This may raise an eyebrow, but I change deodorants every 6 months. What? Why?
Because odor-causing bacteria can become resistant to your usual deodorant ~ especially when you use it day in & day out. I also switch-up for more active days.
And of course, there’s a huge difference between a ‘Deodorant’ and an ‘Anti-perspirant.’ First-off ~
Your sweat actually does not have an odor. Nope!
Body odor occurs when sweat mixes with bacteria on your skin.
Your deodorant works by combatting bacteria, but it won’t actually prevent you from sweating.

Listen, you NEED to sweat! It’s a natural biological process for your body’s health. Not only does your aMAzing body expel toxins through sweat, but it also helps balance electrolytes in your body. This is important for good kidney health as well as maintaining a healthy blood volume. You create a health risk by continually preventing your body from sweating through the use of antiperspirants.

The active ingredient in antiperspirants is Aluminum ~ Nasty Stuff. When you sweat, the aluminum precipitates into a gel-like substance that blocks your sweat ducts. Consider this though ~ aluminum is classified as a metalloestrogen, which is a synthetic xenoestrogen.

Xenoestrogens cause endocrine disruption by mimicking natural estrogen in your body. This may also increase the risk of breast cancer and cysts for both women AND men. Numerous studies now show elevated concentrations of aluminum in breast tissue from women afflicted by breast cancer.

Aluminum also contributes to neurological disruptions, including decreased attention, learning, and memory. Scientists have found elevated aluminum content in the brains of persons with Alzheimer’s disease.
Okay, you’re feeling a little better about just using a deodorant now ~ Aren’t you?

Right on your nearest grocer’s shelf, most Anti-Perspirants and Deodorants, have some other seriously toxic ingredients that should never be used on your skin.
According to the Environmental Working Group, the average adult exposes him or herself to over 126 chemicals each day ~ just from our personal care products.

Did you know that “Fragrance” is actually a very ambiguous term? Without ANY disclosure of what those ingredients are, the FDA permits manufacturers to legally hide hundreds of synthetic chemicals in this one word. In truth, “fragrance” can include various petrochemicals and phthalates, which may cause developmental delays and allergic diseases.

Recently, one of those, ‘Benzene,’ was in the news. Exposure to Benzene can be dangerous, by increasing the “risk of developing leukemia and other blood disorders,” the National Cancer Institute said.  Yet it was found in over half of 108 batches of antiperspirant and deodorant body sprays from 30 different brands.
The list is here on Page 12: https://www.valisure.com/wp-content/uploads/Valisure-FDA-Citizen-Petition-on-Body-Spray-v4.0-1.pdf
You need to know that none of the products actually have benzene as an ingredient, experts say, so the only way the chemical could have been introduced is via an error in the manufacturing process ~ or by the way the chemical is delivered to the body. So, even if you are looking for it on the label ~ you’ll never know that it is there. The independent watchdog, Valisure said in a press release that one possibility is that benzene could come from ingredients such as hydrofluorocarbon 152a, butane, isobutane, propane and alcohol used to propel sprays onto the skin.
You’ll find that Benzene’s listed as toxic by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the World Health Organization and other regulatory agencies. Get this ~ The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines benzene as a carcinogen and lists “inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact” as exposure routes. And your very own Food & Drug Administration (FDA) currently recognizes the serious danger of benzene and lists it as a “Class 1 solvent,” that “should not be employed in the manufacture of drug substances, excipients, and drug products because of their unacceptable toxicity. 
None of that is ‘Good News’
And you’ll be alarmed to know that the toxicity of Benzene in humans has been well established for over 120 years. 120!  The hema-totoxicity of benzene was described as early as 1897. A study from 1939 on benzene stated that “exposure over a long period of time to any concentration of benzene greater than zero is not safe,” which is a comment reiterated in a 2010 review of benzene research specifically stating, “There is probably no safe level of exposure to benzene, and all exposures constitute some risk in a linear, if not supra-linear, and additive fashion.” Many epidemiological studies of petroleum workers exposed to benzene have clearly associated the chemical with the development of cancers of blood tissues, such as leukemia.

So, how did Benzene end-up in your deodorant along with other known toxins ~ like….
Parabens, Triclosan, Butanes, Formaldehyde, Propylene glycol, Phthalates, Triethanolamine (TEA) and Diethanolamine (DEA)?

Okay, we’ve established that an Anti-Perspirant is probably not the way you want to go ~
What about “Natural” Deodorants?

Beware the Salt Crystal ~ “But my crystal deodorant is ‘Natural’ ~ it says so right on the label. “
Yes, and Hemlock is natural too, but it will still kill you.

Crystal Deodorants are made from Potassium Alum ~ and yes, it’s a naturally occurring mineral salt, more specifically Potassium Aluminum Sulfate. It is also toxic, and is considered an environmental toxin.
Have you noticed that the manufacturers typically do not reveal the source of their product?

~ Well, that leaves a multitude of core issues in terms of quality which I’ll tell you about in a second.
But, let’s go deeper into the chemical itself.

Crystal deodorants will often boast that they’re free of aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum chlorohydroxide and aluminum zirconium. That’s good news but…. there’s more to it. Much more…
Manufacturers claim that the difference is that Potassium Alum is a much larger molecule, and it’s understood not to be absorbed by human skin. Really? Well, that’s odd because pharmaceutical companies are exploring use of alum-based powders as an alternative to injectable vaccines specifically because of its properties helping other ingredients absorb into the skin and become active in the body. This completely contradicts the ‘non-Absorption’ argument. Strike one.
Now consider that, when moist crystals are actually broken down into ions, the smallest possible form of aluminum, which is easily dissolved in water.
And considering that crystal deodorants in stone form specifically require that you ‘apply water before use,’ and that the first and largest ingredient in any crystal deodorant spray is water. Oh, and your body is largely made up of water ~ hmmm…. now the theory that any aluminum in a Potassium Alum-based deodorant won’t be absorbed through your skin just completely fails to stand up. Nope ~
While manufacturers say that ‘it’s understood’ that Potassium Alum isn’t absorbed into the skin, what they really mean is that there has been no research done on this.

