Taking a bath is a dip into mental bliss. But a bath isn’t just for the immediate sense of calm and relaxation – it can also be a way to improve your physical health in a very direct way. A detox bath adds more meaning to your warm water soak.

Infused with cleansing ingredients, your bath water will eliminate toxins, pesticides, and heavy metals through your skin, leaving you feeling, looking, and actually being better. Here are three detox bath recipes for a cleansed mind, body, and soul.

1. Salt Detox Bath

Epsom salt draws out toxins from the body and absorbs into the skin to relax tired muscles, relieve pain and cramps, ease muscle and nerve tension, improve circulation, and regulate blood sugar.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Himalayan salt
• 1/4 cup Epsom salt
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 8 to 10 drops of lavender essential oil

Directions

Boil a few cups of water and pour the water into a pitcher. Add in the salts and baking soda. Stir until dissolved. Fill the tub with warm-hot water and pour in the apple cider vinegar, followed by the salt and baking soda hot water mixture and essential oil.

2. Clay Detox Bath

In addition to being full of nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, silica, sodium, copper, iron, and potassium, bentonite clay is able to expel heavy metal toxins from the body. In doing so, it increases immunity and reduces inflammation.

Ingredients

• 2 cups bentonite clay

Directions

Fill the tub with warm-hot water. In a bowl, mix the clay with enough water to create a smooth, wet consistency. Dump the wet clay into the bath and use your body and hands to distribute the clay throughout the bath water.

3. Hydrogen Peroxide Detox Bath

Hydrogen peroxide is a natural antiseptic and thus a great way to clean wounds and prevent infections.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide

Directions

Pour the hydrogen peroxide into a bath full of water. Soak and enjoy!

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The current It ingredient in skincare? Hint: it’s black, sooty, and more often associated with backyard barbecues than cosmetics. That’s right, charcoal is making an appearance on the cosmetics front. Find out how activated charcoal benefits the skin.

The use of charcoal is not new. It has long been utilized in the medical field to treat poisoning by chemicals, drugs, and snake bites, and is a common ingredient in water filters.

The current trend has taken the use of activated charcoal to the home. As in, it’s in everything from detox cleanses (in the form of pills and juices) to teeth whiteners (by adding the powder to toothpaste) to skin treatments.

Are we talking the briquettes from our grill? Sort of, but not exactly. Don’t go rubbing those ashes on your skin.

Activated charcoal means the carbon is infused with oxygen and is prepared for human ingestion (in the case of poisoning or detox) and skincare products. This oxygenation creates a super porous surface, increasing its ability to absorb matter and toxins. Possibly the most absorbent cosmetic ingredient out there, activated charcoal is said to have the ability to absorb thousands of times its own weight.

This super absorbency, plus antibacterial properties, makes activated charcoal an ideal ingredient for oily and acne prone skin types. It is used in acne products to draw out impurities, heal pimples, and prevent further breakouts.

Also an anti-aging ingredient, activated charcoal is said to tighten pores and smooth the skin. It also reduces inflammation, which is significant in preventing premature aging.

Most often used in masks, the fine black powder also makes appearances in soaps and washes. Proponents claim it decongests the skin and calms irritation, leaving behind a clear, even toned complexion.

Shiva Rose is one such fan. The actress and holistic beauty fan takes her love of the ingredient beyond skincare. Rose uses activated charcoal to treat bug bites and as a teeth whitener. She also took charcoal capsules as part of a detox cleanse, to absorb impurities from the gastrointestinal tract.

This all sounds great, right? With no solid evidence as yet to support activated charcoal benefits, the verdict is still out on this trendy ingredient. Still, those who take part claim amazing results.

Now for the big question…Is activated charcoal safe? If charcoal is sometimes made from petroleum, this would be a health hazard. While the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Database gives activated charcoal a “0” hazard ranking, its safety would come down to sourcing. Find out if the charcoal in products you shop is made from petroleum or a healthier source, like coconut shells or bamboo. As with any ingredient sourcing query, read brand ingredient commitments or contact the brand with your question if you are not sure.

Like to try activated charcoal in skincare for yourself? Following are products from safe organic brands that include the sooty stuff. Or try your hand at a DIY charcoal face mask.

