Use the Cheap Body Care Stuff?

Of course you can.  Who wants to pay more than you have to for anything?

But, let's talk about this a little bit before you run off and stock up on whatever's on sale at the grocery store or WalMart.

This is the label of a bottle of well known brand body wash. It has been in my closet for a long time, because I found something better, and haven't needed to use it. (We'll talk about that in a little bit). And, it's hard to throw away a brand new bottle of anything, even it if was "cheap." But, now I don't want  to use it. It's going in the garbage as soon as I finish writing this article.

Why?

That's what I'd like to talk about....

As I have said before, our skin is our largest organ, and our first line of defense against anything that may be attacking our body from the outside. This includes anything from bacteria to toxic chemicals in the air, water, and purchased products that come into contact with our skin. We have little to no control over a lot of those things.But we do have some control over the cleansers, shampoos, lotions, etc. that we apply to our skin.

The problems come in when manufacturers of skincare products are looking for ingredients that:

1 - make our skin feel soft
2 - make the products smell good
3 - give the products a long shelf-life

We want our skin to feel good while we are using the products, and then throughout the day. We want the products to smell good. And, we don't want them to start growing mold and bacteria, or dissolve away as soon as we open the package.

So here are some problem ingredients to look for that soften and "moisturize":

Petroleum
DMDM, or hydantoin
Quaternium-15
Mineral oil, hydrocarbons, or paraffin oil
Parabens
Just to name a few..

These ingredients make our skin feel soft, but they don't allow our skin to breathe. It's not only our lungs that need to breathe, but our skin as well. These ingredients coat our skin and trap in heat, sweat and bacteria. When the heat and bacteria get trapped in, our skin objects with rashes and acne, or even a skin infection.

What about extending shelf-life? The following list is just an example of some of the ingredients used:

Diazolidinyl Urea
Bronopal
Imidazolidinyl
Dimethicone

These products are in the class of additives, when mixed with other ingredients,  that become "formaldehyde releasers." They keep personal care products from breaking down, or growing bacteria, yeasts, and molds. 

Wait!! Isn't formaldehyde used to preserve biology specimens? Yes, it is. That's why it makes an effective product preservative, and manufacturers use various different forms of it to preserve multiple products for use in our homes, and on our bodies.. Albeit, they are in very small and "safe" amounts, but in multiple forms, and in multiple products that are not easy to recognize on a product label. Tests that are done are normally evaluating the amount of a particular substance in one product at a time, not multiple products. Think exponentially with me. These products appear in laundry detergent, shampoo, hand soap, lipstick, face wash, body wash, foundation, mascara, shaving cream deodorant, hand sanitizer, household cleaners, air fresheners, etc., etc. These kinds of ingredients frequently cause allergic reactions, and are very suspect in causing cancer. 

Yikes! What's a person to do? I hate scare-mongers, so I don't want to be one. However, what I do want to do is encourage you to ----- stop, look at, and evaluate every product that your skin comes into contact with. Don't automatically go for the cheapest or most popular product on the shelf. Read the ingredients label. There are lots of natural ingredients, like essential oils and other plant based products that are very effective as preservatives, moisturizers, and fragrances. And fortunately, there are usually lots of choices and alternatives, both in stores, and from your family and friends, that are directly selling, and standing behind high quality products. Take advantage of what they have to offer. 

Yes, the more natural ingredients tend to be more expensive, and that brings us back to our original question.  Saving a little money on less expensive products may actually cost you a lot more in the long run. What price do you put on protecting and promoting your health? What if we can prevent some health problems by simply avoiding those products that are known to irritate and are highly suspect as cancer causing agents, or hormonal disrupters?

Look for high quality, effective, multi-functional ingredients like collagen. Collagen (one of the good guys) works in a similar way to hold needed stuff in, like clean moisture and skin treatments, and to help keep out the bad stuff, like environmental pollutants. It is a substance that naturally occurs in our body, but declines in supply as we grow older, or over-clean our skin.

Take time to ask questions, do some research, or just ask someone like me that enjoys finding the answers for you. 

This is what I use...check out the differences in the labels of the two products. And this one is not expensive.

So, if I were you......make yourself stop, look, and listen. Just like you did when you were learning to cross the street. Even for us grown-ups, the world can still be a scary place. 

Have a Robotic Vacuum?

"Well, bless your heart!", as we like to say here in the south. Yes, honey, you need to get one of those things!

I have to confess that before I got my own, I thought of robotic vacuums as an unnecessary extravagance. Real women use a traditional vacuum or a broom, right? 

Well, maybe real women in their right mind don't have a golden retriever as an indoor pet. Along with a toddler that picks up everything off the floor and puts it in their mouth. Eeww!

