Tongue and Teeth

The good thing about our teeth is that most of us brush them daily. I often cite tooth brushing as a habit we do without too much thought. I wish food journaling, vitamin taking and hand washing were done as regularly. The bad thing about this consistency thing is that if we’re not careful we are swishing with hormone disruptors and carcinogens and then sending all of that down the drain to our water supply and harming our fish.  Treatment plants can only “treat” so much. If you’re thinking “everything is bad for us” there’s some truth to that but the good news is that this will be an easy fix.

One of my favorite bloggers, Katherine Ong of Beauty Palate had this to say when we talked teeth “my basic philosophy is that if I work really hard to avoid known toxins and carcinogens in my food, it's kind of silly to allow them in my beauty or hygiene products.”

Your oral health may affect or contribute to heart disease, fertility and also premature birth, osteoporosis and general immunity as bacteria from your mouth travels elsewhere. Poor oral health in kids is associated with a  greater number absences so let’s take a closer look.

Toothpaste

When it comes to toothpaste the ingredients to avoid are:

• Parabens- mimics hormones, potential breast cancer connection
• Triclosan- endocrine disrupter, toxic to fish 
• Sodium lauryl sulfate- carcinogen and mutagen
• Sodium monoflourophosphate-possible developmental concern

Some of these I discussed in an earlier skincare post.

I will admit, my children used Tom’s of Maine’s Silly Strawberry for years before I discovered there was SLS in it.  Silly indeed. And me? I was informed my Marvis was safe “paraben free” at the store I first purchased it. When I read the fine print,  my pretty licorice toothpaste hit the recycling bin. What was that spelling trick…don’t “assume” or you make an ass- (out of)- u- and me? Guess that makes me a toothpaste "ass" but no more.

The kids now use Natural Dentist Toothpaste and we use Desert Essence tea tree oil toothpaste (and coincidentally so does Katherine).  Other “safe” brands include Weleda and Jason. I should note that Tom’s Clean and Gentle and Botanically Bright toothpastes do not contain SLS but after shelling our money for  Silly Strawberry, Tom lost me. And for you canker sore people, researchers from the University of Oslo conducted studies that revealed a 60% to 70% reduction in the number of canker sores in patients who used SLS free toothpaste.

Toothbrushes

When it comes to toothbrushes, you’ll want to keep in mind the material they are made from and how often you replace them. I love these from Izola. They’re made from sustainable bamboo and the months inscribed let you know when you need to move on to a new brush. They also make a “guest” set great for houseguests, sleepovers etc.  The bristles are biodegradable nylon just FYI vegetarians/vegans some bristles are made from longhaired pigs (even as an omnivore that's just repulsive). Carolyn has her own toothbrush fixation. She likes these with charcoal-infused bristles. This Binchotan charcoal can inhibit bacteria growth between bristles.

The Mack Daddy of Dental Care

Do you know what it is?  I know they look a little forcep-like but wrong end. It’s a tongue scrapper. I can’t always brush but with this in my makeup case I am always ready. Rather than using mint or gum I’d rather get to the halitosis source. It’s like spraying air freshener versus taking the garbage out. No more bad breath with the scrapper. 

Floss

Somebody is listening to his or her dentist, and flossing, as the amount of dental floss sold in the US each year could span the distance from the earth to the moon and back four times. Or at least people are  purchasing floss. The same company who boasted that statistic has floss that’s coated with PTFE, an ingredient that also provides the coating in non-stick cookware.  Seek out unwaxed or naturally coated. I like Dessert Essence but I’ve heard good things about Radius’ cranberry floss, the cranberry helps break down plaque.

I’m also booking an appointment with a Holistic Dentist. Suddenly what "4 out of 5 dentists recommend" is nothing I want to be paying money for. Sorry this has been a mouthful but bad oral health is connected to bad overall health. After a little substituting your health, your families' health and the environment will be better off.
What toothpaste do you use? Have you considered the incredients? Any paste, brushes or floss that need to hit the recycling bin? Any dental health obsessions? Anyone else a tongue scraper?

Your Food is Organic but Moisturizer Carcinogenic

If you were to ask me about a foreign-sounding food ingredient there’s a good shot I would be able to tell you what it is. I can also explain which produce is more pesticide-laden and why you shouldn’t be drinking from a plastic water bottle (if you’re using one right now, you’re busted). Until a couple of years ago there was a large discrepancy between my knowledge of what goes in our bodies and that which goes on our bodies. In many ways “green” changes when it comes to food are easier ones. An organic apple simply tastes better. When it comes to body products, some of the more natural choices do not work as well. I test-drove many lotions and potions and thought I’d share my favorite finds. And because I do not consider myself an authority on these products I interviewed two women who are.

