Is there anybody here who doesn’t enjoy trying out luxurious skincare products? Who doesn’t like being pampered with beauty products which leave your skin looking and feeling smooth, silky and youthful? Sadly, it’s been years since I’ve allowed any sales assistants at beauty counters to apply strange creams and lotions on my skin. I even avoid beauty workshops. Why? Well, have you seen what goes into common skincare products and cosmetics, even the expensive brands?

Propylene glycol, parabens, PEGs, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulphate, alcohol, petrolatum and talc are some widely-used ingredients which are potentially harmful and even carcinogenic. These are just a few of thousands of questionable ingredients which are used in bath products, skincare, make-up and other personal care products. You may not know it, but what you apply daily on your face and body may be making you sick and aging you prematurely.

Before I buy any personal care or beauty products, I read the ingredients on the label thoroughly. Nine out of 10 times, I end up putting the item back on the shelf. Even so-called “natural” or “organic” personal care products often contain questionable ingredients. When your family has a history of cancer as bad as mine does, you learn to get picky about what you expose yourself to, whether in food, the environment or personal care and household products. Any guest who stays in my home for a while will probably leave in better health than if they had stayed at a six-star hotel, because my family is so fussy about the safety and quality of the products we use.

This weekend brought happy news to me and many other safety-conscious consumers. My favorite safety-conscious health and wellness company, Neways International, launched a new skincare and beauty line which is comprehensive and effective while avoiding the use of at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, like toxins, dioxins, irritants, carcinogens, and contaminants. Can you think of any brand which has achieved this? Three cheers for Neways!

Ingredients and technologies used by Neways are typically safer and superior in quality than those typically used by many commercial brands. What’s got me even more excited is that Neways’ new True Touch skincare and cosmetics range uses a dizzying array of newly-discovered or little-known botanical ingredients. I pride myself in being well-informed, but Neways is now using healthy ingredients and technologies which are totally new even to me. Neways is also using more environmentally-friendly ingredients, such as bamboo, an environmentally-sustainable agricultural product (it’s the world’s fastest-growing plant) in the True Touch skin exfoliator called Clarifier.

After one beauty workshop yesterday, where I got to try many of the skincare products from Neways’ new True Touch line, my body was left tingling. Not just because the products had refreshed and invigorated my skin, but because I was excited to get the whole range home for my family to use. The products are so good they’re like vitamins and antioxidants for the skin, almost good enough to eat. No wonder they leave the skin looking and feeling great.

If you know of any other beauty brand which avoids using at least 3,000 questionable ingredients, while providing a range of skincare and make-up products as wide, comprehensive, effective and luxurious as Neways’ True Touch line, please write about it here. The more beauty options we have which are safe and healthy– and, preferably, even nourishing and healing – the better. Why put up with inferior and harmful personal care products anymore? Hallelujah!

Posted: March 9th, 2010 under Beauty Tips, Cancer, Enemies To Health, Health Basics 101, Safe Homes, Toxins & Pollutants.
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Ginger’s breath is stinking. Time to brush her teeth. Of course, the toothpaste we use must be free from harmful toxins like fluoride, sodium laurel sulphate and alcohol, especially as she can’t rinse out her mouth. We have to be careful that our sweet doggie doesn’t ingest anything harmful. We want her to live a long, healthy, happy life.

So we’ll be using our own fluoride-free, sodium laurel sulphate-free and alcohol-free toothpaste when we brush our dog’s teeth. Remember how it used to be so difficult to find a toothpaste which was free from harmful ingredients? Most toothpaste brands contained fluoride, a by-product of copper, iron and aluminum manufacturing. Did you know that before fluoride was deemed a “cavity fighter,” it was used as an insecticide and rat poison? Yikes! Did you also know that fluoride increases the risk of bone cancer in adolescent males? It can also cause osteoporosis and has led to hip fractures.

If this isn’t horrifying enough, this big, bad “F” word has been found to interfere with the pineal gland and its release of melatonin, an antioxidant produced naturally in our bodies. Early puberty has also been shown to occur in areas where there is fluoride in the water.

