Are Your Beauty Products Safe?

by akleinbrodt | May 6, 2019 | Uncategorized

If you know me, you know I’m pretty impeccable about what I put in and around my body, and my family’s bodies.

I started using Primal Life Organics about a year ago, reluctantly. I loved how clean the ingredients were, but I was skeptical about the oil based cleansers and moisturizers because of my already oily and acne prone skin. But just like the many of the fad diets being hocked, skin care is another fad industry that we just keep seeing more and more unsubstantiated claims and very convincing marketing.

Most acne products are designed to dry the skin, but this leads to more breakouts. And antiobiotic based acne products aren’t effective in killing acne-associated bacteria because of antibiotic resistance.

Another important fact too often overlooked is that our skin is our largest organ, what we put in and around our skin seeps into our blood stream. And if those products are full of toxins (which most of them are, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website to check the safety of the products you are using). The chemicals found in many commercial personal care products can wreak havoc on neurotransmitter production and hormones, and have been linked to cancer, and other neurodegenerative diseases.

But after starting to use Primal Life Organics my skin transformed!

My pregnancy induced dark spots (that I couldn’t shake even 2 years after pregnancy) finally began fading with the BLU Berry Elixir antioxidant blend. The Banished Acne Remedy Package did just as its name suggests, now I only see an occasional breakout with hormonal fluctuations, but way more manageable than ever before (and I’ll be writing more about hormone balancing in another post). I use the Coffee Bean Serum every day to support my collagen production (I hope it’s working to tighten my skin, I don’t think it’s any droopier that’s for sure)! And the sun protection products are amazing. I could never find a clean sunscreen that didn’t leave a thick residue, most sun protectors I’ve used left me feeling dirty all day. Not Primal Life Organics sun protectors.

And the biggest bonus, the ingredients are all organic. Packages are glass, so no bpa or estrogenic effects. No water, like in Beauty Counter products which uses tap water, which can have heavy metals, chlorine, and other toxins from the water.

If you’re looking for a new, toxin free line of personal care products, I highly recommend Primal Life Organics .*

*while I am an affiliate of Primal Life Organics, my nominal earnings help support my continued research, and I never recommend products that I don’t use myself and find benefit from.

Bullet-Proof Coffee and Creamer Alternatives

by akleinbrodt | Apr 4, 2019 | Uncategorized

One of the most frequent complaints I hear is “I can’t have my coffee creamer?!?!?!” Have you looked at the ingredients on those things, no really read them?  It’s gross. 

But until your taste buds adjust to a life without sugar, I understand the need to jazz up your cup of morning Joe.  

So here are some different ways I spice up our morning coffee. 

First is how I make the coffee, I use an old fashioned percolator, stainless steel construction throughout to reduce my toxin exposure.  And to make sure it’s ready when I get up I use an outlet timer.  

Second are the beans.  Look for an organic, fair trade, shade grown variety.   

Next I choose a fat.  MCT oil is a great option. It has been linked to weight loss because it keeps you fuller longer, it also has been linked to supporting the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut and can improve your HDL cholesterol and lower blood sugar. Athletes are touting that MCT oil improves workouts. One study found that consuming MCT oil reduced the buildup of lactate in the blood, allowing athletes to work out longer, as rising lactate in the blood is what causes muscle fatigue and soreness during exercise. Consuming 1.5 tsp of MCT oil before exercise has also been found to increase fat burning during your workout.

I also like to add collagen to my coffee. Collagen has been linked to slowing the degenerative process that is all too common in aging. It consists of 19 amino acids (essential and non-essential), that aid in healthy muscle and joints, improving digesting, and even strengthening immune function.

You can try bullet proof coffee as a morning substitute to breakfast. On mornings I know I have a heavy workout ahead of me, I might have a light breakfast (eggs and greens). And here are some delicious options that I like to mix and match, choose the combination that sounds best to you:

• 1 tbl MCT oil
• 1 tbl coconut oil(this really brings out the natural nutty flavor of the coffee)
  
• 1 tbl creamed coconut
• 1 tbl cacao butter(this makes it taste like chocolate)
• a dash of cinnamon
• a drop of vanilla extract 

Next I put my protein either in the form of collagenor gelatin.

Last, I pour the coffee.

Add a fat, a protein, some spice, and use our trusty immersion blenderfor a frothy, latte-like coffee drink.  

No creamer necessary. 

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