11 posts tagged “organic”

In the beginning months of life, it is best not to bombard a baby with tons of toiletries and products. They truly don’t need lots of baths and toiletries.
Most doctors agree that about twice a week is usually enough. Plain water will do just fine most of the time, with baby wash or shampoo reserved for when the need arises and for the bits that need it. Their skin is delicate and significantly more permeable, in fact about 5 times thinner than ours. Cleaning can strip their delicate skin of its essential body oils. There seems to be a fallacy that until you have lathered the body with soap that the skin won’t be clean, and its total nonsense. Babies and young children don’t need tons of products in the bath. Baby lotion and baby powder aren’t really necessary either. Warm water and a good organic or pure natural baby massage oil or lotion is all that is needed, along with a balm for the bottom to prevent nappy rash. When you do need baby skin care products, if you stick to simple pure natural and organic products you should find that their skin will remain naturally soft and supple as they grow.

The growing trend in production and sales of organic and natural toiletries is as a result of the alarming facts about the truth behind baby and children’s skin care products and toiletries. Ian Taylor, of Green People, established by a woman who wanted to soothe her own daughter's eczema, says their baby washes and lotions simply "avoid any ingredient that can irritate the skin and all unnecessary synthetic chemicals ".

The escalating use of unnecessary products in the name of hygiene could certainly be doing our children's skin more harm than good. Warm water, for instance, is all that's needed to keep most babies clean. But Dr Michael Cork, consultant in dermatology at Sheffield Children's Hospital, recently published a paper showing that our consumption of products such as bubble baths, lotions, oils, talc, wipes and even baby perfumes has shot up in recent decades. As up to 20% of British children are now affected by eczema at some stage in their life, compared with fewer than 5% during the 1950s, there is, Cork says, "strong accumulating evidence suggesting that the rise in eczema and the increased use of such products are linked". The best guidance for helping children with eczema naturally is to keep them well moisturised with organic and natural eczema creams such as Essential cares Ultra Rich or Soothing Salve, Repair Lotion or Earthbound Organics Chickweed and Calendula cream. Give only lukewarm baths as hot water can dry out and aggravate the skin further. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products in the home such as eco friendly washing up solutions on their clothes such as unscented Aquaball, and Miessence’s Bio Pure Probiotic Cleaner. Get your child checked for allergies and food intolerances and pay a visit to a nutritionist on guidance with diet. Keep them well hydrated and the house clean and free of allergens such as dust mites.

Children these days, it seems, are all too keen to grow up quickly in so many ways, but one highly alarming and possibly health hazardous way in which young teenagers are hastening towards their adult years is through their use of personal care products. It is a horrifying fact that the majority of cosmetics, skin and hair care products on the market contain ingredients which are allergens, hormone disruptors and neurotoxins, and with children every day exposed to on average 27 different personal care products which have not been found safe (according to the Environmental Working Group), there is much to worry about. Puberty is a very challenging time for the growing body, hormonally, and it is at this precise time where the body is developing and changing at an exaggerated rate, that the less noxious substances entering the bloodstream through the skin, the better, particularly as this is the time where in particular girls, are trying out new personal care products and cosmetics on a regular basis.

Children’s skin is 30% thinner than adults, and does not reach maximum thickness until around age 20, so well after the teenage years when girls in particular but increasingly boys, experiment with all sorts of cosmetics and other products. Teenagers use these products in a bid to form a sense of identity, fit in with their peers and to toy with different “looks”, meaning that their use of potentially hazardous products is high. And even more worryingly, children are starting to try out cosmetics at an increasingly young age. A recent report found that 80% of 11-14 year olds wear lip colour – but did you think about the effects of lipstick ingestion? According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the average woman who wears make-up will EAT about 4 pounds (that’s 1.81 Kg) of lipstick during her lifetime via drinking, eating and kissing. Last year, several very popular lipsticks (including those by L’Oreal and Cover Girl) were found to contain levels of LEAD – linked to a range of unpleasant side effects – higher than the recommended limit set by the FDA.

Makeup is not the only area where less should definitely be more, particularly when it comes to growing children. A staggering 58% of girls regularly wear perfume by age 14, which seems crazy with fragrance one of the top five allergens in existence. “Tweenagers” (children aged between 9 and 16) are increasingly visiting spas and tanning salons, having makeover parties, and having treatments such as waxing, hair dyeing and nail extensions. Hair removal company Nair recently launched a product, Nair Pretty, aimed specifically at this target audience, and other cosmetic companies are cottoning onto the lucrative tween market, which is estimated at £82 billion worldwide. Most of these products contain suspect ingredients, even those formulated for children’s skins which are marked as being “gentle”, “non-irritating” and even dermatologist approved.

There are products available to buy which teens and tweens use, such as hair dyes and shampoos which can contain lead and petroleum by-products, and even placenta, which is added for its deep conditioning properties – however this substance is so chock full of hormones that it has been claimed is responsible for breast growth in toddlers! . But there is hope – apparently girls over 15 listen to their mothers and follow their example, often using the same brands and products they do.

We’re not suggesting that growing children and teenagers shouldn’t be able to experiment with beauty products and express their identities through their appearance – simply that all of us need to pay more attention to the ingredients in the products before slathering our bodies with nasty chemicals.

