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The Many Uses of Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil, also known as Melaleuca, is known throughout the world as a great antiseptic and has great healing and cleansing properties to treat wounds. It has been used for several decades and can be found in multiple medical studies that shows Tea tree oil killing multiple strains of bacteria, viruses, and especially fungi.

There are so many benefits and uses to Melaleuca oil that I can not possibly go into everything but I will name some prominent uses and ideas. The movement sweeping the nation right now is creating homemade cleaning products using essential oils in place of toxic chemicals. You can add tea tree oil to almost anything. Diffusing it in the air to kill mold, applying topically to heal skin issues like eczema, and using it to treat viral infections. You can see why it’s a popular active ingredient in a variety of cosmetic and household products. Most people don’t even understand the extent of products that utilize Melaleuca oil, ranging from; face washes, shampoos, soaps, detergents, nail creams and other cleaning necessities.

Records around the world show that tea tree has been used for thousands of years by indigenous people, science today is finally catching up and more doctors and practitioners are coming forward describing why tea tree oil is so effective. To date, over 327 scientific studies refer to tea tree oils antimicrobial prowess alone. Melaleuca oil is known around the world as the “medicine kit in a bottle.” Not only can it be used as a natural antiseptic, it is also found to be soothing to relieve stinging and itching, minor wounds and irritated skin. It is safely penetrating, quickly delivering soothing relief deep into the source of the discomfort. It’s also Non-caustic, no caustic or harmful chemical reactions. Effectively works as a solvent, safely dissolves many different substances like gum, resins and dirt. The best but not the last note about tea tree oil, it is pleasantly aromatic and refreshes the senses with a natural pleasing scent.

The process of producing Melaleuca hasn’t changed much over the last 100 years, but the uses we find for it certainly has.

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The Real Story Behind Skin Lotions

Finding safe, reliable skin care products can be a challenge. In the case of skin lotions, often called skin
therapies and other exclusive sounding names, it is important to look at the ingredients. And more may
be needed for you to be the type of informed consumer you wish to be. Why? Most ingredients are
unknown items, with scientific labels. So, unless you are a chemist, you may need to do some research.
We recently did some label research on skin lotions. A bit scary, to be honest.
Did you know that most leading skin lotions, even one called a ‘baby lotion’ have parabens? Parabens
are common preservatives found in skin and cosmetic products. They provide protection against micro-
organisms. To be fair, the Food and Drug Administration has no opinion or regulations on the use of
parabens. But, concern is growing over potential health side effects. This is worth checking out.
According to Cosmeticsinfo.org, data indicates that certain types of parabens may interfere with the
functioning of the endocrine system. It may be that they disrupt glandular activity and hormone
production. And this may especially be true of infants and children.
As another concern, research has found that parabens accelerate the aging process. It’s ironic that they
are in products designed to enhance the youth and beauty of the skin.
Another ingredient found in a major body lotion product is myristyl myristrate. It is a thickening agent,
which, according to the Environmental Working Group, can irritate skin, lung and eyes.
This is not to scare you, but to increase your awareness of chemicals found in common, popular skin
lotions.
Take heart, there are healthy options. One product, called Renew™, is free of these chemicals. Further,
it has been clinically tested for safety and purity. The USA based green manufacturing company that
makes it, claims that this lotion is also good for treating eczema and relieving psoriass , rosacea and
diabetes skin problems. And there are many anecdotal claims to support this. Historically, steroid
creams have been used for treatment of these conditions. While such creams reduce inflammation,
they also interfere with the immune system – making them potentially dangerous.
Take a close look at what you are using in and on your body. And in this age of concern for the
environment, it is essential that we start with our bodies and our home.

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What is the Most Efficient Way to Naturally Treat Head Lice?

Can I Naturally Treat The Lice My Child Brought Home?

Back to School time is great, right? Kids are out of the house, they are learning new things, meeting new friends, and bringing new stories back home every day. Unfortunately, for many of us, that’s not all our kids brought back home. 

That’s right: head lice. Millions of kids are infested every year. It is horrible, as a parent, to have these repulsive bugs crawling around on our child’s head. Studies show that there are many more cases of kids coming home from school with head lice in the Winter season. Don’t think that you’re completely in the clear just because there’s no lice in your home after the first month or two back in school. 

