How to Detox Your Body from Years of Personal Care Products

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 Our skin is our biggest organ so everything that you put on your skin, gets absorbed into your bloodstream and then you guessed it- your LIVER. Yes, I know it’s a scary thought. I freaked out when I heard this and tossed everything from my expensive designer makeup to my nail polish to lessen the body burden of toxins on my liver. There are chemicals in everything from our toothpaste to our shampoo and chapstick as well as our makeup. Nontoxic personal care and cleaning products, a clean living space, and a clean working space can go a long way toward diffusing any symptoms you may be experiencing and helping you to feel more energy and vitality. Plus, you’ll be lessening your toxic load, which can have positive effects on your long-term health. There is a helpful quiz in my new book, Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflam

How to Detox from Chemicals in Personal Care Products

Of the 13,000 chemicals used in cosmetics, only 10 percent have been tested for safety. Manufacturers have dominion over testing the safety of their products but they do not have to reveal the testing data to the FDA. In my previous blog article, http://indigohealingoils.blogspot.com/2018/01/chemicals-applied-onto-your-skin-are.html, I explained how much the skin absorbs chemicals into the bloodstream. These toxins accumulate over the years and the risk of adverse effects multiplies. Chemicals are transmitted into the bloodstream in several ways: powders have the least absorption, while oily solutions or those designed to increase moisture allow more of the chemical to be absorbed.

There are 2 levels of exposure to harmful chemicals: acute harm and chronic exposure. Acute harm would mean you have an immediate reaction, such as a rash that's almost immediate, itching, burning, hair loss, etc. Long-term risks are more serious because many ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products have been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, infertility, weight gain and inflammatory responses, and even the growth of liver and kidney tumors. Adverse events from cosmetics and personal care products continue to rise.

Caution: If you have never detoxed before, go very slowly, one technique at a time and monitor how you feel, with a journal if possible. You may experience some detox symptoms such as rashes, itching, diarrhea, headaches or fatigue, but nothing major. The sauna and Epsom salt bath should be done no more than once a week unless your medical professional advises you to do more.

• Dry Brushing - Dry brushing helps to unclog pores and excrete toxins that become trapped in the skin. The skin is typically brushed toward the heart, starting at the feet and hands and brushing toward the chest. 
• Epsom Salt Baths - A soothing Epsom salt bath is great for revitalizing our bodies with magnesium, a mineral that most of us are deficient in. 
• High-quality filter on your Shower (or home) - We absorb a larger amount of chloride, fluoride and other chemicals in our shower and tub through our skin than we do by drinking water. A whole house water filtration system that filters out fluoride and chloramines is best. This also benefits you with cooking and gardening. 
• Infrared Saunas - An incredible way to detox through your skin. An infrared sauna heats you from the inside out to remove heavy metals, mold and help with Lyme disease and die-off symptoms of detox. 
• Castor Oil Packs - This is an excellent treatment for your liver. It's best to do it at night before bed. Nighttime is the elimination phase when your liver and kidneys are working to cleanse the body of whatever was ingested throughout the day. A piece of wool (or cotton) flannel is saturated with castor oil and applied to the abdomen, with or without heat. 
• Oil Pulling - This is an effective technique to remove bacteria and heavy metals from your mouth in the morning. Oil pulling is a powerful detoxifying Ayurvedic technique that has recently become very popular as an alternative remedy for many different health ailments. Ayurveda recommends oil gargling to purify the entire system; as it maintains that each section of the tongue is connected to different organs, such as the kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, small intestines, stomach, colon, and spine (similar to reflexology). 
• Rebounder - This is a fun activity (mini-trampoline) that stimulates your lymphatic system to drain and eliminate toxins. 
• Indigo Healing Oils Cellulite Scrub - Even if you don't have cellulite, this citrus vanilla chamomile scrub has pink Himalayan salt, organic sugar, and quality essential oils that not only exfoliate your skin but stimulate your lymphatic system to throw off toxins. It leaves your skin feeling baby smooth and as an added bonus, the essential oils lift your mood. 

        

To shop for pure and natural fragrance, body care, hair care, and skin solutions,  go here:

• https://indigohealingoils.com/

For more details on adverse event reports from cosmetic products, see this article from Dr. Mercola. 

• https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/07/12/cosmetic-products-adverse-effects-rising.aspx

For more details on specific ingredients, see this Infographic from Dr. Mercola. 

