I’m frustrated.  The more I do the research and more that I try to live a healthier life style…I keep getting slapped with the hidden truth and reality that my country (the USA) sucks at being healthy and therefore makes it difficult to be healthy.

Exhibit A: It’s now known that there is mercury in high fructose corn syrup (in addition to all the other risk factors of HFC). Which, makes me even more thankful that I’ve changed my diet and haven’t even touched HFC in nearly 3 weeks. But, my husband and daughter still eat whatever they want.  My daughter I could make the choice for her, but my husband? He’s set in his ways, he could care less and probably thinks I’m crazy for the holistic approach I’ve taken to life recently.

Exhibit B: I figured I’d get rid of the toxic products I’ve been using for years as well and traded my .99 cent Suave shampoo for a $8 Burt’s Bee’s shampoo.  The label sounded perfect, not only would my hair be full, voluminous and smell fabulous but it’d also be paraben free, SLS free, etc.  I was willing to spend $8 to get rid of those nasty cancer causing chemicals.  But oh, wait!  I went to Skindeep (cosmetic safety database) and decided to see if it truly was “better” and healthier than my cheap Suave. Guess what? It’s not. (See here for Burt’s Bees Very Voluminous rating, here for Suave clarifying) it has the same rating of moderate toxicity.  Sure, the label on Burt’s Bee’s is clear of harsh chemicals and looks perfect, but they hid the toxic stuff under the label “Perfume.”  Companies are allowed to not list “trade secrets” and they hid the crap under that secret code name.

Ever look at the ingredients of your make up or shampoo bottles?  Have you ever gone to cosmeticdatabase.com and looked at the facts in the face that just about every product that touches our skin is linked to cancer? And people wonder why our kids are dying of cancer at a young age, why it’s becoming like an epidemic, or why couples are more and more being diagnosed as infertile?  THIS is the reason, folks (or at least one of them). Because the companies we use ever single day are being allowed to put harsh chemicals in our products with no repercussions.  Sure, they may say it’s not that much used in the product but when we use them day after day, year after year it builds up. And why, if these chemicals are so bad for us have they not been banned? Europe has banned them. WHY NOT US?

I’m finding that more and more, as I do the research, that our lives are saturated with pure nastiness. Our face washes, house cleaners, laundry detergents.  You know that famous Johnston & Johnston baby shampoo you are using on your precious baby at bath time? Full of toxins. Even the food we eat! You would think shopping at a health food store that all the products they carry would be chemical free and safe, right? Wrong!  Some lotions clearly have parabens in them on their labels.  Companies like Burt’s Bees, Jasons, 7th Generation, Method, etc. that claim to be natural can still have harmful toxins. Why are companies stooping to these low levels? Oh, I know because they are more concerned about money than about the quality of products and health of their customers.

I’m just sick of this. Sick. I have read way too many blogs lately about kids dying from cancer all of a sudden. I’m tired of letting the beauty industry tell me and millions of other girls and women what products to use that will make us more beautiful, less wrinkly, smell great, etc. when really all the products do is lead us closer to death.

My point in sharing this with you folks: Do your research. Don’t continue living in a life saturated with chemicals that may harm you or children, now or later on in life.  Don’t let the beauty industry (or any industry) fool us any more, stand up with me. Get mad with me. Let’s change it.

P.S. I’ve received several comments from people upset that I’ve stopped blogging. That means a lot to me that I’m missed!  But I promise, I will continue blogging, but just need a break to let go of the pressure of having to do it. So from now on when I blog it’s because I want to, like with this post.

More Resources:

-Environmental Working Group

-High on Health

-America the Beautiful Documentary

-Food Matters Documentary

3 days ago I started a diet.  I know everyone that has met me in person just gasped and said “No! Why?! You’re already too small!” And I totally agree, but my diet isn’t to loose weight, it’s just a makeover of my food choices to be more healthy in general.  And, to get rid of this acne that is only getting worse with age rather than better (it’s totally a myth that acne is for teenagers!).

For several months  I’ve been reading all that Fran over at High On Health has to say, along with reading about the experiences of other acne sufferers and what they had tried.  In most cases? Food was the problem and was the answer. However, being stubborn me, I didn’t look at my diet or change it, I just bought more products to try because nothing was working.  I even resorted to buying the Proactiv trial (for $5.00 on ebay!) because I was sick of my face and wanted a quick fix before school started back.   It didn’t clear my skin, I’ve just been left with acne and horribly dried out, bleached skin (and towels).  Obviously, that doesn’t sound to healthy either, so I’m switching to gentler and more natural products in the next few days.

Back to the diet.  I decided it was time to fight acne (and the other health issues I have such as suddenly being allergic to products, a rash I’ve had for a year, digestive issues, etc.) from the inside. I bought Fran’s ebook and went to the grocery store to start all over with my foods.  Basically, I’m following a Low GI diet (like a diabetic).  I am positive that it is sugar causing my acne, so this diet eliminates all the refined sugars and replaces it with healthy alternatives like honey and the natural sugars in fruits.  I realized that my acne started getting worse this summer when I started drinking coffee regularly.  And in my coffee? I had 1/3 cup of sugar (yes, you read that right. I like things SWEET!) and who knows how much vanilla coffee mate that has even more sugar.  So, I’ve completely stopped drinking coffee and now drink (decaf) tea with honey.  I’ve also switched to all whole grain breads, pasta, and rice.  Eating tons of fruits and veggies and I try to cook as much as I can, rather than resorting to processed foods.

The result?  Just in 3 days. 3 days, people! I have noticed a huge difference in my body.  My acne and the scars are already subsiding.  My digestive issues are more regular.  And I just feel better, folks. I’m excited for these new changes for a healthier life style.  I’m slowly making my way into livng a more “green” lifestyle, both inside and out.