If we’re not prepared, our initial reaction is to get rid of them ASAP. Careful though, we want to avoid “fighting fire with fire”, necessarily. What we don’t want to do is just dump a bunch of chemicals onto their heads. Oftentimes, the treatment is worse than the problem! 

Rest assured: you do have options. There have been several home-remedy-type solutions that have become popular through online sharing and word-of-mouth, but which one of these is the safest and most efficient way to treat lice naturally?

The Best Natural Treatment For Head Lice

The best, natural treatment to use is Tea Tree Oil. It’s also called Melaleuca Oil. There’s both types of products and several ways you can apply this child-safe head lice treatment.

  1. You can get a Melaleuca / Tea Tree Oil Shampoo, and have your child (and anyone else in the house!) begin using it for bathing.
  2. You can get the oil in its Essential Oil form, and either place drops directly onto your child’s scalp and/or use an Essential Oil diffuser to fill the room with the Tea Tree Oil vapor 

Which form of the Tea Tree Oil that you use is entirely up to your own personal preference, as their effectiveness is equal.

This will kill both the adult head lice, as well as their larvae and any eggs that they have laid.

Apply this natural treatment for head lice for as long as necessary.

Remember:

You don’t want these abhorrent creatures crawling back onto your child’s head and laying their eggs there again!

Like many of these completely safe, natural, no-side-effects-type of solutions: once your head lice problem has been eradicated, you can continue using the products as a means of prevention. 

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The Top Nine Chemical Nightmares Lurking in Your Household Products

A lot of the focus on the FDA lately has been about what is going into our food, but people are failing to see just how bad things have really become. If the regulation of consumable products has been lackluster, then the attention given to shampoos and soaps is virtually non-existent. Thousands of chemicals fill products that we use and absorb into our bodies every time we shower or even wash our hands! With no pre-product approval, it is impossible to tell just what chemicals we are exposed to, but here are nine that you certainly need to avoid!

Parabens: This nasty concoction has been used for quite some time under the guise of a necessary ingredient due to its ability to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold and yeast. However, it also contains estrogen-like properties that have shown correlation to the increased risk of contracting breast cancer and are commonly found in shampoos, washes, deodorant, etc.

Synthetic Colors: Watch out for ingredients like D&C Red 27 and FD&C blue 1. After all they are derived from things like petroleum and coal tar. It isn’t very surprising that it is suspected to be a carcinogen and skin irritant, but it is shockingly linked to ADHD in children!

Fragrance: Here is where this tour starts to truly get scary. Fragrance was originally a term used to protect a company’s secret formula, but in this day and age, at least the FDA should know what is making your shampoo smell. We know the identities of many chemicals that create mood-calming/refreshing scents, but if they don’t even have to list their “secret blend” on the bottle, how can we even know it is dangerous or not!

Phthalates: We commonly see phthalates in the form of dibutyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate and dimethyl phthalate in many hair care products, lotions, and perfumes. These compounds have a lot of evidence showing they increase the risk of breast cancer, early breast development in girls, and even reproductive birth defects in men and women.

Triclosan: Get ready to visit yet another endocrine disruptor, except this one targets your thyroid as well as your reproductive hormones. Research is showing that excessive exposure leads to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. What makes it worse? The fact that most research shows it kills no more bacteria than natural hand-soap.

Sodium lauryl sulfate/Sodium laureth sulfate: These nasty chemicals can be found in pretty much any that foams up. It is a known skin, lung, and eye irritant, but a far larger concern is that SLS creates nitrosamines when combined with the wrong chemicals. This leads to all sorts of issues, but the kidneys and respiratory system take the hardest hit. Watch out for this ingredient in shampoo, body wash, mascare and acne creams.

Formaldehyde: A liquid that immediately makes us think of CSI and dead corpses, this embalming fluid is often found in products as a preservative, but it isn’t meant for the living. It was already deemed a carcinogen by The International Agency for Research on Carcinogens and it can have a harsh impact on your immune system. Common products containing this ingredient are nail polish, conditioners, washes, cleansers, nail polish treatments, shampoos, eye shadows, and the list goes on.