• http://www.mercola.com/infographics/personal-care-products.htm

Early Menopause Linked to Daily Use of Personal Care Products, Plastics and Household items

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the average woman in the United States uses 12 personal care products a day, which contain on average, 168 different chemicals. While most men use fewer products, they’re still exposed to about 85 chemicals per day. 

Women with higher levels of personal-care chemicals in their bodies experienced menopause two to four years earlier than women with lower levels.

Early menopause means more time for hot flashes, mood swings, and memory fog, and increased risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and breast cancer.

Repeated chemical exposures accumulate in the body over your lifetime. The EWG also tested teenagers and found that 16 different hormone-altering chemicals, including parabens and phthalates were detected in their urine. So, the exposure begins at a young age. Detoxing the body regularly and adding super nutrition can help, but not everyone takes the time do do that level of self-care. 

ALL ingredients used for Indigo Healing Oils products are healthy and natural. 

Chemical-Free, Gluten-Free, Cruelty-Free, Vegan*

* Some strict vegans avoid beeswax. We only use Organic Beeswax which is created naturally by healthy honeybees in a NON-GMO, pesticide free environment. It is included in body butters, salves and ointments. It conditions and heals the skin. It also offers anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral benefits making it helpful in treating skin irritation.

As Science Daily reported, in a study of more than 31,000 US women, researchers examined blood and urine levels for 111 mostly man-made chemicals that are commonly found in plastics, personal care products, and household items, as well as other chemicals that can contaminate air, water, and soil.

The chemicals tested included:

• Dioxins/furans (industrial combustion byproducts)
• Phthalates (found in plastics, common household items, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products including lotions, perfumes, makeup, nail polish, liquid soap, and hair spray)
• Phytoestrogens (plant-derived estrogens)
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, coolants)
• Phenolic derivatives (phenols, industrial pollutants)
• Organophosphate pesticides
• Surfactants
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (combustion products)

Women with higher levels of the chemicals in their bodies were found to experience menopause two to four years earlier than women with lower levels.
Fifteen chemicals in particular (including nine PCBs, three pesticides, two phthalates, and a furan) were significantly associated with early menopause, which suggests an early decline in ovarian function.

Meanwhile, in the report "Heavy Metal Hazard: The Health Risks of Hidden Heavy Metals in Face Makeup," Environmental Defense tested 49 different makeup items, including foundations, concealers, powders, blushes, mascaras, eye liners, eye shadows, lipsticks, and lip glosses. Their testing revealed serious heavy metal contamination in virtually all of the products:

• 96 percent contained lead
• 90 percent contained beryllium
• 61 percent contained thallium
• 51 percent contained cadmium
• 20 percent contained arsenic

It was widely shared back in 2015 that women who use make-up on a daily basis can absorb almost 5 pounds of chemicals into their bodies each year. The number was argued by some, but the problem is real, even if it's less than 5 pounds. With the vast amount of chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis, we have to do what we can to minimize our risks of cancer and autoimmune illness, both of which have been increasing at a shocking rate.  

Sources:

• http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/early-menopause-linked-chemicals
• https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/06/06/chemical-exposure.aspx
• http://menopause.northwestern.edu/content/early-menopause-linked-chemical-exposure
• https://www.endocrineweb.com/news/osteoporosis/14686-earlier-age-menopause-linked-chemicals-common-household-products-environment

Explore and try Indigo Healing Oils

You can feel confident and safe using our 100% all-natural Indigo Healing Oils health and beauty products.  They are far better than buying the chemical-laden products that saturate the market.

Shop Now at the Grand Opening Sale - at Indigo Healing Oils
Use coupon code HAPPY2018 only for the month of January. 

•         Health Benefits — These products serve many purposes. They are not just beautifying and nourishing to your skin, they uplift your spirits, reduce stress, balance hormones, and provide a whole variety of health benefits – which are listed under each product description.  
•         Quality and Purity — I make my products in small batches with sanitized containers and tools. I do not use any chemicals, colors, parabens, synthetic preservatives or anything with gluten. Everything I use has medicinal properties and all essential oils are made in the USA.
•    Infused with Crystals — The benefits of these therapeutic ingredients are enhanced by infusing my mother solutions with various crystals – their benefits are described under each product description. 
•         Expertise — All products are made by a Certified Health Coach with certification from two different nutrition schools, Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the BodyMind Institute. I also have a formal education (A.S. Computer Science and B.A. Psychology). I have been healing myself, my family, friends, kids, and thyroid clients for many years. I am a spiritual and loving mother with keen intuition and at the same time, I am an avid researcher, writer and healer. As a Gemini, it comes naturally to me to take on many roles.
•         Ethical — You can feel good knowing that my products are not tested on animals and are cruelty and free and vegan (with the exception of Organic Beeswax - see above note).
•         Custom Products — I accept requests from friends and clients that may need a product to address a specific health concern.
•         Price — Despite giving you high quality crystal and prayer infused products made by hand without using factory equipment, I keep my prices reasonable.

