Gratitude

As a mindfulness practice each day, I like to stop and think about things that I am grateful for. I would sincerely recommend this as a great way to cultivate a positive state of mind or as I hear the term used “abundance thinking”.
The quote from my fav guru says it all,

“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
- Lao Tzu

I often feel grateful for the work that I do, to make healthy, effective environmentally responsible products that really help people is what I have always wanted to do with my life, really I could think of nothing better.  All sounds peachy right? So here is the truth… there are often parts of running a business that aren’t so much fun like paying bills/accounting and the myriad of forms/documents and decisions that need attention.

One rainy Spring afternoon I found myself particularly consumed with a larger than usual amount of these tasks,  looking for a diversion I went to get the mail.  Lo and behold we received a hand written letter from someone that had used our SHO Natural Bio Active Skin Healing Ointment. It completely made my day,  so much so I wrote a letter back with the free sample of the SHO Skin Healing Ointment.

We often receive emails from customers with praise for our products for which we are extremely appreciative, this one I received back in May I wanted to share.

“Dear Sir/Madam

From an article in the Toronto Star, I obtained SHO Skin Healing               Ointment- Thera Wise.
I have never found as good a cream in 90+ years or trying.
This was a gift and I would appreciate knowing where I can purchase
more in Markham Ontario.

Congrats and Thanks.

Truly,” 

Zinc Oxide, Titanium Oxide and Safe Sun Exposure

Recently we had an opportunity to discuss a bit about the the safety of “Zinc Oxide” and “Titanium Dioxide” in sunscreen at #ecowed twitter party hosted by @SmartMama.

As @Smartmama says, we completely agree with her “Tips for sun safety – to wear light clothing, hats, make or use of shade and to plan your day around the sun.”

We feel it is really important to mention the importance of increasing vitamin D levels through safe (gradual) sun expose. Sunshine is good for you!  More and more research in being presented on the benefits of vitamin D and in fact it is estimated that you can prevent as many as 16 types of cancers by having sufficient vitamin D in your body (i.e. pancreatic, breast, lung, prostate and colon cancers). Interesting to note that receptors that respond to vitamin D have been found in almost every cell in the body. I am seriously concerned when I see mothers apply sunscreen/sunblock if they see that their child is going to be out in the sun for any length of time, I truly believe this practice is doing much more harm than good. At the beginning of the season limit sun exposure to 5-10minutes a day and gradually increase the time so that in a few weeks an individual can experience normal sun exposure without concern of burning or doing damage to the skin.

If you have to use a sunscreen, “non-nano” or “non-micronized” zinc oxide seems to be the next best option available although not without some risk.

Most of the zinc oxide in sunscreens have been micronized or developed into nano particles with a width of 7-15 nano which poses a serious problem to your health and the environment.  At this size especially the zinc oxide can cross to the blood brain barrier leaving plaques in the brain/body that will never metabolize. Even worse are the zinc oxide nano particles can enter any part of the body, including the lungs and nervous system, which can cause not only irritation and rashes, but worse consequences such as DNA damage to the cells.

My other concerns with zinc oxide is that is does not allow the skin to breathe (blocks pores) or eliminate toxins etc (especially non nano /micronized).  It is sticky and cakes on like a geisha’s makeup albeit proteting you from the sun but is ultimately unhealthy to have this substance on your skin all the time, all day.

Even though it is wise to avoid the chemical sunscreens (methoxycinnamate, padimate o, oxybenzone, avobenzone etc.), mineral physical sunscreens have been found to generate free radicals when exposed to sunlight, which then can attack the nuclei of your skin cells and cause mutations (skin cancer) just like the chemical sunscreens.

There is a book available called “Sunscreen Photobiology: Molecular, Cellular and Physiological Aspects” which describes;

“Illumination of titanium dioxide suspensions with sunlight can degrade organic materials and purify drinking water, while illumination with short wave UV kills human cells. This work shows that the distinction between ‘chemical’ sunscreens and ‘physical’ sunscreens, attractive though it may be to those who market them, is not based on any significant difference. Both varieties have the potential to produce reactive species that can attack biological materials (human skin cells) when they are exposed to normal sunlight… What is established is that particles of titanium dioxide as large as 220 nm can enter human cells in culture, and so it seems entirely plausible that if titanium dioxide does pass through skin it could enter cells under the skin (carrying with it the absorbed UVA and UVB radiation and hydroxyl radicals).”

