A True Hero for Women

Receiving the Best Innovation Award from The President of India – Smt. Pratibha Patil in New Delhi
*Image from Jayaashree Industries Website

Last week, on her Facebook page, Karen over at Only Sometimes Clever (don’t let her fool you… she is almost always clever), shared a link to the most amazing story…

You really should read it.  It’s truly extraordinary.  Don’t worry, I’ll still be here when you come back….

OK.  Parts of it are really creepy and weird. I mean, there is goat’s blood and women’s underwear involved.  But, hey, people probably though Jonas Salk was a major freak-show when he was hanging out with diseased milk maids and shooting up with live viruses.

So the story is that Arunachalam Maruganantham (let’s just call him Mr. M.) is a regular man (not a doctor or a famous politician or anything) in India came to the realization that only about 12% of women in his country could afford to buy sanitary napkins.

Think of that… what would you do?

Young girls quit school because they can’t go out in public during their period and they can’t keep up if they miss a week out of every month.  Women can’t work outside the home for the same reason.  Some women use old scraps of cloth or even ashes but, for starters, that isn’t very effective.  Much worse, it can lead to repeated infections that could cost them their fertility or even their lives.

As an American woman, it’s a difficult thing to even fathom.  Sanitary napkins are available for pennies a piece at the dollar store.  No one I know has ever really given their cost much thought.  Oh, perhaps you couldn’t afford the slim name brand kind with the wings and fancy wrappers… but there is always something available.

One of the 88% “making due” was Mr. M’s wife.

This tells me that  they are not a wealthy family.

Did he let his poverty stand in his way?

Are you kidding me?

This guy didn’t let anything stand in his way!

He put everything on the line in a way that few of us have ever experienced.  His loved ones – even his wife and his own mother – abandoned him.  He, no doubt, spent what few pennies he had. He was a laughingstock. He even faced witchcraft charges.

He couldn’t speak with American investors so he taught himself English.

He didn’t always have access to electricity, so he built a machine that was pedal-powered.

Still, he continued his work.

His perseverance paid off when he was finally, successfully, able to build a machine that could create effective, disposable sanitary napkins for about $.03 each.

Did he go into the feminine hygiene business and strike it rich?

Nope.

He didn’t make the napkins.  His company, Jayaashree Industries, started making the machines.

Then, he learned how to help women apply for private and government grants so that they could afford to buy one of the $2,500 machines, and he started helping the women go into business for themselves, knowing that each woman would need to hire a handful of workers to help her run her little factory.

With a maxi pad, Mr. M is changing his entire nation and, yes, the entire world.

600 women in 23 rural, poverty-stricken states in India, as well as a handful of others in other nations, have been able to acquire one of Mr. M’s machines.

That’s 600 women who will never need to use a dirty cloth or handful of ashes again.

But more than that!  If they each hire 3 women to help them… now 1,800 have been helped.  Not only helped by having a healthy, sanitary way to deal with their menstrual cycles, but 1,800 women now have a way to earn a living!

How many of those women have teenage daughters who will now be able to finish school?

How many of those women have neighbors who will now be able to take employment?

How many illnesses and deaths will be prevented?

How many…..

Who could ever say?!

I can’t even fathom the number.

Guess what?  Mr. M’s family came back to him and nobody is laughing at him now.

Now, hearing Mr. M’s story, I want you to look at me (And please know I’ll be looking in the mirror, as well) and tell this Hippie Mama that you can’t make a difference.

Are you too poor?

Can’t find anyone to help you?

Don’t have all the knowledge you need?

Well… Mr. M could have said all that too.

“The world is broken,” some say.

I say, today is the day for each of us to do something to fix it.

Thank you, Arunachalam Muruganantham, for being a true hero for women everywhere and a shining example to each of us!

Nasty Vile Horrible Blood Sucking Fiends and How To Avoid Them

Death to mosquitoes!

