Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop website

Just had a little read over Gwyneth's posts and this resonated a lot of the reasons why I've changed  a lot of things in my life recently and it just motivates even more to keep going with it.
Love the fact that she strives to keep herself and her family healthy while letting us in on the good stuff too!

Arm pit detox!

Yipppppeeeeeeeeeeeee  my Calcium Bentonite Fine powder arrived this morning. So this is my new DIY tester for the week.

After making my own natural deodorant my underarms were quite sensitive to the bread soda and it left a bit of a rash. I stopped using it but was quite disappointed about the fail because other natural deodorants are very expensive and actually not as effective. 

I did some more research from my favorite Wellness Mama and on her blog she had gone through the need for an underarm detox before using the natural deodorant. 
She found that doing an underarm detox once a week while transitioning into the natural deodorant phase was very important.

Conventional deodorants and anti-perspirants contain a variety of chemicals and additives. It takes something un-natural to block the body’s natural ability to sweat, and the chemical list in some deodorants is impressive:

• Aluminum- some evidence links aluminum to cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease
• Phthalates- Endocrine disruptors often also found in plastic that can cause hormone imbalance and even infertility (especially in med)
• Propylene glycol- common name: antifreeze. It is a hotly debated additive in personal care products but the Environmental Working Group reports that it carries a moderate risk of immunotoxicity and allergies.
• Formaldehyde-  a known carcinigen… guess it kills the germs though.
• Parabens- Another hormone disruptor and parabens have been found in biopsied tissue with breast cancer
• Antibacterial Substances- I talked about these before but they are endocrine disruptors and can negatively affect the immune system

Why is this a big deal? Ever gotten sick and had a lump in your neck or armpit? That is a lymph node and they are a major part of your immune system. Putting endocrine disruption chemicals directly on top of them is a great way to screw up your hormones and suppress immune function.

The skin is the body’s largest organ and what touches our skin can easily enter our bloodstream. With skyrocketing rates of breast cancer, it would seem prudent to avoid.

 A great advantage to doing an armpit detox, besides that it helps speed up the natural deodorant adjustment period, is that it might help pull some of these chemicals out of the skin and tissue of the armpits. This can be especially helpful after years of conventional deodorant use.these chemicals until further research is done.

FYI - I have taken Kourtney Kardashian's natural deodorant recipe and just added a little bit more cornflour to decrease the irritation risks and it has worked so far!

Kourtney's Deodorant

I climbed a mountain in Kerry over the weekend and it worked perfectly :) Nothing like a two hour trek to test the waters eh? :D

Soap Nuts - My new natural way of clothes washing

I have recently thrown out all of my washing detergent to be replaced with soaps nuts. These originate from Nepal and India and have saved me a lot of money, along with losing the nasty chemicals from mainstream detergents!

Soap nuts are found in both the eastern and western hemispheres, but are native to India and Nepal. They have recently become a popular environmentally friendly alternative to chemical detergent, and are a gentle option for those with allergies to chemicals in regular detergents. They have traditionally been used as an expectorant, and in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for eczema and psoriasis. Soap nuts contain saponin, a natural detergent. The soap nut shell absorbs water and releases the saponins which circulate as a natural surfactant in the wash water, freeing dirt, grime, and oils from clothing.

These were recommend to me by Wellness Mama and i haven't looked back since.

When washing a heavy load (which let's face it always is), put around five to six soap nuts into the muslin bag and pop it into the load.
That batch of nuts can be reused for four or five washes after the first load which is why they are so economical. You will know when to use fresh ones when the nuts go a lighter color.

Extra Tip: Hold onto your old soap nuts and you can make a hand-wash out of these!

I like to add in a little bit of essential oil, like Eucalyptus and Lemon oil with my washes in replacement of the fabric softeners - they give a lovely sent to the wash.

Fact: Lemon essential oil is very good for removing stains - just rub it onto the stain before the wash.
Fact: Eucalyptus oil acts as an antibacterial agent and is very good when washing your towels or tea-towels!

Where to buy these soap nuts?

