Looks that could kill - Make up and your health


As requested here are some articles about the things to watch out for in your daily beauty routine and also some products I've found that use natural products instead of harmful fillers.

Here is a handy tool. Find out how your makeup stacks up. It might just blow your mind!!!

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?maincat=makeup¬hanks=1


Ok, so now that we know what’s what in our makeup; we'll start with some light educational information of what to look for in those pesky cosmetics.

http://www.naturallysafe.com.au/Articles/C2/A52/Looks+that+could+kill

http://www.monave.com/index.php?p=page&page_id=articles

http://www.monave.com/index.php?p=page&page_id=Chemical%20Free%20Mineral%20Makeup

Products

There are decisions to be made between Natural vs. Organic vs. Mineral vs. Chemical. There are many options but each person must choose which best suits their needs. The way to do this, is to always read the ingredients, you never know what they’ve decided to “change.” And that’s NOT always change you can believe in. ;0) But here are a few that “work for now” without the chemicals.

Notice I’m going to get you used to looking at the ingredients first, then the actual product line because this is the only way to shop and stay healthy. If you don’t already do this for your foods, drinks, etc. Now would be the time to start. But today we’re talking makeup, so we’ll stick with that. :0)

http://store.annabellina.com/ingredients.html

http://store.annabellina.com/index.html


http://www.hallgold.com/toxic-ingredients-directory.htm

http://www.hallgold.com/organic_makeup.htm


http://www.melangecosmetics.com/ingredients.htm

http://www.melangecosmetics.com/ProductCart/pc/viewCategories.asp


There are so many that I can’t possibly list them all. Currently I am using a Mineral Based Makeup (not listed above due to bias). I would certainly encourage you do to your research and then try out the products your interested in. Be sure to read testimonials and the ingredients. Any search engine will lead you to the info you seek.

With love,
Dragonfly

Hiya Dragonfly,

Thanks for the info! Great to know!

Hope you are well.

Lots a luv

Spriggan

Favorite Froud Book? The Art of Wendy Froud

hiya Dragonfly!

I don't do makeup but I agree with the always read the labels thing...I just discovered that one of my favorite canned soups now has MSG in it!!!
I hadn't bought it in years and decided to just recently on a whim and when my BF pointed it out I was bummed...
I guess you've got to be constantly vigilant and educate yourself, sometimes they like to give old things new names...
What I wouldn't give for a FDA, EPA etc that I could trust to really have my best interests at heart....

then there's the issue of whether they're tested on animals or not...that's a little harder to dig for because not everything says, 'cruelty free' on the label.

Yeah, animal testing is sad. I mean, I'm torn when it comes to cures for human illnesses, but when it comes to beauty products and stuff, I think it's uncalled for. Geez, they used to have to kill a rabbit back in the day just to see if a woman was pregnant! Science is cool, but it can also be cruel. Have you guys ever seen labels that say, "Finished product not tested on animals?" Yeah, like that's going to fool me. I bought some stuff that I assumed wasn't tested on animals only to read that on the back later.

Yes I have seen that before. When I was researching a hair product (I always check them out for animal by products or animal testing before I buy) they said that they could not guarantee the ingredients were not tested on animals but that they did not test the final product on animals. Bit of a cop out I thought, they could check before they purchase the ingredient to find out if it had been animal tested.

When you start researching it it is amazing how many things actually have animal byproducts in them...

Anyways, that my rant for the day ;)

Many wishes of the very best kind to all.

Spriggan

Favorite Froud Book? The Art of Wendy Froud

Good luck finding any ingredient which somebody, somewhere, sometime didn't try on an animal.

You're right Pyrian. Many of the things we use today have been tested on animals to see if they were safe for us. Many medical advances have come from animal testing. It sucks, but it's true. All we can do about that now is to thank and respect the poor animals that suffered in the past for our lives and well-being.

