Fresh n'ot Funky Natural Deodorant Challenge

I don't know what it is about coconuts & me. I love to eat things made with coconut, drink coconut (& rum) drinks, love the smell of coconuts and recently found the healing & somewhat magical properties of coconut. I've been obsessed with the Caribbean since I was a little girl, the beaches, the weather, the people, the music, the sea, pirates, mermaids and now as an adult, rum. It's my go to drink and, swear, I didn't pick it on purpose, it picked me lol. Somehow I feel connected to this place, maybe I'm from the Caribbean in a past life? Wait where were we? Oh yeah the Natural Deodorant Fresh n'ot Funky Challenge. 

I'm challenging you to leave behind your old deodorant for 1 month & give the natural side a try! I'm going all out, balls to the walls, go hard or go home & making a VERY simple concoction, but feel free to dabble in deodorant au naturel at your own comfort level. I've been using natural, non antiperspirants, for about a year or 2 now. I wanted the change because it just didn't feel like I was doing my body good by putting all these harsh chemicals (especially aluminum) into my body for the sake of not sweating. It just seems counter intuitive, my body sweats for a reason right? BUT I didn't want to be FUNKY doing it. If I could find a natural deodorant that kept me smelling fresh at the end of the day, I'd be soooo in!  

Are you up for the challenge? Here's the details:

1. Choose what natural deodorant you want to try

2. Start using it this week 7/4-7/10 (NOTE-if you've only been using antiperspirants know: it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Your body kinda does a detox when you switch so the 1st week you might be extra funky, that's why this is a month long challenge)

3. Comment on our Facebook page (facebook.com/RootsMamas) that you want to be part of challenge.

4. Keep us updated weekly on how it's going on our Facebook (I'll be posting to ask for updates & sharing mine on FB & here every week)

5. Everyone who makes it to the end (7/31) gets a prize!

Let's Celebrate our Independence from harsh chemicals this 4th of July!

Here's What I'm Trying

So I started with my natural deodorant journey with Tom's in lavender, then apricot when they didn't carry that at the store I went to anymore. They worked pretty good & by the end of the day were only slightly funky. But every now and then, I'd have a day where Tom's just didn't cut it. So the next time I went to buy deodorant I saw Degree had a new option out, Degree natureffects deodorant in Honeysuckle & Tea Tree Oil. So I tried it, worked like a charm! At the end of even my stankiest day I still smelled fresh! WHOO HOO yay! Uh wait, no. I go to pick one up when I run out & it's gone, disappeared! I check online, can't find it, can't find it, wait there it is only $6 with shipping. Ok no, I'm not paying $6 for a deodorant that I'm still not even sure is 100% natural. So I go back to the internet and I come across an interesting discovery: a simple & easy (cuz if it's not I ain't doing it!) homemade deodorant that has got rave reviews by a fellow blogger. There are 3 ingredients: coconut oil, arrowroot powder or corn starch & baking soda! Here's her blog about the challenge they did: simplehomemade.net/

follow-up-the-simple-organic-
natural-deodorant-challenge/. And here's the HOW TO on making the deodorant I'm trying: passionatehomemaking.com/2010/02/homemade-all-natural-deodorant.html. Yes this sounds kinda crazy but hey I'm giving it a shot given my experience with this miracle worker: coconut oil!

Coconut Oil Rocks

So I discovered coconut oil this past year while on another natural challenge: my lovely daughters curly hair! Following the advice of a blog i follow (HERE at BeadsBraidsandBeyond.blogspot.com), I got it to help with her dry scalp & hair. Turns out this stuff is awesome!!! I have psoriasis on my scalp which makes it extremely scaly flaky & itchy. Not wanting to take the prescription filled with steroids, I had been trying other natural products (shea butter, homeopathic etc) which helped but didn't fully make my problems go away. Ding, ding, light bulb moment when I thought to try the coconut oil! 

The first week of using it (about every other day) most symptoms where gone! And by the end of the month I was only using it once a week. Now I just use once a week. Try it for yourself if you have any skin problems. Just note: it is VERY oily & got my hair looking greasy at the roots after applying it. So my solution was to spray just the hair with a dry shampoo & voila, problem solved. 