Why can’t mosquitos suck fat instead of blood?

Why didn’t Noah swat the two mosquitoes?

People who claim they don’t let the little things get to them have never been closed in a room with a single mosquito.

No one is feeling any love for the mosquito.  I know I’m not.  They are foul, nasty, vile, annoying, horrible, germ infested, hideous little creatures.  (I’m working on not holding back my true feelings) I have no idea why a loving God would create such a beast.  My best explanation is that they must have escaped from the bowels of Hell to torment us.  I really really hate mosquitoes.

My hatred began when I was a teen.  I got the world’s most awesome job as a camp councilor.  Odd… I was so excited to do it back then, for barely minimum wage.  20 years later/older I’m not sure you could pay me enough.  Huh. Go figure.  But I digress.

That was the summer that I learned that I could, as can most anyone, handle a bite or two.  Or five.  Or ten.  But somewhere after that my body reached a threshold past which no more nasty mosquito venom would be tolerated.  Each bite swelled to horrific proportions.  A single bite could cover my entire calf or half my face.  They were swollen and rock hard.  Lovely. Just the look every 16-year-old girl is striving for.  And then, a few bites later, a rash of tiny purple spots broke out all over me.  Oh… that was pretty.  Some Benadryl helped get things under control and I learned to soak in DEET before heading out doors.  Or falling asleep.  Or walking to breakfast.  Just so you know… if you are at a camp in the woods, surrounded by lakes, in a place that gets rain at least once a week and has an average temperature of 85 degrees there is NO escaping the tiny little freaks.  Or the mosquitoes either.

Fast forward 15 years or so.  I was living in the desert.  It only rained one month out of the year and then only for an hour or so each day.  There was one tree in my neighborhood and the only water was in the heavily chlorinated swimming pool.  We had killer bees and fire ants and scorpions, but there wasn’t a mosquito in sight.  Well, there was ONE mosquito, apparently.  I’m guessing it came into the neighborhood trapped in the luggage of some unsuspecting tourist.  And it bit my two-year-old daughter and gave her West Nile Virus. They are from the bowels of Hell… I’m telling you!  Thanks to God and her extraordinary doctor she was fine.  Eventually.  After the worst weeks of my life.  I wouldn’t wish West Nile on my worst enemy.  Well… maybe…. no.  Not even on her.

So trust me when I say that I understand the need for a great bug repellent.

But, if you have read anything I’ve ever written you know that I’m not a big fan of people dousing themselves in harsh chemicals.  I think even less of soaking a child in them.  And DEET (the most common active ingredient in insect repellent) is definitely harsh.  Proven side effects (as in: disclosed on the side of the package) include shortness of breath, muscle spasms, headache, memory loss, and brain damage.  The Environmental Protection Agency says that this only occurs if you are exposed to a huge quantity OR small quantities repeatedly over time.  Like… maybe just a little bit every evening, every summer of your life?  Hmmm…..

So, what’s a mom to do?

Well…   here are some tips, some thoughts from others, and a surprising recommendation from the United States Center For Disease Control.

First of all, understand that there are, approximately, four hundred and sixty two thousand, six hundred and three jazillion different types of mosquitoes.  And each type is a little different.  They are attracted to different scents at different times of day, etc. Further, there are some people who are genetically predisposed to be more attractive to these horrid insects.  Yes. It’s true.  If it seems like you bear a mosquito curse, you are probably one of these folks.  The other group that is in for a hard time is pregnant woman.  The heady cocktail of an increased volume of blood in the body, increased propensity to sweat, and raging hormones is, apparently, like a mosquito buffet.  If you are one of the cursed, the milder measures below aren’t going to do much for you. Skip to the part about sprays.