Osmia Organics Detox Exfoliating Mask

Soapwalla Kitchen Glycerin Soap Activated Charcoal & Petitgrain

May Lindstrom Skin The Problem Solver

Dr. Sponge™ Facial and Body Cleansing Sponge Charcoal

La Bella Figura Bio Active Purifying Mask

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Image by Lorenia at Flickr.com

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Try eating clean rather than just telling yourself what can’t have. Detox foods can help. Big time.

January is a time of year to do a good old spring cleaning of the system. It’s about giving your body a break after a season of over indulgence. And that doesn’t have to mean cutting everything out in lieu of a few cold pressed juices each day. It opens the door to binge eating once you just can’t take it anymore. Instead, why not consider adding these detox foods to your diet?

1. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are one of my favorite detox foods, and they’re also quite popular for this reason. Specifically, they detox the liver which is the body’s most important detoxifying organ. Cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli, kale and collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.

2. Legumes

Replace animal protein sources with legumes like black beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, and adzuki beans to give your body an opportunity to push out junk. Meat and dairy can get stuck in your system for long periods of time because they don’t have fiber. It’s not that you have to give up animal products completely, but taking a break is a great idea.

3. Green tea

Take a few weeks and see what starting your day with green tea instead of coffee does for you. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and it’s one of the most detoxifying foods. It improves brain function, weight loss, and reduces your risk of cancer.

4. Dark chocolate

That’s right, chocolate. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants but it’s important that you choose dark chocolate that’s at least 60 percent cocoa. Milk chocolate is not dark chocolate and if it’s too sweet it’s less beneficial. Dark chocolate is a powerhouse of ntioxidants including polyphenols, flavanols, and catechins. Consider it a cellular spa day.

5. Avocados

Avocados contain a chemical called glutathione, which detoxes the liver of synthetic chemicals and blocks carcinogens in the body. Not to mention the healthy fats, folate, and fiber. Avocados won’t make you fat so don’t be meager with their use–add them to everything.

6. Beets

Beets are a blood purifier and they boost the body’s cellular intake of oxygen. Bottom line–beets are overall body cleansers. Roast a batch up and add them to all your favorite meals like risotto, salads, or a quinoa dish. And they add such great bright color to all your favorite dishes.

7. Lemon

Consider using lemons as your acid source. Lemons are excellent liver detoxifiers because they are a source of glutathione (so mix them up with your avocado for double dose of the stuff!). They also contain vitamin C which is great for reducing cell damage due to pollution and other environmental toxins.

The best way to clean up your diet is by gradually adding in cleaner foods. Gradual replacement of foods is much easier than just taking away foods that aren’t good for you. The more gradual the changes you make in your diet, the more likely you’ll be able to maintain them.

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Detoxing doesn’t have to be extreme. Here’s how to cleanse your body.

I’m not a big fan of cleanses because the idea of them screams immoderation. And moderation is the key to my life. But sometimes healthy eating just isn’t enough. Pollution, stress, and holiday decadence can cause a build up of toxins in your body and a cleanse may be just the way to start your New Year. Here’s how to cleanse your body in nine steps. It’s a cleanse you can actually stick to.

1. No booze.

This is an obvious one. You’ve likely enjoyed a cocktail or two over the holiday and now it’s time to get it a break. Alcohol dehydrates you and makes your liver work overtime.

2. No caffeine.

Caffeine stresses your nervous system and like alcohol, it dehydrates you. If you’re super addicted to caffeine and giving it up completely is going to cause withdraw symptoms like headache and general agitation, you may just want to cut back. Either switch to half caffeinated coffee or even better, switch to green tea.

3. No meat or dairy.

Both meat and dairy can built up in your system so when you’re trying to cleanse, it’s best to give them up. A good cleanse can serve to push out small bits of meat that have become stuck in your system over time.

4. No processed foods.

Processed foods have less nutrients than whole foods as well as hidden additives and sugar. Stick to whole foods during your cleanse instead of reaching for processed junk.

5. Choose veggies, especially cruciferous veggies.

Cruciferous veggies are great for detoxifying your body, especially your liver. Not to mention that studies have found that cruciferous vegetables have the ability to stop the growth of cancer. While you’re cleansing, enjoy leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.

6. Enjoy legumes.

Legumes are great for cleansing because they push junk out of your body. And they’re a source of plant-based protein to replace meat and dairy. Add in lentils, chickpeas, adzuki beans, lima beans, and black-eyed peas.

