Natural Goodness

Natural foods, skin care, makeup, and consumer goods without toxic chemicals. Making better life choices one day at a time.

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Calm Facial Moisturizer

Calm by Thena Natural Wellness is a daily facial moisturizer that I have been using for almost nine months. I purchased this product through Amazon for $26.68 and it comes in a simple cylindrical plastic container with a Net WT of 2.25 oz. I have not been using any other moisturizers since purchasing this product and it has worked perfectly for me.

It is marketed as an anti-aging cream that will smooth fine lines and wrinkles. It is intended to naturally heal dry, irritated, stressed, inflamed, sensitive skin. Thena also claims that it can heal mild eczema, rosacea, and acne scars. This product contains rosehip and hyaluronic acid.

What I don’t like about this product?

I like everything about this product except maybe the container. I find that some of the product can squeeze into the rims at the top of the container and dry up. It’s not that big of an issue, I just have to wipe it clean once in a while. But maybe that’s just me being a little messy as mine gets pretty shaken up when I’m on the move. This product also has a very mild scent, but it smells somewhat natural. It may bother someone with a sensitive nose. Only bothers me when I’m sick and I apply it right under my nose.

Why I like this product?

It is made with natural ingredients like camellia oil, rosehip seed, jojoba, amaranth oil, and essential oils. It is vegan, cruelty free, and does not contain Vitamin C—so you can skip the SPF.

I like that it is lightweight, absorbed quickly by the skin, and sits well under makeup (better in dryer weather). The only time I wouldn’t wear this is if I was going to be sweating a lot because I’ve found this it comes right off. However, I like how it gives me a shiny glow after a mild jog, so I guess it depends how hard you work out and how much your face sweats.

I love that I can use this product all over my face, even under my eyes, day and night. It is very soothing and moisturizing. I live in the dry state of California, but I never feel the need to reapply it to my face. It keeps my face soft and hydrated. Sometimes the skin on my knuckles and fingertips crack due to the cold weather and after cleaning the skin, I typically apply aloe, but when I’m out, I have found that this product helps to prevent or at least slow down the cracking of my skin.

I also love this product because I find it lasts a long time. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but yes, a little can go a long way. I used this moisturizer almost every morning and I think the first jar would have probably lasted me a whole ten months if I had not lost it at a family gathering. Repurchasing this was a no-brainer.

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Nontoxic Panty Liners

It’s no secret that most feminine care products contain toxic ingredients. If you’re shopping at target for your feminine care, you might want to start reading the label. Look for 100% organic cotton that is free of dyes, scents, chlorine and plastic.

The skin is easily penetrated by chemicals. Not only is the skin around the vaginal area thin, but the added moisture can make your skin more porous. It you’re using liners with dyes, fragrances, chlorine, or plastic, then those chemicals are being absorbed into your bloodstream.

Natracare is my go-to for panty liners. Made from certified organic cotton, non-toxic glue, and cellulose pulp. They are soft and plastic-free, scent-free, dye-free, chlorine-free, and totally biodegradable and compostable.

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7 Healthy Morning Habits

I truly believe developing early morning habits is the first step to a productive and healthier lifestyle. I do believe I’m a night owl, but that lifestyle has never felt good to me. Sleeping late has also never been good to my skin. So I made a change.

In the beginning, waking up early is the hardest step, but after a few days, you will literally understand why it is so essential. You will have a clearer mind, feel happier, and be more in control of your life. I do think I’m happier as an early bird than I ever was a night owl. These are the 7 healthy morning habits I’ve picked up. What are yours?

1. Wake up before the sun rises 2. Listen to music 3. Have a shot of turmeric or ginger 4. Go for a morning run 5. Have some water 6. Take a warm shower 7. Have a green juice

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Cuisine: Filipino  |  Prep Time: 15 minutes  |  Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients available at Seafood City, Zion Mart or Zion Market -6 cups of water -1 large red onion (sliced) -3 cloves of garlic (chopped) -5 small taro roots (peel, then let soak in cold water) -1 Fresh yellow chili pepper -1 red bell pepper (sliced or roughly chopped) -3 Roma tomatoes (sliced into fourths) -3 handfuls of baby spinach -3 fillets of fresh of defrosted tilapia (or salmon) -2 tablespoons of Tamarind soup base -4 tablespoons of fish sauce -Salt and pepper or seasoning

1. Bring pot of water to a boil 2. Add onions, garlic, and teaspoon of salt, then stir 3. Add taro roots and let soften (5-10 minutes) 4. Add red bell peppers, chili pepper, and tomatoes 5. Add soup base and fish sauce 5 minutes, stirring occasionally 6. Poke taro root with fork, if it’s still hard, cover with lid and cook more 7. If taro root is soft, then add fish fillets 8. Stir gently (or fish will fall apart) and then cover with lid 9. Fish should be fully submerged and will be ready in 5 minutes 10. Taste, add more fish sauce and/or salt if necessary 11. Turn off heat and enjoy with jasmine white rice

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JuiceMi, Newport Beach

JuiceMi is a cute little plant-based cafe located on Balboa Peninsula. Their menu is dairy-free, gluten-free and made from all natural ingredients with no added sugars or artificial flavoring.