The other thing i recently found coconut oil was great for was ringworm! I know what your thinking, YUCK. it's actually not a worm but a fungus and yeah it happens to the best of us. I work with young kids teaching dance, music, yoga & art so I am exposed to a lot of different ailments in the business. Anyway, it was all over my torso (due to my apparently non breathable work out tank, which doesn't make sense but that's another story). My doctor said to get an over the counter anti fungal & it would go away in about 2 weeks. So 'ol natural me got on the google (lol) & it said try coconut oil for ringworm. The estimated time of departure (for my symptoms) was the same as the over the counter med, soooo...I decided it couldn't hurt to try. I put in on every night after my shower & by 2 weeks it was gone. Ok I was like this rocks! So now I also use it for moisturizing my really dry parts (feet, hands, face etc). It's been gentle enough on my face too & does not break me out. i do have pretty dry skin tho, so keep that in mind.

Soooo, that's my story. You can see why I'm all in. So get started folks, let's do this!

I'll be posting UPDATES & pix here soon!

UPDATE 1:

I'm using Nutiva brand of organic extra virgin coconut oil 15 oz. I buy on amazon & a lot of times they have a BOGO special or free shipping & discount thru amazon mom. :)

UPDATE 2: 

Here's Day 1 mixin' up my homemade deodorant! Very easy to make:

 It says that consistency is supposed to be the same as store bought, but mines a lil melty, I reread the directions: coconut oil is supposed to be in the solid state when mixing! (it melts at 76 degrees):

So then I mix in a little more baking soda & corn starch & let sit in fridge for a bit & it came out like this:

Then (as suggested on the blog) I put it in my old deodorant container:

Then put the rest in an old Body Shop (yep coconut) lotion pot (i knew that someday i would reuse it lol):  

UPDATE #3: End of Week 1 Challenge

So it's the end of week numero uno & i have to say I'm shocked that this deodorant is working so well!!! It's kinda awesome. I was skeptical at first but i am SOLD. I have had not 1 FUNKY day & I've never had to reapply throughout the day!!! NOTE-if you've only been using antiperspirants know: it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Your body kinda does a detox when you switch so the 1st week you might be extra funky, that's why this is a month long challenge. I've already gone thru the detox since i've been using natural deodorants the past few years.

Day 1: applied after shower (out of the pot, with the spoon i still had in my bathroom from mixing, but you can use fingers), there was a lil extra left under my arms so i just wiped with a wash cloth lightly to remove excess (most of it was absorbed, so it was a lil powder that i dabbed off). I applied in the evening so i tested it a full 32 hours. It was a hot day & at the end of the 32 hours i was just a tiny bit musty! Amazing!

Day 3: i work with kids (teaching dance, music, yoga, art classes) so i sweat a lot throughout my work day, so this would really test the deodorants strength. End of day smell test: surprisingly sweet smell of coconut oil!!! I think i applied a lil too much or forgot to wipe off excess cuz it got a lil on my tank top.

Day 5: after telling 2 of my co workers about the challenge i was doing, they wanted to smell the pits. The verdict: smelled good, no stank! Thank goodness cuz that would have been embarrassing :) 

Day 7: End of the day & first week and still no smell!! Also gave the smell test to my man a few times throughout the week, passed with flying colors!! And that's really saying sumthin, cuz if your man's like mine, he will tell you the real whether you like it or not!

So here's my PROS & CONS:

CONS

• can be a lil messy on application
• could be challenging to travel with (due to the melty nature) I would take in jar and not deodorant stick for traveling
• you do sweat (as with any non-antiperspirant)

PROS

• toxin free
• keeps you fresh & NOT funky!! stank you very much!
• works all day long
• smells sweet
• easy to make
• keeps a long time (non perishable)
• a lil goes a long way, keeping the cost down (my total cost was around $10 for the supplies and i have lots extra to make a few more batches). The blog that i found the recipe on said 1 batch lasts around 3 months for 2 people, so thinking 6 months for 1. So if I get 3 batches out of my supplies, it should last around years or about $6.66 per year. Now that's a good deal!!!

