have the ability to heal ourselves, we are willing to step outside the super extreme purists diet and emphasize foods correlated with longevity, genius, and spiritual growth.

4. One common comment I hear about people being resistant to superfoods is are that they’re too expensive and not realistically affordable. What do you have to say about that? How do you make it work?

Packaged Superfoods certainly can have a high price tag, yet so can all packaged raw and organic foods as well. All wild foods are considered “Superfoods” and they are free and offered to us in abundance. Consider that if you buy a bottle of wild blue green algae (which happens to be very pricey because it also happens to be one of the foods EVER we could consume – a little goes a long way, so you’re not going through the bottle in 1 month. Each bottle lasts a long time (even has a great shelf life), so it’s not like you’re going out buying this stuff on a weekly basis. There IS a start-up cost, just like anything though – you may pay more initially and then the expenses go down depending upon your usage and chosen maintenance amount.

I also feel that I am my greatest investment, so I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep myself not only well, but getting younger and healthier as each year passes. Since putting health as my #1 priority, I’ve gone through my expenditures for the month and taken a close look at how I spend my money – and found ways to whittle down other expenses so I could create the life I wanted. We all spend money every day, it’s just a matter of HOW you spend it. I could look at anyone’s finances and help you determine ways to eat healthier and continue to up-level your health, even on a strict budget, and after being laid off (or any financial downfall). With my own health, I am not willing to compromise – that would be too easy and full of symptoms to do.

5. If you could pick just a handful of superfoods or superherbs to have at home, say top 5, what would they be?

Wild blue green algae, seaweeds, fresh aloe (from whole leaf), spirulina/chlorella (have to have both for various reasons), and medicinal mushrooms (#1 being Reishi)

6. What differences have you noticed in your health and beauty with these elixirs in your life?

I have definitely felt more deeply nourished since incorporating these elixirs into my life, without question. I love that I can get an infusion of mouth-watering goodness in a divinely delicious way, and not have to rely on taking pills. Consuming tonic elixirs are a liberating choice and they have the ability to address so many issues and layers at once. Specifically, my diet feels much more well-rounded since making them a staple in my routine. I have less cravings because of the deep nourishment they offer – like they’re filling in nutritional gaps that supplements just aren’t able to do. The elixirs are made with 100% food – no “supplements”, so our bodies respond much more favorably to whole food nutrition than vitamins and minerals in isolated form. Also, I’ve noticed a preserving youthful effect on my skin (which is just a reflection of what is going on internally) and that is an amazing and clear sign that I am more mineralized and truly healthier, and therefore my skin skin appears more radiant. There is also a mental satisfaction when drinking the elixirs – they’re like non-alcoholic sweet, yet super low-glycemic cocktails, so you get the magic potion in a glass that is actually going to leave you feeling much better the next morning!

7. Are elixirs like these essential for external beauty? If so, why?

I believe they are based upon what I’ve personally experienced and what I’ve witnessed in others. As we all know, radiant beauty comes from within, so not only do we want to release accumulated toxins and poisons from the body, but just as importantly we want to infuse our body with super nutrient-density to restore, regenerate, and repair us from top head to toe. We’ve found the elixirs to be the most delicious, cost-effective, and practical way to get medicinal quality foods into the diet with the greatest potential for producing immediate results – something which is likely enticing to us all. Not to mention, with liquid nutrition the absorption level is at an all-time maximum (highly bio-available), so the drinks really deliver on their promised results.

8. If you had to chose one elixir recipe that is the ultimate for gorgeous skin, hair, and nails, and overall radiance, what would it be?

#1 Green Supreme, #2 Ancient Wisdom, #3 Tropical Quench (I had to list three… ;) But if you were to say the “ultimate” one – it’s a hard choice, but I feel Green Supreme is THE overall best beauty tonic elixir in our book with Ancient Wisdom a close 2nd.

9. What’s next for you?

The Conscious Goddess Cleanse: Bethanne is leading women from all over the world in a purifying detox program. It includes all the Healthforce products you’ll need to complete the cleanse, private phone sessions with her, and weekly teleseminars with leading experts – including me!

Be sure to check out Bethanne’s Conscious Goddess Cleanse - where I’m a featured guest speaker!

Here is Bethanne’s phenomenal Ebook, Superfood Beauty Elixirs:

Superfood Beauty Elixirs

Superfood Beauty Elixirs <- Click here to THRIVE at a new level!

Here are some of the Superfoods featured in the Ebook. These are some of the basic ingredients you’ll need to make the Elixirs:

Vitamineral Green & Vitamineral Earth
 Vitamineral Green is a superior, nutrionally dense therapeutic green superfood powder. Vitamineral Green nutritionally supports blood sugar, detoxification, the immune system, liver, kidneys, blood, bones, colon, regularity, circulation, and longevity.
Earth Sacred Healing Food contains essiac herbs, healing roots, barks, and seeds. Soothes colon, supports blood sugar, colon health, detoxification, immune system, and longevity. Earth can can be used on its own as a grounding superfood blend, or ideally taken in the same day as Vitamineral Green for a balance of yin and yang, a grounding to Vitamineral Green’s more etheric qualities.

<- Click here to CLEANSE, REJUVENATE, and THRIVE at a new level!


Plant-derived MSM Crystals: The Ultimate BEAUTY Mineral!
MSM works to build collagen, helping to create smooth skin, thick lustrous hair, and strong nails. MSM also restores and maintains healthy joints, increases flexibility, speeds recovery time from sore muscles, and is excellent for recovery from injuries. MSM makes the tissues more permeable so that they may move nutrients in and toxins out with greater ease. MSM has a remarkable effect at neutralizing foreign proteins (i.e. allergens, toxins, undigested food) making it anti-inflammatory. It provides a source of organic sulfur for the amino acids that are essential for internal cleansing.

I mix these MSM Crystals into drinks twice a day. This is the highest quality MSM available and is the only one I have found that is NOT derived from Petroleum sources.

<-Try MSM for true beauty from the inside out!