First, as with all things, the foods you eat, have an effect.  Salt and potassium are attractants.  So, you may want to avoid salty foods if you’re camping out.  I can’t, in good conscience, tell you to avoid potassium since it’s found in pretty much all the healthiest fruits and veggies, but maybe you could steer clear of super-potassium foods like bananas and acorn squash if you are going to be outdoors a lot.  Beer is also a huge attractor. In 2011, French researchers discovered that people who have beer in their system are 15% more likely to be bitten.  Marijuana smokers are also more likely to be bitten.  They probably don’t care about it as much as the rest of us. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I felt I should mention it.

On the other hand, garlic, sage, rosemary and thyme (Wait… isn’t there a song like that?) all repel mosquitoes.  This is true if you eat them, but also if you make a tea and rinse your skin with it OR if you burn the herbs over a campfire or grill.

The clothes you wear also matter.  Mosquitoes are drawn to dark colors.  I don’t know why.  But, whatever the reason, here’s another incentive to where lighter shades: dark colors are hot and miserable in the summer so you’re more likely to sweat and sweat ALSO attracts mosquitoes.

And the time of day matters.  Mosquitoes are out in the highest concentrations at sunrise and sunset.  Keep in mind, though, that this is a generalization.  There are a few that love the heat of day and a few that will buzz about all night long.  Whining,  In that horrible high-pitched drone.  Ugh.  Demon spawn.

So….

Here is the surprising thing I found.

The #1 most effective mosquito repellant, as recommended by the CDC (at least in 2002, it was the most recent report I could find) is…. wait for it…. dum-da-da-dah!  ALL NATURAL!!!!!    That’s right!  Repel brand, lemon eucalyptus repellent is the single most effective product on the market.  As you may have guessed, the active ingredients are lemon juice and eucalyptus.  It gives nearly twice the protection than Off Skintastic for Kids.  I know!  I was shocked too!

So why is there any other product on the market?  Well… apparently it’s fairly stinky.

OK.  So… the #2 most effective mosquito repellant, as recommended by the CDC IS ALSO ALL NATURAL!!!!   I know! Knock me over with a feather!  Bite Blocker is made from geranium, soybean and coconut oils and retails for around $10 a bottle.

And, as far as I can find, there is no one online complaining about the smell.

Please keep in mind that some herbal products, particularly rosemary oil, can be dangerous for pregnant women.  Always play it safe and have products okay-ed by your doctor or midwife before using them!

I feel I should be honest.  I started my research on this with the idea that a natural home-made product could suffice for everyday situations but that, if you are a camp councilor, perhaps DEET is called for on occasion.  And perhaps it is.  I know NOTHING about fleas and ticks and other horrible blood sucking parasites that feed on hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts who spend their “leisure” time schlepping through the murky dark woods.  I hope to never find out.  BUT… assuming that, for the most part, you are trying to protect your precious skin – and that of your family – during an evening at the park or outside BBQ… it really doesn’t seem there is any need to ever soak yourself in brain-cell-killing chemicals again.  Unless they come in a glass with salt on the rim.  But that is a post for another day.

It is a gorgeous summer day!  Go slap on some eucalyptus juice and enjoy it!

Lazy Hippies, Lying in the Sun

Sunscreen causes skin cancer!

*GASP!*

Yes, you heard that right.  Wide-ranging studies have now proven that sunscreen CAUSES skin cancer.

But so does sun damage.

Well… poop.  Now what do we do?

My asbestos (not the cancer-causing kind) friend predicted this.  When the report came out she challenged me to make my own sunscreen.  Probably not going to do that, now that I know what I know.  But it prompted this post. Stalker (or not), this one is for you, my friend.

Don’t worry.  Lazy Hippie Mama’s been doing some research.  Here’s what I learned:

First of all, nature gives us a guide.

Eating high-antioxidant foods as well as those rich in vitamin c or lycopene actually help make your skin more able to protect itself.  If you eat a lot of them you are less likely to burn.  Which foods would those be?  They are foods that are most readily available in summer and/or from the parts of the world where the sun is most intense.  They are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, coconuts, citrus fruits, tomatoes, olives, beans and nuts.  With all these foods, feast!  God put what you need in the time and place you need it.