There are so many wonderful organic skincare products and organic cosmetics available which would be infinitely more suitable for teenagers! The good news is – they are all pure luxury for adults as well, and so you won’t have any trouble setting a good example by using them yourself! Here at buyOrganics we have picked what we feel to be the best of the best:

BUYORGANICS’ TOP RECOMMENDED ORGANIC BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

Lipgloss – Nvey Eco’s Lip Lustre – several colours including a Nude and two shimmers

Lipstick – Green People’s beautiful moisurising lipsticks contain organic coconut, cupuacu and jojoba oil

Foundation – Nvey Eco’s Organic Moisturising Liquid Foundation – perfect for young skin with a dewy finish and 100% organic ingredients

Loose powder – Miessence’s Organic Mineral Foundation Powder – beautiful light reflective powder which contains organic rose essential oil

Mascara – Miessence’s Organic Mascara in Pure Black gives luscious, thick – but toxin-free lashes!

Eyeshadow/Eyeliner – Nvey Eco’s eyeshadow singles and cake eyeliner contain chamomile and antioxidants and come in a range of colours

Blusher/Bronzer – Miessence’s organic mineral bronzing powders and blushers do not clog the pores and give a healthy colour which truly is healthy!

Cleanser – Miessence’s Purifying Facial Cleanser is ideal for teenage skin, soothing oily and problem skin naturally

Toner – Earthbound Organics Orange Blossom Water – wonderfully gentle for oily skin, this toner is simply pure organic orange blossom water!

Moisturiser – Miessence’s Purifying Organic Moisturiser is a light lotion with organic extracts of Echinacea, plantain, calendula, witch hazel, tea tree and lemon myrtle which soothe inflamed complexions without blocking pores

Shampoo/Conditioner – Green People’s range of organic shampoos are perfect for all the family – try their no scent or natural vitamin shampoo and conditioners for healthy hair that shines!

Hair Styling – Miessence’s Shape Natural Organic Styling Gel is great for boys and girls to style wet or dry hair – moisturising and nourishing the hair whilst providing medium hold

Body Wash – Ecosopia’s unscented hand and body wash is ideal for sensitive skins and can be used by all the family.

And especially for teenage boys …. starting to shave can be irritant and stressful to young boy’s skin – the perfect solution is Eselle Organics’ Razzmatazz Shave/Aftershave Oil – which can be used as a pre-shave softener as well as an aftershave treatment. It softens and protects the skin as well as containing healing and soothing properties.

All these organic skincare products are available at www.buyorganics.co.uk

Not only will these organic skincare products be kinder to your growing child’s body and overall health – but the companies producing them are all certified to the highest standards meaning their production and distribution methods are respectful of the environment as well as our own bodies, and are generally not tested on animals, with many containing no animal ingredients.

NVEY ECO ORGANIC MAKEUP – TOP SHADES AS CHOSEN BY TEENAGERS!

The Nvey Eco organic makeup range is perfect for teenagers as it contains no nasty additives, is 100% organic and not tested on animals – all considerations young girls experimenting with makeup for the first time should bear in mind. The top colours and products in this range were chosen by a poll of teenagers as the best for getting the look they wanted – and here they are:

Erase Concealer – Neutral & Medium

Mascara – Black

Cake eyeliner – Black

Lipstick – shades 370, 359 & 365

Eye Shadow – 150, 151, 152,155, 156, 159, 160, 165, 166 & 168

Powder Blush – 953, 955 & 957

Lip Gloss – Nude, Cristal & Amour Rose

Foundations – dependent on their personal colouring but there is a wide range of available shades.

"When it comes to chemicals we know may do harm," says Greenpeace's Mark Strutt, "then, as a parent, why would you chance it?

Although it can seem like a very small decision, one of the most important choices you’ll make is what kind of skin care and hair care products you are going to use on your newborn babies and growing children. Being the start of their life, and having newly arrived from the warmth and security of the womb, an onslaught of harsh skin cleansing agents disguised cleverly with pretty baby perfume is ‘not’ surprisingly the best choice for your little one.

Your decision of picking something branded but full of artificial and synthetic chemicals and perfumes because of enticing Buy One Get One Free Offers or fancy packaging and advertising can greatly affect your child’s health and wellbeing. It may seem like a good idea at the time ‘ what everyone else uses’ or ‘they sell it so it must be fine’, but clinical research shows us that the impact has deeper implications.

The average one-month-old baby is bathed four times and shampooed three times every week, according to University researchers. Yet newborn skin is slow to mature, and the outer layer is highly permeable and sensitive to chemicals. In fact it’s 5 times more permeable than our skin.

"Until they are six months old, infants lack a blood-brain barrier to prevent blood-borne toxins entering the brain: low-level exposures that would have little or no effect on an adult brain can sabotage a foetal one." EWG (WEN)

Most of us assume that the chemicals we put on our babies and children daily, in the form of powders, wipes, lotions or shampoos, have been thoroughly tested and regulated, and are safe for even the smallest bodies. This is technically correct: all the ingredients within any toiletry and cosmetic product are subject to EU regulations and testing. But some toxicologists, and many environmental groups, believe such tests are inadequate.

