In the western world we have been taught from birth to put stuff ON our bodies.
When we wake most of us will cleanse, tone and moisturize with chemicals, put chemical war-paint on in the form of make up, and spritz with a chemical fragrance. We will wipe our eating surface with chemical concoctions. Colour our hair and paint our nails with chemicals. If we wash our sheets in non-organic laundry powder this means we essentially surround our skin with chemicals 24 hours a day. From morning to night and in-between.
Perhaps you are wondering why when you have made the dietary changes given and doing the exercise regularly that you are still having trouble with energy levels and hormonal imbalance and quite possibly low immunity.
Did you know the average woman wears 515 chemicals on an average day. These chemicals enter your blood stream through your skin and have to be processed and broken down by your liver. They sit there causing traffic jams in your liver making things slower and not allowing your liver to process the nutrients in your food or breaking down natural waste products from your cells ready to be eliminated by your body. The chemicals in your everyday cleaning products and around your home can also mimic your hormones and disrupt how they work in your body.
Our skin’s function is to protect but is also a channel for detoxification. But our largest organ of detoxification struggles under the weight of environmental chemicals we consistently surround ourselves with.
Proper nutrition, exercise, rest, and stress management seem to be the solutions for those looking to improve their lifestyles. But often there lies a gigantic iceberg beneath the body’s surface that takes a lot more than just 30 days of proper diet and exercise to melt.
And don’t just assume that your children are safe from chemicals. A recent study found over 200 chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies. 200! If that isn’t shocking enough to keep you reading, I don’t know what is!
Let’s first define some of the terms associated with this process…
A TOXIN refers to any substance that causes excess stress to the body. They come from myriad sources, many of which we aren’t even aware. Environmental threats, chemicals, and radiation top the count, though every substance that has a consistent chemical composition can be considered a “chemical.”
A chemical is any substance (natural or synthetic) that can stress the body, such as those found in processed foods (artificial sweeteners/flavor enhancers), automobile exhaust, cigarette smoke, solvents, plastics, pesticides, xenoestrogens, and harsh cleaning products.
TOXIC LOAD encapsulates the volume of these substances that have accumulated in the body at any given time and the overall burden placed on the body’s systems and vital organs. Our bodies can filter through some of the toxins but when we overload it, the chemicals, in essence, spill over into our bodies and remain there unless something is done to reverse the damage. The liver can’t handle this all on its own.
And when our body is trying to rest, reset and repair, we don't want it absorbing hormone disrupting toxins that wreak havoc on our immune health. How tiring for our beings!
How the Body responds
Our bodies offer a number of passageways through which these toxins can invade. Often hard to prevent, direct exposure opens us up as a host for theses toxins.
Our three most vulnerable paths are the lungs, the digestive tract, and the skin. From the food we eat to the air we breathe and anything that contacts the skin, our bodies constantly stand the offensive against an onslaught of attack.
Fortunately, the amazing body compensates with a variety of defense mechanisms to filter out the nasty. For example, as a first line of internal defense, our mouths, nose, and throats are lined with a thick mucous membrane that works to trap foreign particles before they get too far into the body.
Inside our lungs are special immune cells that destroy any foreign agents that slip past the initial protection.
Though we cannot control much of the air that we breathe or the chemicals to which we are unknowingly exposed, we most definitely can take preventative measures to minimize exposure and support our bodies’ mechanisms in helping to deal with the toxins.
The Solution
There’s easy ‘other’ real, ancient solutions. And the simplest options are the best!
For the last few years we have used essential oils as an effective way to massively reduce the potentially toxic load typical house hold products are made of.
They are wonderfully healing and soothing for the skin, (scars, stretch-marks, age-spots, skin conditions, dry, flaky and inflamed skin support).
This is a wonderful resource if you are open to a bit of DIY DIY-roundup-essential-oils-for-skin
The oils are elevating for the moods too (and a pleasure for all whom you walk past! ). Cleaning with essential oils doesn't give you a headache (number one sign the product you use shouldn't be in your house)
This is a wonderful resource if you are open to a bit of DIY DIY-roundup-essential-oils-for-cleaning
The absolute best way to get started with 100% pure essential oils is to get the ten starter oils with your own wholesale account! 25% off retail yes please. This is how I get my oils too! Here is just a snippet of what we use them for: 1) Peppermint = invigorating! ✔Great for tummy troubles, tension in the head area or when you are feeling warm and want to cool down! ✔Spiders, ants and other creepy crawlies hate it so it's a great repellent. ✔And it's delish in chocolate and other deserts! 2) Lemon = cleansing! ✔Add a drop to your water for a gentle detox, ✔Diffuse to clean the air or uplift your mood (especially with peppermint). ✔Replace commercial sprays with lemon and water to clean your countertops. ✔Add it to bicarb and vinegar for the shinest sink ever. 3) Lavender = calming! ✔Diffuse to create a calm atmosphere. ✔Apply to burns, bites etc to calm and help the skin heal. ✔Mix with bicarb and use as a natural shake and vac over mats, couches, mattresses and in smelly shoes! 4) Tea Tree = cleaning! ✔Use it as an antibacterial spray with water over counters, toilets etc. ✔Dilute to clear athletes foot fast ✔Use to clean wounds (and it doesn't sting like other products). ✔Great for pimples too and doesn't leave a crater on your face!! 5) Frankincense = everything!! ✔When in doubt use frankincense! ✔Fabulous for wrinkles so add to your moisturiser ✔Support the body's natural inflammatory response (google frankincense and any chronic health condition for more information) ✔You can add this little beauty to any other oil to enhance it's properties 6) Easy Air/Breathe = Respiratory Support!! ✔Diffuse whenever your respiratory system is compromised - effective for colds, flus, sinus congestion and hayfever symptoms ✔Apply to the chest and feet also. 7) Digestzen = Tummy Support!! ✔Support for any type of tummy trouble ✔When you eat too much and feel blah ✔If you or your kids are constipated then this is your oil! 8) Ice Blue = Muscles!!! ✔Not just muscles but think pain in muscles or joints either from a condition or after you have been to the gym. ✔It doesn't burn so great for kids when diluted especially if they are suffering growing pains. 9) On Guard = Germies!!! ✔Diffuse this to help with any germs lurking around! ✔Or apply to the bottom of the feet to help support the immune system or when people are not well. ✔Great to clean the toilets with as the clove in it repeals boy pee smell!!
✔ I often dilute and put around mine and the kids neck and chest before going out in winter. Plus is everyone always tells you that you smell amazing! 10) Oregano = Powerhouse!! ✔This comes out when we are sick as it's powerful...on the feet with OnGuard ✔You can also diffuse with OnGuard. ✔Great one for warts too! ✔Its a natural antibiotic and a big reason why we have never had to go to the doctor.