Truly Natural Vitamin C
The essential companion to MSM. MSM and Vitamin C work together synergistically. Vitamin C helps the body fully absorb the MSM. Truly Natural Vitamin C is food, not an Vitamin C synthetic or isolate. This is a naturally occuring Vitamin C in powered form. Unlike synthetic or isolates, neither of which occur in nature, this Vitamin C is non-toxic in any dosage amount and is highly absorbable. I take Vitamin C at least 3 or 4 times a day. Vitamin C not only boosts our immune systems, but it also required for collagen production. Vitamin C also speeds up skin healing and protects it from environmental aggressors.

<-Get your Vitamin C the way nature instead – an essential nutrient for health and beauty!

Also posted in Beauty, Beauty Foods, Food, Healing, Nutrition, Recipes, Skin and Body – 0 Comments

How to Choose Organic Facial Products and Body Care

February 1, 2011

I apply the same principals to skin care as I apply to food. Both are entering my body, whether through my skin or through my mouth. Therefore, both need to be as close to nature as possible, completely pure, and entirely free of chemicals and synthetics. Unlike the food industry, there are no legal standards for personal care products sold in the United States, meaning that we need to be savvy when shopping for healthy skin care.

1. Become a Conscious Consumer

Read labels! If you can’t pronounce it, forget about it. And if it doesn’t sound natural, it probably isn’t.
You might expect a product labeled “pure, natural and organic” to be, well … pure, natural and organic. But you might be in for a surprise.
Because there are no legal standards for organic or natural personal care products sold in the United States, companies can, and often do, use these terms for marketing purposes. Just because a product is found in a natural foods store, for example, does not automatically mean it’s safe. Read and analyze the ingredient list carefully before buying.

All of the products on Living Earth Beauty are 100% pure, organic, vegan, raw, and natural. I use all of our products and I would never put chemicals on or inside my body. Rejoice in safe, natural, luxurious, and powerfully effective skin care and forget the rest!

2. If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin!

When you’re reading the contents of a bottle of shampoo, or any body care product, ask yourself “Would I eat this?” If I needed to, how would it feel inside my body? Even if you have no idea what an ingredient is, it’s very easy to get a gut-level instinctual reaction, especially when the ingredient you’re looking at is named Butoxyethanol, Nonoxynol-10, Propylene Glycol, and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Dioxane, or Ethanolamine.

The skin is our body’s largest organ. It is also our body’s first line of defense against disease. Our skin is easily damaged by external factors (chemicals, synthetics, pollution) and internal factors (poor diet, drugs, etc.).

Our skin is actually the primary means by which we absorb toxic substances. In fact, absorption by the skin is usually many times more efficient than ingestion. The skin absorbs chemicals into the bloodstream, which, in turn, are distributed throughout your body system. That is why there are medicinal patches for Hormone Replacement Therapy, or Nicotene patches. The chemicals are released slowly and absorbed quickly through the skin.

Even though many of the skin care products we put on our skin promise to beautify the skin, the chemicals and synthetic ingredients actually take a terrible toll on the skin and on our general health. Compounds in synthetic cosmetics and perfumes stay trapped in the fatty tissues under the skin and remain there for years. These synthetic compounds require massive amounts of energy for assimilation, absorption, and detoxification – and that’s energy that is being taken away from your health, your beauty, and your life!

3. Define what’s Important to You

I have a vast array of criteria when selecting skin care. Define what your personal criteria for selecting organic facial products, skin care, or body products is.

This is my criteria for products I use and products we carry on Living Earth Beauty:

  • Natural and plant-based – free of synthetics of any kind.
  • Organic or wild-crafted – free of chemicals and made from the most potent, living ingredients in nature.
  • Vegan and cruelty-free.
  • Raw – living natural ingredients that retain all their life energy, enzymes, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids.
  • Sustainably harvested ingredients
  • Hand-crafted in small batches – freshly made by an actual person with great care and infused with loving energy.
  • Any non-local ingredients are Fair Trade.
  • Eco-friendly packaging and production practices
  • Products made with the highest integrity and ethics, highest quality natural ingredients possible, and made with love.

Loving, conscious people who genuinely care about our health, well-being, and happiness make all of the products I have selected for Living Earth Beauty. All ingredients in the skin care are sustainably harvested. All packaging is eco-friendly, some are made from recycled plastics, but most are glass. Many of the products are packaged in Miron Violet Glass to protect the precious, living contents inside. I also look for companies that do everything possible to offset their energy usage and carbon emissions. We have several ways in which we do this on our end, as well. We donate a percentage of profits to healing the plant. I look for companies that are also altruistic-minded.

4. Check the Skin Deep Database

The Environmental Working Group has a wonderful comprehensive database called Skin Deep that anyone can use to check the safety of an ingredient or skincare product.
SKIN DEEP – COSMETIC SAFETY DATABASE

5. Bring Your Own

What about when you go someplace where you are subject to their products, such as a hair or nail salon? Find a hair salon in your area that uses safe, natural products, or do it yourself at home. I have been performing my own pedicures at home lately, and when I do go to a salon, I bring my own toxin-free nail polish (base coat, color, and top coat). Every salon I’ve chosen to has been more than happy to use my products. Also, make sure the salon is well-ventilated; if the smell bowls you over when you walk in, choose a different salon.

Look for Nail Polish that is free of phthalates, formaldehdye, toluene, and acetate/acetone. Aquarella and Suncoat Water-based nail polish are safer brands. To check if your nail polish brand is safe visit the Skin Deep Database.

6. Stay Informed and Spread the Love

Sign up for our Newsletter HERE to stay up to date on safe and healthy skincare. Click on the tab that says CONNECT on the left hand side of the screen and enter your email address or enter your email address in the bottom left hand corner of the page . Also, JOIN US on Facebook! We offer exclusive monthly discounts to our Facebook fans. Click on the blue f on the left hand side of the screen or in the bottom left hand corner to become a fan!

Tell your friends and loved ones about protecting themselves from harmful chemicals and share your healthy products with them. Choosing products that are natural, healthy, and close to nature is simple when you feel how beautiful, effective, and enjoyable they are!

Also posted in Beauty, Skin and Body – 3 Comments

Reader Question: I’m Getting Started On The Raw Vegan Diet – Help Me “Whet My Appetite!”

