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You Big Baby: Gentle Care for Sensitive Skin and Tiny Bods
Babies represent a purity, a sensitivity that we all have. Babies remind us to be sensitive to our surroundings, whether that be to noise, sharp objects, or toxic body care products.
We have to ask ourselves, are the products and ingredients that pregnant people and littles are told to avoid actually safe for the rest of us?Get this, we don’t stop making cells when we ‘grow up’. Being alive is a dynamic, building up and breaking down process that doesn’t stop until we die. Sounds obvious, but many of us act as though our bodies aren’t composed of permeable systems which are completely intertwined with our environment.
We have a cellular refresh every seven years (approximately). That’s right- you’re a new version of you every seven years! Meanwhile, turns out that so called “junk” DNA (MOST of our genome!) is in an exchange program with our environment. Tiny little micro RNA go out for an adventure then return worldly, bilingual and able to whip up a perfect goulash.
We sweat, spit and exhale this microRNA. We, in turn, receive microRNA from other humans as well as from other species. So the beings you spend the most time with are literally making you. With that little factoid, how about a refresh on the toxic RELATIONSHIPS you have in your life?
The paradox of human existence is we are both so resilient and so fragile. Our bodies can, and do adapt to the sometimes heinous conditions around us. This is called alleotstatis: adapting and working with what we got. When we are dealing with lots of stressors simultaneously, i.e. stressful work, trauma, illness, toxins in our environment and food, that ability to adapt gets saturated. We hit a wall called the allostatic load. Once we hit that wall, we begin to get sick and become extremely sensitive to myriad stressors.
We at Fat and the Moon usually resist the roll out of the list of toxins in everyday body “care” products because we believe in the pleasure, and efficacy of wholesome bod care speaking for itself. That said, it is important to highlight some of the most ubiquitous toxins laced within even ‘natural’ products as they relate to our health.Phthalates and parabens - and do watch for the sneaky isopropyl parabens and propyl paraben s- since they are hormone disruptors. Hormones control freakin everything in our bodies. Yes, they control our reproductive systems, but also our functionality, and our mood. These chemicals throw a wrench in the sensitive hormonal cycling of our bodies.
For those set on spastic sanitising, here is another reason to chill... triclocarban and triclosan. These yuck ingredients found in antibacterial products mess with thyroid function. The thyroid is like the drummer in your bod’s band, keeping the pace and timing. Mess with the drummer and your body is the equivalent of that garage band you tried to put together in high school where no one could play an instrument OR sing. Also, bacteria, in balance IS YOUR FRIEND!
My oh my, formaldehyde. Are you seeeerious. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen added to products to inhibit bacterial growth to preserve products, including products for children like bubble bath. Something just seems down right evil about adding a known cancer causing ingredient to bubble bath.
So, in short, adding toxins to your daily routine jeopardizes the fine symphony that is the functioning of your ever changing body. So act like the big baby you are and be gentle with yourself. Think of how you would treat your child self if they were standing right in front of you. Would you let them roll with carcinogens in their bubble bath? Heck, naw. You’d be feeding them the most delish/nutrish food you could afford and taking them on fun and educational outings, then tucking them in with a magical bedtime story. Your Saturday just got planned out.
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