Your average baby "hygiene" product contains a complex mix of chemicals to make it froth, slide or bubble, as well as various fragrances, preservatives and colours. A current U.S report in clinical paediatrics has revealed that 75% of newborns suffer rashes during the first few months of their birth. Suspected factors contributing to this include the very products that cosmetic and toiletry pharmaceutical companies assure us will soften, clean and moisturise our baby and child’s skin. They say that “Newborn skin is relatively more permeable to topically applied agents than adult skin. Therefore, the risk of systemic toxicity is much greater in newborns.”

Bubble bath, shampoos, baby talc, petroleum jelly, massaging oils and lotions are the most commonly sold baby skincare products

As a Parent we urge you to stop and read the labels of supermarket and chemist baby skin care products. Amongst them you may find a barrage of ingredients such as synthetic fragrances, artificial colours, highly allergenic and irritating preservatives including quaternium 15, imidazolidinyl urea, and Propyl parabens, PEG, Tea, Mea, Phthalates, and Petrochemicals which are also irritants and used in many baby toiletry products. All of these chemicals are absorbed through your babies delicate skin into their pure uncontaminated bodies. Also, most of these chemicals may have been tested on un-suspecting animals and deemed safe, however many may be contaminated with formaldehyde, 1,4 dioxane and nitrosamines ( known carcinogens!) and have multiple uses as plasticisers, or heavy duty cleaning detergent, engine degreasers, car wash detergents and floor cleaners.

Dr Michael Cork, consultant in dermatology at Sheffield Children's Hospital says "some detergents can break down the skin's natural barrier, so that it allows other irritants and allergens - such as house dust mites - to penetrate, and if you took away such factors as harsh shampoos and bubble baths for babies and children, you could prevent vast numbers of children being affected by eczema ".

Dr Vyvyan Howard, a toxicopathologist specialising in foetal and infant growth at the University of Liverpool, says that: "From the day they are conceived, our children are exposed to a soup of chemicals, most of which would not have existed when our grandmothers were in the womb. "There are, he says, around 70,000 chemicals currently in commercial use, with about 1,000 new ones added each year. To test just the commonest 1,000 toxic chemicals in unique combinations of three would require at least 166m experiments, ignoring the need to study varying doses. In other words, we really don't know what all these chemicals may be doing in our children's bodies."

Scientists are concerned that some of these chemicals can "bioaccumulate" (be stored in your child’s body),"Most children have measurable levels of at least 300 groups of chemicals in their bodies, taken in through food, household or garden chemicals, cosmetics and even the air they breathe," Dr Howard says. This process may even start in the womb: "Most of these chemicals cross the placenta or may be passed to the newborn via breast milk." But no one knows for sure if they’re dangerous, but some so- called "gender-bending " chemicals can, it seems, disrupt the human endocrine system (our hormones).As the rates of hormone-dependent cancers (such as breast or prostate) are rising, some toxicologists believe there is a link.

Another recent report has found that Phthalates, that have been linked to adult reproductive problems, especially boys, have been turning up in baby wee! Researchers think that they’re coming from the baby and skin care toiletries used everyday although more research still needs to be done Sheela Sathyanarayana M.D on the study suggests that all mums need to do to avoid this happening is by using a little less toiletry products or switch to artificial fragrance free products, because phthalates are used to stabilize fragrances. No scent often means there is no need for them. Alternatively a natural organic baby skin care product scented with pure therapeutic essential oils will also not require any phthalates. The study also found that higher level of phthalates were more prevalent in younger babies, most likely due to their more delicate skin and overall vulnerability.

Baby massage isn’t the latest craze to hit our fad-hungry society; we’ve known for many years that not only does it help with the all-important mother/baby bond (particularly in cases of post-natal depression for example, where bonding is often one of the biggest issues), but also with many common problems such as colic, reflux, sleep, teething and crying problems. It’s even been proven to be a factor in enhancing brain development and more importantly, in healing conditions such as eczema. A daily massage can be easily incorporated into part of the all-important bath-bed routine or as a regular relaxing diversion during the day to help at naptime, and is often just as rewarding and relaxing for the mum or dad giving the massage.

However what you may not know is that what you use to facilitate the massage is just as important as how you actually do it!

Choosing organic massage oils and baby products is the main way of ensuring your baby isn’t exposed to the many harmful ingredients present in run-of-the-mill baby products. 100% organic products such as Earthbound Organics and Essential Care’s baby massage oils will not only ensure paraben, synthetic chemical and toxin-free products for baby’s precious newborn skin, but also the healing properties of the organic essential oils they contain. Esselle’s Sweet Organic Baby Oil contains Sea Buckthorn oil, which has been used since the 8^th Century in Tibet to treat a range of skin conditions. All these products are available on-line at www.buyorganics.co.uk

One of the reasons baby skin complaints such as eczema and nappy rash are on the rise, is the increased use of allergenic and sensitising ingredients in skin care products and washing detergents, chemicals in disposable nappies plus of course the pesticides present in non-organic cotton clothing which can remain in the fabric even after several washes. A good way to cut down your child’s susceptibility to conditions like eczema and even asthma is to ensure organic clothing and skincare products wherever possible and wash using eco-friendly washing products – which is also better for the environment of course!

