The curse of knowledge, new trials and pesky zinc oxide

Now that I know what I know, it is almost impossible to get through a single day without noticing every little thing.  I can spot polycarbonate containers vs. the BPA free ones.  I am wary of anything that looks like PVC.  I am happy to take my own shampoos and lotions with us anywhere we go.  Although on our latest trip, the flies seem to be digging my lemongrass scents.  I am more aware of what fruits and veggies contain more or less pesticides.  I am even more wary about anything touching my baby's skin that I have not researched first.  I call this the blessing (or curse) of knowledge. 

So after a week away, we are now home and road testing some new products.  The first of which are Nature Babycare Diapers.  Diapers are a sore spot with me.  I thought I had wanted to cloth diaper but with apartment living this doesn't bode well.  We don't own a washing machine, a service is almost double what we pay for diapers through Amazon Mom and we don't get to the laundromat as often as we (mainly I) would like.  Plus with the laundromat, there is always the worry over residue from 1, 4 dioxane and phthalate-containing soaps contaminating our dipes.  So for 15 months we've been using, with success, Seventh Generation dipes, knowing that these like all other disposables can take up to 500 years to degrade in a landfill (ugh, what a hard pill to swallow).  But these days, in the heat, my little one can't take the feel of them on his lower back and scratches like crazy.  And his lower back is sore and irritated.  I'm not sure what happened, but will be contacting the company to see if something has changed.  So, in the meantime, we are road testing Nature Babycare, which seem to be softer up the back, and will have a review by the end of the week.

We are also road testing another natural sunscreen - this week is Elemental Herbs for kids.  After some research (not too greasy, not too powdery) this one seemed to fit the bill.  It was awaiting me in our mailbox when we got home and we've had one application so far - seemed to go on pretty well.  Again, more later.

And finally, here is an awesome trick for those who use ZINC OXIDE based sunscreens or diaper creams.  Zinc stains.  And even if you slather up your little one in just a diaper, there is still the chance of getting it on some nice clothes, you'd rather not have white spots on.  Especially if your little one is as squirmy as ours is!  Here is a DIY stain remover that we found online that really works.

Wet stains with hot water and apply liquid dish soap (they say that ones for fighting grease are best.  We don't buy Dawn but my mother in law had some so we used that.  Next time I will try Dishmate).  Use an old toothbrush, scrub brush or rub the fabric together over the stain briskly.  Without access to the first two, we did the rubbing technique.  Once thoroughly rubbed in, soak the stained garmet in distilled white vinegar for 30 mins then launder as usual.  We went an extra step and used a natural stain remover with built in scrub brush.  It worked on a new pair of pants and also a sun hat that has already been washed over a dozen times.  You may also go another extra step and wipe the stain with a dry paper towel first, careful not to rub the stain too hard or it will press it further into the fabric.

Enjoy!

Going SLS Free... Bring on the Suds!

One of my BIG detox missions right now is removing all sulfates, and not just the ones in my shampoo!  It seems that the shampoo companies are jumping on the natural bandwagaon these days by touting that they are sulfate (and sometimes even paraben) free.  I won't even get into the other harmful chemicals that a lot of these products contain and instead I'll keep my focus on the other products that contain sulfates - toothpaste, laundry soap (see my first ever post), hand soap, dish soap, etc.

So what are sulfates and why are they used? And most importantly, are they harmful?

What? Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are the chemicals used to make your soap, shampoo, toothpaste foam up.  It's how you get the uber sudsy effect.  Something my husband pointed out in the laundromat one day when it seemed that are fellow laundromat patron used way too much detergent.  It wasn't too much, it was just the foaming factor was a lot heavier than ours was. 

Why?  They are cheap and effective.


Harmful? Although they are considered "safe" in many products, they are known irritants. Some products with these chemicals have also been contaminated with low levels of 1, 4 Dioxane, which has been classified as a carcinogen. Shampoos have been removing it due to irritation on the scalp. 

If you've been following my story here then you know that 1-I don't want to take any chances with the health of my family and 2-I am very much sensitive to the effects of SLS.  Much to my dismay, a lot of natural products use SLS stating that it is deemed safe and that it is natural because it is derived from coconut or palm kernel oil.  Also noting that it can be irritating if left on the skin - hence the shampoo again.

So here we are with the decision again - go with it or get rid of it?  I recently switched my toothpaste from Tom's Whole Care to the new SLS-free Clean and Gentle.  I know a lot of people are down on Tom's because they are corporate and use fluoride, etc.  But I have to say that I do like them.  It was the ONLY toothpaste I could tolerate through morning sickness and they have really stepped up creating both SLS and fluoride free toothpastes based on customer demand.

