How Clean Is Your Soap?

Before I became pregnant, I didn't give a lot of thought to the things I put into my body. I knew certain things were not good for me, but I must admit that I didn't really ever think about the eventual consequences. I knew that organic food was a better route for my body and the planet, but I never considered committing to eating only organic. Once I started building a new human inside myself it was like the blinders came off. I could suddenly see the dangers everywhere. After my son was born and I started breastfeeding, my awareness rose again. I am not advocating living a paranoid life rooted in fear. As with everything, we do need balance. Beside the air we breathe, water and foods we ingest there is another way that we assimilate toxins into our bodies and that is through our largest organ, the skin. There is a lot of controversy right now about parabens and other additives contained in skin care and beauty products. There are many who claim that parabens not only contribute to cancer but also disrupt hormonal balance. Of course the FDA does not recognize these claims...for now. The great thing is, for those of us who wish to avoid these risks, there has been a resurgence of handmade products on the market. Just like the artisan breads and locally grown produce that we love, we can now find wonderful body care products to nurture our skin. My favorite is Nakee' Natural. These products are made with such loving care from the best ingredients and you can feel it in your skin when you use them. To me, actually feeling the physical difference in my own body is the real test.

If you are concerned about what is on the shelves of your bathroom cabinet, a great resource is the Skin Deep database. You can search for skin care and beauty products and also see what kind of chemicals are contained in the products you are currently using.