How did your first week go????? Leave us a comment on our FB page & let us know!! facebook.com/RootsMamas

UPDATE #4: End of Week 2 Challenge
Hey hey! I'm still going STRONG with my deo. Haven't had a funky day. I'm in LOOOOOOVE! I put the deodorant that i put in my old deodorant container in my fridge (due to the meltiness) & so i'll have one deodorant upstairs and one down. I leave it out of fridge for a few minutes after i use it so i can just roll it up a little before i put it back. That way it's all ready for the next use. Otherwise it's too hard to roll up when i first take it out of the fridge. The other thing i started using this week was a wide wooden popsicle stick (think waxing stick lol) to apply deodorant from my jar. After eating a fudgecicle the idea came to me (perfect size & width), so a washed it good & went to town. Works well & is also good  for stirring since sometimes the ingredients separate a lil bit. 
How'd week 2 go for ya?? Leave us a comment on our FB page & let us know!! facebook.com/RootsMamas

UPDATE #5: End of Week 3 Challenge
Nothing new to update except this great resource for many other uses for coconut oil: HERE
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/03/all-the-wonderful-uses-of-coconut-oil.html
How'd week 3 go for ya?? Leave us a comment on our FB page & let us know!! facebook.com/RootsMamas

UPDATE #6: End of Week 4 Challenge; Finito!
Yes, yes I'ma lil late on updating you guys but hey, i'm a mom, you know how it is! No real updates besides this deodorant is rad & i'm never going back to store bought!!! One lil note I did have one slightly funky moment when I forgot to put on the deo, then after I had sweated a lil i applied it. So don't forget to apply it right away :) Other than that i've been FUNK FREE, yippee! 
Here's a pic of the popsicle stick i've been using to apply sometimes:

This was an awesome challenge, thank you to everyone who participated. Prizes will be sent soon (once i get participant info). 
And oh, if you are just now finding out about the challenge, it's not too late to try it. Simply start on your own & keep us posted via facebook. We really wanna know how it works for you!!!! facebook.com/RootsMamas

Here's a few tips from fellow challengers:
"I actually don't mind using my fingers to apply because I just massage into my hands and nails after, then rinse and have super soft hands ;-))." good info! i'd heard u could leave it on ur hands, but because of grainy baking soda etc was like huh? it makes sense now: just rinse off & ur left w/ coconut oil!

"Crunchy Betty has awesome homemade deodorant recipes on her blog. I started making my own about 2 months ago. Baking soda, arrowroot, coconut oil, Shea butter, 20-25 drops of essential oil. This had even worked awesome in SC humid 100 degree heat lately. I'll never go back to store bought deodorant."

What is Attachment Parenting???

From AskDrSears.com:
WHAT ATTACHMENT PARENTING IS –THE 7 BABY B'S

Attachment parenting is a style of caring for your infant that brings out the best in the baby and the best in the parents.
7 ATTACHMENT TOOLS: THE BABY B'S

1. Birth bonding
The way baby and parents get started with one another helps the early attachment unfold. The days and weeks after birth are a sensitive period in which mothers and babies are uniquely primed to want to be close to one another. A close attachment after birth and beyond allows the natural, biological attachment-promoting behaviors of the infant and the intuitive, biological, caregiving qualities of the mother to come together. Both members of this biological pair get off to the right start at a time when the infant is most needy and the mother is most ready to nurture.

"What if something happens to prevent our immediate bonding?"

Sometimes medical complications keep you and your baby apart for a while, but then catch-up bonding is what happens, starting as soon as possible. When the concept of bonding was first delivered onto the parenting scene twenty years ago, some people got it out of balance. The concept of human bonding being an absolute "critical period" or a "now-or-never" relationship was never intended. Birth bonding is not like instant glue that cements the mother-child relationship together forever. Bonding is a series of steps in your lifelong growing together with your child. Immediate bonding simply gives the parent- infant relationship a headstart.

2. Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is an exercise in babyreading. Breastfeeding helps you read your baby's cues, her body language, which is the first step in getting to know your baby. Breastfeeding gives baby and mother a smart start in life. Breastmilk contains unique brain-building nutrients that cannot be manufactured or bought. Breastfeeding promotes the right chemistry between mother and baby by stimulating your body to produce prolactin and oxytocin, hormones that give your mothering a boost.

3. Babywearing
A baby learns a lot in the arms of a busy caregiver. Carried babies fuss less and spend more time in the state of quiet alertness, the behavior state in which babies learn most about their environment. Babywearing improves the sensitivity of the parents. Because your baby is so close to you, you get to know baby better. Closeness promotes familiarity.

