GOING GREEN WITH PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN FRESH RAW PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
Toothpaste – Natural or Poison?
By Wayne Gendel, May 2008
I think it is safe to say that 100% of us use some form of personal care products from toothpaste to lotions, make-up, soaps, hair care products and more. But virtually all commercial personal care products have harmful chemicals, hidden ingredients and one might need to research just to find out what the strange funny names on the products really are! Even then, not all ingredients even have to be listed! Unfortunately the laws protect the manufacturer and not you the consumer.
So, why not make your own? Don’t know how? To expensive? Not sure where to start?
Well I will in future emails I will show you how not only to make your own fresh, how simple and fast it can be, save you money, keep the planet green, and give you the peace of mind that you will have safe, pure and effective personal care products for you and your family.
In the USA the FDA requires fluoride toothpaste to carry a poison warning label that reads as follows: “WARNING: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN UNDER SIX YEARS OF AGE. IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY SWALLOW MORE THAN USED FOR BRUSHING, SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE OR CONTACT A POISON CONTROL CENTER IMMEDIATELY.” The following information will hopefully help you make a choice to begin buying a healthier brand, or better yet – make your own!
Human physiology tells us that whatever you put in your mouth is absorbed directly into your blood and tissues through the mucosal lining inside your mouth, even if you never swallow. According to the Physician’s Desk Reference Manual, oral absorption can be up to 90% efficient because the blood capillaries are very close to the surface in the inside of the mouth. Most potentially harmful ingredients in your toothpaste likely end up in your bloodstream and start negatively impacting your health in only seconds!
Many toothpastes are loaded with exotic-sounding chemicals, some of which have been documented for their negative effects on health. Some of these questionable ingredients include:
- Sodium saccharin – known to cause cancer in lab animals!
- Abrasive silica
- Sodium fluoride – considered corrosive! Some side effects are allergy to medication, osteomalacia and hyper parathyroid osteopathy, impaired renal function, impaired liver function and blood dyscrasias. In children and youths it causes salivation, nausea, vomiting, gastric pain, diarrhea. Large doses cause thirst, perspiration, paralysis, muscular weakness and clonic convulsions, followed by respiratory and cardiac failure, there may be renal failure. Death may occur within 2 – 4 hours!
- Phosphoric acid – no information available
- Tetrasodium pyrophosphate
- Titanium dioxide – an inert ingredient (water repellant agent) in pesticide formulations
applied to animals - Pentasodium triphosphate – side effects are diarrhea, fainting, headaches, cramps
- Carrageenan – from seaweed but harmful chemicals are used in processing. It is made into a thick acidic gel for thickening. Possible gastric upset and inhibit the absorption of nutrients.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate – regulated as a pesticide, suspected gastrointestinal or liver toxicant, eye irritation, allergic reactions and hair loss.
- FD & C Blue #1, Yellow #5 – Cancer causing! Also found in many foods and vitamin supplements!
Additives like sodium lauryl sulfate and yellow dye #5 have long been suspected of triggering health-damaging effects, yet they continue to be used in most personal care products. Other compounds, such as fluoride, have been acknowledged by the FDA as presenting significant risks to children when ingested. In some people, consuming the food additive tartrazine can cause severe asthmatic breathing difficulties by boosting leutriene release. Tartrazine, which is also called yellow dye #5, interferes with the body’s use of vitamin B6. Why not substitute these suspicious chemicals with simple ingredients that you can use at home and make a powerful natural toothpaste yourself? This toothpaste will keep your breath fresh and be able to control and eliminate harmful bacteria.
The Power of Pure Natural Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils
The primary active ingredient in your home made toothpaste can be pure essential oils.
Dr. Gary Young found that certain essential oils exhibited a 99.96% kill rate against airborne bacteria when tested at Weber State University. In Europe it is estimated that 80% of the time an anti-biotic needs to be prescribed, therapeutic grades of essential oils are used in place of drugs!
Clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus radiata and rosemary have been extensively studied by many researchers for their antiseptic attributes and documented in numerous scientific journals, including the Bulletin of the Tokyo Dental College, the Journal of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, the International Journal of Food Microbiology and the University of Georgia Department of Food Science and Technology.
By the way Listerine contains .064% thymol (found in thyme oil), .092% eucalypol (found in eucalyptus oil), .060% methyl salicylate (found in birch oil) and .042% menthol (found in peppermint oil.)
Essential oils are ideal for use in toothpaste because they are both antiseptic and nontoxic, a rare combination. World-renowned essential oil expert Jean Valnet, M.D. stated this fact in his book “The Practice of Aromatherapy”. He said: “Essential oils are especially valuable as antiseptics because their aggression toward microbial germs is matched by their total harmlessness toward (healthy) tissue.”
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HEALTHY BRANDS |
COMMON COMMERCIAL BRANDS |
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Active Ingredients: |
Sodium fluoride |
|
Cleansing Agent: |
Abrasive silica, hydrated silica |
|
Moisturizer: |
Glycerine, sorbitol |
|
Thickener: Xanthum gum |
Xanthum gum, cellulose gum |
|
Foaming Agent: None |
Sodium lauryl sulfate |
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Sweetener: |
Sodium saccharin |
|
Special Tooth Health Agents: None |
Pentasodium triphospate, tetrasodium |
|
Coloring: |
Titanium dioxide, artificial sources |
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FLUORIDE |
Premature aging, especially the skin and by damaging DNA. Suppresses immune system and thyroid. Makes bones brittle. Stiffens joints. Tooth discoloration. Hearing loss. Stomach and colon ulcers. Fatigue. Lack of concentration. Depression |
Ingredients Summary:
As you can see I bolded fluoride to make some extremely important points here. Too much fluoride in toothpaste (and water) or in the body makes bones brittle. Fluoride in toothpaste has many references of its harmful effects on the body. The fluoride in your toothpaste and water is left over waste from the paper and aluminum industry. It is an economic waste savings to disperse the fluoride for water and toothpaste rather than having them properly dispose of this toxic waste. Unless restaurants and food manufacturers are filtering their water, most foods have some fluoride. Fluoride is a by product of some pesticides used in growing produce. Cooking water that has fluoride increases its concentration. So make sure you have purified water to drink and cook with to avoid over exposure. And just to be very clear. We do NOT need fluoride in our diet as it does not naturally occur in foods!
