When you consider how absorbent our skin is, it's hard to believe the old adage that beauty is only skin deep. Pick up your favorite product and look at the ingredient list. Chances are you can't pronounce most of what's listed and certainly don't know what they are so are you sure you want to put that on your skin? In small doses, all chemicals found in beauty products are non-toxic but when you consider how much lotion you use every year, it's hard to be sure those chemicals are still safe. Stop worrying and follow these 5 tips for healthier and eco-friendly skin care methods.
- Healthy Skin Starts from Within
Before putting any creams, concealer, moisturizers, or potions on your skin, consider what you're eating and how that contributes to your skin problems. Drink plenty of water to keep flushing toxins out so they don't end up in your skin. Eat a diet with lots of fruits and protein-packed vegetables. The healthy fats, like the omega-3 or flaxseed oil, help your skin retain the right amount of water and will keep your skin glowing. Exercising should also be a part of your daily skin regimen as it keeps blood circulating and will help flush extra toxins in your sweat. Nothing will slow the aging process like a healthy diet.
- Choose Organic Products
Organic products are made with ingredients that were grown and produced without dangerous fertilizers and pesticides. Even those products that claim to be "all natural" can contain all kinds of toxins because there are no regulations from the FDA when it comes to labeling products with words like "all natural" and "natural." So when shopping for your grooming products, the safest bet is organic products.
- Keep It Simple
Once you have found your favorite organic products, leave your skincare regimen to the basics: a cleanser, a moisturizer, a toner, and a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Any additional products are superfluous as many of them contain the exact same ingredients as your basics. Plus, if you're eating healthy and exercising, your body will be doing the job way better than any eye cream, anti-aging serum or facemask can.
- Pay Attention to Packaging
The way your creams are packaged matters as certain materials can leach dangerous chemicals into your products. As most products are contained in plastic, pay attention to which kind of plastic is used for your products. The most common and safe types are the ones with recycling codes #1 (polyethylene terephthalate) and #2 (high-density polyethylene). These plastics are also the most widely accepted by recycling companies. Glass is the safest bet since glass has no danger of leaching any chemicals and is fully recyclable.
- Avoid Fragrances
Thanks to a loophole in the law, the FDA doesn't require companies to divulge exactly what chemicals are used to produce their artificial fragrances and parfums. These fake fragrances can cause allergies and other reactions. The easiest way to avoid any hidden toxic chemicals is to stick with fragrance-free products. And if you just can't stand the thought of using lotion with no scent, add your own using your favorite essential oils.
There are so many options for eco-friendly skin care, from organic lotions to skin tag removal, there's no reason to put your body at further risk using anything else. Follow these tips and your skin, and the environment, will thank you!
Going green these days has almost become a cliché. But it is a trend worth paying attention to since it moves us toward helping our planet, and ourselves, get healthy again. Just like the planet, our bodies require some help to be its healthiest. Going green takes adjustment so why not get the whole family involved? Going green together will create ways to bond and gives each member extra support in their efforts.
One way the whole family can practice greener methods while also vastly improving health, is committing to using alternative transportation when possible. If you live close enough, have the kids ride their bikes or walk to school. Accompany them if your schedule allows and you'll get some exercise and family bonding time in before you've fully digested your breakfast. On weekends, you can promote activities that don't require driving anywhere. Ride bikes to a local movie theater, walk to a nearby park for a picnic or take the bus to a museum together.
If you have the capacity and time, start a family garden in your yard. Not only will you be producing healthier, cleaner produce for the family to eat, the whole family will learn valuable lessons aside from gardening. You'll get to spend time together maintaining the garden. To make your garden as healthy as possible, start with composting your leftover, appropriate food material. You'll cut down on your trash by as much as 30% and could help save water and save money on watering bills if you use your composted soil in your garden. It maintains moisture better and infuses all its vitamins and minerals directly into what you're growing. You'll be amazed at the differences you notice when eating foods rich in nutrients. The planet can never have enough gardens and humans can never have enough vegetables.
If you don't have the room or time to have a vegetable garden, consider adding some house plants for the family to take care of. It's been proven that taking time out of the week to focus on plants improves mental health. House plants purify the air and create more oxygen so even the air you breathe will be healthier with some house plants around.
Or simply start planning weekly meals using only organic and naturally-produced local food. Your health and the planet's health will both benefit if you eat locally and organically. Make it a game with your family to see who can create the best meals with what's available in your area and season.