God also gave us big, beautiful brains.  Think when you choose your clothing.  If you run around naked, your skin may be in danger.  Not just from the sun, but from scrapes and scratches and bug bites and the lingering stares of creepy people at Wal-Mart.  Choose very breezy, lightweight fabrics and big floppy brimmed hats.  Dress like…. well…. dress like a hippie!  Hippies are awesome.  :)  Or a romantic, if you prefer.

AND…

The sun is NOT evil!  Sunshine is good for you.  Really very healthy.  Doctors recommend laying brand new babies in the sunshine to treat jaundice.  A lack of sun exposure will cause vitamin D deficiency and lead to weakened bone structure.  There is no need to slather a gallon of sunscreen on under your make-up every day.  You don’t need to hose your child down each time you step out the door.  Give your pores a break.  A 30 minute walk on a tree-lined street or a short visit to the park isn’t going to require protection for the average person.  If you are high risk, that may be different.  In that case, follow your doctor’s advice.  I’m not a doctor, just a lazy hippie mama.

If you are very quick to burn or are very sensitive, or just can’t stomach the idea of leaving your beautiful alabaster skin naked under those harsh UV rays, put a bit of coconut oil on.  Coconut oil, at room temperature, is a soft solid.  It is very creamy in texture and has a natural SPF of 4.  So it’s just a tiny bit of help on a sunny day and it is not only safe but very nourishing.  It actually helps cure and prevent acne!

Finally, know that not all sunscreen is equal!

30 minutes at the shady park in a t-shirt and shorts is not at all in the same league as an 8 hour day on the beach in a bikini.  When you go to the beach, WEAR SUNSCREEN!

The Environmental Working Group has done very extensive research on, what has to be, very nearly every commercial brand of sunscreen in existence (under the sun, as it were.  Hahaha).  There are lots of big scary sounding words on their website but there is a very user-friendly search tool which you can use to look for sunscreen that is safe.

The most safe?

Plain zinc oxide.  It’s the white stuff lifeguards used to (still do?) wear on their noses.  Safe enough for your baby’s bum.  In fact, that’s a very common place to find it… in diaper cream.  Zinc oxide is the only sunscreen the FDA approves of for babies under 6 months of age.  But if it contains nano-particles the safety is undetermined.  A nano-particle is 100x smaller than a human hair.  The effect of chemicals, compressed to such an extreme, has not been studied in depth because the technology is so new.   Pretty much all “clear” sunscreens (or even opaque ones) are “micronized.”  That’s fine.  But remember this:  All nanoparticles are micronized.  Not all micronized are nano.  Read labels carefully!

If you don’t want to look like a circa 1981 lifeguard, there are several choices that rank at a level 1 or 2 safety (0 being as safe as water, 6 & up being very dangerous) Common, easy-to-find brands that rank as a 1 or 2 are:

Burt’s Bees.  The baby stuff.  The others rank slightly lower.

Coppertone pure and simple SPF 50.  Again, read carefully, there are other Coppertone products that rank 6 or higher.

Kiss My Face, SPF 40.  Kiss My Face products, so far as I noticed, ranked consistently among the most safe.

I was surprised to see that Bare Minerals ranked very poorly.

Price didn’t seem to have much relation to safety or effectiveness.  The Coppertone Pure and Simple was less than $10.  I saw other brands that were $40 a bottle or more with a very poor rating.

If you have a brand that you are very loyal to, I recommend checking it out.

Both the EWG and the FDA recommend avoiding anything over SPF 50.  There are no benefits to a super-high SPF rating and there may be dangers.

Aerosols are not recommended either.  They get breathed in and, by it’s nature, sunscreen is water resistant, so it coats the lungs.  That can be dangerous, especially in young children.