November 27, 2010

Jill and I often consult with friends, readers, and customers of LivingEarthBeauty.com about the Raw Food Diet and about Raw Vegan Skincare. (Jill is a Holistic Health Counselor and Natural Skincare Expert) We’re posting the most popular questions we get and sharing our answers and insights so that you can benefit from our experience.

From Drew:

I’m getting more and more interested in raw and organic foods and I know you and Jill have spent a lot of time researching and testing different things for yourselves and your business.

I was wondering if there was any literature or general recommendations you would make for a novice. Someone just getting into it. Something to wet my appetite.

I make smoothies everyday with organic berries, flaxseed, organic yogurt, Spirulina, wheat grass, cocoa powder and OJ but that’s the extent of my knowledge for now.

I’d love to hear some of your thoughts.

Nice work with the smoothies, that is a great start! My first recommendation: experiment with replacing the yoghurt with Raw Goat’s Milk Yoghurt. It’s very important that this is Organic, Unpasteurized (Raw), and as local as possible. I’m sure there are producers near you that are selling this. The difference between cow products and goat products is striking, especially when you consider the fact that cow milk has evolved for a baby cow to grow from 80 pounds to 1600 pounds, gaining an average of 100 pounds per month. Goat’s milk has evolved for a baby goat to grow from 10 pounds to 110 pounds … a much more human-like growth pattern! The compounds and nutrients in these two milks reflect this fact, as you can read about in this comparison. The difference in growth patterns is a single example that is representative of the many reasons that cow milk is a mismatch for the human body.

Over the long term, I recommend removing all dairy products from your diet, however there are more important things to cut out first. These include gluten, all refined sweeteners (including agave nectar!), and all non-Organic produce and fruit. Choosing to remove meat and dairy from your diet is important because they have an acidifying effect on the blood, and are the #2 contributor to global warming.

Here are my top recommendations as you dive deeper into the Raw Vegan Diet:

1. Take It Slow and learn what your body specifically needs – everyone is different and if you try to go too fast, you’ll get out of balance and start feeling bad. The number one reason that people quit a new diet is because they take it quickly and cannot handle the changes they feel in their body. This especially happens with the Raw Vegan diet due to natural detoxifying.

2. Let The Toxins Go - Make sure that as you purify your diet, you let the toxins exit your body! The more pure your diet, the more ‘old’ toxins your body dumps into your colon. Basically, as we purify, our body is relieved of the load of toxins we’re putting in from chemicals in food, pesticides, gluten, etc. This allows our body to start dumping the old toxins it’s been storing in the cells – the ‘Standard American Diet’ bombards our bodies with toxins and because we usually never detox, all the toxins are held inside. As you go deeper into raw foods, I highly recommend using colon hydrotherapy and enemas to give the toxins a place to go. A good book that takes this into much further detail is Dr. Jensen’s Guide To Better Bowel Care.

3. Read anything by David Wolfe – he is my favorite raw food author, and in my opinion has the most authentic approach to raw foods. He’s not trying to sell any particular methodology or mindset, instead he focuses on empowering you to discover what works for your body. His most comprehensive book is The Sunfood Diet Success System, and next most important is Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future.

4. Quick and Easy Superfoods – Here are some of our favorite additions to smoothies:

  • Chia seeds are delicious and contain Omega 3, Antioxidants, and Protein. If you like thick, milkshake-like smoothies, chia seeds soak up a huge amount of liquid and can transform anything from watery to pudding-like in a matter of minutes. (Make sure to get plenty of water in your body along with them!) Here’s a chia seed porridge that Jill created. Also, chia seeds are great for your hair, skin, and nails. You can buy them here.
  • Goji Berries are also one of my favorite foods in the world, the #1 superfood, and they contain protein and huge amounts of antioxidants. (I’m eating them as I write this…)
  • Spirulina, by weight, is the most dense form of protein in the world (approximately 70% complete protein in its natural state), so you’re doing great eating that. It’s also far more bio-available and digestible than meat protein. (The reason that meat contains protein is due to animals eating grasses that contain protein through photosynthesis.) Try combining Spirulina with other green foods and superfoods to maximize the nutrients – I recommend Billy’s Infinity Greens, which is one of the top multi-green powders.
  • Plant-Based MSM is the best substance to support health in joints and skin, and is great for fast muscle recovery after working out. It also helps your cells produce energy. We sell the only certified plant-based MSM in the world. It works best in combination with Vitamin C, best found in Organic orange juice or Camu Powder.
  • Cacao Powder – You mentioned that you already include this in your smoothies, and it is a great source of uplifting energy. Be sure to eat cacao in moderation, due to its strong effect on your adrenal glands and liver. This is our favorite Organic Cacao Powder.

5. Organic Is Key – One of the ways in which many cancer and disease-causing toxins sneak into our diet is through non-Organic fruit and produce. Jill and I go to great lengths to eat only Certified Organic foods, and at times I have to sacrifice this when eating away from home or traveling. (Luckily our favorite restaurant uses 100% Organic produce: Cafe Gratitude) Any time you are purifying your life yet eating non-Organic food, you are taking two steps forward and one step back.

6. Protect Your Nerves – Make sure that if you’re moving away from meat and dairy, you are receiving enough B12. This is the one nutrient that has gradually left even the most nutrient-dense diets due to the erosion of topsoil and our habit of washing vegetables – the soil actually contains the bacteria which create B12. Without enough B12, our nerves gradually stop working!  The best B12 supplement in the world is a living culture called Premier Research Labs Max Stress B.

Have fun eating the most pure, joyful food in the world – and gradually deepen your sensitivity to your body so that you can feel exactly what works for you.

Do you have any questions about this post or about the Raw Vegan diet? If so, click ‘Comment’ below and ask away. I will respond to every comment or question.

Also posted in Food, Healing, Nutrition – 1 Comment

3 Reasons The Vegan Diet Fails For Most People

October 16, 2010
These is a teaser for the much longer article I am writing on Veganism. This upcoming article discusses and dispels all myths, concerns, and questions I have ever heard come up around eating a Vegan diet.