If The Chemicals Are Not on RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) Should We Be Putting Them In Our Body?
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and propylene glycol are two of the most common ingredients found in many personal care products. The journal of the American College of Toxicology reports that SLS is easily absorbed into your skin and builds up in your heart, liver, lungs and brain, even if you wash it right off after using it! The Medical College of Georgia has done testing showing that SLS forms dangerous levels of cancer-causing nitrosamines when combined with several other common ingredients found in many personal care products.
Propylene glycol, used in many facial moisturizers and hand and body lotions, has been found to cause kidney damage and liver abnormalities in scientific and animal testing. Propylene glycol may damage cell membranes causing rashes, dry skin, and surface damage to the skin. Propylene glycol is a large component of anti-freeze for your car! Sadly enough it can also be found in some food products listed as natural flavors!
Using toothpaste that has these harmful chemicals is not only illogical it makes no sense! Not even common sense! Is it any wonder cancer is epidemic?
And the makers of these products have the audacity to insult our intelligence by telling us that small amounts of these chemicals are safe for human use. 99% of the chemicals people use are totally avoidable by being aware and switching to buying pure quality products or making your own by having a few key products in your house.
I have not used commercial personal care products since I was 16 years old! I either buy natural or make my own.
I believe nature has given us everything we need. I find it very interesting how many cultures around the world have no commercial personal care products, yet have less illnesses, much less dental problems and live longer. I believe next to diet, personal care products are essential to great health. Make sure they are pure, natural and clean with no harmful chemicals.
Are these harmful chemicals a wise thing to be putting on your skin? Or in your body? Interesting to note that so many of the ingredients in foods and other products are not listed on the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) list! So if it is not a necessary ingredient that is potentially harmful why put it in your body?
Children’s bubble baths have warning labels on them! Why? It is because the sodium lauryl sulfate in them eats away at the mucous lining of the skin and causes urinary tract infections. The Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc. reports that sodium lauryl sulfate builds up in the eye tissue and may be a cause of eyesight problems in many children. Sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate is also found in most shampoos.
Wayne’s HOME MADE NATURAL TOOTHPASTE Recipes
Experience the Difference! Save Money!
Optimum Oral Health! Great Taste! Go Green
1. Essential Oils:
2-10 drops of either clove, lemon, lime or spearmint, cinnamon, eucalyptus,
peppermint, licorice and rosemary.
A blend of two or more of the following pure essential food grade oils, make a safe, natural, great flavored, anti bacterial and effective toothpaste
The oils can be added to:
2. Water. Yes water! Just using a good toothbrush, a proper brushing technique and a
drop of essential oil works great!
3. a. Vegetable Glycerin 6 oz of pure and/or
b. Coconut oil
or
c. Olive Oil
4. Baking Soda – ¼ tsp of baking soda or use small amount on your brush 2x a week
Or
5. Celtic Sea Salt – a mild abrasive cleanser, antibacterial, creates an alkaline oral environment as it is 8.5 pH !
- Raw honey is in fact the only food that never goes bad!
- Make this natural toothpaste weekly or monthly for freshness.
- Keep in an amber dark glass jar (not plastic) away from heat
Optional: some stevia or raw honey to sweeten. Raw honey acts as a natural preservative.
I personally just use all the ingredients randomly and on a per use basis. But for kids it might be easier to make up a batch for ease of use.
NOTE:
Only use therapeutic grade essential oils for internal use. Use only brands that are recommended by a registered Aromatherapist or a quality health food store. Even many health store brands are not 100% pure and may contain added synthetics to make them smell better. That is why they are less expensive. Poor quality brands cannot be used internally. An excellent brand in Canada is the ‘Aromatherapist’. A top quality U.S. brand is ‘Oshadi’
NOTE: Baking soda should not be used if you have been diagnosed with cancer. Like salt and sugar, baking soda can feed cancer cells and should be avoided if cancer is present. It is safe for healthy individuals.
Natures Toothbrush
If you are out and have no tooth brush and want clean teeth and fresh breath, stop by any grocery store. Head to the produce section. Pick out a fresh apple and voila
A few bites of a fresh crisp apple and watch how clean your teeth become!
Self Empowered!
Nicotine and medicine skin patches wouldn’t work if the skin couldn’t absorb. What goes on our skin goes in our bodies! If you would not eat it don’t put it on your skin either. Making your own fresh ‘alive, raw’ personal care products is simple and easy! By avoiding many commercial products and making your own you not only help make the planet greener, you know 100% what is in what your putting in or on your body! And in most cases you save money. You can literally just have some of the ingredients in your house and make it as you need it. Making your own is empowering because you have made a choice to not only avoid the chemicals, but also to a healthier lifestyle and avoid the deceptive companies that do not care about your health or the planet.
Please Live Forever Healthy!
By Wayne Gendel