JuiceMi was established in 2014 by passionate owner Mimi C. She started juicing as a way to incorporate more veggies and fruits into her diet, but juicing did more than that. Through regular juicing, Mimi lost weight, was able to quit alcohol, discovered she had more stamina, and even ran her first half marathon. After Mimi shared her story with me and my friend, we can see how passionate she is about juicing and eating fresh healthy ingredients. She cares deeply about helping others understand the benefits of fresh juicing so they too can develop better eating habits. Thank you Mimi for sharing your story with us and empowering people to make better life choices.

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Chemical-free Sanitary Pads

Did you know that the absorbents and odor neutralizers used in tampons and pads are made of toxic chemicals? Non-organic cotton contains traces of herbicides and pesticides. Commercial pads and tampons often contain chlorine, polyester, chemical dyes, and plastics (polyethylene and polypropylene). All of which have been linked to cancer, birth defects, and reproductive issues. So why do businesses like Always and Stayfree continue to use synthetic fibers? Because synthetic fibers are lighter and more absorbent than cotton.

“All synthetic fibers cause the production of large quantities of toxins absorbed by the vaginal mucosa, which is highly vascularized.” (Tierno)

“The bottom line, in his opinion: “Cotton is the best possible product.” (Tierno)

There are a good number of chemical-free sanitary pads that are made from organic cotton like Natracare and Jessica Alba’s the Honest Company. For spotting, I personally use Natracare’s liners and for regular/heavy flow, I like the Cotton Love or Yejimiin (Korean brands) that retail for about $4 / 12-16 count. You can find them at Hmart, Zion Market, or at most asian supermarkets.

http://nj.hmart.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=cotton+pads

Tierno, PM, Jr, Hanna BA. A Question for Women's Health: Chemicals in Feminine Hygiene Products and Personal Lubricants [Internet]. National Library of Medicine (US); 2014. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3948026/

More on this topic: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/feminine-hygiene-products_b_3359581.html

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If I could afford it, I would start my every day with these two healthy doses of wellness. The tumeric-apple shot contains Curcumin which is an anti-inflammatory. The ginger-lemon shot is packed with Vitamin C and helps with digestion and immunity. It’s important to take these on an empty stomach if you want to these to work. If you want the anti-inflammatory effect, you’ll need at least 500 mg of curcumin each day. You can get a single 2 oz shot at Nekter, which probably contains about 600 mg of curcumin per serving. If you want the ginger to improve your digestion or immunity you will want between 2 and 4 grams each day, so the 2 oz shot from Nekter is just perfect.

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Changes in temperature always make my lips dry or peel. So this summer, I went to Mother’s Market and Ulta to pick up these lip balms.

I’ve almost finished the Avalon Organics lip balm and I love it. It keeps my lips smooth and I noticed they haven’t been pealing as much. The ingredients list is 100% vegetarian, rich with natural oils, and formulated with Vitamin C to help sooth and soften dry lips. This lip balm is free from parabens, preservatives, synthetic colors and fragrances. I’ve been wearing this lip balm almost every day for about 2 months now and I like applying it before lipstick or even on its own. It gives my lips a nice layer of moisture and I don’t feel like I need to reapply constantly. When the balm dries up on my lips there is never any residue. I picked this up at Mother’s Market for under $4 and I will definitely repurchase this soon.

On the other hand, I also picked up Hempz Yuzu & Starfruit Daily Herbal Lip Balm which has an SPF of 15. I used it a couple times. It was very nice and petroleum-like. Which got me thinking, “Why do I need this?” This purchase went against my own instincts, but it was summer and the massive sunscreen scare got to me. There’s a huge push for sun protectants in the skin care market, but oddly enough, the majority of Americans are Vitamin D deficient.

I’ve been doing a lot of research on “sunscreen” and I honestly cannot find concrete proof that this stuff actually works. Seriously, give me a study where it concludes that all these chemical sun protectants actually prevent skin damage. If you go online and do some digging on Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, and Octinoxate (the compounds used in your sunblock and lip balm) you’ll find that the studies done on these chemicals are somewhat inconclusive. Yes, folks! Could sunscreen be a big fat joke? Well, it appears that way to some of us.

This is the conclusion from just one of many toxicology reports that you can find on the PMC database and the National Library of Medicine. It examined the neurotoxic effects of active ingredients in sunscreen products. “Although some UV-related pathologies could be prevented by applying sunscreen, the efficiency and safety of these products is questionable.” (Ruszkiewicz)

Questionable? That means, these chemists are guessing and we’re paying for questionable, and potentially harmful, chemicals that may not even work. These ingredients are literally in every form of cosmetic and scientists are saying, “Well, we don’t really know the effects of these chemicals. They could cause all sorts of genetic alterations and lead to cancer, but no ones really gonna trace it back to us.”

"Often when a product is so attractive to industry, the understanding about its risk assessments is insufficient and lags behind their rapid advancement and widespread applications.” (Ruszkiewicz)

Ruszkiewicz, Joanna A. Neurotoxic effect of active ingredients in sunscreen products, a contemporary review [Internet]. National Library of Medicine (US); 2017. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5615097/

“EWG recommends that the FDA launch a more thorough investigation of the safety of all ingredients currently in sunscreens to ensure that none of them damage skin or cause other toxic effects in consumers.“

The Trouble With Ingredients in Sunscreens [Internet]. EWG; 2018. Available from: https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/#.W5GihZNKgzY

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Meow Meow Tweet Organic Baking Soda Free Deodorant

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