Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate(SLES) are used as foaming and thickening agents in many of the body care products we use everyday. Almost everything that foams or lathers uses these chemicals because they are very cheap to use. And the scary thing is there are around 100 chemical derivatives of these agents that all have different names so it is very hard to know what you are using. In other words these agents may be hiding under different names.

Anybody that has any skin sensitivity at all should stay far away from these products. Many reports have been published about the very irritating properties of these agents. Some soap has concentrations of up to 30% which are very irritating and dangerous. These chemicals cannot be metabolized by the liver so they twill build up in concentrations in the body and ultimately cause toxicity in many people.

Studies show that these agents penetrate into the eyes, brain, heart and liver. They are retained in body tissue. These studies also show evidence of preventing young children’s eyes from developing properly and contributing to cataract development in adults. The bottom line is that because of the penetrating power of these agents they are believed by many experts to be known carcinogens.

There are many natural body care lines on the market that do not use these chemicals, or if they do use them they use them in far smaller quantities. Yes, natural often cost a little bit more and are sometimes harder to find, but isn’t your health and well being worth it? Or you can use the conventional products half the time and use the more expensive natural products the other half. This will at least cut your exposure to these toxins in half.

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Jojoba goes on like any other pure oil, meaning it is oily. But the amazing thing is that within 5 minutes of putting it on it has almost entirely absorbed into your skin. This is because it is so similar to the natural oils in our skin that it very easily absorbs and nourishes.

It can be used as a base oil for adding with other natural oils. Some people may choose to add a little vitamin E oil, tea tree oil, or lavender oil for example.

People also use jojoba as a natural moisturizer and conditioner for hair. Because the oils in our hair are the same as the oils in our skin jojoba is an amazing nutrient for hair. You can just apply the oil directly to your hair for great hair repair.

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Grandpa pine tar soap has a long history and a very loyal following. Made by C.S. Dent and Company beginning in 1878 from a family recipe, Grandpa’s pine tar soap has been used as a cleanser, shampoo, detergent and treatment for a variety of skin problems.  The soap is 100 percent biodegradable, so it fits well into a green lifestyle. Grandpa’s pine tar soap contains just seven ingredients. There are no added colors or fragrances to mask the rich brown color and distinctive scent of the natural pine tar oil.

I am a big fan of this soap and recommend it highly for any skin condition. It is readily available at leading natural food stores and online. It is brown in coloration but it actually lathers white and clean.

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As time went by and the means to analyzing fats role in the body have vastly improved it has been found that even though coconut oil is saturated fat it is a different type of saturated fat than that which is derived from animals. The bulk of the fat content of it is made up of what are called medium chain triglycerides and the rest is made up of short chain triglycerides. The animal fats that are also saturated are comprised mainly of long chain triglycerides. The shorter nature of the fat chains  means the body uses these fats in a completely different way.

The majority of fats that we eat, if not used for energy immediately are stored very easily as fat deposits on the body. The medium chain fats in coconut oil are easily broken down and used by the body as an energy source, almost like a carbohydrate. This means that the fats  seldom end up as body fat or as deposits in our arteries. Meaning that this oils structure is unlike almost any other oil or fat you could consume. Many people are now calling it the “skinny fat”.

There is growing research that medium chain triglycerides have very strong natural anti-bacterial qualities. Can you imagine oil that actually can kill bacteria? One of the most effective treatments for reoccurring candida yeast infections is caprylic acid, which is a medium chain triglyceride derived from coconut oil. Polynesian women who eat lots of coconuts rarely if ever get yeast infections. Only in cooler climate where processed vegetable oils are widely used are yeast infections so prevalent. The medicinal properties are vast and only now beginning to be appreciated.

The beauty oil uses of natural coconut oil are legendary. Polynesian women are famed for there beautiful hair and skin even though they live their lives in the hot tropical sun. It can be used as a moisturizing lotion and as a hair conditioner in the natural state. For this reason it has been used and appreciated for many centuries.

For these reasons and more coconut oil is a truly miracle oil. It is inexpensive, great to cook with, and readily available at most stores. I use it for cooking almost all of my oil needing foods and it taste great. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

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Chemical peels are one of the most common and effective ways to promote new skin to the surface. Many of these peels are really not chemical per say, because they are actually derived from natural substances such as sugar cane and fruit.  Facial chemical peels can reduce the signs of aging; diminish scars and other skin imperfections. There are basically three levels of facial peels available to you; light peels, medium peels, and deep peels. The level of the peel is determined by the amount of the outer layer of skin that is removed with the peel. The deeper the peel the more painful the procedure and the more recovery time is needed. A light peel can produce just some redness for a couple of days, while with a deep peel you will look and feel like you were hit by a truck. A deep peel can take up to two weeks for a full recovery.