Toluene: Another petrochemical that comes from petroleum or coal, you will often find it in phenylmethane, benzene, toluol, methylbenzene. Seeing as this chemical is normally used as a paint thinner, you can imagine what it does to your skin and lungs. While the fumes are harmful to people of all ages, expecting mothers should especially beward since toluene is directly related to developmental damage in the fetus. To add to the fire, it can harm your immune system as well. Be careful when selecting items like nail polish, hair bleaching products, and nail treatment.

Propylene glycol: We see this in most things we rub into our skin or spray onto ourselves, but there is only so much we can take. When making your purchase, make sure the propylene glycol levels are below 2%. Anything higher is already at risk for causing dermatitis and hives, so it is best to avoid it altogether.

While we use most of the products mentioned in this blog on a daily basis, we aren’t as doomed as it may seem. It is true that most of the well-known brands are chalked-full of nasty chemical combos that will demolish your system, but keep in mind there is a natural alternative to every one of these items listed. Whether you learn from us our take your own path, just know that when it comes to household products and personal care items, it is better to be able to read the ingredient list without a PHD in chemistry!

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The Secret to Burning Fat Every Workout

Reviewing Access Bars As A Fat-Burning Food

One of the most popular ways to burn fat is from a relatively new product: the fat-burning food called Access Bars. “Relatively” because it was initially released 20 years ago–and released at that time only after 18 years of research. What they sought after was whether or not people could lose weight while eating–was there such thing as a fat-burning food?

Access Bars’ History

The fact that a fat-burning food might be possible brought one of the best minds on the human body onto the research Team. The researcher was Dr. Larry Wang, a Professor of human physiology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He had been studying the hibernation in animals during the intensely cold Canadian winters. He noticed that many mammals would store up fat and then burn it off without having to go anywhere. For example, squirrels lower their body temperatures and then warm them back up during each hibernation process. As they warm back up, they use up the fat stored in their bodies each time, burning through a very large percentage of that fat. They can do this over 15 times during a long Winter season.

Dr. Wang discovered how they were doing this: through accessing a naturally-produced metabolic product called adenosine. Adenosine, however, serves as a kind of gateway: it guards the fat reserves in the body of many mammals. Dr. Wang began to wonder, “If squirrels can do this so effortlessly, over and over each year, could humans also do this or something similar?” He discovered that adenosine is naturally-produced in humans as well. It works in humans very similarly–only we don’t have any way to get through that “gateway” to the extra fat stored in our bodies. Dr. Wang persisted in his research, however, and discovered a way to access that extra fat.

He called this process “Access” because it enables humans to access the otherwise untouchable stores of excess fat. He perfected the process and the efficiency of its accessibility and made several products to deliver it in the most effective way into human’s systems.

One product, in particular, has recently earned a spotlight in several of the more prestigious social  circles. At first glance, it seems counter-intuitive: it’s actually a health bar that you eat. Yes, a fat-burning food.

 

Are Access Bars Really A Fat-Burning Food?

A common current question is something along the lines of, “Are these Access Bars really fat-burning foods and is their recent popularity due to actual results or just a hyped-up trend?”

Yes, the Access Bars–ideally, taken on an empty stomach, and about 15 minutes before starting your workout–works as a fat-burning food.Access Bars are similar to health bars, and probably are often categorized as one. Once you’ve tried them, however, you’ll realize how they’re so much more. They’re really a scientifically-tested, clinically-proven product with unarguable results. While some people report weight loss by doing nothing other than eating them, it’s really recommended that you compound their benefits with exercise. Plus, they stave off multiple cravings. Access Bars are the perfect fat-burning food.

The Access Bar Upgrade

In 2011, Access Bars were upgraded with a patented form of CLA  (conjugated linoleic acid), extracted from safflower oil. The Access process itself didn’t need any improvements. What they discovered in their long-term research is that, because many people were losing very large amounts of weight, a percentage of them would have episodes of “rebounding”weight gain.

Some of these people, with their newfound ability to workout, would experience lean muscle protein loss. Even though this natural side-effect occurred in only a portion of the people that lost a lot of weight, it was limiting people’s ability to completely change their lifestyles for the better. This CLA, by itself, is backed by 18 clinical studies across 75 publications and its effectiveness is unquestioned. Since the CLA agent was added, Access Bars have become one of the most sought-after fat-burning foods on the market.