7. Enjoy quinoa.

Quinoa in particular is a great addition because it contains protein to keep you satiated so you can actually stick to a cleanse with the addition of iron and magnesium. It’s also versatile so it goes well in all sorts of cleansing dishes. Also consider barley, rolled oats, farro, and bulgur.

8. Snack on raw nuts and seeds.

Raw nuts and seeds are potent forms of protein that contain fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B6. Make sure you buy raw nuts and seeds because roasted, salted, and otherwise flavored varieties are depleted of these nutrients and can have added sugar and fat.

9. Fruit should be your only sweet.

Don’t overindulge on fruit but a serving or two of raw fruits each day can provide your body with all sorts of nutrients while you’re cleansing. Consider those that help to repair DNA like blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries.

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ColumnIs that detox diet you’re considering for after the holidays all it’s cracked up to be?

I gauge people’s interest in food based upon what articles the Internet shares. Ok, kidding, but there are times when I see the same article shared again and again and again.

Earlier this month The Guardian published an article that made the internet rounds. It wasn’t so surprising that people clicked and shared, it was titled You Can’t Detox Your Body. It’s a Myth. I saw one person make a funny comment about how with this information the entire economy of Boulder would soon come to a standstill, and I smirked.

Oh god, green kale smoothies every morning won’t save us? What are we ever going to do?

It’s no surprise that people shared the article. In the last few years we’ve been fixated on detox diets, detox foods and detox methods. And why wouldn’t we be? Wouldn’t it be nice to know that the two weeks of holiday eating you are about to do wouldn’t matter as long as you stuck to two weeks of orange and ginger juice come the New Year?

But deep down, I think we all know the truth: this is not how healthy living works.

The real problem with a detox diet is that it’s still a diet. And we all know what the problem with diets is: they are not sustainable.

Healthy living comes down to having an all-around healthy approach to living. Dieting however is the opposite of that, the good ol’ yo-yo effect, keeping you in the mindset that if you take a few weeks here and there to eat really well, then you can binge and go all out the rest of the time. It’s an approach to eating that has you vacillating back and forth between one extreme and the other.

The reality is that diets don’t work, but healthy lifestyles do. As Catherine Collins, an NHS dietitian at St George’s Hospital, told The Guardian, “The ultimate lifestyle ‘detox’ is not smoking, exercising and enjoying a healthy balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet.”

In other words, the best detox diet you can do is to have a well rounded approach to living: stay active, avoid processed foods, eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains and indulge a little from time to time, but not too much. You know what’s great about this approach? It doesn’t cost very much. It doesn’t require you to go on a retreat to Bali for four weeks. It doesn’t require you to be super strict about what you put in your body. It keeps you away from the yo-yo effect.

In fact, a healthy lifestyle is more about celebrating food rather than demonizing food, something that a detox diet definitely doesn’t have going for it.

Sure, if you overdo it this holiday season, then a week of brown rice, leafy greens and plenty of water is going to be a nice change for your body. But once you’ve done that, it does’t give you the right to go back to nachos, beer and chocolate chip cookies, now does it? That green morning smoothie is only good for you if the rest of your diet is good for you as well.

A detox diet might be pointless, but a healthy, well-rounded approach to living certainly isn’t. Keep eating real foods, indulge a little, and don’t get too down on yourself because you had an extra glass of wine on Friday night. Celebrate food, and enjoy the process. That will keep you far healthier than any detox diet you’ve ever tried.

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This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’ weekly column at EcoSalon: Foodie Underground, an exploration of what’s new and different in the underground movement, and how we make the topic of good food more accessible to everyone. More musings on the topic can be found at www.foodieunderground.com.

Image: TipsTimesAdmin

The post Is Doing a Detox Diet Pointless? Foodie Underground appeared first on EcoSalon.

While you may think you know how to fast–by not eating for several days–there’s actually a lot to it.

There is a lot of discussion surrounding the latest (and enduring) detoxification craze. More and more cold-pressed juice bars about popping up and the green juice has become the new morning must-have, can’t-live-without cup (or two) of coffee. Raw, vegan foods are making waves and the no-added-sugar, gluten-free labels are putting the white flour and white sugar culprits where they should be: in the past. But, when it comes to a more extreme method of “internal cleansing”, such as fasting, how far is too far? While it is always a good idea to introduce more greens and fresher, higher-alkaline foods to the diet to take the place of acidic ones, is fasting too extreme? Better yet, is fasting accelerating the detoxification process or, is it doing the opposite?

