Avocado Oil

Avocados are healthy and filled with so many vitamins but best of all they are great for your skin and hair! 

I love using over-ripe avocados for a skin and hair mask, but it can get fairly messy when you try to apply it to your face and hair.  So, what's a girl (and guy) to do? Use avocado oil instead!! Yes, this fantastic fruit is available in oil form while still retaining all the benefits of the raw fruit (just make sure you get the cold-pressed or unrefined version to get maximum benefits)

So, here is a little bit more about AVOCADOS!

Avocado oil is a super moisturizing oil that most people will be able to use regardless of skin types.  Rich in antioxidants like Vitamin A, D and E, high in protein and omega 3 fatty acids which all equal great skin care!

• Sterolin. Avocado oil is high in a substance called sterolin, which studies have shown to facilitate the softening of the skin and to reduce the incidence of age spots;
• Antioxidants. Avocado oil is rich in antioxidants, making it useful for healing sun-damaged skin. Antioxidants like vitamins A, D and E in avocado cause the skin to be suppler, and are thus particularly good for dry or aged skin.
• Lecithin and Potassium. Avocado oil contains lecithin and potassium, which are all highly beneficial for the skin as well as the hair; 

Here are more health benefits of avocado oil:

• Moisturize the Skin. Avocado oil applied topically helps relieve dry and itchy skin. Once applied, avocado oil is deeply absorbed by the skin, thus making it an ideal moisturizer and skin care agent.
• Boost Scalp Health. In addition to helping clear scaly skin, it can also relieve itchy scalp symptoms. Avocado oil, when regularly applied to the scalp, can stimulate hair growth.
• Increase Collagen Production. When applied, avocado oil increases the production of collagen, which helps keep the skin plump and decreases the effects of aging.
• Treat Skin Conditions. Avocado oil is useful in the treatment of a variety of skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.
• Others. Avocado oil facilitates the healing of wounds and burns to the skin. It also helps to relieve and heal diaper rash.

Using Avocado Oil for Skin

1. External Use

Prior to using avocado oil topically, you should make sure you aren’t allergic to it. To do so, place a few drops of avocado oil on your arm and rub it gently into the skin. Monitor your skin for a day or so. If you develop any negative reactions such hives or a rash, do not continue using it. If you don’t see any negative effects, you are free to begin enjoying all the benefits of avocado oil.

Facial Moisturizing
When using the avocado for salads, instead of throwing away the peel sections, save them for your facials. The peel has a hidden reservoir of oil containing a substance called humectant that acts to retain moisture.
To use the peel, gently swipe it over your skin in upward massaging motions until you have covered your whole face. For best results, leave the oil on your skin overnight, and rinse off in the morning.
Scalp Care
Avocado oil can be used for head massages. It also can be used as a hot oil treatment for the hair, as avocado oil can actually be absorbed by dry hair shafts.

1. To make the treatment, put 2 tablespoons each of avocado oil and castor oil in a bowl, and warm it up.
2. Once the hair is wetted, massage this warm oil into the scalp and leave overnight.
3. Shampoo the hair and scalp in the morning.
4. Regular use of avocado hot oil scalp treatment makes the hair soft and can help eradicate dandruff. 

Dry Skin
Because avocado oil tends to reduce itching and inflammation of the skin, people who suffer from very dry skin or from eczema often find avocado oil to have soothing properties. To treat dry skin or eczema, pour a small amount onto the affected skin areas.

Read more here: http://www.med-health.net/Avocado-Oil-For-Skin.html

All about aloe

Woo hoo...I love Aloe!
So here is some more interesting facts about aloe and why it's great for you and your skin! So come on and try some today!

www.getting back to Natural Living.com - Webstore

Aloe Vera is really quite an incredible plant. It is a succulent plant and part of the lily family (Liliaceae), the same family that garlic and onions belong to.
Different parts of the plant are used for different effects on the body and Aloe Vera has both internal and external applications. Aloe Vera contains over 200 active components including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, polysaccharide, and fatty acids- no wonder it’s used for such a wide range of remedies. The bulk of the Aloe Vera leaf is filled with a clear gel-like substance, which is approximately 99% water.

 

1.  Aloe Vera Is High in Vitamins & Minerals:

Aloe Vera contains many vitamins including A, C, E, folic acid, choline, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6. Aloe Vera is also one of the few plants that contains vitamin B12.2. Aloe Vera is High in Amino Acids & Fatty Acids

2. Aloe Vera is High in Amino Acids & Fatty Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are about 22 amino acids that are necessary for the human body and it is said that 8 of these are essential. Estimates of the amino acids found in aloe range from 18-20 amino acids, with all 8 essential amino acids

3. Aloe Vera is an Adaptogen

Aloe Vera is a well-known adaptogen. An adaptogen is something that boosts the body’s natural ability to adapt to external changes and resist illness.

4. Aloe Helps with Digestion

Poor digestion is related to many diseases. A properly functioning digestive tract is one of the keys and foundations of health. Aloe is known to soothe and cleanse the digestive tract and help improve digestion.

