Some New Favorite Things and Living Earth Friendly


When I find something new that really excites me I like to share it with my readers.
Most of you know who have read my blog for any length of time, I am as they say now "green". We have been environmentally aware for 30 years. Emery and I both are committed to living earth friendly as much as we can and with what we know. We raised our children that way too. But we are all learning new things all the time.
This week on the news I heard a short segment connecting breast cancer with all the chemicals a woman uses, including what is in shampoo. I suspect the beauty industry will work hard to keep this study under wraps. This is no news to me, I have suspected it for a very long time. Compare our rates of breast cancer with "undeveloped" countries and their lack of "stuff" and more natural diet makes them less likely to get breast cancer.
No need for a multi-million dollar study to prove it, we can all figure out that modern times and all the chemicals is not helping us stay healthy. We just create more drugs to fight the additives effects on our bodies.
I am an advocate of not shaving underarms, (hair is a natural filter) not using antiperspirant, good deodorant is fine with me, but nothing with aluminum. I am also a fan of shampooing my hair with my soap, instead of something with a list of ingredients too hard to pronounce and too many to list by memory.
That said, I have to tell you about a soap I just discovered. I like the soap I make, and like how it makes my skin feel, but this soap I just discovered, smells heavenly, that is if you consider a kind hippie scent heavenly. Its exotic smelling and at the same time, good for you. Give Chandrika soap a try. Its now one of my very favorite things and I have a bar in ever drawer of my dresser, just for the scent. Its all vegetable oils, no animal fats. I have been washing my hair with it too and it leaves it feeling pretty nice.
Now for my second new favorite thing.... some cloth diapers I ordered for Mei-Ling. They are super soft, beautifully made and just the cutest print for this little one.
Cotton diapers are just the best for baby and for the earth. I know all the arguments about the water needed to wash diapers etc, but let me tell you, we are not filling up the landfills by using cloth and not making a little moist oven to heat up babies reproductive organs.
Anyway, these diapers are darling and made by a family business in Utah. Give their site a visit and consider using cloth diapers. Its not a big deal work wise. I have traveled across country and used cloth diapers. My house never smelled like dirty diapers. I once headed off to the Doctors with Melissa, for a bad diaper rash, my definition of bad was "red" and "looked sore". The Doctor promptly laughed and said, "dear, that is not a bad rash, in fact I would not even consider it a rash, you should see the patients I see that use disposable diapers".
Anyway, off my bandwagon about our throw away culture.
Here is the link for these darling soft cloth diapers.
http://www.babybearhugz.com
These folks were super to do business with too.
Speaking of diapers, I think the little one next to me needs a change. Mei-Ling has picked this moment to ummm, change the scent of my room, during the time when I told her mommy I wanted her to rest, and that I would take care of the diaper changes.

You know though, I have to add something here, it is a blessing that diapers need changing, it shows the body is functioning well.



Comments

Maya Madhavan said…
I was pleasantly surprised to see a picture of Chandrika soap on your blog. It is a favourite at home and I love how they've kept the same packaging & formula for so many years! It is the only soap my Dad uses and the smell always reminds me of him. He brings his own soap when he visits just so he won't have to use the new-fangled harsher soaps. I am glad they export it so it is available here in the US. I love their Sidha shampoo too - smells divine and is not harsh at all.

Thanks for sharing the information about where you bought the cloth diaper's for the little one. We are expecting a new arrival in September and we'd also like to use cloth diapers. Thanks!
Patty said…
Hi Maya,
I will have to look for the Sidha Shampoo and give it a try. I love that this soap is made in Kerala, the home state of a friend of many many years.
Patty said…
Oh Maya,
just a note about diapers and congratulations too, Indian diapers are the softest. I just ordered more Indian prefolds on ebay. The diapers in the store are HARD and don't seem to get softer with wear.
djh/texas said…
i know this is from a while back but i wondered if you still use the chandrika soap to wash your hair? i love this soap and often use it to wash my hair and just wondered if it works good long term or if you found another option. another good soap is j. r. liggets bar shampoo - but it seems that the chandrika leaves less soap scum!!!
djh/texas
Patty said…
Hi Djh,
I still use it, switching off in winter to use grandpas pine tar when my scalp gets dry, or my own homemade soap.
djh/texas said…
wow - that's wild! i also use grandpa's pine tar soap for hairwashing! it seems that these two soaps leave less scum on my hair than any other!!! what are the ingredients of your home-made soap? do you use an acidic rinse when you wash your hair with soap? just curious...
djh

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