Hey, I thought you guys (especially Dragonfly) would find this artical interesting. It's about carcinogens in baby shampoo. I don't give a crap if I'm poisoning myself, but as soon as that stick shows me two lines, I'm going greener than freaking Kermit.

http://usatoday.com/news/health/2009-03-12-formaldehyde_N.htm?imw=Y#table

Okay, I spelled "carcinogens" correctly, but misspelled "article"? Geez. So much for my English degree.

Cori,

I saw the article you posted a few days ago, thought I'd add it here and you already had! LOL! Funny how that happens. It happened again recently, where I'll be thinking of something to post and poof, it's already up. I was thinking about dreams the other day... been having a lot of weird ones - out of left field, lately. Then I saw the post about that very topic. LOL!

Anyway, just thought I'd mention this, it's been broached before, but was misunderstood my some.... don't wait to long to get healthy (not necessarily the same as "going green") your health and how you handle what you put on and in your body, will impact your future generations. For instance, I had an incredibly hard time growing hair on my head - I was bald until I was two years old (try not to laugh, I have plenty of hair now) - because my mom had a vitamin D deficiency. Just an example, but fitting I think. :0)

Anyway, do yourselves a favor, learn how to read the labels, stay away from the things that are dangerous, not just for yourself, but any future generations you may have. These things tend to build up and remain in your body for a longgggg time and can be transfered to your fetus.

One more thing, since I'm on here... was thinking about the "final product not tested on animals"... there's another thought there not being said... Maybe you are the final animal being tested. Just a thought.

Many blessings and much love to you all!
Dragonfly

That last statement is so true Dragonfly...I really feel at times like we ARE guinea pigs for certain corporations. I used to work at an environmental organization that was focused totally on alternatives to toxins. I was the person in charge of the library there and a lot if the stuff I saw and read in that library was very disturbing...
I realize that it was slanted, but I will never again trust the FDA, EPA or the USDA over my own intuition.
It just makes me sick that most of the soybeans in the US are GMO...and corn...don't even get me started on corn, and most people don't even seem to realize it (or care) We have no idea what we are putting in our bodies. We have to trust the labels, which are designed to be misleading.
I try to buy locally produced items (when I can afford it) and organic.

I sometimes wonder if two different species are evolving right now...the humans that pay attention to things like that (and act on removing it from their bodies) and the ones that don't. I wonder, if that is true which one would prove stronger?
OOh good science fiction story there (taken to the extreme)...

Laiste,

I think you are right. We are the guinee pigs; history has shown us that this has, and can be done. We are being separated into two groups... those that eat GMO products and those that avoid them all costs. The thing is though, that the cycle of GMO's are really pervasive, there has to be a reason that those crops aren't doing as well. I have no doubt, this is why the bees are actually disappearing; just think about what bees do... and there's the answer.

Even now, there is new legislation being passed through congress to make it harder to grow and sell real, nutritional, natural food by the small local farmer. So, it begs the question... why?... and who profits? That really is the final question on any topic to find the underlying truth - who benefits/profits? Also, we must consider who are most likely to eat/use GMO products? Those with less money? Those that are on Welfare? Those that aren't smart enough to know the difference? The lazy? The apathetic? The pharmaceutically drugged? What's the end result?

So many people have simply become apathetic and/or lazy, always thinking that somehow, someone will rescue them... or "it couldn't happen to me!" Govie wouldn't hurt us; they wouldn't lie to us... but where's the proof of ANY of that?!

Who benefits from a weakened, unhealthy, apathetic, mostly inebriated society? There's a reason they aren't taxing alcohol like they are cigs - just an example - but one more thing to question. There's a reason that alcohol, which numbs the mind is legal, but natural things that can open the mind aren't. There's a reason we don't hear of these things from main-stream-media.

The saying, "Survival of the fittest," comes to mind.

... And maybe that's the point.