I completely believe in Bio-Individuality. We are all very beautifully Different! We have different body types, blood types, constitutions, sensitivity levels, to name a few. AND, we are ALL designed to be Vegan.

Most people define their attachment to animal foods as a need. The fact is, we do not need animal products of any kind to survive, live, or thrive. In fact, humans are natural vegans! Animal foods actually became part of our diet long after we evolved into who we are today.

Dr. T. Colin Campbell, professor emeritus at Cornell University explains that:

“The birth of agriculture only started about 10,000 years ago at a time when it became considerably more convenient to herd animals. This is not nearly as long as the time [that] fashioned our basic biochemical functionality (at least tens of millions of years) and which functionality depends on the nutrient composition of plant-based foods.

In the book The Power of Your Plate, Dr. Neal Barnard, President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, states that:

“Early humans had diets very much like other great apes, which is to say a largely plant-based diet, drawing on foods we can pick with our hands. Research suggests that meat-eating probably began by scavenging–eating the leftovers that carnivores had left behind. However, our bodies have never adapted to it. To this day, meat-eaters have a higher incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other problems.”

The premier authority on anthropological science, paleontologist Dr. Richard Leakey, explains that

“[y]ou can’t tear flesh by hand, you can’t tear hide by hand…. We wouldn’t have been able to deal with food source that required those large canines” (although we have teeth that are called “canines,” they bear little resemblance to the canines of carnivores). We lack sharp claws to seize and hold down prey. Our hands are actually perfectly designed for grabbing and picking fruits and vegetables. Also, we have the intestines like other herbivores, ours are very long (carnivores have short intestines so they can quickly get rid of all the rotting flesh they eat).”

We do not have instinct to chase, kill, and devour the raw carcasses of animals (at least most of us are, hopefully). Most of us also feel bonds with and love for animals. If we were only designed to hunt and kill them, we would have absolutely no feelings for animals.

There were times of great scarcity thousands of years ago when we were hunter-gatherers. At that time, we may have needed a little meat in our diets, but we don’t need it now! Especially when we are living in a time of severe Global Warming and 51% on the planet of all Greenhouse Gases are caused by the Meat and Dairy Industries (EVEN your Organic meat and dairy!). The UN has even published a public report  which says that Vegan diet is vital to save the world! http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/06/02-7

Download the full UN report here:http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel/documents/pdf/PriorityProductsAndMaterials_Report_Full.pdf

The 3 Reasons a Vegan diet EVER fails for ANY One

1) Lack of High Nutrient Density.

Fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, etc are NOT enough! We need wild  and ancient, pre-hybridized food to thrive to our highest potential.

For example, Spirulina has 3.6 billion years of evolutionary wisdom coded in its DNA! A hybridized fruit you buy at the market, created to be more desirable to our over-sugared dulled taste buds (to be super sweet and often seedless), has some nutrients, but not enough to thrive on alone.

Protein is NEVER something to be concerned about when going Vegan! The most common question I receive as a Vegan is “what do you do for protein?” That’s SO easy, plant foods, such as algae, green-leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocado have plenty of bio-available protein to nourish our bodies, helps us thrive, feel amazing, and even be a body-builder or tri-athlete! Spirulina has more protein by weight than any other food on the planet! The high-protein diet is only an outdated fab and untruth! We only need ten percent protein maximum daily. Beileve, I was a non-believer too – I thought I needed animal protein to live or even feel okay, until I took the time to detoxify my addiction to it. And – I am an O+, Vata-type that feels better with more protein and fat than some others.

Taking the the time and patience to end my dependence on animal foods, is an expression that I am thinking about and feeling other beings and the health of the planet in my food and product choices, other than just myself and my own needs. And, I am infinitely healthier, happier, and more spiritually attuned to the planet and all beings!

2) Lack of Proper Detoxification Methods.

If you are ever transitioning to a more pure, plant-based diet – detox will and does happen! You body needs help discarding of the masses of toxins being dumped into your elimination organs as you detox from the less ppure diet you were eating before. Colon Hydrotherapy, Colon Cleansing, and other organ cleansing is a MUST!

Without additional cleansing, toxins are being dumped into the body faster than they are eliminated. This  results in ‘Feeling Bad and Weak’ – continual cravings, loss of energy, etc. This so often leads people to say that a ‘vegan diet just didn’t work for me or it isn’t for me’. This is understandable, because to few of us actually know what is happening inside our bodies when we make this kind of diet change.

3) Lack of Balance in what you are eating and drinking.

ALL processed and refined foods must be eliminated in order to ever be healthy and feel good. Many people on a new vegan diet, will stop consuming animal foods, but continue to eat these foods, even if occasionally at restaurants or from boxes and bags you buy at your natural foods store. Yes, most food at the natural/health food store is processed or refined and not optimal for a helping our bodies thrive! AND, even if you eat a 100% whole food diet -  fruits, veggies (and even additions of grains and nuts) alone will never lead to long-term success!

We need to be eating a VAST spectrum of different types of foods and always eat with the Seasons -  like herbs, roots, spices, Chinese herbs, Ayurvedic herbs, medicinal mushrooms, wild foods, etc.  which balance our body’s nourishment, temperature, constitution, etc. in addition to the typical foods we may eat (fruits, veggies, grains, etc.).

More to come. . .

Thank you! :)

Also posted in Beauty Foods, Food, Healing, Nutrition – 2 Comments

Toxic Skincare Products And Unsafe Cosmetics That Are Lurking In Your Home and IN YOUR BODY (And How To Let Go Of Them!)

October 12, 2010
- Do you eat whole, organic, unprocessed foods, even massively powerful superfoods, yet still buy soap and shampoo at the drug store or department store?
- Do you believe that a commercial, chemical-based anti-aging product is the only EFFECTIVE way to protect yourself from wrinkles and aging?
- Do you read the labels on your skincare, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and other body products as carefully as you read the ingredients on a box of food?

For many of us, all the products we use on a daily basis ‘slide under the radar’ when they come into our home! We never think to question what ingredients may be in our makeup, or a hand soap, or our facial cleanser.