4. Bedding close to baby
Wherever all family members get the best night's sleep is the right arrangement for your individual family. Co-sleeping adds a nighttime touch that helps busy daytime parents reconnect with their infant at night. Since nighttime is scary time for little people, sleeping within close touching and nursing distance minimizes nighttime separation anxiety and helps baby learn that sleep is a pleasant state to enter and a fearless state to remain in.

5. Belief in the language value of your baby's cry
A baby's cry is a signal designed for the survival of the baby and the development of the parents. Responding sensitively to your baby's cries builds trust. Babies trust that their caregivers will be responsive to their needs. Parents gradually learn to trust in their ability to appropriately meet their baby's needs. This raises the parent-child communication level up a notch. Tiny babies cry to communicate, not to manipulate. (anyone ever told you: "Just let your baby Cry it Out", don't do it!)

6. Beware of baby trainers
Attachment parenting teaches you how to be discerning of advice, especially those rigid and extreme parenting styles that teach you to watch a clock or a schedule instead of your baby; you know, the cry-it-out crowd. This "convenience" parenting is a short-term gain, but a long-term loss, and is not a wise investment. These more restrained styles of parenting create a distance between you and your baby and keep you from becoming an expert in your child.

7. Balance
In your zeal to give so much to your baby, it's easy to neglect the needs of yourself and your marriage. As you will learn the key to putting balance in your parenting is being appropriately responsive to your baby – knowing when to say "yes" and when to say "no," and having the wisdom to say "yes" to yourself when you need help."

get even more info here!
& here's the 7 benefits of Attachment Parenting

Did u Know?

Fantastic Facts that just might blow

your mind.....MORE COMING SOON!

DID U KNOW...
The U.S is one of only 4 countries that doesn't offer paid leave to new mothers -- the others are Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, and Lesotho.
(here in CA we do but out of all 50 states there are only 3 states that have paid leave!)

check this out to see a chart of all countries leaves:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parental_leave

Bulgaria seems to have the best: Provides mothers with 135 days 100% paid maternity leave & 2 years paid parental leave, and 1 additional year of unpaid parental leave. The employer is obliged to restore the mother to the same position upon return to work. In addition, pregnant women and single mothers cannot be fired!
Sweden & Canada also have some really good coverages

DID U KNOW... Every country in the world with maternal and infant mortality rates  lower than the U.S. has universal health care AND midwives attending the majority of births.  And where do we (the USA) rank you ask?? According to the Mother's Index 2010: The United States is at the bottom of the developed world, primarily because its rate of maternal mortality – 1 in 4,800. Compare that with Bosnia, Herzegovina, Greece and Italy: the risk of maternal death is less than 1 in 25,000 and in Ireland it is less than 1 in 47,600. And these countries aren't even in the top 10 rankings! Go HERE to see full report & click on "Executive Summary "

DID U KNOW...
Paid family leave has been shown to reduce infant mortality by as much as 20% (and the U.S. ranks a low 29th of all 37 modern countries in infant mortality).

DID U KNOW...American Academy of Pediatrics endorses breastfeeding for more than a year: "It is recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired." ref#104


DID U KNOW...
Selma Hayek breastfed another woman's child.
Yes folks I know, it sounds unbeliavable that they would put such an incredible story promoting not just breastfeeding but even cross breatfeeding! Way to go Nightline & network TV!

Salma Hayek, UNICEF spokesperson, was in Sierra Leone to promote a tetanus vaccine program in a country where one in five children die before the age of five. 21% of those deaths are due to tetanus. Another reason for the high mortality rate is lack of breastfeeding.

In one scene, Salma nurses a little baby (her own is now over a year). She then tells the story of her great grandmother in Mexico nursing the baby of a stranger who didn't have enough milk. thx breastfeeding.blog.motherwear.com

DID U KNOW...

DID U KNOW...
They also recommend against TV viewing for children under the age of 2.
Like my ECE Art teacher says "Experience is the best teacher." There is no experience children get while watching TV. Think about this...which would you prefer....your friend came back from Paris & told you all about it or you were handed a passport & ticket to Paris?

DID U KNOW...
86% of the brain growth that occurs after birth transpires within the first five years of life?