Fasting is an abstention from food, and sometimes drink, for longer than regular periods. While this is entirely focused on the health benefits of fasting, fasting has religious roots. It is something that has been practiced for centuries, particularly in connection with religious ceremonies. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Taoists, among others, have practiced fasting. The ritual served a variety of purposes, from inducing fertility, penitence, achieving a near death state, purification and reflection.

From the health perspective, which I will focus on, there is no direct answer as to how to fast properly. The bottom line is: it’s not good for everyone and thus may not be good for you. The worst thing people do when they see a well-packaged, aesthetically-appealing looking “detox” juice cleanse or a getaway to an exotic location where they fast for 1 week or more, is that they let their ego get in the way of their true state of being. Fasting is not something to get ideal and ambitious about – it’s a matter of respecting and listening to your body. A fast, or any detox for that matter, should be tailored to your starting point.

Someone who depends on a Standard American Diet (SAD, how fitting!) for sustenance will not endure a fast quite the same way as a raw foodist would. If you are someone who suffers from certain health ailments and regularly consumes processed, cooked, not organic, sugary, salty, meat and dairy-heavy foods, you are already coming from an acidic disposition and going on a fast, cold-turkey, will prove too taxing for your body beyond a certain point and may do more harm the good.

When you fast, your digestive system takes a break from metabolism and instead focuses on other bodily processes. From a health perspective, this is the purpose of a fast – let the body repair itself without expending energy on processing food and other drinks besides, say, water or fruit and vegetable juices. If you’re body is used to an acidic diet, it will begin to release toxins into the blood stream at a rate too fast for your elimination channels to respond to in time. This flood of toxins into the blood stream without an easy exit will cause you to feel noticeably sluggish, full of mind fog, breaking out and constipated, among others. The chances of you getting unmotivated and bee-lining it to the nearest drive-thru to indulge are also more likely in the works.

However, say, instead of fasting all day, you introduce one meal at dinner. You may notice that you will feel better and your body will be able to keep pace with detoxification by introducing something to offset the undulation of toxins into the blood stream. This is a rough example of what a fast can do to people who go hardcore at the onset and what can be done to offset it. The trick is to find the line that leads to progress, not perfection-turned-dangerous.

This isn’t to say a proper fast will be easy, so if it gets hard you shouldn’t quit altogether – it will be relatively trying no matter what, especially since you are teaching your body a new trick – but it is to note that you should be aware of how your body is reacting during the process. If fasting symptoms are a notch above uncomfortable, incorporate a smoothie into the fast or something with fiber to slow down detoxification and the symptoms associated with it.

Moreover, a fast doesn’t have to be a no-drink, no-food game. A fast (better: detox regimen) can be relative to your situation. If you have a highly acidic diet, start a fast that replaces a regular sandwich meal with a salad one. Next, you can replace breakfast with a green smoothie instead of bacon and eggs. After that, you can take out snacking so often. Progress, not perfection! In this way, you are teaching your body to work better and honoring it with greener, more nourishing foods. Relative to your old diet, it is improvement, and your body will inevitably respond in ways better than if you went on a 7-day water fast. When you reach a point where you are happy with your diet and are eating mostly alkaline foods with little processed, animal and sugar-laden products in the mix, then maybe you can consider a short-term, more-intense fast to transition to a new season or take out last month’s trash.

However you do it, make it you! And always consult with your primary care physician before embarking on any type of detox or fast. 

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The post How to Fast or Detox According to Your Specific Health Needs appeared first on EcoSalon.

A handful of recent studies continue to find high levels of toxic materials in shoes. Here are the four major offenders to be aware of.

No ingredient labels come attached your new shoes, and yet, it is still as important for your health to understand what they are made with. Shoe manufacturing is a complicated process with many steps to assemble, and pieces that come together are often filled with toxic materials that pose serious health risks for workers and wearers alike.

A handful of recent studies, detailed below, continue to find high levels of chemicals in shoes. The series of toxins used in making shoes lends to the fact that Greenpeace’s Detox campaign to encourage brands to eliminate toxic chemicals from their products, is extremely timely. Eighteen major global brands have already committed to Detox, including Nike, Adidas, Puma, H&M, Zara, Levi’s, Uniqlo, and Victoria’s Secret. As a customer, you can show your support for the campaign by signing the Fashion Manifesto.