So, you’re armed with your organic massage oil, and baby’s wriggling around on a soft, clean (preferably organic cotton!) towel in front of you (on the floor please – not on top of a raised surface – you’ll have to watch your back but it is possible!) what on earth do you do next? Here’s our quick and easy step-by-step guide to baby massage – the simple Six Step I Love You massage…

Pour the organic baby massage oil you’ve chosen onto your palms and rub together to warm both your hands and the oil – you can sing or talk to your baby whilst you do this and look into his eyes to increase that one-to-one bond (and distract him from rolling over before you begin to massage!).

Step One: Use two or three fingers to trace the letter “I” on the right side of his abdomen, starting under his ribs and stopping at the hip, with a firm but gentle pressure.

Step Two: Stroke from left to right across baby’s abdomen forming the long side of a sideways “L”.

Step Three: Use a short downward stroke on the right side of baby’s stomach, completing the “L”.

Step Four: Begin the last letter, an upside down “U” by stroking up from baby’s hipbone on the left side of his tummy.

Step Five: The middle of the “U” is made by moving your fingers along the top of baby’s tummy.

Step Six: Finish the massage with the other side of the “U” with a final downward stroke on baby’s right side.

You can repeat this as often as you like until baby falls asleep, you get arm or back ache, or you’ve both had enough!!

Use the organic massage oil after baby’s bath too to seal in moisture and keep skin smooth and free from dryness and nappy rash. It will also be good for your hands!

Every time I read some media article or personal campaign geared towards saving the Planet, I cringe at the over generalisation! Sometimes I think people are so mislead or mis-communicated too. The real ‘thing’ that needs saving in my opinion is not really the Planet, it’s us the Human Race and life as we know it! Not only will we wipe ourselves out if we carry on as we are, but our wildlife will go before us, if we don’t reverse what we are doing. Time memorial shows us that the Planet has been through cataclysmic change and come through the other side just fine, Mother Earth may have had to wipe out the Dinosaurs or create an Ice Age to get through, but she’s still fine and dandy. The Planet will adjust itself to all the destruction we are causing, either through global warming, changing weather patterns or more natural disasters.

For every action we take there is a reaction, either negative or positive. This is where the issue of Social Responsibility comes in. It is everyone’s responsibility, not just the educated few to help preserve the environment we live in. What I mean by that is the water for drinking and bathing that we take for granted, the heating that keeps us warm in the winter, the energy that transports us by car, plane, train or bus to where we want to go, the weather that allows us to live safely without natural disasters and enjoy a pleasurable outdoor existence, rivers that don’t flood and destroy our homes, beautiful wild habitats and animals for us to marvel at: This is what people are trying to save! Can those of you who say you don’t care about green issues, really not care about these things? Would it bother you if hurricanes and flooding affected your home constantly? Would it bother you if food and water and fuel were too expensive for you to afford? Without your home comforts would you be happy? Until now, this has been a plight suffered by people far away, but it is threatening western suburbia now, so will you still not sit up and take note?

Now more than ever we need a sense of community that extends beyond just our family and friends, but to our KIND. Instead of fighting wars we should be uniting to work together to preserve our environment, not by overpowering nature, but by working with it.

Now it’s not possible for everyone to become completely Green. Unless you resort to living in a hut in the forest with no heating and running water and killing your own food, you really are not doing our environment any favours. We really cannot begin to wipe out the industrial revolution! So lets start by getting REAL! Everyone even me, is a hypocrite in some form or another. We can none of us be perfect, and it’s about time that the Green Perfectionists got off their high horse and actually admitted to the fact that they are not perfect either! I am not and I don’t expect you to be.

It is however important to do what you can as much as you can. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY means you too! Here’s the low down on how everyone can start doing their bit on being a little bit more responsible. It may be simplistic when the problem is in fact much larger, but hey…everyone has to start somewhere.

1. Turn off your computers and lights at work when you leave, if your companies policy is to leave them on, challenge them
2. Recycle everything you can at home and at work
3. Plant at least one tree in your lifetime – more if you can
4. Don’t keep the Tap on when you brush your teeth
5. Put the lights off when you leave a room
6. Switch off plugs when electrical items are not being used.
7. Get a low petrol consumption car, thick curtains, a fuel efficient boiler and home insulation – it’ll be better for your pocket too!
8. Car pool if you can
9. Think about the products you buy, don’t buy the cheapest or the best marketed, buy the ones that have caused as little pain and suffering to animals and the people making them, and as little environmental damage as possible
10. If you are in a business, look at how you can change your product or service to make things better for our future – eg, in your use of resources or materials.
11. Switch to green electricity.
12. Switch to environmentally friendly nappies
13. Don’t get the supermarkets bags for life that are made out of plastic – it’s the same garbage, just with you for longer, get the hemp ones or cloth ones that biodegrade.
14. Don’t buy degradable it’s a scam only buy BIO –Degradable!
15. Swap one or two meals a week to non-meat based – plant based diets are much less intensive and use far less energy, as well as the cruelty aspect. Apparently a vegan driving a 4x4 is still using less energy than a meat-eater who uses only a bicycle!
16. Do continue to have fun and live life to the full
17. If you have a dream fulfil it! Even if it’s something not socially responsible, make sure you make up for it in some other way.
18. If you think you’re doing good, it’s likely that you are.