Thankfully, it’s possible nowadays to find safe toothpaste which is free from harmful ingredients like fluoride and sodium laurel sulphate. Don’t even get me started on sodium laurel sulphate, which is actually an engine degreaser. That stuff isn’t coming anywhere near me or my family, not if I can help it!

Since we discovered Neways UltraShine Radiance toothpaste years ago, we haven’t used anything else. Instead of using cheap and harmful ingredients like fluoride and sodium laurel sulphate, it uses superior safe ingredients like:

Casein, a natural protein found in milk that has demonstrated effectiveness in preventing tooth decay. Casein remains the only natural food constituent known to improve the ratio of good bacteria-to-bad bacteria in the mouth. Casein has also been shown to prevent decay causing bacteria from attaching to teeth. Rich in bio-available phosphates and calcium, it also supports the re-mineralizing of tooth surfaces. Studies have shown that 1 percent of casein solution is as effective as 500 ppm fluoride in aiding the prevention of cavities.

Calcium Glycerophosphate, a natural constituent found in the human body. It helps prevent cavities through enzymatic cleansing. Calcium glycerophosphate complements casein in promoting the re-mineralizing of tooth enamel.

Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide, the same effective ingredient found in Neways Eliminator® mouthwash and which has been clinically proven to strengthen gums. Stabilized chlorine dioxide was originally developed to treat canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers. It is very gentle on the delicate tissues of the mouth, yet very aggressive toward bacteria and plaque. Like in Eliminator, it neutralizes volatile sulfur compounds, which have been shown to be a major source of bad breath. Similarly, its odour- preventative effects last up to four hours.

Natural Mint Extract, which containis 25 percent peppermint oil, the only essential oil licensed as a medicine. Peppermint oil inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi. Mint extract contains menthol, which will leave your mouth feeling tingly-fresh.

Xylitol, which has been shown to decrease oral levels of cavity causing bacteria. It complements the effects of casein, stabilized chlorine dioxide, and mint extract to prevent cavity formation.

Neways UltraShine Radiance Toothpaste is most effective as part of a regular program of brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups. Dogs, of course, may be excused for not flossing :)

Believe it or not, all it takes is a pea-sized amount of UltraShine Radiance toothpaste on a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush all tooth surfaces thoroughly. Talk about mileage! For best results, rinse with Eliminator Mouthwash. Then wait for 10 minutes before eating or drinking (or kissing) to allow the casein, calcium glycerophosphate, and stabilised chlorine dioxide to complete their activity.

Dental hygiene is now safer, and more effective, then it’s ever been. Now that’s something to smile about!

Posted: February 9th, 2010 under Dental Health, Safe Homes, Toxins & Pollutants.
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Can you imagine not having clean and safe water to drink, cook with, bathe in and wash your dishes and laundry in? Most of us enjoy the convenience of running water from the tap, but have you ever wondered how safe it is? The US Environment Protection Agency names some contaminants which may be found in drinking water:

MICRO-ORGANISMS
Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium
Found in human and animal faecal waste. Causes gastrointestinal illnesses such as diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps.

Legionella
Found in water and multiplies in heating systems. Causes Legionnaire’s Disease, a type of pneumonia.

Chlorite
A by-product of drinking water disinfection. Causes anaemia and can affect the nervous system in infants and young children.

Chlorine
Added to water to control microbes. Causes eye or nose irritation and stomach discomfort.

INORGANIC CHEMICALS
Arsenic
From natural deposits and in the run-offs from orchards and glass and electronics production wastes. Causes skin damage or problems with the circulatory systems and may increase the risk of getting cancer.

Copper
From corrosion of household plumbing systems and natural deposits. Short-term exposure causes gastrointestinal distress while long-term exposure causes liver or kidney damage.

Fluoride
Added to water to promote strong teeth. Can also enter drinking water from erosion of natural deposits and discharge from fertiliser and aluminium factories. It can cause bone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones) and children may get mottled teeth. Ironically, fluoride is found in most brands of toothpaste so, at the very least, use a toothpaste which is free from fluoride and other harmful ingredients like Neway’s Ultrashime Radiance toothpaste.

Safe, clean water is the foundation of health and wellness. What’s in your water?

Posted: June 29th, 2009 under Enemies To Health, Health Basics 101, Toxins & Pollutants.
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