Below are four toxic ingredients to be aware of that are found in shoes.

Chromium

Chromium tanning is present in 80-85 percent of all globally tanned leather. Chromium, a naturally occurring metal and known carcinogen, is extremely toxic to workers and still can be present even for the wearer. The element is also soluble in water, entering waterways and commonly accumulating in fish.

Plasticiser Phthalates

A recent study by the Consumer Council tested 28 pairs of shoes, in which 15 were found to have higher than regulated traces of phthalates. Phthalates are used to soften plastics, and the chemical was found in shoes that were made with plastic. Although this substance is not easily absorbed by the body, off-gases can be inhaled and increase risk of asthma, and even cause hormonal unbalance.

Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs)

Added to rubber and plastic products during the manufacturing process, companies like GAP, Disney, Adidas, American Apparel and Burberry were found to have detectable levels of NPEs in their products. Although stable and unreactive, NPEs can accumulate in the body and work as a hormone disruptor.

Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF)

Banned in Europe in 2009, DMF is still found in leather shoes, as well as handbags, and other leather products. Used as an anti-molding agent in leather, DMF can cause skin burns and rashes when the substance comes in contact with body heat. A recent three-month study by the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries revealed 25 percent of the shoes tested were contained with the toxic chemical.

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image: Luz Adriana Villa A

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This week’s Link Love highlights are getting us warmed up to winter in all the right ways.

Clothes take on hunger with Fed by Threads. Eat Drink Better explores this eco-fashion trend. [via Eat Drink Better]

New Year, New You…yadda yadda. But if you’re really serious about those resolutions, check out the best new health and detox books. [via Well + Good NYC]

Animal Planet gets nailed in this startling exposé that finds neglect, death and drugs used on animals all in the name of profit. [via Mother Jones]

Aw, really? A Math Genius Hacked OkCupid to Find True Love. [via Wired]

It’s still winter, apparently. Warm up with teas made from trees? Yes, please. [via Inhabitat]

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Image via Inhabitat

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Dry brushing has been known to exfoliate dry skin and promote skin renewal, but can it actually reduce cellulite?

While short-shorts, mini skirt, and bathing suit season may have come and gone, but just knowing you have cellulite is punishment enough. Besides, between the sheets season is year round.

We fight the cellulite battle with expensive creams and even liposuction, but could dry brushing be an inexpensive, safe method of cellulite reduction that’s actually effective? Does dry brushing really work? Yes, and here’s why:

Cellulite is the uneven appearance of dimples on the skin’s surface. Though it’s associated with fat, skinny people can, and often do, have cellulite. The result of a combination of skin structure, fat tissue, and muscles, cellulite impacts more women than men, especially around the thighs and butt. Women have thinner skin than men, which is part of the reason why it’s more common and more obvious in women.

Dry brushing promotes the swell of the skin tissue which can, at least temporarily, reduce the appearance of cellulite. But that’s not the only benefit: Dry brushing also promotes tighter skin, cell renewal and blood flow, and helps the tissues of the lymphatic system release toxins, so it’s not all about looks.

Dry brushing exposes healthier skin by getting rid of that dry layer of skin on the surface. It’s an easy, healthful, and inexpensive method of detoxification that’s not invasive. If you have any cuts or wounds, don’t dry brush that area. If your skin is sensitive and reddens on touch, use a wash cloth instead of a dry brush.

Spend extra time in areas that need work. If you’re looking to reduce cellulite, focus on the thighs and butt. More dry brushing tips below.

Dry Brushing Tips

• Dry brush skin 1 to 2 times per day.
• Move the brush toward the heart.
• Make long sweeps, back and forth, circular motions.
• Don’t brush too hard.
• Make sure the bristles on your dry brush are hard, but not too hard, natural and not synthetic.
• Buy your dry brush at a local health foods store.

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Image: anneh632

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Planning a little detox cleanse before winter’s officially over?

We often associate cleansing with spring or fall, when the weather is in a transition phase and we take the cue to renew our health. Winter is put on the back burner as the season where we cling to comfort, and thus emerge with the love handles and the sniffles to show for it. But, winter can indeed be the season for detoxing and keeping the body clean and lean. Follow these eight cleansing tips and see for yourself!

