Homemade Deodorant!

Eliminating deodorant/antiperspirant from my life has been a long-time goal. Stinking has not been a goal, and so it has only been recently that the planets have aligned for the good of my pits (and my entire system, I believe).

My mom recently made deodorant using the recipe that follows, and after several weeks, I am amazed and delighted by its effectiveness. I smell better than ever, I am happy to report.

Here's the recipe my mom used:

5-6 Tbsp Coconut oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
a couple of drops of lavender

Combine equal portions of baking soda & cornstarch. Then, slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon until it maintains the consistency you desire. You can place it in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. This recipe lasts about 3 months for two people with regular daily use.

If you experience irritation/redness when you apply it after shaving, add a little more coconut oil to the mix to reduce the % of baking soda. (But you need to have baking soda in it, because that's what kills the stink.)

I have noticed that if I have an especially sweaty day, and a short-sleeved shirt seam that rubs under my armpit, I can get a rash. Otherwise, I am A-OK. My mom added some more cornstarch to the second batch she made, and put it in an old roll-up deodorant container, which I keep in the refrigerator. If left unrefrigerated, the consistency is that of a loose salve that you have to shake to mix each time. If refrigerated, the consistency is that of a very firm stick deodorant.

In summary, I am happy to report that:
1. I and my clothes don't stink
2. I am not stifling my sweat response at the location of important lymph nodes
3. I am not subjecting myself to a dangerous daily dose of aluminum
4. I am using a product that has familiar, economical ingredients

~Leslie

Janie's review:
I really like it! I am a little sweaty. I don't notice that I have anything on--it goes on smooth.

Here is a similar recipe with a video showing how to make the deodorant:

Here a few links to get you thinking about whether or not to use commerical deodorants and antiperspirants:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/01/28/deodorant-cancer.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/16/aluminum-lurks-in-crystal-deodorants.aspx

In Honor of Earth Day....

Just read a great little article in the Statesman this evening and I'm very excited! How many of us have unused pharmaceutical products that we don't know how to safely dispose of? Rather than flushing old meds [all these pharmaceuticals are ending up in our drinking water, folks!], have the drugs responsibly disposed of. Check out the article here.

For additional information on safely disposing of medications, check out Dispose My Meds!

-Janie

On the subject of water . . .

I enjoy reading the Food Renegade's blog--she always seems to be writing about an issue just as it is weighing heavily on my mind. Of course we just shared Dio Miranda's great article on the importance of staying hydrated and the quality of the water we use for hydration.

Last week Food Renegade linked to this NY Times article on the state of tap water in the US. In the article, Dr. Pankaj Parekh, director of the water quality division for the City of Los Angeles says:

“People don’t understand that just because water is technically legal, it can still present health risks,” he said. “And so we encounter opposition that can become very personal.”

Another alarming quote in the article (by the EPA itself) scares me to no end:

“Since chemicals are ubiquitous in our economy, our environment, our water resources and our bodies, we need better authority so we can assure the public that any unacceptable risks have been eliminated,” the E.P.A. wrote. “But, under existing law, we cannot give that assurance.”

Food Renegade has a link to The Urban Homemaker site, which is offering a $59.95 discount on drinking water systems.

~Leslie

Sprouts Market Open!

Sprouts market opened in Round Rock on Friday at 620 and IH-35. We stopped by on Saturday night, and found the store to be a bit reminiscent of Trader Joes. I found most of the prices to be a little high, but many of the specials were unbeatable, such as organic strawberries for $2/pack, lobster tails for $2.99/each, a dozen organic/free range eggs for $2.99/dozen, and organic apple juice for $5.99/gallon.

I found the meat to be a little tricky, but haven't had much more time to investigate some of the language. For instance, their beef and feed for the cattle is tested for pesticide residue, and doesn't appear to be both hormone and antibiotic free. They do sell very pricey organic chicken, but their natural chicken does not appear to be free of antibiotics.

Nonetheless, the store does give us another choice for healthy eating a little closer than Whole Foods. I will certainly be stopping in from time to time, and will definitely watch their specials. I think it's hard to beat many of Whole Foods everyday prices. Costco also has an amazingselection of organic products.

http://sprouts.com/home.php

Lobster tails on the grill . . .they were great!

It's Time to Start Thinking About Fall/Winter Gardening . . .