5. Aloe Helps in Detoxification

Aloe Vera is a gelatinous plant food, just like seaweeds and chia. The main benefit to consuming gelatinous plant foods in your diet is that these gels move through the intestinal tract absorbing toxins along the way and get eliminated through the colon.

6.  Aloe Alkalizes the Body

Disease cannot manifest in an alkaline environment. Most people are living and subsisting on mostly acidic foods. For great health, remember the 80/20 rule – 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acidic. Aloe vera is an alkaline forming food

7. Cardiovascular Health

There hasn’t been a lot of studies conducted in this but there has been some research to show that Aloe Vera extract injected into the blood, greatly multiplies the oxygen transportation and diffusion capabilities of the red blood cells.

8. Aloe Helps Boost the Immune System

I think given the stresses of our daily lives, every one can use a boost to their immune systems. The polysaccharides in aloe vera juice stimulate macrophages, which are the white blood cells of your immune system that fight against viruses.

9. Aloe Vera is Great for the Skin

Because of aloe’s well-known healing properties for the skin, aloe is one of the primary compounds used in the cosmetic industry. It is a known vulnerary, (meaning it helps heal wounds) and is great for applying topically to burns, abrasions, psoriasis and even to bug bites.

10. Disinfectant, Anti-biotic, Anti-microbial, Germicidal, Anti-bacterial, Anti-septic, Anti-fungal & Anti-viral:

Wow, I think that covers all anti- bases. Okay, I admit, that was just a sneaky way to add in another 8 good reasons why you should keep Aloe Vera handy and incorporate it into your lifestyle.

12. Weight Loss – A Secondary effect

Improving your digestion, and detoxifying your will have a secondary effect in promoting weight loss because when we start to improve our digestion we naturally eliminate more efficiently, which is a primary way they we detoxify – through our bowels.

Read more here http://sacredsourcenutrition.com/top-12-benefits-of-aloe-vera/

Body cream and hormone disruptors anyone??

Water (Solvent/Diluent), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) (Emollient), Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao) Butter (Emollient), Cyclomethicone (Emollient), Glycerin (Humectant), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), PEG-100 Stearate (Surfactant), Cetearyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Babassu (Orbignya Oleifera) Oil (Emollient), Beeswax (Emulsifier/Emollient), Lanolin Alcohol (Stabiliser/Emollient), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Fragrance (Fragrance), Methylparaben (Preservative), Propylparaben (Preservative), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Modifier), Benzyl Alcohol (Preservative), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), Caramel (Colour), F D & C Yellow No 5 (Colour).



This is off of a cocoa and Shea butter body butter label (this is just one of them, but almost all commercial ones have all or some of these ingredients)
Well lets look at this a bit more closely...I've highlighted the 'harmful' ingredients and looked it up on an environmental site (great site btw!)

Really if you look at the ingredients, it is enough to scare you into not using anything!
Even some of the safer ingredients on the list are usually an environmental hazard! So basically the whole thing other than the first few ingredients ... Water, Shea butter, Cocoa butter, Glycerin are the safest and natural ingredients...the rest is in my opinion GARBAGE and so harmful!! Just look at the parabens ...it mimics estrogen and disrupts hormones!! I mean really?? 

The problem is we are using so many of these products day to day! Creams, shampoos, toothpastes, lotions, etc all in one day...the chemicals build up.  The chemicals are rated as safe in those concentrations but there is very limited or no research for the cumulative effects of all these products.

Have a look at the list and click on the links if you want to read more about the ingredients. 

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701738/CYCLOMETHICONE/
Cyclomethicone is a silicon-based cyclic compound; may be associated with environmental toxicity.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/721388/PEG-100_STEARATE/
Function(s): Surfactant - Cleansing Agent

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/701237/CETEARYL_ALCOHOL%3B%3B_CETEARETH-20/

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704811/PHENOXYETHANOL/
Other HIGH concerns: Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards; Other MODERATE concerns: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive);

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/703937/METHYLPARABEN/#
Methylparaben is in the paraben family of preservatives used by the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product industries. Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/705335/PROPYLPARABEN/
Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/700697/BENZYL_ALCOHOL/
Benzyl alcohol is a naturally ocurring and synthetic ingredient used as solvent and preservative; has been associated with contact allergy.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706075/SODIUM_HYDROXIDE/
Sodium Hydroxide is a highly caustic and reactive inorganic base.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702442/FD%26C_YELLOW_5/#
FD&C Yellow 5 is a synthetic dye produced from petroleum;  
Pigments from animal, plant, and synthetic sources used to color foods, cosmetics, and other products. Cochineal is from insects. Widely used FD&C and D&C colors are coaltar (bituminous coal) derivatives that are continuously tested on animals due to their carcinogenic properties.


Nice huh?? Makes you think about never using another commercial product ever...well at least that is how I felt when I saw all this and did such extensive research about it!
So that is why I started to make all my health and beauty products! 

Oh and do you know what my Shea & Cocoa butter cream has in it...
1. Shea butter 
2. Cocoa butter 
3. Coconut oil 
4. Essential oil (for scent) 

THAT IS IT! and you can look up all those ingredients on the environmental web site and you will find it all safe!! 

