Tag: doterra

Tampering With Toxins

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Biohazard symbolAs I have said before, my journey towards wholeness was abrupt. My body screamed loudly and it got my full attention. The first step was an urgent need to radically change my diet. That has now become a lifestyle. Another area that I soon addressed was what kind of products I used to clean my house and what I used on my body.  I was determined to minimize the number toxins in our home and most certainly what we put on our bodies.  In doing so, I learned a lot and continue to do so. I want to share some of the things that I have learned along the way and share some of the safe alternatives I have found.

Here are some things that I soon learned to try and avoid:

Aluminum zirconium – this heavy metal is linked to breast cancer. It has negative respiratory, neurological and developmental implications. Found: It’s the antiperspirant in deodorant. Substitute: Radiantly You © Deodorant….My favorite is their lavender scented one. The scent comes from essential oils and not a toxic fragrance.

BHA and BHT – interferes with normal respiratory system functions and thyroid levels. Found: in moisturizers and makeup. Substitute: I’m not a make-up girl, but certainly a moisturizer girl!  On my face, I use Radiantly You © Antioxidant Moisturizer. On my body, I use organic coconut oil and my doTERRA ® essential oil of choice. Lavender is a favorite of mine.

Coal Tar Dyes – linked to cancer and neurological toxicity. Found: in hair dyes, lipstick and cosmetics. Substitute: I get my lipstick from NYR Organic ®.  I wish I could say that I have found a healthy substitute for dying my hair. That is a vice that I am not ready to part with.

Fragrance – this hormone disruptor is linked to increased risk of breast cancer, early puberty, face cream, perfume, and soap. Found: anything with a scent. Substitute: doTERRA ® essential oil of choice mixed with a carrier oil, Radiantly You © Lavender Soap bar and Soothing Lavender Body Butter. One of the many things that impresses me about Radiantly You’s strong values is that the company will not make the body butter in the summer because they are not willing to alter the ingredients to make it withstand the heat of summer when shipped. I stocked up in the Spring!  I also love the Sweet Orange Soap Bar.

Formaldehyde – can cause asthma and developmental toxicity. Found: in hair treatment and nail polishes. Substitute: I have chosen to limit my nail polish usage, but have begun to explore non-toxic options. Again, my hair may be causing me some trouble here as well because of the perm I get every 6 – 8 weeks.

Mineral Oils – this toxic oil is a human carcinogen. It can also cause skin problems. Found: baby lotions, creams, and skin ointments. Substitute: If I had a baby, I would use the baby line from NYR Organic ™ or The Honest Company. I would use Radiantly You’s Calendula Booty Balm as a diaper cream. I use Radiantly You’s Healing Calendula Balm for any skin irritations.

Parabens – are linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, skin irritations, etc. Found: in shampoos, bath products, lotions and make up. Substitute: I use organic shampoo, organic coconut oil for lotion or the body butter.  If I am industrious, I make a scrub using organic products and doTERRA ® essential oils. Otherwise, I treat myself to the Radiantly You © sugar scrubs. My favorite is the Lavender Vanilla and the Citrus is a close second.

Propylene Glycol – This is antifreeze! It alters skin structure so other chemicals can be better absorbed.  Found: in cosmetics. Substitute: one of the many previously mentioned options.

Sodium Laureth – linked to skin damage, eye damage, liver toxicity, and it is toxic to the environment. Found: in skin care, cosmetics and household cleaners. Substitute: I use the Radiantly You © Dead Sea Mud Whipped Face Wash and the previously mentioned moisturizer. I will discuss household cleaners in my next post.

Talc – is toxic and linked to lung and ovarian tumors. Found: powder, eye shadow, baby powder, face powder. Substitute: If I wore make-up, I would buy organic.

This list does not include all the toxins we can find in body and household cleaning products. We are inundated with them. It is up to us to learn about them and eliminate them from our environment.

I found the following podcast to be very informative, if you are interested in furthering your study of toxins. It’s long, but it is worth a listen. http://www.amymyersmd.com/2013/12/the-myers-way-episode-29-detoxification-with-dr-myers/

I am going to tag my friend who sells NYR Organic ™and Jamberry Nails as sources for organic options.

You can find the Radiantly You™ products at the following link. www.radiantlyyou.com/vturner

I chose to join the company to get a discount on their already reasonably priced 100% organic products. If you are interested in that as an option for your family, let me know.

My doTERRA link www.mydoterra.com/vickiecturner/#/

Why I Chose doTERRA

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Lavendar doTERRA oil bottleIf you have not heard, you may soon hear all the debates about which essential oil is best. Very few people are debating about how effective they are, but there is a firm line in the sand for some as to which one is best. I liken it to the Coke vs. Pepsi, vinegar-based vs. tomato-based sauces, chocolate vs. vanilla debate. Actually it is far more serious of a debate than that, but I don’t want to go any further down that road. I just know that it’s Coke, vinegar and chocolate! That said, I can only have vinegar from that list!

Okay, back to oils!  About two years ago, I became interested in essential oils and their impact on helping support the body. I soon learned there were two companies vying for first place. Both seemed sure they held the title.  Some were sure it was doTERRA and others would argue the same for Young Living. I familiarized myself with information on both companies and did not feel a particular pull towards either.

May 2014 that changed. At our annual homeschool conference I began a conversation with a doTERRA Wellness Advocate. I had stopped by the booth to get a bit of information since they were there as a vendor. I immediately clicked with her (Laura). Even still I did not make a decision.  She and I spoke several times over the next couple of months. The conversations were so much more than oils. We talked about the most important thing in our lives, our faith. We talked about both having adopted and biological kids. We talked and talked. A friendship blossomed. By July, I knew that I wanted to journey with her on the doTERRA path. That was how I made my decision. Relationships trump most things in my opinion.

That said, one of my closest friends is just as excited about the benefits of Young Living as I am about doTERRA. She had forged a relationship with someone in the Young Living about the same time I was getting to know Laura. Again, relationships trump. She went with Young Living. Given how much we value our relationship, neither of us would consider debating oils. Both of us have found something to help our families. That is what is important, but our relationship is far more important.

One of the most important things you can do to help you be healthy is to surround yourself with healthy relationships. They fuel us rather than drain us. I hope that you are able to have positive people pouring into you. I recently saw a quote that said, “If love is not being served at the table, get up from the table.” Evaluate your relationships. Do you need to get up from that table and go and sit somewhere else? Be healthy! Join the movement!