Now even if you can only start with a few things on the list, it’s a start. Your list maybe totally different. Make your own. Not everything is possible for everyone all the time. But sometimes is better than never at all. We all have to accept the fact that some people will never care, but if you do that counts. You have the time to integrate these things into your life, make it before it’s too late!

Remember a good place to start is to think organic and for that why not try buyOrganics. We are an organic conscious website that sells products such as organic clothing, food, wines, skincare and health care products toiletries and much more.

Spelt Snake Maternity Pillows and Breastfeeding Moons

Pregnancy is a joyous time but can also be physically demanding! As your baby grows, your posture will inevitably change to compensate for the baby’s weight. Getting out of bed, picking things up, doing exercise and getting some sleep all need to be renegotiated. Clever organic pillows can be a world of help, doubling up to snuggle baby in later.

Pillows are a must for support during pregnancy. Organic maternity pillows are versatile and practical without being pumped full of petrochemical synthetic products to keep their shape. The spelt fillings sound and smell naturally therapeutic too. Women used to sleeping on their backs before pregnancy will suddenly find that it’s not such a good idea to lie on their back for long periods as it will restrict blood flow and may end up causing faintness. The best position to be in is on your side (as this increases the blood flow to your placenta) with a pillow or two placed between your knees and another under your bump. Alternatively you can use a sausage shaped organic maternity pillow from Made in Water, which means you only need one pillow to reposition, making it easier to turn over. The Spelt Snake organic Maternity Pillow will also support you whilst sitting in bed when the hollow of your back will need support. The uses don’t stop there, as it can be rolled into a baby nest with a clever lambswool cover on for making a soft a cosy pod for baby to lie in - all in all a very versatile pillow!

Breastfeeding can also put a strain on your back. Without adequate support behind your back and under baby, you can end up unduly hunched over especially if you are tired and feeding through the night. If you are feeding baby lying down in the night the spelt snake organic maternity pillow can be used to prevent baby from rolling off the bed (although it’s not advised for baby to sleep in bed with you, it can be used as a temporary precaution). If you prefer to breastfeed whilst sitting up, then organic pillows such as the moon shaped Lambswool Nursing Pillow will help you to sit up straight whilst feeding, preventing backstrain. The moon shaped pillow is not as bulky as the maternity pillows and shapes around your body easily. By placing baby on the pillow to breastfeed, baby will be raised to meet your breast so you don’t have to hunch.

Back care should continue after pregnancy. Ligaments are more pliable during pregnancy so heavy lifting should be avoided. Toddlers don’t always understand this! Neither do we all have a butler to carry home our shopping! Get toddlers to climb onto a chair or sofa before you pick them up and divide your groceries into even weights for carrying one bag in each hand. If you do need to lift something the ideal lift position is to bend from the knees into a squatting position (without twisting and not from the back) and hold the object being lifted close to you as you then stand and straighten up.

Regular exercise during pregnancy can help you maintain fitness and strengthen back and pelvic muscles ready for childbirth. Gentle swimming, walking, cycling, aqua natal classes, pilates and yoga classes are excellent choices. Yoga and pilates will help calm everyday stresses and strengthen core muscle groups. Yoga especially will help you bond with baby and teaches useful birthing techniques. Try reputable and specifically trained organisations such as Birthlight yoga for classes in your area. With all forms of exercise, make sure your teacher is qualified and has experience.

After pregnancy all these forms of exercises can help get your body back into shape without causing undue strain. It takes time for the body to recover after childbirth, although in Western cultures many women are up and about immediately, usually due to lack of help and support. In Eastern traditions, women are encouraged to let their body heal properly before they take on undue strain. Mothers are also encouraged to eat pure traditional mixes of foods that are considered warming for the body, such as dates, gram flour, raisins, cardamoms and nuts. Cleaning and household chores are handed to other family members, which also avoids unnecessary exposure to chemicals during lactation. Body massage is also considered an important part of healing, whilst gentle yoga helps mother’s body return to full strength.

All products available at www.buyOrganics.co.uk The Organic Lifestyle Store for Shopping as it Should be!

For the deep greenies amongst us it is always great to hear the words “fair trade” and “organic” in everyday conversation and in the media, as it is a clear indication that ethical awareness is becoming more of a mainstream priority. Popping down to the shops for a bag of bananas or clicking on-line for clothing or cosmetics has never been so easy yet so fraught with eco-guilt - despite certifications it is easy to wonder if some producers are simply jumping on the latest green PR bandwagon. Seeing logos on our produce such as the Soil Association and Fair Trade is certainly instrumental in ensuring good practice as well as informing and encouraging even the most cynical consumer to choose fair trade and organic products over their standard counterparts, but it is equally vital for us to know that we are really buying what is best for man and planet.

The organic movement was pioneered over 60 years ago by The Soil Association and the Fairtrade Foundation 18 years ago. Both organizations and their certifications are now seen in everyday use in supermarkets and on mainstream products. Organic farming prohibits the use of certain toxic pesticides and fungicides, and the farming methods themselves are less aggressive in nature for both the land and its workers.
The Fairtrade Foundation is the UK member of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) which has 21 members and has been largely responsible for stopping exploitation of thousands of workers across the globe. Their certification covers small farmers, ensuring they receive a fair price for their produce, as well as workers on larger plantations and factories so they receive decent basic wages and have employee rights, plus health and safety and environmental standards.