I intend to start a garden this year and maybe I'll do it inside, where the wind doesn't carry the pollens from the GMO grown foods to mingle with my own organic produce. That might cut down on my grocery bill and maybe my friends and loved ones will benefit too because there's always more than you can ever eat alone.

Maybe taking responsibility for ones' self is the lesson here. Not relying on some panel of people to tell us what's safe and what isn't. Maybe it's time to wake up to what's really going on around us and not fight the ghosts that they throw at us to keep us occupied. That's a good one to think about.

Anytime a scientist waves a finding at you, you must ask yourself, who funded for that finding? Who benefits from that finding? How many out there are studying the same thing, with different results? Are they funded, how and by whom?! The info is out there.... you just have to be alert enough to find it and see it. Unfortunately even our drinking water has been laced with drugs to keep us from being able to shake off the fog and see what's right in front of us. And maybe that's the real plan behind it all.

Frankly, I don't know what the plan is and I don't have to, all I have to do is, do the research myself before jumping to any conclusions, follow my own intuition and knowledge (instead of the herd) and live the best way I can. Oh and try not to buy into every gimmick that is thrown my way - that helps. ;0)

All I really want, is to be healthy, live well, and do the most I can to help others find their own answers, thus taking responsibility for their own lives. Unfortunately, for some, that's a lot of work, it seems. So some will and some won't. But then again, it's their choice.

Ok, I'm done rambling.... :0)

Much love,
Dragonfly

"Life is one long lesson. If we live to see the end of it, then we've done quite well." - me. :0)

Thanks for sharing this, Dragonfly.. This is why years ago I tossed out all of my cosmetics and now only use Alternative cosmetics and toiletries.

These chemicals do enter the body.. and the liver has to detox them. We already put too much burden on our livers as it is!

Favorite Froud Book? Fairy Oracle Cards

This discussion reminds me of something I heard on the radio that's locally produced. There's a lady who heads an organization(can't remember the name) that promotes healthy, natural organic foods and warns people of the dangers of man-made products, especially drugs. She was saying that the body is made to heal itself, and by over-using prescription drugs(and if you think about it, the man-made synthetics and fake sugars that strip the nutrients out of food are drugs too) the body loses its natural defenses and we turn into one big walking chemical machine. She was also talking about cancer and how sometimes people who DON'T go through radiation/chemo get their cancers reversed naturally, because their immune system kicks in(especially when they're using herbs, vitamins, natural foods, ect) and fights it WITHOUT side effects and the weakening of their immune system. I know my mother would have lived a lot longer and probably healed of her cancer had she not gone to those doctors as a human guinea pig and given drug after drug after drug! When I was a kid I used to see her plastic tupperware container with dividers that held so many drugs I couldn't count them. And she took them every day. A LOT of them I now know could have been replaced by nature made things instead of man-made things. But she smoked too, so that was probably what started the cancer in the first place. The drugs also made her a little loopy and depressed, which altered her personality to the point that you couldn't have a normal conversation with her because she got so irrational. I also grew up in the pop-a-pill generation before I got into my 20s and learned how to undo all that damage with education. This lady also mentioned that the best meat you can eat is from grass-fed...not oat fed...cows because the grass fed ones produce meat that retains its nutitional value and has good fat instead of synthetic, hormone-grown fat. I never knew that before I heard this and now if I DO eat red meat it will be from the Boise Co-Op where they sell these hard to find things. Tonight I even spent some extra money just so I could get a can of soup without a bunch of crap in it. Just vegetables, salt and broth...nothing more. Even the so-called Chunky soup has high fructose corn syrup in it and other things that "homemade" soup shouldn't have. I'm also cooking more of my own food at home and growing my own produce as much as possible so I don't have to WORRY about reading labels!