It was a revelation when I woke up to the fact that every single product that touches my skin (or I inhale, in the case of cleaners, perfume, candles, anything that has ‘fragrance’) HAS AN EFFECT on my body and on my wellness!

Skin care has always been a great passion of mine. It is a heavenly way for me to deeply care for myself. I also lived most of my life with Psoriasis, Acne, Eczema, Rashes, and highly reactive skin. For many years, I was using a ‘normal’ regimen of cleansers, moisturizers, makeup, and eye serums from popular department stores, online stores, and even natural food stores. I always bought the ‘organic’ brands that promised beauty with beautiful labels. I kept trying new ones and spent hundreds of dollars a month in the hopes that something, anything ‘might help me get rid of my skin conditions and stop the breakouts!’

As I began eating a healthy, natural diet many years ago, I also started using natural skin and body care. My evolution toward purity in my diet grew hand-in-hand with the purity I sought in skin and body care products. As my diet became more pure, it also felt intuitive to me to use more pure skin and body care products. It wasn’t until I began living a 100% Raw Vegan lifestyle, that I realized the degree to which purity is not only important, but also essential for our bodies and spirits to thrive!

With my new way of eating came increased sensitivity – I simply couldn’t use any of the ‘Organic’ and ‘Natural’ skin and body care products I was using before without feeling sick or getting worse breakouts. I was also in a place where I no longer was willing to accept having bad skin. I desired beautiful, healthy skin so much that I studied and researched endlessly, and constantly experimented with different products for skin and different ways of healing my body and my skin. I did this for years. And also for years, I searched for skin and body care that would be both radically healing and effective

‘Why would I eat chemical-free food, yet use any chemicals on my skin?!’

(even the chemicals in supposed ‘natural’ skin care’)

This became not only a question for me to ask, but to answer and live that answer. That was a life-changing decision! My skin immediately started clearing up! And it is not only clear, but also radiantly beautiful now! I was so used to having bad skin for so long that when I receive compliments on my skin, which is a very frequent occurrence now, I am still surprised!

I healed multiple chronic diseases in my body and have beautified my skin by removing chemicals from my life and choosing food and skin care that are as close to nature as possible.

I knew that the Purity I found through toxin-free organic skincare, shampoo, and body products was my gift to share with the world!


That’s why I’ve created Purify My Life!

This is a FREE downloadable .pdf report that will teach you:

  • WHY Purity is an essential secret to Beauty
  • And WHAT you can do to take your body from toxic to Pure!

That’s it – I am giving away this program to you today, because I care! No catches! I strongly encourage you to download it immediately! (Link is at the bottom of this post.)

Now – I’ve got a SURPRISE for you!

In addition to creating a free .pdf report, I am going to COACH you through the 10 days of purifying YOUR life.

This is called the Purify My Life 10-Day Coaching Program!


Enjoying my Clear, Radiant Skin!

Enjoying my Clear, Radiant Skin!

A 10-Day Coaching Program for FREE! Available INSTANTLY!

(Now, if you just want to download Purify My Life, go ahead and scroll to the bottom of this post. You’ll see the link there.)

Enter your name and email right here, and I will immediately start you on the coaching process to Purify YOUR Life!

(Again, there’s no catch, it’s totally free and we DO NOT share your email with anyone else. Integrity always. Spreading the Love only.)

Purify My Life 10-Day Coaching Program
* indicates required

Thank You for joining me on this transformational journey! Here’s to Purity!

WITH LOVE,

Jill SignaturePlusPicthumb

***

Click Here To Download Purify My Life

Also posted in Beauty, Beauty Foods, Food, Healing, Skin and Body – 1 Comment

Dangerous Beauty: Poison Lips

September 13, 2010

Photo Credit: Auntie P

I am perpetually flabbergasted by the amount and type of toxins found in beauty products. It is quite a challenge finding skin care products, even “natural” and “organic” ones that are free of toxic chemicals and substances. It is even more challenging to find makeup that is toxin free, especially mascara and ick. I cannot tell you how many makeup brands I have researched or tried in an attempt to find a product free from substances that I don’t want to use on my body. I offer wonder “why in the world do they need this ingredient in here?” Many chemical ingredients are used for fragrance, texture, color, and as preservatives – all of which can be substitutes for natural, plant or mineral ingredients. Well, one of the most troubling ingredients found in cosmetics is lead. Yes, lead! Lead in Lipstick. Why? Good question, because it serves absolutely no purpose towards the manufacturing or the end product.

There are strict law prohibiting the use of lead in house paint and the federal government requires home sellers and landlords to provide information to buyers and tenants regarding their knowledge of lead paint in residences built prior to 1978.

People can get lead in their body if they: put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their mouths, eat paint chips or soil that contain lead, or breathe in lead dust (especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces).

Lead is even more dangerous to children than adults because children’s growing bodies absorb more lead and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from: damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity), slowed growth, hearing problems and headaches. Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from difficulties during pregnancy and other reproductive problems (in both men and women). Other effects are high blood pressure, digestive problems, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems, and muscle and joint pain. Lead can affect the body in many ways.

~ Consumer Product Safety Commission

This is why it is so bizarre and befuddling that lead is found in many commercial lipsticks! Anything that we use on our lips enters our mouth and then the inside of our body in small amounts all day long. We also might kiss others, including children, and they in turn will have the ingredients of your lipstick entering their bodies, through oral ingestion and skin absorption.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, www.safecosmetics.org, has done a great service in researching the issue and in working towards making a change. Here they answer pressing questions about this significant health concern:

From: A Poison Kiss: The Problem of Lead in Lipstick
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
October 2007
www.safecosmetics.org

Q: Does lipstick really contain lead?

A: According to independent lab tests initiated by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, some lipsticks available for sale in 2007 contained lead. The report, “A Poison Kiss,” names the brands tested and the levels of lead found in them (see page 10 of the report). More than half of 33 top-brand lipsticks tested (61%) contained detectable levels of lead, with levels ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm). One-third of the lipsticks exceeded the 0.1 ppm FDA lead limit for candy – a standard established to protect children from directly ingesting lead. Among the brands tested found to have the highest lead levels were L’Oreal, Cover Girl and Christian Dior – showing that the more expensive brands are no safer than drugstore brands.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration followed up on our report with its own tests of lead in lipstick, released in 2009 (see next question for more details).