All kidding aside, this is a real problem with really a simple solution, we all have to become educated and demand that the manufactures change their products to less harmful ones.
This is just one jar of cream, but the sad truth is that almost all food, health, beauty products have these ingredients...can you imagine all the chemicals we are ingesting on a daily basis?? Wonder why cancer rates are so high, as well as other diseases and ailments?

This is why I want to share all my products, so that you can make the choice to live a better life! 

http://www.gettingbacktonaturalliving.com/apps/webstore/

All about Shea butter

We've all heard about Shea butter, probably have used it as well, but do you know what Shea butter is and how great it is for your skin health. 

Shea butter is an off- white or ivory-colored fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa).^[1] Shea butter is a triglyceride (fat) derived mainly from stearic acid and oleic acid. It is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion.

Shea butter is sometimes used as a base for medicinal ointments. Some of the isolated chemical constituents are reported to have anti-inflammatory, emollient and humectant properties.^[12] Shea butter has been used as a sunblocking lotion and has a limited capacity to absorb ultraviolet radiation

The fat of the nut of the African Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) is the source of Shea butter. The traditional use of the butter is to reduce the appearance of fine lines, scars and stretch marks, and to ease a variety of skin irritations, such as psoriasis, eczema and sunburn. Makers of cosmetics also mix this natural substance with other botanical ingredients. Shea butter is ideal for the topical application of cosmetic and medicinal formulas, because it melts on contact and is readily absorbed into the skin, without leaving a greasy residue.
Shea butter contains vitamins A and E, as well as catechins, plant antioxidants also found in green tea. While it is unclear how well vitamins A and E in raw Shea butter are absorbed, there is evidence to suggest that cinnamic acid esters in Shea fat help to prevent skin damage from ultraviolet radiation  
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/shea-butter-benefits-79280.html

Well isn't that interesting... Did you know that Shea butter is so beneficial to the health of your skin!  Used to treat fine lines, scars and even stretch marks! What a wonder really!

I've made up a batch of Shea & Cocoa whipped body butter, has all the benefits of Shea butter along with Cocoa butter, making a beautifully scented cream that you can be sure is safe to use with nothing but pure ingredients.

Here is how you make it.

1/2 cup Shea Butter (un-refined, 100% natural)
1/4 cup Cocoa Butter (100% natural)

Melt the cocoa butter in a double boiler, do it slowly, turn off heat.


Place the Shea butter in a bowl
and whip with a stand or hand mixer, add in slowly the melted cocoa butter and whip until it is all incorporated and fluffy.
Let stand for a few hours then place into a jar. 

Keep it in a cool place and use as needed on hands, face, and body!




If it's just not your thing to make, or don't have the items or time, you can always purchase at our web-store 

 

Lavish Cocoa & Shea Whipped Body Butter - 100gr

 

  Silky Lotion Bars - 15gr 

Let's learn together - Black Strap Molasses

Mmm...gingerbread cookies, yummy! Always reminds me of the wintery season.  As a child we would have a European version of gingerbread cookies, (< - - - click on the link) It was much more of a honey taste and actually didn't have ginger in them at all, they were hard and went well with tea, nice cookies but just not the same as the famous gingerbread-men cookies.

Ever wonder what makes gingerbread have that special flavour? (well, other than the ginger of course!)
It is Molasses.  What is Molasses you ask, (glad you did!)

Blackstrap molasses is just one type of molasses, the dark liquid byproduct of the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. It is made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup and is therefore the concentrated byproduct left over after the sugar's sucrose has been crystallized. Blackstrap molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for you. Unlike refined white sugar and corn syrup, which are stripped of virtually all nutrients except simple carbohydrates, or artificial sweeteners like saccharine or aspartame, which not only provide no useful nutrients but have been shown to cause health problems in sensitive individuals, blackstrap molasses is a healthful sweetener that contains significant amounts of a variety of minerals that promote your health.
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=118

Rich in iron, magnesium and calcium, taking just a spoonful will increase your intake of these minerals.
I have been using molasses in my coffee and adding just a bit or organic cane-sugar and a touch of cinnamon, absolutely lovely with some milk (or cream if you like).

Make sure you buy unsulphered molassess as this does not use sulphur dioxide in the extraction process. 

So why not try some today.  Here are some great recipes and some interesting ones!



1 Tablespoon of Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses in a glass of water first thing in the morning. It can also be mixed into lemon water or vinegar water.

You can sweeten a cup of tea or a bowl of cereal with it.

ICED MOLASSES RECIPE:
1 Tablespoon Unsulfured Blackstrap Molasses
Hot Water
¾ cup unsweetened rice milk, almond milk, or hemp milk
Ice
Add molasses to a glass and add just enough hot water to cover the molasses. Stir until dissolved. Add ice and then top off with the milk. It tastes even yummier if you blend it into a smoothie. Tastes like a nice latte or mocha!

http://www.processedfreeamerica.org/resources/health-news/287-the-many-benefits

• 5 minute vegan gravy
• Baked Oats
• Vegan chili
• Caramel sauce
• Vegan Graham Crackers
• Molasses gingerbread cookies
• Pumpkin gingerbread

\