Enviro Mentality

A neighbor commented that her 8 year old granddaughter is ‘developing.’  I shook my head  & thought, ‘ That’s too early.’  because it doesn’t seem right that an 8 year old should be heading into puberty.  It should be  at least around 11 or 12 at minimum. Studies over the past 20 years confirm that girls are maturing at an earlier age.

African-American girls have earlier onsets of puberty than White girls do by a year or two.  Average age for the start of breast development are about 8.8 yrs. for African-Americans as compared to about 10 for Whites.A study done in 1997, Herman-Giddons was compiled from the journal, Pediatrics and confirms that the age trend is lower.  Doctors and mothers report that indeed, girls are entering puberty much earlier than they did 30 or 40 years ago.

Why is this?  Several indications are that the increased use of chemicals and pesticides over the last 40 years have played a role.  These chemicals are endocrine disruptors, which throw the hormone levels off by mimicking other hormones, fooling the body.

Increased use of plastics in food containers (phalates) and personal care as well as all aspects of modern human life have shown to impact hormone responses.  Artificial ingredients in food, personal care products all contribute to messing up one’s system.  One study even focused on the hair products that African-Americans use versus that of White girls revealing that ingredients in African-American hair products were more likely to contain estrogen or placental products, again affecting hormonal responses.

Our lives are changing and chemicals are playing a large part.  Do what you can to eliminate them whenever possible.

Sweating isn’t the only way to detox.  Many spa products: facial scrubs, aromatherapy, body scrubs, facial masks,  facial scrubs, bath tea blends and herbal tea blends can help do the job also.

Most people believe that you only start detoxing from the inside out. Yes, that’s true but you can start from the outside in.  By removing dead skin, stimulating the outer skin layers down into the deeper areas through massage or bath salts or herbal detox baths, the entire body system is invigorated and prompted to move out toxins.

Drinking herbal teas before, during and after your bath can assist in getting out toxins.  You’re detoxing from the inside (with the tea), from the inside TO the outside (with the removal of toxins) and from the outside in via your bath!

A massage before your detox bath also assists in moving out toxins. and is essential for pain relief.  By stimulation lymph systems, release from muscle and tissues it it very beneficial in detoxification.

Regularly bathing is a spa bath is a good way to keep illness at bay.  By strengthening your immune system, consistently removing toxins, your body already has a head start on fighting flu and colds during winter months. Using bath salts is a great way to help rid yourself of toxins and pain.

The environment is tops on everyone’s list.  Browse the ‘new and notable’ tables at your favorite book store and GREEN jumps out at every turn.

You can help introduce your friends and family to environmentally friendly living, too.

Give them a GREEN GIFT of organic personal care,  or bath salts,    or perhaps some

mustard bath.   or a detox seaweed bath 

Henna hair coloring     is a great way to lessen a loved one’s exposure to possible carcinogens in chemical dyes.

You can promote sustainability, independence and encourage environmentally friendly business in impoverished nations by purchasing fair trade gifts.  

Artisans worldwide produce crafts and are paid a fair wage.    This also helps preserve ancient crafts which are rapidly disappearing as populations move to urban areas.

Another great way to introduce environmentally friendly living is to get a GIFT CERTIFICATE to start a friend sampling some environmentally responsible products.  Often people are a bit hesitant to give up what they know, but once they try things, they find they are doing TWO things at once:  saving the environment and being more environmentally responsible themselves!

This could be toward the purchase of a Sun-Mar composter  or   perhaps a rain barrel…,   or even for a composting toilet    or maybe for a portable solar powered battery charger,  which is great for travellers!

We also have unusual    art and   gifts like original art  

by local Virginia artists.

There are many ways that you can spread the word about sustainable, green and helping the environment!

What could be more romantic for Valentine’s Day than to gift your sweetie with detox bath products and organic facial care?

It’s not just for the ladies, either.  Detox bath products are important for the guy in your life to use too. Doesn’t he deserve a good soak in a hot tub after a long day?  Doesn’t his face need some moisturizing from organic facial care?  Spa baths aren’t just for girls anymore.  Guys appreciate a bath, too, especially in the winter.

Spa bath products make everybody feel better.  They rev up your immune system which is important now that flu season is here.  Tired muscles relax in a aromatic bath.

Why not give your sweetie ‘a bath’ for Valentine’s Day?  He -or she - might really appreciate it!

Cosmetics/ beauty products is a billion dollar industry. Out in the market today are a range of products, mostly for women that are meant to beautify, improve and enhance. The skin gets the most attention, however. There are lotions, scrubs, toners, etc. that are created to make the skin smoother, whiter and more even toned. Creams are also widely used to achieve basically the same effects.

The most popular of these kinds of products are soaps. Only recently, a new kind of soap has become available. This is the exfoliating soap. This is the kind of soap that gently and gradually removes the outer layers of the skin. This outer layer naturally dies and sheds to expose a new and youthful layer. Needless to say, women love this and so the big sale of exfoliating soaps.