Chemicals Applied onto Your Skin are Absorbed Straight into Your Blood Stream - 100% Absorption on Certain Body Areas

Nearly everything you use on your skin and scalp goes into your bloodstream. Putting chemical-laden products on your skin is even more harmful than ingesting them in food, because when you eat something the enzymes in your saliva and stomach help to break it down and eliminate it from your body.

When you put these chemicals on your skin, however, it is absorbed straight into your blood stream without filtering of any kind, so there's no protection against the toxin. 

These toxins accumulate over the years and the risk of adverse effects multiplies. Chemicals are transmitted into the bloodstream in several ways: powders have the least absorption, while oily solutions or those designed to increase moisture allow more of the chemical to be absorbed.

Dr. Mercola reported that women who use make-up on a daily basis can absorb almost 5 pounds of chemicals into their bodies each year. For men, the amount is lesser but still of concern. An EWG 2004 consumer survey showed that while on average women use 12 personal care products daily, men use an average of six a day, which exposes them to more than 80 different ingredients. These toxic chemicals that your body absorbs annually from the use of toiletries and beauty products are largely going directly to your delicate organs.

ALL ingredients used for Indigo Healing Oils products are healthy and natural. 

Chemical-Free, Gluten-Free, Cruelty-Free, Vegan

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health states that nearly 900 of the chemicals used in cosmetics are toxic. In fact, some products contain enhancers that allow ingredients to penetrate deeper into the skin. Studies have found health problems in people exposed to common fragrance and sunscreen ingredients, including increased risk of sperm damage, feminization of the male reproductive system and low birth weight in girls.

A study published in the American Journal of Public Health looked into the skin’s absorption rates of chemicals found in drinking water. It showed that the skin absorbed an average of 64% of total contaminant dosage.Other studies found the face to be several times more permeable than broad body surfaces and an absorption rate of 100% for underarms and genitalia. Another peer-reviewed study showed 100% absorption for fragrance ingredients.

Beware of "All Natural" Labeling - Read Ingredients

Many beauty, fragrance and skin care products online and in health food stores contain harmful ingredients and are not 100 percent natural, even though some of them use "All Natural" labeling. There are no federal or official guidelines for beauty products, so anyone can claim that such a product is natural or organic. 

Some "organic" or "natural" beauty products contain only a single-digit percentage of organic ingredients. You can read the ingredients carefully but you won't know the amounts of the harmful chemicals that are present.

As an example, one well-known "natural" body lotion contains ingredients such as octyl methoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3, and methyl/propylparaben. 
The EPA has linked methyl parabens to metabolic, developmental, hormonal, and neurological disorders, in addition to several forms of cancer. 
Parabens may be listed as methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben, isobutyl paraben or E216.

Every single ingredient used in the Indigo Healing Oils product line is healthy, natural and nourishing. 

We are not 100% organic, but we do use as many organic ingredients as possible without drastically increasing prices. 

Natural preservatives are safer and include anti-microbial and anti-fungal ingredients like grapefruit seed extract or antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E).

It is important to remember that nearly everything you use on your skin and scalp goes into your bloodstream, so make sure you read the labels!  

And please try our wonderful healthy fragrances, scrubs, body butters and diffuser oils for good physical, emotional and mental health. 

https://indigohealingoils.com/shop?olsPage=products

Use Code HAPPY2018 this month for a 20% discount off sale prices!

Sources:
Robinson et al. The Importance of Exposure Estimation in the Assessment of Skin Sensitization risk. Contact Dermatitis 2000; 42:251-259.
https://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2007/06/22/body-absorbs-5-lbs-of-make-up-chemicals-per-year.aspx
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/myths-on-cosmetics-safety/#.Wkz0c9-nFPY
https://www.ewg.org/