Make your own mouthwash...and such

The idea for this article is courtesy of my brother, who successfully likes making his own EVERYTHING. One area he and others are getting more interested in is making homemade hygiene and body care products like lotion, hair conditioner, detergents, etc.

Why? There are a lot of reasons this is a growing movement:

You have complete control over the ingredients in your products. Instead of the long list of mystery ingredients, people can rest easy knowing they're comfortable with everything added to their product.

It's safer and healthier. People are becoming more aware that the skin, as an organ, absorbs what you put on it, so whatever products go on the skin end up in the blood stream and body. Here's what Kara Parker, M.D., who was interviewed for the article, says about that:
"The skin is like an externalized gastrointestinal tract – I don't know how we got to the point where we put things on our skin that we'd never eat," she said. "Many of these chemically manufactured ingredients are new to nature and our bodies have never seen them before, but they're getting absorbed and our bodies have to deal with them."
For example, one of Parker's patients had toxic levels of the female hormone progesterone but hadn't taken any hormones. "I couldn't figure it out, it didn't make any sense, and then I learned she'd been using a popular anti-aging facial cream that has progesterone in it," Parker said. "They don't have to list it on the ingredients."

Better for sensitive skin and respiratory systems. If you deal with rashes or itchy skin or even respiratory issues or headaches, the artificial fragrances and other additives found in many hygiene products could be what's irritating you. Dr. Parker said she's seen many patients whose symptoms improved after switching to healthier/cleaner products.

Save money. If you're buying products made with quality ingredients already, making your own saves money.

Better for the environment. Making your own stuff in bulk and reusing the same containers helps reduce plastic use.

For fun. People who like cooking, gardening, baking or being creative often enjoy mixing this stuff up and tinkering with recipes and so on.

Read the full article here. And if you're interested in getting started, here's a list of resources, some simple recipes and a list of upcoming classes on how to make your own stuff (if you live in the Twin Cities area).

If you want to learn more about how body care and hygiene products impact health, read this article I wrote last fall. And to for more on the broader issue of how simple choices and everyday products impact your health, read this article from last summer.

This post is getting long, but I can't not include one recipe:

PEPPERMINT-CLOVE MOUTHWASH

Courtesy of Liz McMann's blog, www.foodsnobberyhobbery.blogspot.com

• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tbsp. witch hazel
• 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin (optional -- gives a sweet taste)
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 drop peppermint essential oil
• 1 drop tea tree essential oil
• 1 drop clove essential oil

Combine the ingredients in a tightly sealed bottle or jar. Shake gently, then take a sip, swish and spit.