Can you make your own effective sunscreen?  YES!  Google, “make my own sunscreen” and you’ll get dozens of useful links.  But you’ll need to get your hands on some ingredients such as emulsified wax or raspberry seed extract that may not be easily obtainable in your area.  They are not in mine. If you know of an “etsy shop” dealer who’s baking up some yummy scented, all-natural,  zinc-oxide/coconut oil based sunscreen, buy it up!  Chances are very good that it’s safer and more effective than any comparably priced item you’ll find at the drug store.

Now you know all you need to know about how to be safe in the sunshine.  Turn your computer off and go enjoy the beautiful summer day.  That’s what I”m going to do right now.  :)

The Journey I’m on Today

Maybe the journey would be easier if we could make it on horseback.

Have you ever found yourself in a really awful situation?  The kind that stinks like a garbage heap and threatens to bury you alive?  And then you have the worst of the worst moments… the moment that makes your stomach drop… the moment that threatens to break your spirit…. the moment when you realize that there is a very good chance you created this mess yourself.  “Chance?”  Who are we kidding? In the words of Jimmy Buffett, “It’s my own d*** fault.”

Please tell me that this has happened to you too.  I can’t be the only one!

I’ve done this in my life, time and time and time again.

I have heard people say that bad things “just happen.”

“Life is hard.”

“Misery will always be with us.”

And maybe they’re right.  I mean,  a few years ago there was a story in the news about a lady on a fishing trip in the ocean.  Miles from shore, on a calm, beautiful, sunny day a  giant fish (stingray?  I can’t remember.) jumped out of the water, smacked into her and killed her instantly.  So… uhm….  yeah.  I’m thinking that wasn’t her fault.  I mean, she made the choice to be on a boat that day but who could have predicted that? So maybe some bad things happen at random. Or by the will of God or the Devil or the Alien Puppet Masters.

Just so you know, I don’t really believe in Alien Puppet Masters.  But, hey… you never know!

For the most part, though, I think we bring misery on ourselves.  I totally understand that the following are not always true, but they often are.  And, as I write this, I’m primarily thinking about adults.  When bad things happen to kids…. I’ve got nothin’ for that.  It’s an issue I struggle with.  But…

Disease is brought on by poor nutrition, environmental pollution, lack of exercise, substance abuse,  etc.

Poverty is brought on (or made worse) by bad choices with money, misuse of credit, or a lack of ambition.

Abuse is brought on by poor choices in friends and lovers or allowed to continue out of fear of the unknown.

Loneliness is brought on by our choice not to seek out companionship or our choice to cling to someone who doesn’t reciprocate our feelings.

And so on.

Again: Not ALWAYS.  But often.

And so we (because I just can’t accept that I’m the only one) find ourselves in the midst of the garbage heap and it feels as if we will never get out of it.  And since we’re already here (overweight, sick, in debt, alone, etc) we may as well just wallow in it.  Right?  I mean if you’re $100k in the hole, what’s another $1,000 worth of debt?  If you’re 100 lbs overweight, what difference is one dessert going to make?

And this whole scenario is applicable on a global level as well.  If China’s coal mines create more pollution than all the cars in America then there’s no point in me driving one mile less today, right?

But maybe we just need to take a single small step to fix it.  Whatever “it” may be.

We’ve all heard that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, right?

Just a few short months ago I read an article about gDiapers and decided to start using cloth diapers.  It seemed to me that they would be better for the environment, my baby, and my pocketbook.  It was an easy, natural choice for my family at that time.  Maybe not the right choice for everyone.  But for us it was a good change.  Simple. Painless.

Upon researching the best way to care for my son’s diapers I learned about home-made laundry detergent, which is better for the environment, for my family, and my pocketbook.

So I bought the ingredients for home-made detergent and learned that it was good for other stuff too!

And in researching what those things may be I learned how to make my own deodorant. Which is better for the environment, for me, and for my pocketbook.

And the wheels keep turning…..