This is one case of begging for an appliance for that special occasion like a birthday, anniversary, Christmas, or just because you love me.  I know that men are told not to buy an appliance for their wives on those occasions. But, please! Make an exception for this one.

Since I have acquired my robotic vacuum, I can honestly say that my floor is the cleanest it has been in a year. And that's only because we painted last year and moved some furniture around. That little round machine gets under the bed and other pieces of furniture that had tons of accumulated dust and debris, that my traditional vacuum just can't reach.

But the best part, beyond the much cleaner floors, is my own since of relief. I no longer have the dreaded chore of vacuuming hanging over my head. I literally dreaded it every day for a week, until I could make myself do it on Saturday. I dust mopped daily, just trying to stay a little ahead of the multiple piles of dog hair and dried mud on the floor. And, the "I have a dirty floor I should do something about" guilt is gone.

I just turn "Eufy" on in the morning, and watch him go. I move furniture around a little to make sure that he has access to where he needs to be, and babysit a little in case he gets trapped somewhere. 

I didn't get the most expensive brand, but went for one that had good reviews on pet hair, warranty and customer service for less than $200. It is an Eufy brand. It does require a little maintenance with each use, such as emptying the dirt trap and removing dog hair from the brushes, but it is sooo worth it. In the future, I might even get one that mops. 

So, if I were you...do a little shopping and get one of these things ASAP. Unless, of course, you just love dragging your vacuum out of the closet it is crammed into, amid the winter coats and suitcases. And then bending over multiple times to move furniture, drag said vacuum around behind you...etc. I know you get the picture. Truly, I hate vacuuming the most of any household chore. I'd rather clean the bathroom 10 times before I vacuum. 


 And, as an added a bonus, it really can be entertaining to watch....

Work smarter, not harder....

Use products with collagen?

Are you asking about it as a dietary supplement or as an ingredient in skincare?

BOTH.

Awesome. Because you need both to be your best, inside and out.

Because collagen is the most abundant protein in our body, it is vital for literally holding our bodies together. There is a ton of information available about it, so I will just try to break it down into a couple of bites (pun intended) that you can use and remember.

Human interest part here....when I was a young teenager, we were told we could have better hair and nails by drinking gelatin...unflavored, plain gelatin. It sounded gross to me, so I never tried it. I did try putting raw egg in my hair. I still have a terrible habit of picking at my cuticles, (I did quit biting my nails around age 10), but I digress.....Anyway, we have known for a long time, that collagen is extremely important for all parts of our body. We can see the need in our hair and nails when they become brittle and break. We can't see the need in our bones, joints, and muscles until we fall and break a bone or wrench a joint; or we end up with blood pressure and heart issues.

Lesson here....pay attention to what your body is telling you!

Collagen is like the frame of a house. The walls and roof must be sound to withstand the assaults of weather and kids. Attacks from the inside and out....

Let's just take a brief look at some of the key parts of our body where collagen is so important:

Skeletal tissue: Bones, ligaments, tendons, and skin. This also includes the vertebrae in our backs. Oh and our ears and noses!

Eyes: Essential for corneal health - the part of our eyes that focus on images.

Cardiac: Heart muscle, valves, and blood vessels

Muscular: All types of muscle, even the muscles that keep our guts moving...

Integumentary system: The skin and its appendages acting to protect the body from various kinds of damage (Wikipedia), such as loss of water or damages from outside. Remember that our skin is our largest organ and is responsible for waterproofing us, excreting wastes, protecting deeper tissues, and regulating body temperature. It is also the place where we detect pain, sensation, pressure, and temperature. Plus, it is where our body makes vitamin D.

When we eat or drink collagen, it becomes a smaller particle called peptides which are available and transported to where it is needed within  an hour. Talk about a quick fix!

Here are three easy signs to know that you DEFINITELY need more collagen:

1 - Thin or flat hair. Does the bottom of your shower fill up with hair, or does it comes out when brushing your hair? If it is excessive, you might also have a thyroid problem and should definitely get it checked out. 

2 - Wrinkles and cellulite. Collagen is the protein in the body that gives skin its strength and structure. We naturally produce less collagen as we age, so that's why we begin to sag and wrinkle as we accumulate birthdays. Sun exposure accelerates skin aging. And when the super structure of our skin breaks down, the fat cells pull on the skin and cause the formation of cellulite. Ugh!!

3 - Stiff joints.  Body aches, muscle weakness, fatigue, even fever can be a sign that our body is hungry for more collagen.

There are multiple sources of dietary collagen supplementation. I happen to love the one I use in my morning cup of coffee called Keto Kreme. If you are interested in knowing more about it, just click on the RocketCity link to the right of this article. Also think bone broth..another great topic of discussion.

So, on to skincare.