Light peels are usually done with glycolic acid or salicylic acid. These acid peels can be purchased in different strengths depending on the level of skin you want removed. I personally favor using a twenty or thirty percent glycolic acid peel once a month. By doing this you are forcing your skin to regenerate new youthful cells on a monthly basis. There a few nice things about using a light peel. First is the cost, a twenty percent glycolic acid peel can be purchased for as little as twenty dollars and that can give you as many as 10 peels. Second is the recovery time, with a light peel you can continue with your daily routine. Your face might be red, but you can at least go to work and not freak everyone out. Third is the fact that you do not need to go to the doctor and can do the peel in your own home. Usually any pain associated with a light peel can be treated with Tylenol or Motrin. Glycolic acid can be purchased up to an eighty percent concentrate. For most people an eight percent glycolic peel would be classified as a medium to deep peel, so be careful.

Medium peels are usually done with trichloracetic acid, commonly referred to as TCA. TCA is pretty strong stuff and is often recommended for peels for darker skin tones. TCA can be purchased online and self administered like glycolic, but be extremely careful and follow the directions exactly. It can be purchased in strengths from ten percent to thirty percent. The thirty percent should only be administered by a professional. It is very easy to give yourself severe burns with this chemical peel. Often a calming drug like Valium is used in conjunction with a pain killer for this procedure.  In most cases a having TCA administered by a dermatologist or skin care professional might be the wiser choice for this medium peel. A TCA peel administered by a dermatologist can cost around five hundred dollars.

Deep peels are done with phenol acid and only administered by a medical professional often with general or local anesthesia. The recovery time can be two weeks, and you may not want to go in public for a week or more. Your face will look burned for some time. These deep peels can be very painful and prescription pain medicine during the recovery time is needed. I am not personally a huge fan of these deep peels, because there can be serious side effects like a permanent loss of skin pigmentation. I can’t help but wonder what the future consequences might be for intentionally burning your face so deeply. Deep peels can cost as much as five thousand dollars. If you do decide on a phenol acid peel do your research and choose your doctor carefully.

I believe that chemical peels are useful to help generate new skin cells as we get older, but I would be very precautious about the deep facial peels. I think it is a wiser strategy to exercise patience and do a light or medium peel on a more regular basis to force the new skin to the top. If you use a twenty or thirty percent glycolic peel monthly you will see great results over time.

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Lysine is available in a topical ointment that is useful when used in conjunction with oral lysine supplementation when treating outbreaks. The ointment that I have the best results with and recommend is called Super Lysine Plus by Quantum Health. It is a naturally soothing treatment that can cut cold sore healing time in half.

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The lemon balm leaves have a very pleasant lemon, minty taste. The leaves are dried and used in a wide variety of herbal teas and spices. They can also be used fresh and add great flavor to marinades for chicken and fish. Lemon balm leaves also make a very attractive and edible garnish.

You will also see lemon balm leaves used in natural cosmetics. Lemon balm leaves have a strong anti-viral and anti bacterial property. Lemon balm contains substances called tannins, which are thought to aid in many of the antiviral benefits. Because of these medicinal qualities it is commonly mixed into lotions to treat skin lesions formed as a result of infections like herpes simplex. In a study of 116 people with herpes simplex virus, those who used lemon balm cream on their lip sores experienced significant improvement in redness and swelling after only 2 days of use. Since it is extremely soothing, it also helps ease skin inflammations caused by insect bites, poison ivy and oak, and is used to heal cold sores.

It is believed that the Arabs first began to use lemon balm for its medicinal properties as far back as the middle ages. They found it very useful for treating stress, anxiety and depression. Several modern studies have found that lemon balm is useful as a sleeping aid. These studies show that it is particularly effective when it is combined with other natural sleep aids such as valerian root, hops, L-theanine, melatonin, passion flower and magnesium. In one study of people with insomnia, those who took a combination of valerian root and lemon balm reported sleeping much better than those who took a placebo.

Similar findings have been found in studies using lemon balm for anxiety. In another double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 18 volunteers took two separate single doses of a standardized lemon balm extract or placebo for 7 days. The lemon balm study group reported less stress, anxiety, and a much better overall sense of well being. The placebo group was still burdened with anxiety. Just like using lemon balm for sleeping problems it seems to be most effective when combined with other relaxing herbs such as passion flower and valerian.

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