Q: What did the 2009 FDA study of lead in lipstick find?

A: FDA used a new analytical method to look for lead in lipstick, and found that the lead levels in lipstick are much higher than previously reported. FDA found that three manufacturers had much higher lead levels in their lipsticks than other manufacturers, but FDA did not name those brands.

In a study of 20 samples of red lipstick, FDA found lead levels ranging from 0.09 to 3.06 parts per million. The highest lead level found by FDA was more than four times higher than the highest lead level found by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in the 2007 study (0.65 ppm).

FDA’s study found an average level of lead in lipsticks of 1.07 ppm – more than 10 times higher than the FDA’s limit for lead in candy of 0.1 ppm, a limit set by FDA to protect children from lead exposure. The candy limit is based on the reasoning that 0.1 ppm is the lowest lead level that can be achieved in candy. Using the same logic, FDA should immediately set standards to require manufacturers to minimize lead in lipstick to the lowest possible levels.

Q: Which lipsticks contain the most lead?

A: We don’t know. FDA noted that three manufacturers had the highest lead levels in their study, but they did not name the brands. Lipstick by “Manufacturer A” in the FDA study contained 11 times more lead than the average lead found in the 10 lowest samples.

In the 2007 study, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics also found that a few brands had consistently higher lead levels compared to other companies. The worst offender in the CSC study was L’Oreal, which made three of the top five highest lead-containing brands. Cover Girl and Maybelline NY (made by L’Oreal) also had higher lead levels.
Q: The FDA Web site states that the lead found in lipstick samples by the agency is not a safety concern. What is this assessment based on?

A: FDA said it has assessed potential harm to consumers from use of lipstick containing lead at the levels found in its testing. However, the new FDA study does not consider or address the safety of lead in lipstick – it is only about detection of lead levels. FDA does not provide any studies or method of review to explain its conclusion about safety. The agency says only that, “[l]ipstick, as a product intended for topical use, is only ingested incidentally and in very small quantities.” However, we know of no studies that investigate how much lipstick is absorbed into the body. Such studies are not required of industry, and have not been conducted by FDA.

FDA also notes that the lead levels it found are lower than limits recommended by other public health authorities for lead in cosmetics. The agency mentions a draft recommendation in Canada, and a ruling from California’s Proposition 65 law, which does not consider science on neurotoxicity in its assessments. FDA does not mention that lead is banned from cosmetics sold in the European Union.

There are additional problems with the FDA Web site Q&A on lead in lipstick: FDA incorrectly states the average amount of lead found in lipstick in its tests (the average value was 1.07 not .97), and incorrectly states the number of products tested by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (we tested 33 products, not 25).

Q: Are the FDA findings consistent with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ 2007 study of lead in lipstick?

A: Yes, although the levels of lead found by FDA are much higher than the levels found by the CSC. CSC found lead levels (in 33 samples) ranging from zero to 0.65 parts per million. FDA found lead levels (in 20 samples) ranging from 0.09 to 3.06 ppm. All lipstick samples in both studies were red.

The FDA used a new analytical method to look for lead in lipstick, and determined that earlier methods, including the method used by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, may have underestimated the amount of lead in lipstick.

FDA noted that three manufacturers had the highest lead levels in their lipstick, although they would not name those brands. In the CSC tests, L’Oreal, Maybelline and Cover Girl lipsticks consistently had the highest amounts of lead, compared to other manufacturers.

Q: How can I find the FDA study?

A: After two years of correspondence between FDA and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the FDA study was finally released in the July/August issue of the Journal of Cosmetic Science, and made available at a cost of $35. The study must be purchased from the journal’s Web site.

The FDA did not publish the full data set, including the names of brands tested matched with the levels of lead found in those products. The public deserves to know which lipsticks contain the most lead. FDA used taxpayer money to conduct this study and the results should be fully and readily available to the public.

Q: What are the health concerns of lead in lipstick? Is just a little bit of lead really harmful?

A: Health experts argue that there is no safe level of lead exposure for children or pregnant women.

“Since recent science suggests that there is truly no safe lead exposure for children and pregnant women, it is disturbing that manufacturers are allowed to continue to sell lead-containing lipsticks,” according to Dr. Sean Palfrey, a professor of pediatrics and public health at Boston University and the medical director of Boston’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. “Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as lowered IQ, reduced school performance and increased aggression. Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, because lead easily crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain where it can interfere with normal development.”

In a review of recent science published in the April 2008 Current Opinion in Pediatrics, David C. Bellinger, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School concluded: “No level of lead exposure appears to be ‘safe’ and even the current ‘low’ levels of exposure in children are associated with neurodevelopmental deficits.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states: “No safe blood lead level has been identified.” The agency suggests avoiding all sources of lead exposure.

Q: If lead is dangerous primarily for children, why do we have to worry if it’s in products marketed to women?

A: In order to protect children from unnecessary lead exposures, it is necessary to protect pregnant women, and all women of childbearing age. Teenagers and young girls using lipstick are exposing themselves to lead, which builds up in the body and stays in their bodies for years.

“Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels. The latest studies show there is no safe level of lead exposure,” according to Mark Mitchell, M.D., MPH, president of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice.

Lead is also linked to infertility and miscarriage.

Q: Why does lipstick contain lead?

A: Lead is a considered to be a contaminant in lipstick, and therefore it is not listed on labels. Lipstick can become contaminated with lead in two ways: raw materials used in the lipstick may be contaminated with lead, or the pigments (paints) used in the lipstick contain lead.

FDA noted that the lipsticks containing the most lead came from three manufacturers. The CSC study also found that a few manufacturers consistently had the highest lead levels. This indicates that some companies are using better manufacturing practices than others.

Q: What can people do to avoid lead in lipstick?

A: Unfortunately, there is no way to know how much lead is in your favorite lipstick. We must call on FDA to immediately set standards to require manufacturers to reduce lead to the lowest achievable levels, and call on FDA to make public the full results of its study, including the brands tested and how much lead they contained.

