ABC

As children we were taught our ABC’s which paved a way for freedom. Literacy is a form of freedom. But what about personal freedom that will allow us to blossom as a person and stay blooming? 

For the next 26 days, starting today, I encourage you to practice with me what I call, ABC: Mindful Self Blossoming. To have personal freedom, the revolution must start within us. 

Let us begin our journey to being our own love. 

Propylene Glycol…in WHAAAA?? Dressing?!

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Take a good look at these two items. You wouldn’t think their ingredients would have anything in common simply because one is used to help freshen your breath and prevent cavities and the other is used for slathering on a healthy salad and consuming, right? Negative my dear friends…you would be surprised by what they both have in common.

I’m 95% organic in what I consume, what I put on my body, and what I use for household products. Quite frankly, I am nervous that my descendants will not be able to see the beauty of their home, Planet Earth, because they will be too occupied trying to clean up the mess of previous generations: oil spills, land-fills, polluted lakes, rivers, oceans, and forests. Therefore it is important to me that what I consume and use is not only safe and healthy for my family but also for the planet. Obviously, I won’t have much of a choice should I decide to have dinner with friends at a large chain restaurant where produce will not be bought from local farms and most definitely will not be organic. I can also assure you that the dishwasher detergents that are being used are filled with harsh chemicals. Chemical ingredients that most of us cannot even pronounce and have very limited to zero knowledge about, unless we’re chemists of course.

Anyhoo, back to the images. Both the ACT mouthwash and Christie’s Low Fat Zinfandel Vinaigrette contain Propylene Glycol. “The acute oral toxicity of propylene glycol is very low, and large quantities are required to cause perceptible health damage in humans.” It can be found in cosmetics, household products, paints, and automotive products such as brake fluids. YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?! The same chemical compound that is found in automotive brake fluid, antifreeze, and coolant–Propylene Glycol–is an active ingredient in a salad dressing?!

This does not sit well with me. Is ignorance really a bliss?! Ask yourself this: when was the last time you actually took the time to read the ingredients on a food label? Not the nutritional value section but the actual ingredients and researched it?!

While life is about living and enjoyment (in moderation, of course, because too much of anything can’t be good for you either), your health is the only thing that will allow you to live your life as you desire. Therefore, each and everyone one of us should take the time to read the ingredients on a food label; research the ingredients, do your homework! The things that you don’t question are the things that are likely to be causing deadly long-term health issues, possibly even for you!

Remember, you are what you eat, and quite frankly I do not want to consume a chemical compound that can be found in automotive products. Do you?!!!

 

Toiletries for Travel

My usual toiletries for any trip (under 3oz because I travel with nothing more than a back pack/carry on): Shaving cream, toothpaste (although I prefer Toms of Maine but they don’t travel size), The Naked Bee lotion, Toms of Maine deodorant, Yu-Be moisturizing skin cream (I use as a face cream), Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap which will act as a shampoo, body wash & detergent to wash my clothes in, razor, nail clipper, Q-tips, Blistex, Clear Eyes & Monkey Balm that can be used to help clear sinuses, stuffy nose, headaches, bruising, etc!!

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