Collagen molecules are really too large to go into your skin. Peptides (broken down collagen molecules) are smaller particles that may pass into the deeper layers of skin. They have been shown in studies to increase the skin's own production of collagen, which, in turn, gives smoother and firmer skin over time. Some scientists think that the peptides actually "signal" the skin to make its own collagen. 

It also acts as an "occlusive" layer to hold skin treatments onto our skin, allowing them to penetrate into the deeper layers, and as protection against environmental hazards to our skin. 

Bottom line....Collagen and the related peptides are a great addition to good quality skincare, and with consistent daily use will give you healthier, younger-looking skin.

Here are some of the peptides used in quality skincare products that have been shown to be effective: Palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, Acetyl hexapeptide-3, Palmitoyl oligopeptide, and Matrixyl-3000. And, yes....I know an excellent line of skincare products that contain Matrixyl-3000. If you are interested, click on the Karine Joncas link to the right.

So, if you are pursing better inside and out....

Find some good quality collagen to add to your diet and put on your skin.

Any other questions?

Martha

Skip the Water?

Sure, you can skip your water. But, dehydration, (which is simply losing more water than you take in) can affect you in lots of not so nice ways.

                                     (Photo by Nathan Anderson)

We lose water through sweating, crying, peeing, (of course), and even breathing.

Not having enough water makes it harder for your body to do its jobs, like regulate body temperature and clear out wastes. Mild dehydration can make you feel tired, give you a headache, and even affect your mood and focus. Lack of enough water causes constipation, contributes to urinary tract infections, and messes with a healthy blood pressure. Just to name a few.

And it's not only about how you feel....dehydration makes your skin dry and wrinkly. Why pay for good skincare products, and not take care of the inside where the skin gets most of its nourishment?  To me it would be like buying a Mercedes Benz and using cheap gas.  

And don't forget two very important things about our skin:

1 - It is our largest organ.
2 - It is our fist line of defense against injury and infection.

What team doesn't want a great defense? (It is getting close to football season, after all.) And God designed all the parts of our body to work together as a team. When one part is sick, and can't work like it should, it affects our whole body. (Picture huge defensive tackle down on the field.)

Here is when you may be saying..."but I don't like the taste", or "how much water is enough?"

If you just can't make yourself drink plain water with meals or throughout the day, here are a few substitute suggestions. Just be careful of added sugar (which is a topic for another day):

1 - Coconut water - it comes in different flavors, and is low in calories. Plus it contains needed electrolytes.
2 - Aloe Vera Juice - it can boost your digestive system (teamwork).
3 - Kombucha - multiple flavor choices. Another good player to add to the       digestion team, because of the probiotics that it contains.
4 - Tea. Hot or iced. NO SUGAR added. Use stevia if you need it sweetened.     Green tea is especially good for you because of the antioxidants it contains.
5 - Cucumber juice. Make an infused water with cucumber, lemon and lime   slices. It's very refreshing.
6 - Watermelon. Who doesn't enjoy chunks of watermelon on a hot summer day?!
7 - Ready made fruit infused sparkling water such as LaCroix. Easy and portable.
8 - Black coffee, in moderation, counts as water. Yay!
9 - Celery juice. It has lots of vitamin E, and is a good substitute for savory drinks like tomato juice.

Now, how much is enough?

You have probably heard for years that you need 6 - 8 glasses a day. But how big of a glass? And, not everyone is the same size or has the same needs. For example someone working inside an air conditioned building doesn't need as much as a roofer in July. 

One good guideline is to set a goal of consuming 1/2 oz of liquid per pound of body weight. So, for someone that weighs 100 lbs, that's 50 oz, or approximately (6) 8 oz bottles of water per day. If that just doesn't seem doable....not to worry. Just make sure you "pee pale", as a former choir director used to say. As long as your urine is clear, and a pale yellow in color, you are getting enough liquid in your diet. If your urine is dark orange, cloudy, or has an odor, drink more water.

So, if I were you.......Ditch the soda, sweet tea, energy drinks and Gatorade.

Drink your water, as you pursue better, inside and out.




Credit to: WebMD, livinghealthier, and eMedicineHealth

Live to Eat?

Sure, you may! Believe it or not, some people seem to do this. They seem to live to eat, rather than eat to live.

Now, I may offend some people with this one, but this general topic has become really big to me. Because since I have changed my relationship with food, my health has dramatically improved.  Let me be as brief as possible right now, but I would love to talk more specifics in the future.

Over the last several decades, in just my lifetime,  America's food supplies and eating habits have changed dramatically. I believe there are at least FIVE major reasons:

1 - Much more quantity and variety of foods are available. Jet air travel and affordable, portable refrigeration have made it possible to import and maintain food from all over the world, all year round.  