I purchased my 1Kg bag off this Irish website called Purchase.ie for €12.95 and it's still going strong!
Two muslins bags come with this purchase.

http://purchase.ie/soap-nuts

Now I have just come across this tip from this website which I will be trying;

I find the best way to use the soapnuts is to make up a liquid detergent. 1 handful in a litre of water, and boil for 10 mins (or just leave on the stove overnight) It has to be stored in the fridge. I then use this as laundry and dishwashing detergent. I bag of nuts lasts me  for 6 months. Massive savings and eco too 

Happy saving and washing!

Natural Eye Cream

I'm back from a little sabbatical (I'm was researching!!!) and I've found a great way to make your very own eye cream.

Simple out - give it a go!

I would recommend using an old lip balm container to store - I have an old Burt Bees' which I'm going to use;

• 1/2 cup Organic coconut oil (Coconut Oil acts as a moisturizer, antibiotic, multivitamin, multi-nutrient and antioxidant.)
• 6-8 Vitamin E capsules (Vitamin E Oil is a strong antioxidant that prevents premature aging and promotes healing.)
• Pin to poke holes in Vitamin E capsules
• Small microwavable bowl for microwaving or small sauce pan for melting on stovetop
• Small container (to store cream in)

Happy DIYing! 

Toodles,

xxx 

Natural Eye Make-Up Remover

I have discovered this amazing natural way to remove stubborn eye make-up, even waterproof mascara. And once again, one of the ingredients probably exists in your kitchen cabinet.

Mix half olive oil to half witch hazel et volià!

Before this new find, I was using the coconut oil to remove my eye make-up, however I found that I would get a slight cloudy vision (not good when trying to drive!) and it would take up to ten minutes for my eyes to clear. This recipe however is much better and luckily no more clouds in my eyes "I can see cleary now the rain has gone!"

And when the rain has gone aka the mascara, this is what we fee like :D

But who cares eh?!
I got it from my momma, I got it from my momma!

My shampoo and conditioner

Hi tooty fruities,

After using bread soda (not baking soda - whole different product) during my one month shampoo detox - I began making my own shampoo.  Yes it turned out quite well but from a time consumption perspective, I've sourced a good natural, non-toxic shampoo for the moment until I get better at my DIY shampoo.

Bread soda is very good don't get me wrong but unfortunately in line with trying things natural I tried out an avocado/mayonnaise conditioner one day during this detox.
Well, let's just say you're only supposed to put a dab on your hair, brush it through and wrap it in a towel for twenty minutes.
Dee decides to put the whole bowl on my head and leave for forty minutes (didn't read the guidelines carefully). As you could imagine I looked like that creep from Circle of Friends..... you know that greasy guy Sean Walsh that was infatuated with Benny? Exhibits below;

Ughhhh it was a disaster! I had finally gotten to a stage where my hair was beginning to relax it's sebum production and this happens!
Yep, I spent the bones of two weeks trying to get the oil out of my hair but it was no easy task. So I decided to pick up a nice bottle of shampoo from Here's Health.

Very nice shampoo and conditioner - they have plenty to choose from however I'm in love with Lavender and it gives my hair a lovely shine.
This company is called Faith in Nature and I paid €7.75 for each, shampoo and conditioner, which I think is very good considering other products are more expensive i.e. John Frieda etc - and the ingredients are totally clean. Believe me, I'm not going to recommend something that (as a lot of companies do) is completely misleading on the front of the product and dirty on the back. Oh "100% Organic and Natural" and then you find there is Phylates, Parabens and all sorts to make the product.

I've done my research and the shampoo has the following ingredients;

All the products are derived from vegetables and natural oils.
I've also made sure with my app and checked one or two that looked quite dodgy but turned out were clean.

List of ingredients I didn't like the look of;
Ammonium laureth sulfate
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium benzoate
Citric Acid

And here are my findings;

                      

So I'm very happy to be using these at the moment and know that they are safe which is great for peace of mind. It's just all about finding out ways to keep you informed and it doesn't have to be a headache.
My quest is to prove that going clean doesn't have to mean you pay more and it doesn't mean you have to look like Sean Walsh!

xo

An email from my great friend in Australia

Who I adore and spent a few months with her in Airlie Beach, Queensland. She is totally amazing and also loves all  things natural! Very cool post and just goes to show that we need to calm things down a bit and go back to the simple ways of life.....

This is a recent Facebook post from Michael Moore, the inspiring documentary maker (Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11 etc). I thought this was a really powerful message, particularly for young people who are caught up in body image etc, to simplify and just enjoy life!