Another source from “Cosmetics Trade Journal” states,

“Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are commonly used in drug and cosmetic products. Contrary to belief, Sayre and co-workers (Cosmetics & Toileteries Oct. 2000, 75) have shown that these physical sunscreens are not photochemically inactive. Although adequate coating can reduce the risk, an increase in the destruction of photolabile skin lipids is not desirable. The photo-peroxidation of unsaturated skin lipids may result in perturbation of the lipid environment of viable cell layers and degrade skin surface lipids. “

Zinc Oxide is also widely used in mineral make up and baby diaper creams, really everyone needs to investigate this further.

What makes this even more concerning is that there is no law requiring companies to disclose the use of nano particles in personal care making making it a use at your own risk proposition.  Canada is still looking to catch up on the technology while the EU has already implemented strict rules for its use in personal care (coming 2013) – As usual the US FDA is the wild West of regulatory safely catering to corporate requests. In the US Nano particles are prohibited in Soil Association certified products, but are yet to be prohibited by the USDA National Organic Program.

Currently, non-nano/micronized zinc oxide with the plant based base formulation is the safest option in sunscreens. However I would strongly recommend to use only a moderate amount if really needed especially considering some of the risk factors.

Another interesting option is the oral supplement astaxanthin which is a potent antioxidant that when taken can allow you to stay in the sun longer without burning.

Anatomy of a Diaper Ointment

Oh no! you have noticed your precious little one has an angry red rash around the diaper area.

Usually called diaper rash or diaper dermatitis it is inflammation of the skin surrounding the diaper area. As common as it is there seems to be very little progressive thought and consideration to properly treating this. Here is the problem, water strips the hydro-lipid (sebum) layer of the skin, the very needed fatty acid composition that keeps your skin soft and supple and protects the outer layer (epidermis) from the environment. To compound this urine and feces are irritants to the skin especially if left on for any length of time.
Leave a wet diaper for part of the night or an hour during the day and you have the perfect recipe for irritation and discomfort.

What is the best solution? let your child go diaper free especially in the Spring/Summer, get some sunshine (moderate amount) and fresh air on that bottom.

What not to do? Gloop on an occlusive (heavy barrier forming and or pore clogging) ointments containing petrolatum, paraffin, beeswax, zinc oxide, mineral oil, propylene glycol ect.
Why you ask? This area needs to dry and rejuvenate, using the above only traps wetness and like water strips the hydro-lipid layer of the skin further compromising it.

“But it feels so smooth after I put it on (mineral oil, propylene glycol dimethicone (fine particle silicone) ect).”
Yes is does feel smooth, but you are only compounding the problem further, the same situation would apply for face creams with petrochemical bases – it feels good looks smooth but ages you more than you know and requires you to apply more and more to keep up the facade.

I mentioned this previously in my post on baby oil and thought it good to repeat again.
“A baby’s skin is very porous because it has not developed to the same extent the hard outer keratinized thorny layer of the skin called the epidermis (this accounts for that amazing soft skin that babies have). The epidermis is the part of the skin that helps prevent materials from entering through to the dermis (deep layer of the skin) and into the blood stream. Babies actually have the same number of pores as adults, just condensed to a much smaller surface area.”

So what is the solution apart from having a full time nudist baby? Ointments that moisturize but that do not trap moisture on the surface of the skin, ointments that do not clog the skins pores leaving a greasy feeling and ointments that use soothing plant based extracts and emollients that soothe and protect delicate skin and reduce inflammation.

What to look for in an ointment?