The Final Verdict On Access Bars…?

While they are becoming more and more prevalent in areas privy to all of the research and successful stories surrounding this edible fat burner, their results speak for themselves. It’s well-documented that these bars are safe, healthy, and as effective as the similar hibernation process found in nature for any mammal coming out of a deep winter’s sleep.

Hype and hyperbole aren’t necessary. Access Bars are, mostly through word-of-mouth, becoming the best option for anyone looking for a fat-burning food that works.

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3 Natural Ways To Combat The Side-Effects Of Menopause 

Many women hear about Menopause through the hearsay of a “friend of a friend”. Perhaps you’ve heard an older Aunt (or worse, an Uncle) sarcastically remark to another woman that appears hot, “Are you having a hot flash or something?” Expecting the side effects of menopausal symptoms to be akin to someone’s snide remarks, or a relative’s running joke isn’t going to give you a very accurate picture. The truth can be much more severe. The flip-side of this coin is that there are also ways to naturally combat the side-effects of menopause.

Instead of natural ways to treat symptoms of menopause, most MDs point to pills or prescription creams. Progesterone steroids are what most doctors will prescribe. If they worked well most women would throw caution to the wind at this point, and welcome the well-known drawbacks from using steroids. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case: the steroidal creams often only provide minimal relief and do more harm than good.

With the onset of “The Information Age”, knowledge of “natural cures” and “safe, natural treatments” for menopause have become much more commonplace. Real people find forums where they can share their experiences, good and bad, and people can hear from people other than a doctor that may or may not have a “pharmaceutical bias”. This isn’t to say that you should ditch your doctor and simply self-diagnose on WebMD all day. Simply, that you can get a clearer picture of the truth when you can weigh all the facts for yourself.

So what are we dealing with here?

According to the Mayo Clinic:

Common Side Effects of Menopause (in reality) can include:

• vaginal dryness to the point of raw, roughened, rashy skin

• osteoporosis

• insomnia

• hair loss

• night sweats

• hot flashes, up to 2-3 times an hour; sometimes causing fainting

• irritability; anxiety

• Aches. pains

• pain during intercourse

• severely diminished sex drive (obviously)

There’s several Products with proprietary formulas that have been proven to help women Ages 50 and up. The first two are more preventative measures. They’re what you want to take prior to the onset of menopause, or just after it’s begun. And you can take one or the other, depending on how much protection or revitalization you’re looking for. The third is what you’d want to add in once you’ve started to experience the (un)natural symptoms of menopause.

Peak Performance Longevity

Targets:

• Heart Health

• Cellular Health

• Metabolic Health

This pack helps to increase energy and overall well-being. It also in muscle and joint recovery, improves calorie burning, and supports normal insulin response–among other internal boosts and body system cleansings. All of these benefits can help your body push back the internal clock. Why not go on the offensive early against menopause?

Peak Performance Total Health for Women

Everything from the Peak Performance Longevity, but it adds in:

• Joint cushioning and replenishing

• Enhanced night vision and helps maintain visual acuity

• Boosted immunity

• Organ, bone, and brain-function health

• and many other full-body enhancements

EstrAval

Specifically designed to be a naturally formulated aid for the symptoms of menopause, this product can make a mar difference. One woman reported that, after she was having several hot flashes an hour, she started taking EstrAval–and within weeks–went down to just one hot flash a day.

This isn’t to say that everyone will experience such dramatic results, but with all of these products offered with a 100% risk-free guarantee, it couldn’t hurt to try.

Now, armed with the information that’s available today to us, what are you going to do with it?

There is a way to try and naturally fend off the onset of Menopause, as well as its side-effects.

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Therapeutic Grade: Fact or Fiction?

The topic of essential oils has become a hot one throughout the world, and it seems that every day there is a new use or medicinal purpose for what we originally thought just had a benevolent fragrance. The question has now become “what is fact versus fiction, what are its medicinal benefits, and what does therapeutic grade really mean?”.

There is no denying that essential oils have many fascinating uses, but what exactly can you do with them? While most companies don’t recommend imbibing the oils themselves, they say it is ok to use them sparingly while cooking. Science has shown there is no medicinal benefit to doing so, but it has created a new fragrant style of cooking where chefs can use their creativity by adding powerful aromas to their dishes.

