The wonder of SKIN's Unscented Lotion

Although we normally write more 'scientific' and educational articles, I couldn't pass up this opportunity to share a recent experience we had with SKIN's unscented body lotion. Every year about this time, my son, age 9, somehow manages to create a very large chapped, red and sore area around his mouth. It usually comes from him chewing on shirts (of course, he would hate it that I am sharing this) and this causes the area around his mouth to stay moist and chapped.

So I pulled out all the tricks. I tried to get him to put on the calendula salve but he's very picky about texture and smells so he refused put it on. I tried to sneak it on him in his sleep and he always woke up, rolled over and wiped it off. I tried to get him to put on any of my Caren products of which there is quite a selection, I might add. Nope, wouldn't do it.

Ah, ha! The unscented body lotion from SKIN. He tried it and was willing to use it. Mind you, the area around his mouth is so bad, it takes numerous applications and me harping on him to keep lotion on it. I even put some in a little jar that he could stick in his pocket. I am on to something now. And within a couple of days, it starting clearing up. The redness was gone almost immediately and the rough cracked area is now almost non-existent. So the moral of this blog is two fold. If you have a child or person in the family who is sensitive to smell and texture, the unscented lotion is perfect and it is very creamy. Secondly, it works amazingly to clear up chapped areas. I just had to share this great news with you.

Holiday Alternative Sweetners

Good news! You don't have to skip the holidays treats and sweets. You can make your goodies without loading up on the refined processed sugars. Too much sugar can wreak havoc on your health. Processed sugar ramps up your glycemic load and is a nutritionally empty food and is high in calories. But there are great alternative sugars so you don't have to give up your sweet tooth and I love my desserts.

The natural sugar alternatives contain nutrients and minerals that promote a healthy digestive system. They may change the texture and sweetness of your dessert but for the better. Also, measurements may need to be altered but I'll give you some conversions.

Agave is a must have at my house. It is in liquid form so it is easy to use if you want to sweeten up some fruit or cereal. Just pour a little on. Agave nectar comes from a cactus. This is also a great option for diabetics because it is lower on the glycemic scale. It packs a powerful nutrient punch. It is also rich in vitamin B,C, D and E, calcium, iron and phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, selenium and chronium. For a measurement conversion you will want to use 3/4 cup agave for a cup of sugar and reduce the liquid of a recipe by a 1/4 cup. If replacing a cup of corn syrup, use 1/2 as much agave and increase other liquids in the recipe by up to 1/3 cup. Even better news it doesn't spoil or crystallize.

Date sugar is another good option but probably need to go to health stores to get it. It is ground up dates which are rich in fiber. It is full of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and copper. It is a nice substitute for brown sugar.

Maple syrup is oh so delicious. I can't even imagine using anything else on my pancakes and waffles and a little goes a long way because it is rich. The darker, grade C preferred, the better. It contains zinc which supports the immune system.

Do you see the pattern here? These natural sugars are packed with nutrients which their white sugar chemical counterpart is not. It can be a bit experimental when substituting the natural sugars in baked goods, but don't be afraid to try.

So don't fret. You can eat all those yummy holiday treats while being healthy. And your guests and family will be raving over your desserts.

Serums. Vitamins for the Skin.

I know it seems like just another step in the old skin care routine, but adding a serum to your line up can be worth it. As a liquid treatments high in concentrated ingredients, serums can treat various skin issues such as redness, fine lines, discoloration and dehydration. As a liquid, it takes only seconds to apply a quick serum and adds extra nutrients to the deepest layers of the skin.

The main reason to use a serum is to add nutrients under the skin which your moisturizer can not do. This is because facial serums contain mostly active ingredients, whereas most facial moisturizers and lotions usually contain much less. Moisturizer and lotions only affect the top layer of the skin, whereas fluid serums usually do not have emulsifiers and waxes as found in typical moisturizers. If you have oily skin like me, in the summer months you can even use the serum as the last step, forgoing moisturizer all together. Due to the high concentration of nutrients, serums are fast acting and easily absorbed into the deepest layers of the skin. A serum nourishes, enhances, and boosts the natural ability of the skin to regenerate and moisturize itself. Think of it as a multi-vitamin for your skin!

Serums can seem expensive when you look at the size of the bottle, but remember when applying a serum only a drop or two is required to cover the neck and face. Apply them after your toner and before your moisturizer. Serums can transform your complexion by providing the nutrients it needs to regenerate. Check out our line-up of serums, including Evan Healy's NEW Pomegranate Repair Serum, to see which one is right for you!

Did You Know?

Copper is a great antibacterial? In fact, door and faucet handles made with uncoated copper were proven effective at fighting even the super bugs like MRSA. A hospital study showed copper taps, toilet seats and push plates on doors all but eliminated common bugs and was also effective at killing off many dangerous germs like flu virus and even E coli. Of course, this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. The ancient Egyptians used copper to sterilize drinking water. Though a bit pricey, it may be worth it when the next pandemic rolls around. So if your shopping for some new home hardware...

Avoiding GMOs this Holiday Season

Of all the traditions celebrated during the holiday season, the tastes and smells enjoyed at this time of year create true memories. Often healthy foods take a back seat to make way for many traditional flavors, but there are some simple things you can do to make your family favorites a bit healthier. You can give your family the best gift of the season by learning how to avoid foods made with unhealthy chemicals and transgenic or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with this new non-GMO shopping guide created by the Institute for Responsible Technology. There are now thousands of food products on grocery store shelves that contain GMO ingredients. A few Thanksgiving favorites include:

• GMO Turkey
  • GM animal feed
• GMO Cranberry Dishes
  • High fructose corn syrup
  • Soy lecithin
• GMO Pies
  • Vegetable oil (soy, corn, cotton or canola)
  • Aspartame
• GMO Green Bean Casserole
  • Soy protein concentrate in cream soups

Genetic engineering or genetic modification of food involves the laboratory process of artificially inserting genes into the DNA of food crops or animals. Unlike traditional hybrids where different types, of say corn, are combined to create a better crop, GMOs can be engineered with genes from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. In nature, corn would never cross-pollinate or "mate" with a virus or insect. Because there has been little safety testing of the long term health effects of GMO consumption, it is best to avoid all of the them. For a few good books on the lack of risk assessment of GMOs, check out Denise Caruso's Intervention or Jeffrey M. Smith's Seeds of Deception in our Caren Must Read's section.

Three simple tips for buying Non-GMO food staples are:
Oils - Replace oils from the four major GM oil crops, corn, cotton, canola and soy, with other readily available oils such as olive, safflower, grape seed or peanut.
Dairy - Avoid buying products from cows fed with GM corn and soybeans or injected with the (rBST or rBGH) bovine growth hormone.
Sweeteners - Avoid corn sweeteners made from GM corn like high fructose corn syrup and beet sugar that will be in hundreds of your favorite products starting with the 2008 crop. Buy cane sugar products instead. A petition against GM sugar can be found on the Institute for Responsible Technology website.

Organic products are another way to avoid GMOs.The Institute for Responsible Technology's Campaign for Healthier Eating in America works with citizens, organizations, businesses, and the media, to achieve the tipping point of consumer rejection of genetically modified foods. The Institute educates people about the documented health risks of GMOs and provides them with healthier non-GMO product choices and informs policy makers and the public around the world about the impacts of GMOs on health, environment, the economy, and agriculture, and the problems associated with current research, regulation, corporate practices, and reporting. For more information, check out their website at www.responsibletechnology.org.