I’ve always had a bent toward a “crunchy” lifestyle.  It’s just how I’m wired.  But that single choice to change the kind of diapers I use has changed my family’s whole life in just a few months. When I started blogging about these changes, for all the world to see, it made me hyper-aware.  So now I buy less and recycle more.  I am more careful about turning off the light switch and water faucet.   We are eating better, more nutritious, food.  We have less toxic chemicals in our home. We’ve produced less garbage and are reducing our “footprint” a little more every day.

Our life isn’t perfect now.  Being  better recyclers didn’t magically give us a higher credit score or turn me into a great organizer.  But we’ve made progress in one little corner.  We are on a journey of a thousand miles.  Improving every area of our lives where we see a need for growth would be impossible.  But just one change…. that doesn’t seem like such a big deal.  And neither will the next one.  Or the next.

It makes me think, where else would I like to grow? What is one tiny, painless thing that I could change in that area?  How far could the ripples of that tiny change extend?

Well… if a butterfly flaps its wings…..

The next step on my path?  I’m not sure yet, but I’m open to suggestions.  What tiny change have you been glad you made?  Maybe you’ll inspire me.

Avoid Cancer, Smell Better, Save Money

TMI alert:  I’m going to talk about my armpits now.

My armpits are stinky.  I come from an Earthy Eastern European people who, I truly believe, spent so much time tending their livestock they started to smell like them.  Frequently I tell my children, “take a shower. You smell like a goat.” To be fair, just as often I say, “I’m going to take a shower.  I smell like a goat.” If you’ve never been around goats they really don’t smell that great. Some days, neither does my family.

From about the 5th grade on my mother taught me that, if I were going to win friends and influence people, it’s important to rid myself of lingering goat musk.  She gave me a stick of Secret antiperspirant (which at that time was still strong enough for a man, but made for a woman). Problem solved! No smells remained but the gentle, lingering aroma of baby powder.  But then…..

In college I started developing these horrible painful lumps under my arms.  Like… so big and so painful I could barely put my arms down. A pharmacist recommended a salt crystal deodorant.  This isn’t so much deodorant as… well… salt.  You wet it and rub it under your arms and, VOILA! No sweat. Within a few days the pain was gone and all was well again.  Unless I got REALLY sweaty.  I mean, sitting in class, freshly showered and taking notes I was fine.  Playing racquetball in the gym?  Not so much.  So back to Secret I went (or Suave or Dove or whatever was on sale).  Whenever the pain would return I’d switch back to the crystal for few days until it went away but then I learned something….

The aluminum in deodorant is a known neurotoxin.  This isn’t one of those vague things like “We fed a 1 pound rat 12 pounds of bacon a day and the nitrates killed it.”  This is well known, documented science.  And aluminum is in pretty much ALL commercial deodorant (unless you specifically look for “natural” products like Burt’s Bees etc).  It’s the MAIN ingredient.  And doctors the world over agree that it may be linked to  Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders.  In case that’s not enough, it can also cause renal failure, respiratory problems and more. For more on this, go to www.fda.gov or www.who.int and search “aluminum.”  You have to wade through the science-speak but you’ll get the drift. For less official but easier to read versions simply Google “aluminum in deodorant.” You’ll get hundreds of thousands of hits. OR just read your deodorant label.  There is a warning on there “contains aluminum.”   There’s a reason why they have to tell you that.

If that’s still not enough to disturb you, the binding agents, parabens, have been linked in some studies (admittedly, more along the lines of the 12 pounds of bacon studies) to cause or worsen breast cancer and reproductive problems.

OK. So here’s the thing: most everyone I know uses deodorant (there is one lady I used to work with… but that’s a blog for another day) and MOST of them don’t suffer from either Alzheimer’s or breast cancer.  And, as previously mentioned, I seriously need some help keeping the BO to a minimum.  Nobody wants to smell that!  AND, if you haven’t picked up on it yet from reading my blog, I’m pretty lazy about taking action on things if action isn’t very easily taken.  So, knowing all this, I was still using Secret (well… actually I think it was Degree most recently).