2 - Somewhere around the 1960's, the medical establishment decided that fat was the enemy. That is gradually changing, and the topic of discussion for a later date..

3 - When doctors started prescribing low-fat diets, processed food manufacturers replaced fat with sugar and sugar substitutes. We all know how addictive sugar is.

4 - Fast food is EVERYWHERE, and our current lifestyle demands instant gratification. We all know fast food isn't healthy, but we all enjoy the benefits of drive through convenience. The pickiest of eaters (kids) can be satisfied quickly and easily.

5 - Our stomachs are used to feeling over-full. We have made over-eating, and the feeling that comes with it, normal. Trust me....stuffed is not normal. It's called gorging. 

And don't even get me started on candy for the kids......

Which leads me to say..."If I were you....."

         Spend some time thinking about your relationship with food. Ask yourself a few questions:

• Do I eat only when I am hungry? 
• Am I an emotional eater? 
• Do I "reward", or bribe myself or my kids with food treats?
• Do I think about what's for lunch as soon as I finish breakfast, and it's not because I'm  responsible for making sure that others are fed?
• Who is in charge of when and what I eat.....my stomach, heart, or head?
• Am I at a healthy weight?

Social gatherings almost always involve food. That is a good thing, and it's important. Everyone has fond memories around family recipes and get-togethers. They are special occasions. We just have to remember that fact. Over-eating, especially desserts and sweets are not the way God designed for us to eat everyday.

 

When we can teach ourselves and our children to have a proper relationship with food - in other words, we eat because we need to - we will accomplish TWO major goals:

1 - We will prevent and yes, cure, much of what is wrong with our health now and in the future.

2 - We will learn to practice self-control, or temperance, to use the Bible term. 

There is power in self-control.

So we will talk about this some more later......Thanks for asking!!! 

Use Skincare Products that Contain Parabens?

Yes, you may. As a matter of fact, I'm sure you are already using products that contain them. But, you must be concerned about it to ask about them. Plus, you see ads all the time for products that are "paraben free."

So what's all the fuss about parabens?

First, it's important to know a little about what they are. Parabens are a chemical compound used to keep harmful bacteria and other microbes like fungi, yeast and mold (yuck) out of your skincare and personal products. That is a good thing. There are several different kinds that have long chemical names like methylparaben, and butylparaben. 

However, there are several studies that have been done that suggest there may be a link between parabens found in products applied to our skin, and cancer. This puts them in a class of chemicals called "endocrine disrupters".  Because the parabens can mimic estrogen in the body, this is especially of concern in women that are already at risk for breast or endometrial cancer. 

The FDA and the American Cancer Society  have stated that "there is no significant" risk to the public from the tiny levels of paraben in cosmetic products. But no official studies have been conducted to study the level of risk when multiple products that contain various forms of parabens are used in the quantities that most of use personal skincare products. Personally, I use a shower gel, body lotion, deodorant (for which I'm sure you are grateful), facial cleanser, moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner, and an assortment of other "beauty" products.  I don't want any of them to start growing bacteria while it's sitting on the floor of my shower, or on my bathroom counter...

In all fairness, nothing has been proven, one way or the other, that I can find. However, when in doubt, stay away. Right? I mean.....Is that snake a harmless rat snake or a viper of some sort? Personally, I don't want to get close enough to find out, if I can be safer by just avoiding it, and if it is possible to avoid it. 

The good news? There are multiple products available that are "paraben free." I happen to have fallen in love with the products that one company makes, and everything is paraben free.  If you are interested, check out the Karine Joncas link to the right. 

The short and simple answer is this....  Parabens as preservatives in personal care products are an on-going source of concern because of their suspected link to breast and endometrial cancer. So, if I were you......find products without them. It's not hard, and in the future, I suspect that you will be glad you did.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/should-people-be-concerned-about-parabens-in-beauty-products/

Martha, May I...What?

Martha, May I.....What?

Growing older is an interesting process, and God has been very good to me during this process.  I have learned a lot of valuable lessons. One of the most important ones was to learn to trust God's word, and to obey it to the best of my ability.  Because the consequences of not doing that all of my life were very unpleasant, to say the least. So....like most moms and grandmas, I want my children (birthed, adopted, and otherwise) to avoid the same mistakes that I made. And the Bible says of the older women in Titus 2:3b-4 that we should be "..teachers of good things; That they may teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.."

So....this blog is the culmination of multiple suggestions, hints, requests.....you get the idea....and my desire is to be obedient and to be a blessing.  

As I have said many times to my children..."You may choose to do that...but I wouldn't if I were you..."  Thus, the title "Martha, May I?" 

What is is that you are having a hard time choosing? What is it that you would like to have more information about, or someone else's personal experience about? I've begun to tell you a little of my story...now you tell me some of yours.