• Calendula
• Olive oil and olive wax – cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate – they are bio-compatible with the skin (being the most similar to the fatty acid composition of the skin).
• Chamomile
• Almond Oil (caution with nut allergies)
• Tamanu Oil (caution with nut allergies)
• Argan oil (possible caution with nut allergies)
• Aloe vera
• Burdock root
• Small amounts of Tea Tree and Lavender essential oil
• Plantain leaf extract
• Checkweed extract
• Seabuckthorn berry oil

I would really recommend you to try our Thera Wise Natural Baby Diaper Ointment. You will see noticeable results overnight.
It is very soothing and is a quick dry, non-greasy, alcohol, petrochemical and paraben free formulation.

Profound simplicity and Lao Tzu

Whenever I get asked the silly question if you could have any one over for dinner dead or alive who would it be I can’t help thinking about Lao Tzu. A Chinese philosopher whose real name no one knows and who lived sometime between 300 and 600 BC. Lao-tzu advocated a life of simplicity, naturalness, and non-interference with the course of natural events in order to attain a harmonious life. If he actually did exist he was certainly an enlightened individual.

I came across this brilliant quote this week.

“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.” -Lao Tzu

Yikes! Temporary Tattoos

My 3 year old daughter loves face painting and temporary tattoos.

As the opportunities to have either of these are infrequent, I would turn a blind eye as I sometimes do with candy or other unhealthy snacks that she manages to acquire while playing with friends.

It wasn’t until we were celebrating Canada Day in Vancouver when we received a small Canadian flag temporary tattoo (sponsored by McDonald’s). I am actually very grateful that McDonald’s chose to list the ingredients in the temporary tattoo as most do not.  Well needless to say I am not ‘lovin it’ as the slogan goes.  I should have known better but here goes the list of ingredients:

Vinyl Acetate, Butyl Acrylate, Methacrylic Acid Polymer, Propylene Glycol, Petrolatum, Linseed Oil Soybean Oil, Mineral Oil, Iron Oxides (CL77499), Blue #1, Aluminium Lake ( CL42090-2) Yellow #5, Aluminium Lake (19140:1) Yellow #6,  Aluminium Lake ( 15985:1), Red #7 Calcium Lake (CL 15850:1) , Titanium Dioxide.

As we now know, just because it says ‘non toxic’ or ‘FDA approved’ does not mean that these materials are safe to place on the skin especially as is the case with colourants.  For reference the lake pigments are colours bound to an insoluble metallic salt, in this case aluminium oxide. Many colourants are suspected of being carcinogens, teratogens (pass through placenta into an unborn child) or toxins. The colourant with the highest level of concern are the D&C listed ones meaning they can be used in drugs and cosmetics but not food. It is especially recommended to avoid Blue Aluminium Lake 1 and 2, Red No. 19, Aluminium Lake dies in general, Zirconium Lake and Yellow No. 8.

Lastly The Environmental Working Groups (EWG) Cosmetic Data Base has done a nice job of outlining the hazards and toxicity concerns of  the most concentrated ingredient in the temporary tattoo – vinyl acetate -

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient/724822/VINYL_ACETATE/

Strange tastes after brushing your teeth

Why does some food and drink taste bad after brushing your teeth? 

The main culprit here is a foaming and wetting agent found in most conventional toothpastes called sodium laureth sulfate, also known as sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). SLS has the ability to inhibit the receptors that detect sweet tasting compounds.

Additionally SLS can break up the phospholipids of fatty substances on the tongue that keep bitter tastes from being too overpowering. When these phospholidids are broken down by the SLS, bitter tastes become enhanced. This is why when drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth you are likely only tasting the bitter citric acid or citrus bioflavanoids until the SLS can be fully removed from the oral cavity, either by ingesting it with saliva or rinsing with water.

SLS is an ingredient that would be best to avoid, especially putting in your mouth. (The bucal membrane is one of the most highly absorbable area of the body). SLS is the esters of Sulphuric acid – also known as “Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt”, the result of the ethoxylation process as previously discussed http://warrenb.wordpress.com/2008/11/25/14-dioxane-and-ethoxylation/

What do we know about taste?