Wow, you don't know how awesome it is to hear all of your stories, to know that you are each choosing to take responsibility for what you ingest. It really makes my heart sing. For so long, it's just been me and my hubby, doing this, trying to get our friends and family to understand the damage they are doing to themselves, to no avail.... except one friend who took it to heart and has started changing her diet. I've talked about her before, she has a rare kidney disease and was over-medicated to the point of oblivion. Since she started taking supplements and eating healthier, she's doing better. Less pain and a lot more energy! I am very proud of her - she's beating the odds.

As another side note. While doing research to help her, I found out that the pharmaceuticals for pain that doctors seem so ready to give out on a moments notice, actually kill the receptors in the brain that can naturally reduce pain. These receptors can heal again, but it takes time. That's why I think so many fall into the trap of being dependent or addicted to those pills. It's a cycle of needing it for pain and then the pain continues to get worse because of the pills, then you pop another one to help and the cycle continues.

The body is a marvelous thing, we just need less intervention and more patience I think. Over the years, dealing with chronic, hereditary kidney stones, I've had to take them (still do at times) but after a pretty bad accident several years ago, I got myself dependent on them. I hated it and I hated what it did to me and I lost a lot of time and memories, so now that I understand what they do, I try my best to keep them at a minimum and use them only when I'm in a lot of pain - which means, pain that is more than I can bare on my own and that would otherwise have me in the hospital. I am always cautious and aware of my body and my reactions to them, so that I can stay clear of that mess again. I'm also trying alternative methods of dealing with kidney stone pain and the stones themselves. We'll see what I find and maybe someday I'll be sharing something that cures them altogether. :0)

Oh well, I'm glad I could help and I'm glad to know that so many are doing this. It is so important.

Much love and many blessings!
Dragonfly

Ok Dragonfly, answer me this...how do I stop migraines/tension headaches naturally without Advil? It's the only pill I take but the problem is, I tend to get them around my period and more often when I have a sinus infection or pinched nerves in my neck/spine. I've tried cold compresses, lying down, ect, but nothing works. The longer I let them go, the worse they get until the vein is literally THROBBING and I get dizzy and all kinds of other problems. I have a coworker who has this problem too. Only hers is worse because at least Advil works for me. She has to take prescription medicine and sometimes even then it dosen't work.

I too have suffered from frequent migraines. One was so bad once that I missed 4 days of work and was fired for it. Migraines, as I have found them, interfere with life, cause more stress, debilitate us, not to mention the absolute and horrible pain that they inflict.

I've heard of several things that can sometimes stop them from forming after a few months of treatment....

Such as CoQ10, which was involved in an impressive study of Forty-two migraine sufferers who were randomly assigned to receive either 300 mg a day of CoQ10 or placebo. It was found that by the end of the third month of treatment, those individuals given the CoQ10 had a statistically significant improvement in the frequency of the migraine attacks.

There was also a well known study published over ten years ago in the journal Neurology regarding the B vitamin riboflavin. Fifty-five patients with migraine were randomly assigned to receive either 400 mg a day of riboflavin or placebo for three months. Again, the riboflavin group at the end of the three months had a statistically significant improvement in their migraine frequency.

In the January 2007 edition of the journal Headache, a total of five Belgium centers recruited 44 migraine sufferers. Half the group was given 600 mg a day of thioctic acid (alpha lipoic acid) or placebo for three months. Those individuals given the alpha lipoic acid showed a significant reduction in the frequency of migraine attacks along with the severity.

______________________________

Now for one that I've tried and found to really work for me. However, due to it's side-effect of anti-inflammatory properties on the kidneys and bladder, it sent all of my stones moving at once. LOL! I had to stop taking it, and I am still passing those stones little by little... but I haven't had a migraine since. In several Medical journals it has been touted as a great migraine prophylactic agent; it is the herbal supplement Butterbur Extract. It has been known to cut the chance of migraines down to 50%, over three to four months. WOW! I call that success. Added to my own experience, this is definitely a WOW herb! I'd say for some, the result might even be better (especially with my own results in mind).