B xx

I am now in Week 42 of my walks. Each day, 30 minutes, that's it. Thousands of you have joined me since that Sunday night on March 18 when, as a joke, I said I was going for a walk. I had read that morning in the paper that there were now more people in the U.S. on anti-depressants than those who go to the movies. I tweeted out that maybe that's the problem -- perhaps if people got out and went to... the movies more they might feel better. This unleashed a lively conversation about mood-altering drugs, the lousy movies these days in theaters, the rip-off prices for 3D films, etc. Finally, someone wrote: "Sometimes I think what I need is just a brisk walk." I tweeted, "Hey, there's an idea! I'm putting my shoes on right now." I went out and came back home after 30 minutes -- and a few hundred of you had amazingly joined me where you live. So I went walking the next night, probably out of some sort of obligation because so many had written to say "please let's do it again tonight!" So I did. And the night after that. By the end of the week it was hard to determine how many thousands were now going out with me on these "virtual walks" in hundreds of cities and towns, but it had taken off like a rocket and so we all went walking every night from that point on.

Now it's 250 days later. What a simple, great idea that person had! Some have asked, "Why are we walking?" "What's the cause?" There is no cause other than to go for a walk. We do it just because it feels good. We do it because we can. We do it because it's free and it takes no time. All you need to know is how to put one foot in front of the other (or, for the disabled who've joined in, by any means necessary). It's the perfect slacker/schlub activity.

I am often asked "How much weight have you lost from all this walking?" For a while I didn't understand the question. I mean, why would I want to lose anything? I have enough trouble finding my keys! Then I got it -- skinny people (1/3 of the country) want us, the majority, to be like them. That's so nice of them.

But the truth is, exercise does not work, diets do not work, feeling crummy does not work. Nothing works. My advice: Quit trying to be something you're not, be happy with the life you've been given, and just go for a pleasant walk outside. With me. Wherever you are. Get off the treadmill, stop drinking diet Coke, throw out all the rules. It's all a scam and it conspires to keep you miserable. If it says "low-fat" or "sugar-free" or "just 100 calories!" throw it out. Remember, one of the main tenets of capitalism is to have the consumer filled with fear, insecurity, envy and unhappiness so that we can spend, spend, spend our way out of it and, dammit, just feel better for a little while. But we don't, do we? The path to happiness - and deep down, we all know this -- is created by love, and being kind to oneself, sharing a sense of community with others, becoming a participant instead of a spectator, and being in motion. Moving. Moving around all day. Lifting things, even if it's yourself. Going for a walk every day will change your thinking and have a ripple effect. You'll find yourself only eating when you're truly hungry. And if you're not hungry, go clean your room, or have sex, or call a friend on the phone. Without knowing it, you'll starting eating like the French (there is no French word for "fast-food") -- and you will feel better. You do not feel better admonishing yourself or beating yourself up or setting up a bunch of unrealistic rules and goals with all the do's and dont's that are just begging to be broken. You wanna know something? I eat ice cream every friggin' day. I drink a regular Coke every single day. I put butter on things. But I also walk every day. Some days now, I walk twice. And now I've started to do some push-ups and lifting stuff. It's building muscle, and in doing so, has created an extra furnace to burn stuff and create energy. Weird! That, in turn, makes me sleep 7-8 hours a night which is another game-changer. And all the walking and lifting makes me thirsty, so that makes me drink more water -- another huge plus!

So, you can see from the photo of me up in the box that something has changed. I have no idea how much weight I've lost and I don't care. I don't care about that or diets or home gym equipment or rules about what I can or cannot eat or anything other than making sure I go on my walk today. That's it. That's the big secret. It costs nothing. I feel great. I can see my feet! There they are! Hello, feet! Wanna go for a walk? The feet say YES! Ask yours right now. And if you want, join me. But do NOT go on that walk with me if you are doing so to "get fit", "be healthy", or "lose weight". You are fine just the way you are. Only walk outside with me right now because you know it might just feel good, because it's a beautiful day, or someone is joining in with you, the fresh air is invigorating, you have to drive down to the drug store but you realize you can walk there, or simply because it's just nice to be alive for one more day. Walk to walk and nothing else -- and the other stuff will take care of itself.

I'm heading outside in an hour. Join me. And let me know how it went!