Can you believe it? It's time to start thinking about starting some plants indoors to sew outside as the temps get cooler in September and October.

Mother Earth News recommends "counting back 12-14 weeks from your average first fall frost date to plan your first task: starting seeds of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale indoors . . . " Mother Earth News Aug/Sept '09. According to Victory Seeds, the frost date that we should be counting back from in the Austin area is 11/5.(http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/tx.html)

We are in Zone 8 for the USDA, also called the "Southern Interior" on some planting guides.

A complete month by month table of what to plant can be found here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/What-To-Plant-Now-July-Southern-Interior-Gardening-Region.aspx

and a fall guide here (we are Zone 3 in Texas):
http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/fallgarden/falldirect.html

We'll be busy as beavers at school repairing our greenhouse and get our fall crops started!

Aztec Organic Pest Service

Recently we were inundated with fire ants--inside our house. One afternoon, they ate part of our leather couch (seriously). We have always tried to avoid pest control service, and have not had our house treated in about four years. When fire ants eat your couch and bite your kids inside, though, we knew we needed some help. . .

Today we were visited by a lovely gentleman from Aztec Organic Pest Service out of Austin. He was right on time! They do charge a trip fee to Cedar Park and Leander, but if you are willing to wait a couple of days until they can pair a trip to your house with someone else, they will waive the fee. Such was the case for me today. Aztec takes pride in using totally natural means of treating your house and lawn for pests, and feel that if the case is handled effectively, there is no reason for repeat service (and chemicals!). Check them out if you find yourself with a serious problem, as we did. I'll update you on how our fire ant debacle unfolds. I think Aztec did the trick!

http://www.aztecpest.com/

Plant a Garden!

http://www.revivevictorygarden.org/

Alternative to Traditional All-Purpose Cleaner

We have found that there are many products that are on the market that are environmentally friendly, however, the price isn't always budget friendly. One of our favorite websites is Dollar Stretcher. Our mom came across a homemade all-purpose cleaner on their website a while back and has been mixing it up for us ever since. It's quite easy and you'll find that it works on pretty much all surfaces in your house as well as cutting through grease.

All-purpose cleaner
1/2 gallon water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon alcohol or dish liquid [preferably organic]
10 -15 drops of essential oil [your choice]

Mix in a resealable container such as a clean, rinsed out milk jug. Label with contents on the outside. Shake well to mix. You can place the cleaner in a spray bottle for easy cleaning.

Variations:
You can add any essential oil of your choice. Many essential oils have disinfectant, antibacterial and/or antifungal properties. Try any one of the following to add a nice scent as well as boost your cleaning power:

• lavender
• tea tree
• cinnamon
• lemon
• lemon grass
• orange
• clove
• eucalyptus
• thyme
• sage
• rosemary

Relaxing Homemade Lavender Spray and Lavender "Dust"

A few years ago our dad surprised the girls in the family with a simple, yet lovely gift. He made a homemade lavender spray and presented it in travel-size spray bottles. This concoction turned out to be a family favorite. Asa and Isaac even request "spray" when they go to our parents house--they especially like it sprayed in their "hair-dos". The spray is refreshing and relaxing. Our mom uses it at bedtime for a calming effect that actually helps her rest better.

The spray may be used to lightly mist your sheets, bed pillows and your face prior to resting. It's simple and we hope you like it!

4 oz. spray bottle
4 - 5 drops lavender oil
3 1/2 ounces distilled water

Mix lavender oil and distilled water in bottle. Place spray top on and you're ready to go! You may like to add 1/4 teaspoon of witch hazel to the mixture as it is refreshing for the skin, as well.

Our mom began making a homemade powder to use when the grandchildren needed diaper changes. Again, here's a simple do-it-yourself product that is safe, easy to make and saves a little on the wallet. It's better than your standard talc powder that you can purchase, not to mention safer for little ones. Janie's son, Isaac, loves his "dust" and requests it at every diaper change. It's also good for chaffed skin, diaper rash or heat rash. It helps clear up rashes quickly.

1 container of cornstarch
6 - 10 drops of lavender oil [depending on how strong you want the scent]
resealable or shaker container

Open container of cornstarch and empty into resealable container. Add lavender oil and place lid on securely. Shake well to mix. For ease of dispensing, you may place in a shaker container with some dry rice to prevent the cornstarch from caking up. Store in a dry area.