There are also other supplements that have been shown to help...

Magnesium

Tumeric -(which I have also used - it works just like Advil, if you ask me; it also has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-cancer properties)

Feverfew

Kelli, I hope this helps. If I were to pick just two, I would pick the butterbur and the tumeric. Just remember, don't take the tumeric with advil as they have similar properties and interactions can result. If you just want something to replace the advil, Tumeric is the one. :0)

Many Blessings,
Dragonfly

*Consult a physician before taking any supplement or herb
*statements not approved or evaluated by the FDA

This is where I get most of my herbs/supplements. They usually have the best prices and they are pretty quick in getting you your order (as long as something isn't out of stock).

www.vitacost.com

Or... if I'm in a hurry I can usually find a more expensive product at my local Whole Foods.

Much love,
Dragonfly

Kelli-I used to get migraines too...but mine have lessened a lot since I started taking huge doses of fish oil daily. I started taking the fish oil because I have a very severe form of Raynaud's and it does help a lot (tons more than anything else I've tried prescription or non). However I worked my way up to 2 T a day over the course of a few months. And good for you to try to avoid HFCS..I'm amazed at how all pervasive it is (soon they will change the name to something else..just watch!) and grass fed meat just tastes better..it's the only meat I eat (when I eat red meat which isn't often)

Dragonfly- I credit a lot of the current main stream knowledge of this stuff to Michael Pollan and his very popular books. He does a great job of explaining things in ways that the average person will understand and he makes it entertaining as well. If I want to educate anyone on the dangers of modern agribusiness I loan them his books. But I think that the people here are more in tune with such things because it ties in to Nature and the Fae a lot IMO. If you are at all sensitive you can tell that there is something wrong with much of our food.

I'll try the tumeric, and I get fish oil in my tuna...I'll just eat it more often. As far as Feverfew, I tried taking that for a month and it didn't do diddly squat. I'll look for the butterbur though.

Hiya,

I too get migraines at least once a month and they tend to last for up to 4 days at a time. At the moment I don't take anything for it, just wait for it to subside. Thanks for the great suggestions Dragonfly and Laiste and thanks to Kelli for asking about it.

I think I will try the Tumeric as I am Vegan. One of my favourite recipes is scrambled tofu and that has heaps of tumeric in it and it always makes me feel more energized and alive. I think I will have to make it more often :).

Wishes of the very best kind

Spriggan

ps I'm loving this post. I think it is so important to learn more about these
subjects.

Favorite Froud Book? The Art of Wendy Froud

Kelli- be careful of the tuna since it can have a lot of heavy metals in it. I get my oil from a small company that only uses wild caught fish no farmed ones. (in other words don't eat too much of it!)

I'm loving this discussion too Spriggan! We all have so many good ideas and sharing them just makes us all richer!

Ok, one more question? Is there anything I can take for bad limb circulation and irregular heartbeats? Especially at certain times of the month I notice it more, like when I ovulate..so maybe it's hormonal...but it's like I barely bend my knees, squat or climb stairs and my heart is hammering and struggling, I'm short of breath and my knees hurt like crazy. I've been told Horse Chestnut and some other herb is good for leg circulation, does it really work? I don't want to pay $14 at GNC and have it do nothing like the Feverfew!

Kelli,

Well, I'd say we just figured out why the Feverfew didn't work for you... GNC is NOT to be trusted! They suck and not to mention what little good product they do carry, usually has REALLY BAaad stuff in it. Not to mention they are WAY overpriced!!! If you must shop there, be sure to read the labels on everything, copy them down, then go home and research each thing on the net. Seriously, it's that bad. What good is a supplement if something else in it is poison?! Notta.

Ok, so I went to the Vitacost Health index and here is what I found on possible solutions for your circulation issues...

http://www.vitacost.com/LandingPage/index.aspx?rid=MedLitArticle&cid=820

According to one of the articles, Magnesium is good for Circulation and for decreasing the frequency of Migraines.