1. Wake Up to Morning Detox Tea

Give your liver a boost in the morning with a tea elixir that cleanses your system. On an empty stomach, sip on hot tea  mixed with the juice of half a lemon, a dash of cayenne, a dash of turmeric and a dash of cinnamon. Sweeten with stevia or drink as-is. You could also give the morning detox tea more flavor with the addition of an herbal tea bag, such as peppermint or ginger, which are excellent for the digestive system.

2. Drink Your Greens

Shower your cells with living enzymes, nutrients, and alkalizing chlorophyll for breakfast. Drink a juice or smoothie that contains green leaves, which are highly cleansing and a powerful way to improve digestion, as well as having positive effects on every other bodily system. While the green smoothie packs fiber, the green juice will digest more quickly and more directly and quickly affect your blood. Here are two recipes to try. Modify as preferred.

Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

Hefty handful of green leafy vegetables such as kale or spinach
½ cup water
1 large banana, peeled
½ cup frozen berries or mango
¼ avocado

Directions

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Green Juice Recipe

Ingredients

6-8 kale leaves, including stems
1 apple
1 carrot
1 lemon
1 cucumber
Stevia to taste (optional)

Directions

Put all ingredients, except for the stevia, through the juicer, beginning with the kale leaves and ending with the cucumber. Sweeten with stevia afterwards and drink after stirring.

3. Embrace Warm Vegetable Soups

Cleansing is all about giving your digestive system a break and letting it relax and strengthen so that your body can focus on other organs and processes. For this reason, soups are an excellent way to pack both nutrients and taste without burdening digestion with chewing and breaking down solid food.

And there is no need for a complicated recipe; simply boil in water or bake your favorite vegetable until softened, put it in a food processor with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and process with enough of the water until the soup reaches the consistency you like. Broccoli and sweet potato work great for this!

4. Savor Denser Vegetables

Eating light in the winter is harder than in the summer. Cold temperatures demand the warmth that comes from comfort food. But that doesn’t mean you have to indulge in heavy, fatty foods. Instead, take advantage of denser vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potato, squash, and celeriac to get the bulk without the diet bust. Steam, bake, or sauté them and enjoy them aside a light marinara sauce or a dab of butter and you’ll never feel like you’re missing out.

5. Avoid Dairy

Simply cutting out dairy for a period of a few days or weeks can drastically change how you feel. Some people have allergies and don’t even know it, and that could be the very reason for stubborn weight, sluggishness, or indigestion. Refined and processed milk has its risks, and it’s important to note that while some people handle dairy better than others, in general it is not an ideal food and can curb your health goals. Avoid dairy or switch to goat and sheep milk yogurts and cheeses, which have a lower amount of casein, a hard-to-digest protein prevalent in dairy products. Raw dairy is also richer in healthy bacteria and worth a try if you aren’t planning to cut dairy out altogether.

6. Drink Enough Water

Just because it’s not sweltering outside doesn’t mean you don’t need as much water. Keeping yourself hydrated is one of the most important rules in cleansing. Always carry a water bottle with you and you’ll never forget.

7. Skip the Antiperspirant

Considering it’s chilly outside, the level of sweating is at bay and any aroma is buried under layers of clothes, so not applying a strong antiperspirant or deodorant isn’t the end of the world. Antiperspirants contain aluminum, which stops sweat glands from doing what they do best – sweat, which is another way the body releases toxins. There are fears that the skin absorbs the aluminum and can cause breast cancer, despite further studies needed to draw a definite link. Besides aluminum, antiperspirants and deodorants can contain other harmful ingredients including parabens, propylene glycol, triclosan, TEA, DEA, FD&C colors, and talc. Use winter as an escape from the dangerous effects of most deodorants and antiperspirants on the market and go bare or make a homemade version.

8. Lather Up with Coconut Oil

Winter leaves the skin dry and moisturizing is key to keeping it supple and smooth. Most commercial lotion products, however, contain ingredients that do more harm than good. The skin is the body’s largest organ and is like a sponge in that it absorbs whatever is applied to it, toxins included. Take this as a cue to go as natural as possible. Virgin coconut oil is an excellent choice, not only because of its pureness but also for its emollient and antibacterial properties.

Photo Credit: Vanessayavonne

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