Odacite' Perfect Nutrients Body Lotion

I read about Odacite' in a magazine and was taken my Valerie’s story.  Valerie was diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently made many sweeping life changes. She learned that some of the greatest exposure to toxins occurs with our personal care products. Even her expensive French moisturizer was chock full of chemicals. Odacite’s products use only the best, organic ingredients and they are made fresh for each customer. This lotion kept my skin hydrated for the entire ski season last year. 

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence

I first tried these products in Sag Harbor at one of my favorite stores Wellnest. This spray is fantastic after you wash your face in the morning and I also use it after hot yoga. Tata Harper’s skincare was founded on the idea “that women no longer need to sacrifice their health to look and feel beautiful.” All of her products are produced on her farm in Vermont.

Rahua Voluminous Shampoo and Conditioner

I’ll admit I feel like a bit of a hypocrite talking about natural hair care. I’m pretty sure what’s making this head blonde is far from organic. I’m not proud of that. Despite the highlights, I was on a mission to ameliorate my chemical exposure.  My friend and fellow dietitian Ashley Koff tweeted about Rahua and it caught my attention. I’ll tell you that Rahua isn’t just my favorite organic hair care; it’s the best hair care line I’ve ever used. If only Rahua could make me blonde without bleach, I’d be thrilled.

SpaRitual Nail Polish

I don’t wear polish on my nails anymore because it grossed me out when I was cooking. I didn’t want “ballet slippers” in my smoothies or families’ meals. Because my runner’s feet need all the help they can get, I was excited to experiment with Spa Ritual. Spa Ritual’s polishes are free of toluene, formaldehyde and DBP.

Valerie and Tata were kind enough to answer some of my questions. Their answers may help you choose better products.

What are your top 3 evil ingredients when it comes to topical products?

Valerie:

1. Parabens- are the most widely used preservatives in personal care products. These synthetic chemicals are hormone disruptors. Medical concern is raised as many studies show that parabens are linked to breast cancer. Studies also show parabens react with the sun and accelerate aging. So if you don’t do it for your health, toss them to avoid wrinkles.
2. Fragrance- considered a trade secret manufacturers are not required to list ingredients in formulating their fragrance. Most are synthetic chemicals that can trigger allergies and disrupt hormone levels.
3. SLS and SLES (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate)- are cheap detergents in many “foaming” cosmetics. They can cause damage to the heart, liver and lungs.

Tata’s top 3: Hydroquinone, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Parabens.

Note: hydroquinone is a skin-bleaching chemical that has caused tumor development in animal studies. The National Toxicology program is conducting reproductive toxicity studies of this chemical.

Parabens, according to the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer products, may cause reproductive and developmental disorders. The following ingredients indicate paraben presence:
methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, parahydroxybenzoic acid, parahydroxybenzoate. You cannot assume that a product labeled organic or natural is free of parabens some seemingly wholesome brands like Kiehls are paraben parties, sad.

If someone is just starting to consider what goes “on their body” is there one place or product you would suggest they start?

Valerie: Great question, 60% of what you apply on your skin enters your bloodstream. The EWG showed that women are exposed to 200 chemicals every day from personal care products. I would say whatever you use the most of. Body lotion covers most of your skin. Lipstick would be second as women ingest 32 lbs. of lipstick in a lifetime and most are contaminated with lead. Shampoo and toothpaste are important too.

Tata: I would definitely start with body lotion because as women we generally apply it 2x a day and sometimes more frequently.

And finally, what do you say to people who say organic, chemical free products are too expensive?

Valerie: I say choosing organic is the best long-term investment you can make for yourself, your family and the planet. You can choose to support your local farmer who grows his product with care and integrity, you can choose to purchase from companies that make organic products and say no to chemical business or you can chose to support your MD. In the long term it is a lot less expensive to buy organic because your health is priceless.

Tata: High quality natural and organic ingredients are going to cost more than their synthetic alternatives; but when you think about this carefully natural ingredients are more compatible with our systems and don’t pose the potential health risk of the chemical ingredients so there’s really no comparison.

If you’re new to organic personal care products, start to read ingredients and avoid Valerie and Tata’s “evil 3’s”. And maybe start with one product, as they suggested, the one you use most.  We also like Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database, The Detox Market and Spirit Beauty Lounge.

Where do you stand with personal care products? Any natural companies you’d suggest? Are you willing to read product labels or make one organic/natural switch?
*Valerie from Odacite graciously offered to give away 3 of their discovery kits (includes 7 Odacite' products) to our readers. Be sure to leave a comment below in order to be eligible.
And Tata Harper is giving one reader her floral essence (too bad I am ineligible).