But then…  darn! My armpits are starting to hurt.  And somewhere in the last move I lost my salt crystal. And no one around here sells it.  What’s a stinky modern girl to do?  Why, just Google it, of course!  Did you know that there are at least fourhundredsixtytwoGAZILLION natural alternatives to commercial, aluminium deodorant?  Here’s the kicker (and, if this blog has taught you anything it should teach you that this is the norm, not the exception): the natural stuff is not only safer but CHEAPER.  Here are a few for your perusal:

1) Baking Soda.  Yup. That’s it.  You know how it sucks the stink out of your fridge, carpet & cat littler box?  It will do the same thing on your stinky pits.  Just put a bit in your hand, moisten, and rub it in.  I’ve read that this can be harsh on sensitive skin so that leads us to….

2) Apple Cider Vinegar.  My handsome hippie husband believes that the cure to nearly everything in the world from the common cold to world war (well… ok maybe not THAT) is Apple Cider Vinegar.  Turns out there are quite a few folks dabbing this smelly crap (sorry, Honey, but it really is awful) under their arms to rid themselves of… well… smell.  Apparently the vinegar stink evaporates in a minute or two and you’re left altogether stinkless for a day or even two.  Be advised to NOT do this immediately after shaving unless you want to react like the kid in that movie Home Alone.

3) For those who believe that nothing can be that easy here’s the recipe for you:

1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of arrowroot powder & 6-8 TBSP of coconut oil (this can be hardened or softened by warming or cooling).

If you can’t find arrowroot (you probably can’t unless you live somewhere near a great natural food & health store) you can use cornstarch and get a close approximation.

Mix your dry ingredients and then work the oil in until you end up with something firm but pliable.  Stuff it into your old twisty deodorant tube (or, really, any container with a lid) and you’ve got new deodorant.

“So,” you may ask. “How did it work for you, Goatgirl?”  Well… the truth is I haven’t made it through the list yet.  So far, baking soda works like a charm.  It’s a tiny bit messier than the “normal” stuff and if I traveled a lot I would probably hate that.  But I don’t so it’s no big deal.  When I try the rest, I’ll let you know.

Have you tried an “alternative” antiperspirant/deodorant?  Tell me all about it!

UPDATE!

OK.  So, I’ve tried 2 of the 3.  Being lazy, it’s the one that requires mixing I haven’t done yet.  Both worked great!!!  The baking soda can be a bit drying if you use it every day but, as it turns out, even if you smell like a goat that’s not necessary.  The effects seem to linger 2 or even 3 days between applications.  The Cider Vinegar was ok too but, if I got REALLY sweaty I smelled a little like vinegar.  Which is almost as bad as goat smell.

One other thing….  here’s an interesting article my chiropractor led me to:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/02/toxic-parabens-on-breast-cancer-patients.aspx?e_cid=20120402_DNL_art_1

ANOTHER UPDATE!

I’m in love! I’m in love! And I don’t care who knows it!  OK.  Well… that may be over-stating a bit.  But a few weeks ago I finally worked myself up to the 2 minutes of measuring and mixing required to make the coconut oil stuff and I LOVE it!!!!  It has virtually no smell at all so I don’t smell like a goat OR spoiled apples.  It is creamy and feels nice against my skin.  And, even over several 80 and 90 degree days over the past few weeks, it works BETTER THAN ANY STORE BOUGHT DEODORANT I’ve ever tried.  When stored in a cool place it is solid enough that you could probably store it in a re-used solid deodorant stick container but if it gets too warm it will melt all over the place, so I wouldn’t recommend it.  I keep mine in an old baby food container and it is just lovely.  Here’s wishing you a warm summer with healthy odorless pits!  :)