Sonia Kalia-Sagoo of organic on-line store www.buyOrganics.co.uk makes the point, “Fair trade is an important concept for ensuring that as human beings, we treat the people who provide us with our goods with the integrity and the treatment they deserve. I believe that organic products also do this as most are grown in line with fair working laws. Organic production however takes fair trade a step further by ensuring that manufacturers, growers and the end user are also released from exposure to chemicals that can injure health. It further stops the unnecessary pollution of ground water and poisoning of animals. By growing and producing products in harmony with man and nature and not against it, integrating fair trade and organic produce should be the primary choice for shoppers globally.”

Workers involved in growing key imported commodities benefit from being certified fair trade, but choosing organic as well ensures they receive a higher standard of health and safety. Non-organic bananas are the second most sprayed crop in the world; cotton the first, with the World Health Organisation estimating over a million deaths every year from cotton pesticide poisoning, and something many people are unaware of as they buy up clothing made from un-organic cotton, which is also less likely to be fairly traded. Another area fast embracing both fair trade and organic principles is cosmetic ingredients such as shea butter and essential oils, where companies are catering more and more for the organic marketplace as well as striving towards fairly traded ingredients, to keep consumers happy about not only what they put into their bodies, but on them as well.

To forge ahead, the only way is surely a strong and positive union of both fair trade and organic movements with common ideals, striving for a world where whatever we put in and on our bodies has only positive implications for ourselves, workers, manufacturers and ultimately the planet.

The last fifty years have seen a massive explosion in the introduction of toxic chemicals into our environment. These chemicals were originally intended to enhance our lifestyles. Why then are we left wondering if instead of enhancing our lives, we have actually been polluting our bodies, our reproductive health, as well as our children's health rather than enhancing it?

Just looking back to my mothers childhood brings home how recent all the synthetic chemical revolution really is. My mother grew up with traditional medicines and home remedies, natural and organic skin care without the need for parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals and such. I myself remember being a teenager and being marketed to that all that stuff was old fashioned and that the new latest products were best for our skin. ! It is to my mother that I now turn again, to learn the secrets of time tested effective recipes to dye my hair, to treat dry skin and go back to a simpler healthier way of living.

The truth is that, today, more than 70,000 synthetic chemicals are used commercially and approximately a thousand more new chemicals are introduced into our environment each year. It's hard to know exactly how many of these chemicals are actually harmful environmental toxins that may damage our general and reproductive health, and the health of our children. This is especially true when we consider the fact that only a handful of these potential environmental toxins have been adequately tested to determine their effect on humans and other forms of life.

The effect of toxins in our environment on men, women and children

Dioxins are a part of a group of 219 chemicals. Exposure to them is a key factor in the development of many cancers and other reproductive health problems such as endometriosis and fertility problems. Reproductive health problems for women seem to be increasing and more prevalent than before. Birth defects in newborns can often be traced to the mother's environment during pregnancy. Our children therefore are left to face enormous health risks because of the toxins that pregnant and pre – pregnant men and women face in their environment. Women and children are not the only ones at risk. Men’s fertility and reproductive health is also greatly at risk due to toxins in our environment.

• The incidence of endometriosis is at almost epidemic proportions in some places. This may be due to exposure of women to ovarian steroids, dioxins and chlorinated phenols. Research is underway to further understand how dioxins act as endocrine disruptors.
• Breast and ovarian cancer rates have increased.
• Women whose work exposes them to solvents experience a higher than normal rate of spontaneous abortion or miscarriage.
• Maternal exposure to toluene (used in glues, coatings, inks, and paint) causes birth defects.
• Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be responsible for a 400 percent increase in ectopic or tubal pregnancies between the years of 1970 and 1987 alone
• Adolescents many times experience a delay in the onset of puberty due to the influence of exposure to environmental toxins.
• Men have experienced a 50 percent reduction in sperm count during the last fifty years.
• Studies of the umbilical cords of newborns revealed the presence of approximately 100 synthetic chemicals.
• Heart palpitations, insomnia, night sweats, and hormonal imbalances are signs of exposure to environmental toxins.
• Excessive fatigue and other unexplained flu-like symptoms can be triggered by toxic chemicals in our environment.
• People who are prone to headaches may find the root of their headaches is exposure to toxic chemicals.
• Unusual skin rashes, swollen glands, digestive problems, nausea, and diarrhoea may be related to toxic poisoning.
• The incidence of illness with symptoms of muscle and joint pain such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia) has increased.
• Several chemicals contribute to the development of heart disease.
• Irritability, aggression, learning disabilities, and behaviour disorders occur at alarming rates and may be related to chemical exposure during pregnancy, as well as after birth.
• Impaired memory and concentration, auditory and visual perception, in some cases, is linked to excessive exposure to toxic chemicals.
• Onset of allergies, asthma, food, chemical, and noise intolerance can be traced to acute or chronic exposure to poisons.
• A child complaining of stinging pain in their stomach is often a complaint due to exposure to environmental toxins.
• General increase of the symptoms of any existing conditions could be related to toxic exposures.