If your family is healthier than ever using these and other tips, you may find that other needs in your life won't seem as important. You may realize you're paying ridiculous insurance rates to protect a wholly healthy family. You can probably think of a thousand different ways you could spend a portion of the money currently devoted to insurance rates. You can always look into new insurance options. With all the information available online, you can get quotes, find information and see insurance rates. You'll even find that you get a temporary health insurance quote if year-round insurance isn't affordable.
Keeping your family healthy is a top priority so why not get the whole family involved? Once everyone sees the difference in their own bodies, you could start making your house more eco-friendly together. Make a pact to reduce water, electric, and trash waste. You'll feel better all around and so will the planet.
Do you remember when organic food first made its way into the mass media? In no time, the word was mass-marketed and it seemed like virtually every aisle in the grocery store had something on it that said "organic". Surely not everything is organic simply because a label says that it is. And yet, companies are about making money and so if they think that we'll believe it enough to buy it, then "organic" is exactly what they will call it.
Keeping with that train of thought, what's currently getting more and more headline attention is "greenwashing". If you're not super familiar with the term, it basically means that what is considered to be an environmentally beneficial idea (green) is now being manipulated to pursue a capitalistic agenda (i.e., whitewashing).
Just this week, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance accused WalMart of committing greenwashing crimes citing that they have been doing things "in the name of green" to improve their reputation rather than to actually better the environment. They cited this based upon the fact that only two percent of their energy resources come from solar power and continually they donate large amounts of money to political candidates that have the environment on the bottom of their priority list.
WalMart is just one of the many companies that are coming under fire (Coke and Fritos have recently been catching some heat too). Matter of fact, it's becoming such a hot topic that there are more people referencing the information provided on SinsofGreenwashing.org.
According to the website, the top seven "sins" of the "greenwashing movement" are: claiming a product is green based on limited attributes; claiming a product is environmentally-friendly without a substantiated proof; ill-defining the purpose of a product; claiming a product to have an endorsement that doesn't verifiably exist; making a claim that is either irrelevant or not helpful; promoting "oxymoron" products (like a fuel-efficient utility vehicle), and products that simply lied when it came to their environmental claims, but the majority of individuals did not seek to do any research on before purchasing the product.
These kinds of allegations are not just being treated as FYIs, either. Several lawsuits are coming to light as the result of how greenwashing has kept a lot of people in the dark. Recently, the California Attorney General filed a claim against a water bottler that claimed their product was both biodegradable and recyclable when it actually wasn't and another water bottle case in California was filed, not because of the bottle itself, but the manufacturing process that it went through.
One of the major concerns in relationship to how greenwashing will potentially affect the masses is that if people are purchasing green products that aren't really green, can you imagine the amount of lawsuit claims that could present itself as a direct result? Some may be filed due to simple disappointment or personal inconvenience, but when it comes to products that are consumed, there could even be a Chicago personal injury law firm (or two) that could be filing based on the behalf of how greenwashing has effected a person's personal health. Or how about businesses which think they are purchasing environmentally-friendly items when they actually aren't? They could file a claim based on their electricity bills (that were supposed to be lower due to energy efficient products) or even foundational issues.
Greenwashing may not be a super-familiar phrase yet, but as more of us are being "green aware", it's just a matter of time. Therefore, businesses, be careful and buyers, beware.
If you are an eco-friendly individual with an undying love for Mother Earth, not only can you show her how much you care, but you can also show that special someone in your life how much you care too! With the following green dating tips, it’s easy to get on the path of building a meaningful relationship with your partner while saving the planet at the same time:
#1: Get a green date: If you are a single tree hugger scouring the forest for something other than an evergreen to wrap your arms around, it can be tough to find just what you’re looking for—especially when you narrow it down to looking for someone who is as gun-ho about green-living as you are. Lucky for you, though, we live in an age that is run by the internet—and online dating is becoming more popular than ever. Sites like Green Singles, Planet Earth Singles, and Green Passions are just a few online dating sites that cater specifically to green folks like yourself.
#2: Dress green to impress. There’s no doubt that you want to look good for your date or your other half…and if you are trying to wow the organic apple of your eye with your eco-savvy lifestyle, then you better make sure the threads and accessories you wear reflect it. Select clothing that is made of sustainable fabrics, organic fibers, or even purchased from vintage shops in your area.