Q: Are there government standards regulating lead in lipstick?

A: There are no standards in the United States limiting lead in lipstick. It is legal for lipsticks sold in the U.S. to contain any amount of lead, without any notice to consumers.

Lead is banned from all cosmetics sold in the European Union.

Lead is listed under California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects, meaning that manufacturers of products containing certain levels of lead must notify consumers of risk. The state has said 5 ppm is the actionable lead level in lipstick. However, the Prop 65 calculations do not include the latest science on neurotoxicity, which shows that lead can cause brain damage in children and fetuses at extremely low levels.

Canada has a draft recommendation to allow up to 10 ppm lead in lipstick. This level, which is only a draft and has not been finalized, is much too high. Obviously, manufacturers can do much better than that, and government standards should require manufacturers to make lipstick with the lowest achievable levels of lead.

Q: Do other makeup products contain lead (e.g. foundation or eye shadow)?

A: Possibly. Lead could be a contaminant (and therefore not appear on ingredient labels) or an ingredient in other cosmetics products, like hair dyes (where it shows up as lead acetate), but since it is not illegal to use lead in cosmetics in the U.S. and since no government body requires pre-market testing for cosmetics products it’s tough to say. We do know that there are plenty of ingredients linked to cancer, birth defects, reproductive problems, obesity and other serious health problems in cosmetics.

The Good News
You can have beautifully colored luscious lips without worrying about affecting your health! At Living Earth Beauty, we disclose ALL ingredients. Why? Because we are proud of them. Our only purpose is to nourish and heal. We carry lip color that is pure, natural, and never ever has or will contain anything that could harm you or your loved ones. Check out our moisture lip colors here. You can also mix the any of the mineral makeup blush or eyeshadow colors with the uncolored lip balms to custom create any lip color you desire.

If you would like to have more lip color options and types available, we have several more we could add to our store – let us know in the comments below or send us an email.

Also posted in Beauty, Makeup, Skin and Body – 0 Comments

How to Travel in Health, Vibrancy, and Gratitude

May 5, 2010

Baby Coconut Tree



Traveling within the country

I always plan in advance when I am going to be away from home for several hours and when traveling for a longer period of time. I bring snacks like veggies, fruit, nuts, etc. when away from home or traveling. When on a road trip or camping, I bring a cooler full of fresh food and veggie juice I make just beforehand. I also bring a green food powder, like Billy’s Infinity Greens, so that when the veggie juice runs out I have an easy dose of energy and nutrients – just add water. When traveling by airplane, I also always bring my own snacks. The food at airports should be avoided at all costs. Never get stuck there hungry and unprepared. Also, I find out ahead of time where natural foods markets and sometimes where raw and vegan restaurants are at every destination. Always plan to nourish yourself with healthy, fresh food where ever you are! You’ll find yourself more energized, relaxed, and content.

Traveling Internationally

Traveling from a place of gratitude and abundance is so essential for having an enjoyable, expansive experience, and for being a gift to the places and people you are around wherever go you (rather than being a burden or bringing negativity). Be at peace with and have no expectations of having access to the same types of foods that you have at home. For instance in South and especially Central America, there are very few vegetables available. There are veggies like carrots, zucchini, cucumber, cabbage, and onion in many local markets, but for the most part they are imported from Mexico. If you are used to receiving your veggies organic and fresh from the garden or farm, like I am, it is best to see these foods as blessings and infuse them with blessings, as they are not fresh, pretty, or organic. In most countries, there is no Organic Certification and in fact the same meaning of the word ‘organic’ does not exist. There is a plethora of fresh tropical fruit: Papaya, Watermelon, Pineapple, Banana, and Plantain. Most of the fruit is not organic either. There is the potential that some fruit from very small orchards could be, but there just is no way of knowing.

Tip: Most nourishing, highest quality food to eat while in a tropical place: wild coconuts right from the tree.

Bring along what you can

I brought along Billy’s Infinity Greens, as I always do when I travel. I also brought Raw Organic Royal Jelly Powder. For solid food, I brought seeds and nuts. Dried fruit, like Goji Berries, are also great. Any food that is not immediately perishable, and is simple and full of nutrients is ideal. Jed and I only brought very small backpacks with us, so I had a minimal amount of space for food. I fairly quickly went through my solid food, as  adjusted to the smaller amount of food that was available. By the time I ran out, my body adjusted to the smaller amount of food, and the coconut and fruit became more satisfying.

Know food names in the language of the country you are visiting

This is essential for receiving what you want and avoiding what you don’t want.

Blessing the Food

I am someone who would much rather fast than eat low quality food. I would prefer to live on water rather than eat non-organic food. But, while traveling, it just was not possible to do a long-term fast without have a nourishing structure to be part of. I also am not a proponent of long-term water fasting. Therefore, I had to surrender to the fact that I was going to be eating non-organic food and rather than focus on that fact, I focused on being grateful for that food. I have a practice of saying a prayer of gratitude for food before I eat it. When the quality is questionable, I also add a blessing to the food by placing my hands over it or just by speaking silent words to infuse it with love, health, and increase its vibrational energy.

Eating Raw while traveling

Eating raw while traveling in the US, or other countries where fresh, organic food is available is the easiest thing in the world! We are SO blessed! Here’s what I do: for the most part, except from time to time when there a tantalizing raw restaurant nearby or I feel a desire for more complex flavor, I eat as simply as possible. I do not require “meals” and really no preparation. I primarily mono-eat, or eat one type of food at time, for ease of digestion, assimilation of nutrients, for the pure joy of simplicity and of taste of pure foods just as they have been gifted to us. This makes traveling so free, easy, and delightful. All you have to do is bring organic veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, sprouts, (and dehydrated snacks if you wish) with you. Fresh fruits and veggies that are easy to travel with are: all fruits, avocado, sprouts, cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrots, celery, etc. I also shamelessly stuff handfuls of mixed greens and lettuces in my mouth. If I am traveling in a car or have access to a car, I also am always visiting the local natural foods markets, or even check for raw food restaurants if I am near an area that I suspect could have one.