The Unavoidable Truth

Environmental toxins are present in our lives everyday in a variety of ways that depend on several factors; where we live and our everyday exposure to toxic landfills, overhead power cables, and noxious air from incineration plants. They are in the air you breathe, the food you eat, water, buildings, pesticides, and consumer products such as skin care and household cleaning products. They are also the by products of industry such as the incineration of municipal, medical, and industrial waste; chlorine-bleaching processes for paper; pesticide production; metal smelting methods; and the manufacture of other household and industrial chemicals.
Plastics contain xenoestrogens which can have devastating effects on your body's oestrogen receptors. Plastic containers, plastic food wrap, plastic soda bottles, and other plastics such as Styrofoam and vinyl products, can release chemical toxins into your food merely by the fact that the plastic has touched the food, or by microwaving in containers that have not been produced to withstand the extreme heat of a microwave oven. Never reuse butter or margarine containers, or containers that other foods such as non-dairy whipped toppings come in to microwave foods. These containers are not manufactured to withstand the high heats of microwaving. Microwaving in such containers causes a chemical breakdown and releases toxic chemicals into your food.

How Can you Protect Yourself?

Not everyone responds to each of these chemicals in the same way. Various factors play a key role in determining who is adversely affected, and which of us are not susceptible to the consequences caused by environmental toxins. These factors include age, gender, our location, and the overall state of our health. A few guidelines to follow are:
• Limit your exposure to toxic chemicals by knowing what is in the products you buy for yourself and family. Avoid products with phthalates, parabens, petrochemicals, triclosan, phenols, dioxins and such. Read up more on what to avoid at buyOrganics quick info page on organic skin care
• Buy organic fruits and vegetables, meats, and dairy products as much as possible.
• Limit your use of products (toilet paper, tampons, and other paper products) which have been through a chlorine process to whiten the product. Use non chlorine bleached where possible. Use Natracare sanitary products as available from buyOrganics which are intimately closer to your skin and hence safer.
• Limit your exposure to plastic products.
• Use organic pesticides and encourage your neighbours to do the same.
• Use toxin free products in your home, such as environmentally friendly non toxic cleaning products such as Ecover, Method, Bio-d etc
• Use organic skincare and body care products wherever possible such as Spiezia, Miessence, Green People, Earthbound, Eselle, Ecosoapia and Essential Care, all of which are available at buyOrganics
• Switch to an organic underarm deodorant.
• The above is especially true if you are pregnant or planning on starting a family.
• Fit a good quality whole house water filter in your home
• Buy natural home furnishings rather than chipboards and nylon carpets which may contain an array of chemicals that we are not even aware of.
• When decorating use low solvent paints such as Auro paints available at buyOrganics
• When buying a mattress, consider buying an organic mattress by Abaca or Prolana, which will instantly remove your exposure to harmful chemicals exposed to when you and your children are sleeping. These are also available at buyOrganics
• Empty out your makeup bag and throw away all your old makeup. Red lipsticks may contain lead and some mascara has been found to contain mercury. Switch to organic brands such as Miessence sold by buyOrganics and approved by www.safecosmetics.co.uk . Or Nvey Eco, buyOrganics latest brand is a professional range of makeup equivalent to top high street brands.

Find out what environmental hazardous waste producers operate in your area. If you feel that the amount of hazardous waste exposure in your area is unacceptable, take action by writing to your local mp and demanding that the practice of releasing hazardous wastes into your environment stop.
buyOrganics stock a wide range of safe personal care products such as organic skin care and body care, non toxic underarm deodorant, Natracare products, and organic cotton clothing and maternity wear that means that the most intimate layers next to your body and your children’s bodies are safe.

www.buyOrganics.co.uk. The Organic Lifestyle Store

Bees create Propolis by collecting a resinous sap from trees. Certain trees, such as poplar, willow, horse chestnut and birch, exude a sap which has antibiotic qualities to protect that tree from infection. Bees gather this sap, remetabolized it with their own nectar secretions, and took it back to the hive.

Many scientists believe a hive to be more sterile and free from bacteria than a modern hospital. The tree antibiotic became a bee antibiotic and was hence named 'Propolis' by the ancient Greeks. Translated, Propolis means 'before the city', or 'a defense'. It is an exceedingly complex mixture containing a rich variety of vitamins, minerals and enzymes, as well as potent terpenes, benzoic, caffeic, cinnamic and phenolic acids, whilst also being high in flavonids. It is believed that the flavonoids contained in Propolis block the release of histamine by means of cell membrane lipid stabilization. This creates inner immunity against many illnesses.

Much research has been carried out into its use and benefits. Most significantly it has been linked to the prevention of colon cancer and use as a natural antibiotic. Professor S. Scheller, the head of a team of four doctors at the Institute for Microbiology at the Medical Academy in Poland found that Propolis is able to stimulate the immune system. It stimulates the formation of antibodies to build body resistance to many diseases. It also helps the body in releasing substance against cellular deterioration. He also concluded that other Propolis health benefits may include improved physical, intellectual and sexual performance and makes injured tissue heal faster. The study also concluded that Propolis is non toxic. The evidence that it heals injured tissue faster can be seen directly in the treatment of burns. Research has shown that it effectively reduces inflammation, stimulates enzyme systems, cell metabolism, circulation, collagen formation and improved healing.