On a personal note, my doc (who happens to be more open to supplemental care than most) recommended Magnesium to me for Fibromyalgia pain and poor circulation due to a car accident that left 5 disks in my back all messed up. I take this with a calcium supplement as well.

However, I would recommend, because this is could be a more serious issue, to check with your physician to see if there is an underlying heart issue at work. Also, what other symptoms do you have? What other conditions do you have? What is your age? Lifestyle? Hereditary Conditions? .... These are all important questions when trying to figure out what supplements might best work for you and which ones might not.

For instance, Garlic might be a good one for circulation and for boosting the immune system, however, I have noticed that it tends to make my heart race at times. Not good if someone has a heart condition. Also, CQ10 (which I mentioned earlier in a post for migraines) is good for circulation related to the heart. I hate to say it, but it might be time to find a doc that is more open to supplemental/nutritional care. They come in the form of DO's usually, but you gotta find a good one. :0)

Hope this helped.
Sincerely,
Dragonfly

Kelli,
I had trouble with irregular heartbeats for a long time. I have a heart murmur, you may want to get that checked out, but normally they are nothing to be concerned about. A lot of people have them. But irregular beats can also be due to so many other things, such as hormones, stress and more commonly medications.

Thank you Dragonfly and Spring! I take Magnesium already, I'll just take more. Ill check out that CQ10 too...what's in it though? Yes, I went to a doctor a while ago and she told me I have a heart murmur..it comes and goes. My beats will be alternately regular and irregular at different times. I'll avoid the garlic I think. No good having my heart race AND my breath stink, lol! Dragonfly, as for my list of factors, I'm 43, work out 3-4 times a week with running, elliptical machine, bicycle and use several of the arm/leg/ab machines. When I'm not in the gym, I'm out walking/running. As soon as I can afford it I want to get skis so I can do that in the winter and a bike so I can add that to what I'm already doing in the warmer seasons. I read ALL my labels on everything I buy, and try to go to the more nature-based CoOp as much as possible. In fact I just bought some $5 bread yesterday that has NO artificial ingredients in it whatsoever! If anybody is intersted, it's called 7 Sprouted Grain bread and it's made by Food for Life. It has NO FLOUR and the ingredients are: sprouted wheat, filtered water, organic malted barley, oats, millet, corn, brown rice, fresh yeast, organic wheat gluten and sea salt...dosen't get better than that, I don't think.

Kelli,

I apologize for taking so long to get back to your question. It's been one heck of a week around here.

You asked what was in the CoQ10... "is a naturally-occurring, vitamin-like nutrient in every cell of the body. Found in highest concentration in cell mitochondria (where energy is produced), its primary function is to help with the conversion of food and oxygen into energy. CoQ10 is also a powerful antioxidant and may help neutralize damage-causing free radicals.

Although CoQ10 is involved in every bodily process that requires energy, it's believed to be of fundamental importance in cells with high metabolic demands, such as CARDIAC cells. The heart, with greater energy requirements than other organs, contains twice as much CoQ10 as any other tissue in the body. CoQ10 may also support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while also promoting healthy immune-system function.

CoQ10 may also help with periodontal diseases by assisting with the increased energy production needed by cells to maintain healthy gum and mouth tissue.

Levels of CoQ10 decline with age, which may result in less efficient organ function because of reduced energy supply. Statin drugs, taken for high cholesterol, also deplete the body of CoQ10.

Although found naturally in foods such as fish, organ meats and peanuts, supplementing with CoQ10 provides a potent dose of this important nutrient that may be lacking in your diet."

Here is the link...
http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-CoQ10-100-mg-120-capsules

Sincerely,
Dragonfly

Thanks Dragonfly, I'll check out the link! Meanwhile, I do eat tuna and nuts...I wonder if fried chicken livers are good too?(my apologies to vegans)