What we definitely know is that using antiperspirants containing aluminum may significantly increase the aluminum absorbed by your body….and that is NOT a ‘Good Thing’ EVER.

What you’re seeing here is that Potassium Alum does contain Aluminum, it could very well be absorbed into your skin, and we’re learning more every day about what the build-up of this extremely abundant element will do to destroy your health ~ so I’ll leave the judgement up to you.
One More Thing! Potassium Alum can also be synthetically produced.  That’s right ~ laboratory created ~ which is why you need your product manufacture to reveal its source. Because they often use aluminum hydroxide (a white cosmetic opacifying agent) mixed with Potassium or Ammonium Sulphate in Sulphuric Acid. So, there’s a little ‘Gotcha’ kind of moment ~ where even though you know the right ingredients, it’s not going to help you if they’ve been synthetically produced using the very toxic chemicals you’re trying to avoid.

How DO you find a good ‘Natural’ deodorant?
You’ll need to look beyond your supermarket shelf to find it. Consider baking soda or a citrus or tea-tree based deodorant. There are some great alternatives and it really comes down to what works for YOU.

Please Sweat Responibly,

 ~Jeanne Ricks

Alpha-lipoic Acid is naturally found in literally every cell of your body where it helps turn glucose into energy. As with so many things that affect your health ~ your body’s ability to manufacture its own ALA, declines with age. That’s right ~ with each passing year your body is just a little less efficient in it’s ability to regulate sugar.

ALA is a vitamin-like antioxidant. Antioxidants protect against damage to your body’s cells. As a free radical scavenger, it’s really quite unique because it’s both fat and water soluble. What’s that mean?….simply that it’s easily absorbed and transported across cell membranes offering protection (against free radicals) in every part of your cells and even the space in between your cells. Other antioxidants (like vitamins C and E) only provide outside cellular protection.

Oxidative stress has been implicated as a real determining factor in the aging process of your heart and other tissues. Studies have been in search of means to reduce or eliminate this constant health concern.

In one such study conducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University; supplementation significantly lowered rate of oxidant production in older hearts to a rate that was no longer significantly different from that in cells from un-supplemented, young hearts. Alpha-lipoic Acid supplementation also restored myocardial ascorbic acid levels and reduced oxidative DNA damage. That’s good news!

        “The evidence suggests that Alpha-lipoic Acid is actually a low-level stressor that turns on the basic cellular defenses of the body, including some of those that naturally decline with age,” said Tory Hagen, an LPI researcher and associate professor of biochemistry and biophysics at OSU. “In particular, it tends to restore levels of glutathione, a protective antioxidant and detoxification compound, to those of a young animal. It also acts as a strong anti-inflammatory agent, which is relevant to many degenerative diseases.”

        “Our studies have shown that mice supplemented with Alpha-lipoic Acid have a cognitive ability, behavior, and genetic expression of almost 100 detoxification and antioxidant genes that are comparable to that of young animals,” Hagen said. “They aren’t just living longer; they are living better ~ and that’s the goal we’re after.” That’s very good news!

What the OSU researchers now believe is that the role of Alpha-lipoic Acid is not so much a direct one to benefit your cells, but rather an indirect aid that “kick starts” declining function in cells and helps them recover the functions that came more easily and naturally when they were young.

In various effects, Alpha-lipoic Acid appears to help restore a cellular “signaling” process that tends to break down in older blood vessels. It reduces what’s called ‘mitochondrial decay’ in your cells, which is closely linked to the symptoms of aging. With age, Glutathione levels naturally decline, making older animals more susceptible to both free radicals and other environmental toxins but, Alpha-lipoic Acid can restore Glutathione function to near normal. And the expression and function of other genes seems to come back to life.

        “We never really expected such a surprising range of benefits from one compound,” Hagen said. “This is really unprecedented, and we’re pretty excited about it.”

There’s also evidence that ALA may have at least 2 positive benefits for people with type-2 Diabetes. A few studies have suggested that Alpha-lipoic Acid supplements enhance the body’s ability to use its own insulin to lower blood sugar in people with type-2 Diabetes. ALA may help reduce the symptoms of the nerve damage that can be caused by diabetes (named peripheral neuropathy) and potentially aid in diabetes prevention.

BUT WAIT!  There’s More!! ALA potentially protects your brain tissues and functioning as well ~ Because Alpha-lipoic Acid passes easily into your brain, there’s speculation that it’s antioxidant properties may directly help protect the brain and nerve tissue. Researchers are currently investigating it as a potential treatment for stroke and other brain problems involving free radical damage, such as dementia.

In case you were wondering; yes, there are food sources of ALA such as yeast, organ meats like liver and heart, spinach, broccoli, beets, potatoes, yams and kohlrabi and is also abundant in red meat. BUT…. ALA from food does not appear to produce a noticeable increase in the level of free ALA in your body.

Should you consider Alpha-lipoic Acid supplementation; you’ll find that there are two types on the market: Synthetic (S) and Natural (R). The synthetic form of Alpha-lipoic Acid is useless to your body, while the natural (R) form is double the potency and easily assimilated.

Because of the potential for side effects (Alpha-lipoic Acid can lower blood sugar levels) and interactions with medications, you should take dietary supplements only under the supervision of a health care provider.

 Live Your Best Life!

 ~Jeanne Ricks, CHC