Another amazing quality of Propolis is that it can also fight against viruses such as upper respiratory infections caused by the common cold and influenza viruses (Focht J, Arzneimittel-Forschung, Aug. 1993; 43:921-3) which antibiotics cannot. It has also been successfully used to increase fertility in women, as a potential cancer drug, in dental care, liver protection and reduction of bowel problems.

Natural Propolis has been used for centuries. Evidence dates as far back as the ancient Egyptians using it internally and externally as an antibiotic, antiviral and antiseptic formula to bring relief for many skin and body ailments. Spiezia have harnessed this natural formula and created Organic Propolis Ointment which is available at buyOrganics to provide relief for cracked skin, spots, skin rashes, sever eczema, boils and other skin problems.

www.buyOrganics.co.uk - The Organic Lifestyle store for everything

As buyOrganics adds Eselle Organics, the latest Soil Association certified men’s skin care line to its on-line store, Sonia Kalia-Sagoo examines the serious issues behind the surge in interest in organic skin care for men. Firstly, contrary to popular belief, organic skin care is not about men who like to wear cream, hug trees or eat quiche…. You shave don’t you? You wash your hair and use deodorant (hopefully!). What about hair gel and aftershave? Then this article is for you … read on!

From toothpaste to skin creams, shaving foams, deodorants and hair gels, right through to hair dyes, aftershaves and shampoos, men are putting more and more different products onto and into their bodies on a daily basis. Whilst the average woman uses 12 different toiletry products per day, applying over 175 chemical compounds to her body, the average man applies a little less than this, but with men’s skincare a rapidly growing market, they are fast catching up with some men using a great deal more.

Whilst anti-smoking remedies such as nicotine patches flag up the fact that 60 per cent of what we put onto our skin is absorbed into our bloodstreams, the connection between this and the slathering of face, hair and body with lotions and potions on a daily basis seems to go unheeded. According to US action lobby the Environmental Working Group (EWG), there are ten particularly toxic substances found in skin care products which should be avoided at all costs. Whilst legislation is a little tighter in the EU, with on-line shopping booming, these days international boundaries are no barrier to people obtaining products from overseas, meaning that men can be exposed to suspect ingredients in their favourite products without being aware. Studies have shown that harmful ingredients in everyday products can cause cancers, affect fertility and certain “gender bending” toxins can affect hormones and have even been linked to feminisation of baby boys eg. breast growth. For the record, the ten ingredients you really should avoid are: Placenta (used in some specialized conditioners), Mercury, Lead (one of the ingredients in men’s hair colouring range Grecian for example), fragrance (yes! you may smell nice but fragrance one of the top five allergens in the world and really worth avoiding unless you pick unfragranced or organic products which contain essential oils instead), animal parts (shaving creams can contain tallow, which when sourced from mink and emu can be particularly hazardous, not to mention stomach-turning), hydroquinine (a skin lightening chemical), nanoparticles (increasingly added to suncreams and skincare products, both of which are used by men), phthalates (widely used in fragranced products and of particular concern to men, as phthalates have been intimated in sperm damage and hormone problems in males), and last but certainly not least, petroleum products including petroleum waste (coal tar), often used in scalp treatments such as anti-dandruff shampoos – which are targeted towards men.

But guys, don’t worry – you don’t have to look forward to a lifetime of scraggly hair, bushy beards and dodgy skin – help is at hand! Organic men’s grooming and personal care products are the ideal solution – not just for the male skin but also the environment, as organic ingredients are grown, harvested and produced with respect for nature and without pesticides, fertilizers or genetic modification. More and more brands are becoming available – such as Miessence, Spiezia, Earthbound Organics, EcoSopia, Green People and a new totally organic and paraben-free range of specialist products just for men, Eyre Biobotanics – all of which have been carefully chosen for specialist UK organic on-line store buyOrganics (www.buyorganics.co.uk). Recent additions to this store, Eselle Organics and Raw Gaia, both use only organically grown ingredients – which may sound a bit of a faff but honestly are made from cold pressed techniques which maintain the high antioxidant levels of the raw ingredients that make your skin and hair healthy from the inside out but not have any adverse affects which other man-made chemicals are suspected of.

Natural and organic creams and oils in men’s skin care ranges are particularly important in shaving and aftershave products, as they can dramatically help reduce the traumas often associated with shaving, such as rashes, nicks and ingrown hairs. For example, Miessence includes aloe vera, safflower and guar in their shaving range; Eyre Biobotanics uses lemon myrtle which protects against razor burn. Using a balm rather than an astringent after shaving is highly recommended – not just because of the toxic ingredients found in regular splash-ons, but because an organic balm will soothe an refresh rather than sting and cause inflammation. Miessence’s after shave balm contains organic witch hazel and chamomile, naturally soothing and without any hidden toxins.

Organic men’s skin care products certainly have the ingredients to do a better job than their non-organic counterparts, which is great news for men’s bodies inside and outside – and the ranges available are packaged just as attractively for a male audience – meaning they are a welcome addition to any man’s bathroom shelf, not just for his skin and well-being, but the environment as a whole.

www.buyorganics.co.uk - Think Organic...buyOrganics. The Organic Lifestyle Store.