While traveling internationally, especially to third world countries, it can be very challenging to eat raw, especially if food quality is essential to you. Eating raw in certain areas of the world, like South America, Asia, and Africa can also create health challenges due to bad water for washing the veggies.

Find a trusted source of food

In Ecuador, I researched and guided myself to places where the food came from an organic garden, as much as I possibly could. There are a few inns and resorts throughout the country that do have their own organic gardens where much of their produce comes from. I did not eat anywhere but three trusted places the entire time we were there, and yet I still managed to pick up unwanted friends – parasites and bacteria.

Deciding whether to travel raw or not

I have been eating purely 100% raw vegan organic food for nearly two years now and even just eating one meal of cooked food would be a huge shock to my body. I felt that trying my absolute best to minimize risk of food contamination while maintaining my diet for the sake of my body, my beliefs, and my consciousness outweighed the perceived ‘safety’ of eating cooked foods with or without unhealthy refined oils, refined salt and seasonings. etc. HOWEVER, if you do not eat raw, or eat a percentage of raw, I do suggest that you avoid eating uncooked vegetables. Only eat fruit that has a thick peel-able skin. Do not drink anything made with ice. (Sometimes you can watch them make smooties, which is the best option for me – especially when I saw the cook dumping spoonfuls of white sugar into it!) Fresh Juice without ice or water is okay. And of course, only drink bottled water directly out of the bottle or that you have seen come from a sealed bottle.

You don’t have to eat only raw to travel healthily

Prepare several cooked meals ahead of time and pack them in glass containers or BPA-free plastic storage containers. Prepare items are good to eat cold. Bring plenty of your favorite healthy snacks with you. Stop at natural food markets, instead of eating out, if possible.

Being Different

Living in the United States and especially California is a very unique experience. There really aren’t any other places in the world that are remotely similar, in a vast number of ways. One such way is food. From my experience traveling through most of our beautiful country, California is the capitol of conscious eating and especially Living Foods. I have felt so embraced, included, and (almost :) ‘normal’ in California. I had the exact opposite experience while traveling in Belize and Ecuador. There was absolutely no comprehension what was eating ‘organic’, ‘vegan’, or ‘raw’ meant, and why one would do that. Some people treated me as an alien out of curiosity, but primarily as alien for being completely crazy, strange, and silly! I always do my absolute best to be in total respect and honor of people and their culture. Therefore, I was in full respect of any feelings around my way of living. My personal tendency is that I do not like attention. I try to be under the radar as much as possible. However, since eating is something that we all do regularly, and I either had to ask for what I needed (since I was entirely reliant on other people for food most of the time), or I was eating around other people and they were curious about me. Oh my, this was quite a learning and practice of awareness, surrender, and patience for me. I do not like attention, and yet I received around the clock attention. I prefer not to defend my choices around food or my way of being in general conversation, and yet I was asked what I was eating and why I eat that way for nearly every meal of every day. Phew . . . that was truly a challenge for me . . . and really positive growth.

Surrender

Surrender to what is, AND ask gracefully and respectfully for what you need if it is available and reasonable. Keep it simple. In Belize, I started out by just asking for veggie sticks, of whatever they had. It ended being carrots, zucchini, and cucumber, eventually. It took about a week (from the same people) to receive what I intended. At first I did not understand, I believed that I was asking for the simplest thing in the world. When it truth, it was more complicated for them than to make the cooked Belizean dishes that were on the menu. Most vegetables, and there are only a small few, are imported into Belize. Truly, vegetables are not a part of the Belizean diet. I stopped asking for vegetables after I understood this and discovered that these foods were imported, despite what I had been told at first. Fruits are grown in Belize, especially Papaya, which is native to Belize, but most Belizean to do not eat much fruit either. I only saw tourists eating fruit. Fruit (Papaya, Pineapple, Watermelon, Banana, occasional Mango, and very green, bitter oranges) are the fruits that are primarily available. Markets, street carts, and most restaurants will have these fruits available. It is ‘normal’ to order a fruit plate. I also happened to be staying on an island for two weeks, so I primarily subsisted on coconuts directly from the trees, and fruit. Both were relatively easy obtain without causing too much of a scene.

In Ecuador, vegetables are much more widely available. Ecuador is vastly more developed than Belize is. However, it still is the case that apart from corn, root vegetables, and legumes, vegetables (especially green ones) are only a small part of the standard diet. There are a variety of vegetables available at markets, and there are a few more places that you can stay that have their own gardens.

Keep bugs at bay

When traveling nationally, take Immune Illume, Digest The Best, and an essential oil based insect repellant with you. When traveling internationally, take the aforementioned products and a product like Miracle Mineral Solution or Adya Clear with you for purifying water and as a very potent way to ensure that no microbes or parasites are able to flourish inside your body. Miracle Mineral Solution is a very intense product, so use with care.

Easy intestinal parasite remedy

I began trying this remedy while in Ecuador, because if there was one thing I could get fairly easily it was Papaya. I did not have all of the products I mentioned above, so this was my best option. A gentle and easy option for parasites. I have not heard that it will work for bacteria, though. One-quarter of a Papaya seed consists of a highly digestible protein, which can be used to eliminate parasites. The seeds are soft enough to chew; yet they are spicy (horseradish-like). You might try blending them with juice or water & raw organic honey. Try at least twenty seeds per day for about five days.

Other acute intestinal bug remedies and cleansing assistance

(All of which I have utilized since leaving South America)

  • Colon Hydrotherapy, Home Enema, Colosan, or other all-natural, herbal, non-stimulant based laxative
  • Garlic (if you prefer to do without the odor of fresh garlic, Kyolic is a good product)
  • Miracle Mineral Solution
  • Probiotics

My most important tip

Be grateful for what is, what you have, where you are, and who you are with. Feel abundant and blessed no matter what the circumstance. You are always and will always be provided for. Right here right now is always a time to live in Love.


Click here to see photos of our incredible travel journey.

Also posted in Coconut, Food, Healing, Nutrition, Travel – 1 Comment
« Older posts