Most SLS-free products are not fan favorites due to their low foaming action.  So in their defense, here are a couple of pics of SLS-free soap products.  They are looking pretty sudsy to me!

Dolphin Organics Baby Shampoo & Body Wash

(Not even the bubble bath)!

Dapple Dish Soap

  

Kitchen Detox and The MIghty Nest

Unless I win the lottery or go back to work, whichever happens first, our great kitchen detox is going to move along slowly.  I just discovered these Mighty Packs from the Mighty Nest and had to stop myself from purchasing a monthly subscription - even with the 50% discount that was offered if you ordered by June 5th!!  If it is something you can afford, it seems like a great and fun way to introduce new non-toxic products into your home.

Our kitchen detox is happening like this.  Throw away anything suspect then replace it when we need it.  Of course this means me sending my husband out into the world at 4pm looking for a loaf pan so I can make a meatloaf (organic of course) last night.  Thankfully regular supermarkets sell Pyrex! And we were able to get dinner on the table by 6.

I did allow myself to purchase a few needed items.  Twist naked sponges (no dyes, no perfumes, no toxic glues), Dishmate dish soap (we have recently been using Dapple.  I know what you are thinking - a dish soap just for babies? Isn't that a gimmick?  Well Dapple is pretty awesome in that there are no parabens, SLS, SLES and 1,4 Dioxane - imagine that they have to specify that.  Dishmate does as well.  And in the end, Dishmate is cheaper) and lastly some Badger SPF 15 lip balm, because I really need it!

The biggest fear I have beyond aluminum cookware is plastic!  We used glass baby bottles and have been moving slowly towards using only glass, stainless steel and bamboo for food.  The problem we are having is with sippy cups.  Our guy prefers the straw version.  Oh and we are going through a throwing phase, so that leave glass out.  Luckily, very awesome people who care created this handy guide to dealing with plastics.

If anyone is looking for a gift for me, I gift certificate to this wonderful store would be much appreciated (wink, wink)!

Much Ado About Laundry Detergent

Growing up, we were a household that did not use scents.  Amongst our many scent free products, was our "Pure" and "Natural" laundry detergents.  But what I have learned is that most things labeled "pure" and "natural" are not pure or natural at all.  Why?  Because companies lie and they also omit.

1, 4 Dioxane for one, is a chemical found is many commercial laundry detergents, as shown by these studies. 1, 4 Dioxane is NOT found on ingredient labels.

I began my research on detergent when I was looking for a safe detergent that could successfully remove the urine scent from my little one's pjs.  (When he began sleeping 12 hours a night, he also began waking up with a very wet diaper).

What I found didn't exactly shock or astonish me, because chemicals are just that... chemicals.  So where I did believe what I found, I was also a little bit sickened.

I started researching detergents people use on cloth diapers - this must work, right? And I began to think about detoxing.  Eventually I detoxed my shampoo, soap, deodorant, makeup and toothpaste.  But more on this later.

It began with laundry soap.  I chose Charlie's Soaps for washing and Ecover for stain removal.  What I found that not only were our clothes softer, I found that my skin has gotten better.  Several months ago, my doctor had diagnosed me with a chronic case of pityriasis rosea.  I had a referral to go to a dermatologist but never filled it.  What I did was make an important change.  I was sensitive to chemicals and after a few months, my skin was and still remains clear.

So does the natural stuff work?  In a word, yes! Our clothes are clean and softer than they have ever been before, with the added bonus of the liquid being biodegradable - it's good for the Earth as well. 

Now what to do if you are an apartment dweller and stuck going to the laundromat?  Well, the one thing Charlie's recommends when switching to a natural detergent is running a few loads of rags first to clean out all of those nasty toxins left behind in your machine.  Well, you can't exactly do this at a laundromat, so we do what our local laundromat propriotor told us while I was pregnant.  Always wash a load of your clothes first (preferably towels) in the washer you will use for you baby's clothes.  Why? Because your stuff will absorb someof the residue left in there (and let's face it - better rub it off on us first instead of our little one!), especially if someone used that washer to wash a dog blanket or a pair of nasty sneakers.  Or in my case, some stinky toxic detergent.

Now, I don't know how much of the bad detergent is getting into our clothes, but this is how we do our laundry. Our clothes or towels first, then our little guy's.  What I can attest to is the improvements we saw.  Now if only we had our OWN washer!

For more on the toxins mentioned here and children's safety, please visit The Mount Sinai's Children's Environmental Health Center.