While cooking it produces one effect, many people believe that combining the pure oils with carrier oils and applying them to specific areas can have many health benefits. While some of the claims tend to be a bit outlandish, scientists have insisted to not throw all of the claims, such as healthy skin, acne treatments, and other small ailments. Other claims such as curing cancer and serious illness tend to take away from some of the amazing therapeutic benefits essential oils can be used for.

This is where people generally get confused with the term “therapeutic grade”. The definition tends to vary from company to company which makes sense when you see that most of the research was done within their own facilities. In fact, there is no certification or credibility behind the term “therapeutic grade”. You can only mention purity of an oil and it is either pure or it is not.

Scents have more power than we think and when used properly they can help us remember things we may have suppressed or bring back warm memories of our youth. It can help us unwind and lower our blood pressure by relieving our stress. There are scientific reasons for why essentials oils are actually good for you, so stop looking for miracles and focus on the facts behind and the ingredients in the product you are using. There is only one type of essential oil you should be looking at for the best results, 100% pure essential oils. Therapeutic grade is a marketing, not a scientific term.

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What Does Green Really Mean?

The Environmental Working Group, or EWG, has come out with a “Hall of Shame” list and what it contains will shock and educate you. Many of the products you use in your home contain carcinogens, asthma inhibitors, and toxins. Are you paying more for that name brand cleaner for unregulated product? According to research shown, a staggering 93% of cleaning products in this independent study did not accurately state the contents nor the quantity of contents properly! The EWG research also showed that 53% of the solutions contained chemicals that are hazardous to the lungs and can cause serious damage. To add insult to injury, many of these cleaners also contained common carcinogens like formaldehyde and chlorine, but something even worse lurks around the corner

Being green is one way to combat these pesky, poisonous materials, but that “green” label you see on most products in the store also doesn’t has hidden meanings! Companies have made mild changes to their formula to qualify for these new “green” labels, but it is an attempt to take advantage of a rising market. These cleaning products might as well be toxic moltov-cocktail filled with phthalates, benzene, and phenols. This is why the movement is making so much cash though, because the manufacturer and middle-man are taking advantage of your trust.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t trust a label jus because it says green. If you really want a green product that won’t be filled with chemicals, look to natural anti-bacterial replacements like tea tree oil and baking soda. Real Simple Magazine suggests. Lemon juice, cooking oil, and vinegar are some that you can find around the house and start using right away, so what are you waiting for? Time to join the Green Clean Life Movement.

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What’s In Your Pet’s Food & Treats?

Just because you bought a bag of dog food from the veterinarian’s office claiming it is a higher quality than supermarket options does not make it nutritional.  One look at the order of the ingredients list will show that the protein comes from grains, or grain by-products such as cornmeal, wheat, & brewers rice rather than from premium meat sources

There are hundreds of brands across the country in grocery stores that mostly contain poultry by-product.  These leftovers consist of feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs, and intestines. Most formulas contain a couple of specialized ingredients to make them appear as a specialized health diet for limitless reasons. The truth is a healthy diet can help keep your dog healthy and happy for much longer, but it must consist of a proper protein source and appropriate nutrition supplementation.

When you’re looking for the best high quality food, look for ingredients like chicken meal or lamb meal to be listed before any grains are. Our family pets are designed by nature to eat protein from meat sources, so the high grain content many pet foods contain is one of the leading contributors to the growing obesity issues in pets. This being said, it isn’t recommended to completely remove grains from your animals diet.

Most people will tell you that “human food” is not good for your pets, while most holistically trained veterinarians encourage the practice of feeding fresh food to our pets. If you do feed them non formulated food, keep it to healthy items such as meat, steamed and finely chopped veggies & fruits, baked sweet potato, rice, oatmeal (and no junk food!) If you feed them this way, remember to lessen the portion of their own food so that they don’t put on extra pounds.

Remember, not all healthy foods for us are good for them. Onions, grapes and raisins can all be toxic to our cats and dogs. If you’re not positive it’s safe for them, don’t feed them it!  And, don’t forget to supplement for things like hip and joint problems.  The correct supplementation can add years to your pet’s life and life to your pet’s years.