Day 16: Stop blocking your pits!

“Success is a great deodorant. It takes away all your past smells.” -Elizabeth Taylor 

I hear ya Liz…but seriously, what about our current smells?!  We all need a little help with that sometimes, right?!  We’ve all heard that the aluminum in antiperspirant is not good  for us. Of course, as with most things health (especially when large corporations are affected), there’s is some debate about this.  My feeling about it is this:  whether any of the (negative) claims about antiperspirants are true or not, there’s one thing that IS true…we are meant to sweat.  Sweating is one way we get toxins out of our systems.  This brings me to a little side topic I have to share because I had NO CLUE.  Pigs. Don’t. Sweat.  {What!?!?} This means any toxins that come from whatever (maybe actual) crap they’re fed stays in their tissues (and then we eat it).  This is, in my opinion, THE most important reason to make sure you know where your pork comes from.  Local farmers feed their animals well.  Factory farmers…who knows!?

Okay, back to deodorant.   Antiperspirants block the ducts in your armpits that release perspiration.  Deodorants eliminate the odors that are released during the break down of bacteria in your sweat.  What we traditionally refer to as “deodorant” is a combination of antiperspirant and deodorant. A lot of the time I choose not to wear deodorant…it’s kind of amazing when you stop wearing it for awhile, your body adapts and you don’t really need it.  That said, there are times {hello summer humidity} when it’s pretty necessary to wear deodorant in order to maintain my friendships.  On these occasions I want to make sure whatever I’m putting on my pits is in no way going to harm my body. The good news is that there are more and more brands that are paying attention and making their “deodorants” just that, deodorant.  The not so great news is you may have to go through several to find one that you like and works for you.  My ultimate fave is by a company called Native. It contains no aluminum, no parabens AND no talc.   For summer, I’ve been loving their coconut & vanilla scent.  Reminds me of the beach!

The bottom line here is we need to sweat.  Our bodies are designed to function optimally when we do.  Embrace your sweat, upgrade your deodorant and kick that antiperspirant to the curb.

Light and Love,

k

Day 10: Get moving!

“THOSE WHO DO NOT FIND TIME FOR EXERCISE WILL HAVE TO FIND TIME FOR ILLNESS. -Edward Stanley

Ahhh, exercise…you had to know that it would pop up during these 31 days.  Daily exercise is one of the top contributors to optimal health.  You pretty much have to live under a rock to NOT know this. But knowing and doing are two different things.  We, as a society, struggle to make exercise part of our daily lives. {Guilty over here.} It’s ironic, really, since we should have MORE time to do things (like exercise) because of all the technology at our fingertips, but we just aren’t making it happen. 

Oh hey, I’ve got a great idea!!!  Since we are getting up half an hour (or even an hour) earlier in the morning (hi there Day 7) this would be a great time to get that workout out of the way. {I know, I’m sooo smart!}  Personally, I have never been good at making myself workout at home, but I have friends who do and love it.  There are literally TONS of workouts out there, from yoga all the way to kickboxing, that can be streamed to your computer, tv or even your phone.I have a rebounder that I try to jump on for 30 minutes every day, in addition to any workout sessions I have planned.  That way I know, no matter what, I’m moving my body (and sweating) every day.

Exercise doesn’t have to be running on a treadmill or going to the gym for an hour each day, there are countless ways you can move your body and break a sweat.  Walking your dog counts.  Walking your kids, especially if your pushing them in a big honking stroller {shew} counts. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work, it counts. Parking at the far end of the parking lot and booking it to the store instead of driving around for 5+ minutes looking for Rock Star parking. {Looking at myself here} Yep, it counts.  Basically, if you are breaking a sweat, it counts.  Here’s an interesting post from the Huffington Post about what kind of toxins are released when you sweat {bleh}…in case you needed a little more motivation.

So get out (or in) and move your body. Your good health will be all the thanks you need.

Light and Love,

k