Turns out that many of us were taught incorrectly about how our sense of taste work. (and possibly our visual and  olfactory senses as well). Many of us in North America were taught about the ‘taste map’ of the tongue where certain areas were responsible for one of the four tastes – sweet, salty, sour, bitter. It is now understood that all of these taste sensations arise from all regions of the oral cavity that include the tongue, soft palate and epithelium of the pharynx and epiglottis. Each taste bud contains approximately 100 taste receptor cells that can detect compounds in each of the five basic tastes.  The fifth being the now recognized  taste sensation known as umami. a Japanese word to describe the taste sensation of amino acids or savoriness. The umami taste came about with the invention of MSG or glutamic acid (the dubious ingredient that makes non-fresh food taste good).  A recent study suggests that the taste bud may also have receptors able to differentiate the taste of fatty acids and maybe even metallic and water tastes.  Taste like many of our senses is quite complex in that it engages our sense of smell and feel including thermal receptors. We don’t often think about this however we are also able to experience sensations of the previously mentioned fattiness and metallic nature and also dryness (tannins- astringent), prickliness or hotness (spicy peppers), coolness (peppermint – spearmint), numbness (again from hot peppers) and even recent science suggests a receptor for calcium
Take a minute next time you are eating your favourite meal and reflect on the incredible sense that we call taste.

Nanoparticles in Sunscreens

Nanoparticles in sunscreens.
The topic of nanoparticles in personal care continues to heat up. Firstly nanoparticles or nanomaterials are particles of extremely small size with the purpose to improve their intended applications. One nanometer (nm) is one thousandth of a micrometer (m), one millionth of a millimeter (mm) and one billionth of a meter (m). To put that size in perspective, 1 nanometer is roughly 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

One of the obvious concerns with regards to nanomaterials in personal care products is that their size allows them to penetrate the skin and enter into the bloodstream accessing organs and tissues. To compound these concern, there are virtually no studies that indicate the safety of these materials once they enter the body.

In the case of sunscreens, using physical reflective block UV filters like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide creates a white caking or heavy feel on the skin. With these ingredients now available as nanoparticles, the lotion can be more smooth and silky feeling. Zinc Oxide is often referred to as a natural mineral present in the earth’s crust however, most zinc oxide used commercially is produced synthetically. The other misleading claim for nanoparticle zinc oxide and titanium dioxide was that they were more effective in their ability to block UV rays than their counterparts, a claim that has been proven not be be true.  

With relation to  nanoparticles in sunscreens, it would appear the risks far outweighing the benefits. I believe that environmental and public interest groups are wise to demand government and industry complete testing and approval of nano-containing products before commercialization, not just for human health but also for their environmental impact.

Ingredients of Concern

DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine) & TEA (triethanolamine)

These three ingredients are commonly found today in our personal care products.
TEA, DEA, and MEA are amino alcohols used in personal care as emulsifiers, thickeners, wetting agents, detergents, and alkalizing agents (pH adjusters). Often they are used in combination with fatty acids to convert acid to salt (sterate). Stearate can form the base a cleanser. Monoethanolamine is produced by reacting ethylene oxide with aqueous ammonia, the reaction also produces diethanolamine and triethanolamine. In my November 2008 post I discussed the ethoxylation process using the known toxic carcinogen ethylene oxide.
It is my understanding that monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine already have limitations for use in personal care in many European countries due to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.  Best to avoid wherever possible.

Probiotic Supplementation reduces infant eczema up to 60%

Last week I learned of some great research that was conducted in the Netherlands via Dr Mercola’s website regarding the treatment of infant eczema otherwise know as atopic dermatitis. I have mentioned this treatment option in a previous post based around advice for managing this troubling skin condition. This research confirms that by using specific probiotic bacteria strains (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Lactococcus lactis; Ecologic((R)) Panda) the likelihood of infant eczema could be reduced by up to 60%.
As I also mentioned in my previous post, there is also a strong genetic predisposition to eczema, if one of your parents have eczema, you have a 40% chance of inheriting the same condition. If both parent have eczema you have an 80% chance. Now if you, your spouse or both of you suffer from eczema and you are planning a family, it would be recommended to investigate this preventative treatment option. It is important to note that this study was done on high-risk children by administering pre- and postnatal supplementation (Both mother (prior to birth) and baby received the probiotics).