#3: Plan green dates. Hitting up the town for a hot date doesn’t mean that you have to leave behind a massive carbon footprint in your wake. Make dating green (and fun!) by tossing out the keys to your fume-expending, ozone-depleting gas guzzler and opt instead to walk, run, bike or use public transportation to reach your romantic destination. Here are a few green date ideas to get you and your partner started:
- Wine and dine green. Going out to dinner is always a standard date option; but one way to mix up such a traditional plan is by putting a green spin on it! Many restaurants are jumping on the green train and serving up organic dishes and food that is grown locally. And not only can you eat green at these venues, but you can also drink green by washing down your delicious meal with organic wine and beer!
- Volunteer together. Check out local charities that are looking for volunteers like you to assist them in their earth-saving efforts. Donating your time to an organization meaningful to you is a great way to make a difference…and doing it with your partner will also strengthen the bond you share through teamwork.
- Be outdoorsy. What better way to go green as a couple than to go outside and marvel in the wonders of our majestic planet? Plan a picnic, shop the farmer’s market, plant a garden, go for a hike, take up biking or hit the slopes skiing—you get the idea here…the possibilities are endless for outdoor dates!
#4: Get green and get close. Adding a little romance to your relationship can be done quite easily for the green couple. You don’t have to always go out on dates—sometimes the most special and intimate memories can be made at home! Next time you’re in the mood to show your partner some serious green lovin’, save energy by turning off the lights, firing up a few candles and fixing a meal prepared with ingredients from your own garden. After dinner, shower together to save water and climb into a bed that is made of bamboo or organic cotton sheets. And don’t forget the power of natural aphrodisiacs (chocolate, tomatoes and avocadoes are proven to get you in the mood—just make sure they are locally sourced!) and organic massage oils to really spice things up!
#5: Give green tokens of affection. Gift giving in relationships can be extremely stressful—you don’t know what size your partner wears, if they already own the gift, or if they will try to return it later. So save yourself the worry and do your part to save the earth by giving green gifts! Show your date that romance isn’t dead and green gestures aren’t either by presenting them with organic flowers that were grown locally. And if you’re the creative type, give home-made gifts. When you make something with the resources you have at home, not only is the present much more meaningful, but it is much kinder on the planet (not to mention your wallet) than anything you can purchase at the store.
Sabrina Jackson is a guest post contributor who shares with us her tips for having a green relationship. In addition, Sabrina also owns Best Free Dating Sites where she shares her insight on how to date successfully on the internet.
There are many types of diet plans followed by people for particular reason. Those reasons may be weight loss, weight gain, muscle gain, flat belly etc. some of diet plans available are low carbohydrate plan, vegetarian plan, low Gi plan, detox plan, premier plan, flat belly plan. Each plan comes with its own benefits. The premier diet plan can deliver constant energy with fat burning foods. In vegetarian plan, one can get natural recipes along with rich nutrients like proteins, minerals and more. In low carbohydrate diet plan, one can maintain muscle and also balanced carbohydrate content. The low Gi plan relegates the craving towards food items. Mediterranean diet plan is able to reduce the weight in short period of time. All types of meal plans have their own way of improving health and also their own way of functioning.
Even there are many restrictions in the recipes vegan; there are still many food items available to complete the vegan recipes as a healthy diet meal plan. The source for cheap vegetables and fruits is the supermarket. Here, you can find all the types of vegetables and fruits what are you looking for. The major benefit in supermarket is that you have variety of options to choose from. Also you can try new healthy dishes with vegetables that you have not tried yet.
The next place to get fresh fruits and vegetables is the farmer’s market. In this market, you can get all fruits and vegetables directly from the farm. You can also make healthy juices using fruits.
There are various benefits you can get from recipes vegan. The first one is the healthy body. With vegetarian diet meal plan, the risk of disease will be lessened and also you can have a strong and immune body. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients that are must factors for body to be healthy. Some vegetables are rich in fiber content. The main function of fiber is to clean the body toxins. Therefore, fiber rich content is also important for the body. Many people follow vegetarian diet plans because this meal plan reduces the overweight and also lessens the fat content in the body. This is because; the contents in this plan are of less calories and rich in fiber. Also the components of this vegetarian plan have fresh fruits and vegetable which are rich in Omega 3. Omega 3 is very essential for heart.
Along with proper diet and regular exercise, you can easily achieve a slim body. You can do a little research in internet to find the various recipes and food items that can keep your body healthy and free from diseases. You can also read health related magazines which are helpful to find the useful tips to be used in your diet plan. Also there is a major advantage in vegetarian meal plan is that fresh fruits and vegetables are cheaper than the meat. Also fruits and vegetables are fresh and natural. You can also save a lot of money in buying these fruits and vegetables.