Yes amazing! Read on..."[A] newborn's brain is only about one-quarter the size of an adult's. It grows to about 80 percent of adult size by three years of age and 90 percent by age five. This growth is largely due to changes in individual neurons, which are structured much like trees. Thus, each brain cell begins as a tiny sapling and only gradually sprouts its hundreds of long, branching dendrites. Brain growth (measured as either weight or volume) is largely due to the growth of these dendrites, which serve as the receiving point for synaptic input from other neurons." -thx    Essential Questions & ZerotoThree

DID U KNOW...
The rate of cesarean births in the US has risen to 31% in the last 10 years.
That's a more than a 50% jump! The cesarean rate in the United States in 1970 was only 6%. This meant that about 94% of women were giving birth vaginally in this country. Think the increase might have anything to do with the increase in malpractice lawsuits

against Drs? And the convenience for Drs who can just schedule you in to fit their schedules?!

DID U KNOW...
Hospital-based midwives have a documented 10% cesarean rate in comparison. Unnecessary cesarean sections increase health care costs and contribute toward increased maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

DID U KNOW...
Attachment Parenting can reduce the risk of SIDS.

DID U KNOW...
The World Health Organization has recognized the importance of midwives, noting that women who give birth with a midwife often have shorter labor times and usually don't need as much medication.


DID U KNOW...
Having a Midwife:
-Reduces the Risk of Miscarriage or Stillbirth Prior to 24 Weeks
-Reduces the Use of an Epidural (Regional Anesthesia)
-Reduces Incidence of Episiotomies When Midwives Attend the Labor
-Reduces Chances of Forceps or Vacuum Extractors When Midwife is Present
-Increases the Chances of Vaginal Birth and Lower the Cesarean Rate
-Breastfeeding is More Likely to be Initiated

DID U KNOW...
Inducing labor (with pictocin) can set off a domino effect & lead to "emergen

cy c-section".
Your body releases natural labor inducer (oxytocin) that starts labor when your body is ready. Oxytocin also has natural pain relievers (that are secreted in bursts), so if you get induced into labor your body does not release those. Pitocin is released in a steady flow. This leads to:

-more painful contractions
-continuous electronic fetal monitoring
-confined to bed (IV, electric fetal monitor)
-more likely to need pain medication (such as an epidural)
-increased likelihood of c-section (complications with pictocin & epidural use, false fetal stress due to electronic fetal monitoring)

DID U KNOW...Formula commercials have a disclaimer, if you look closely you will see the caption "Breastfeeding is recommended", don't believe me just see the Similac website here!

DID U KNOW...
There are around 400 nutrients in breast milk that are not present in formula.
And they still haven't found them all yet!!

DID U KNOW...
Wearing your baby in a sling (or pack) makes them smarter. They also cry less, grow & talk better! Also great for breastfeeding & putting baby to sleep. Plus it makes life easier for you & daddy as you can wear your baby & get things done! (try wearing your baby while going out to eat, doing chores, shopping etc) A centuries old tradition makes a comeback yay! Get a sling HERE @ www.CarryMeAway.com

DID U KNOW...
Breastfeeding mamas lose weight faster. click here to see my post on more benefits of breastfeeding!

DID U KNOW...
It is important bonding time in the first hour after birth.
"The first few hours after birth are called the "maternal sensitive period." The mother becomes deeply involved, on an emotional level, with her newborn. The first hour after birth is also a time of quiet alertness for the newborn. Later the baby goes into a deep resting stage for several hours, during which it is difficult to rouse him. The mother who holds and communicates with her baby immediately receives a sense of fulfillment and gratification."-from Gentle Birth Choices
This works especially well if you & your baby are drug free! All I could do after I gave birth, to my beautiful baby girl, was smile & hold her, she looked right at me. Complete JOY! Newborn baby checks (like height, weight, bathing, vitamin K & eye ointment) can wait till after that first hour (as long as your baby is well). It was just me, daddy & my mom there the first hour to welcome her to the world. It was the best!! Don't forget to start breast feeding then too!

DID U KNOW...
Epidurals have been shown to:
-Slow labor
-Lead to increased use of Pitocin (to induce labor)
-Lead to increased use of foreceps or vacuum
-Increase the likelihood of cesareans, especially in first-time mothers
-Increase the mothers temperature, resulting in her & the baby receiving antibiotics & invasive tests
-Cause a host of complications including long-term chronic problems & even maternal death

Epidurals do cross through the placenta & cause these effects in newborns:
-Reduced muscle tone
-Decreased sucking
-Lowered neurobehavioral scores
-Increased incidence of jaundice

(info from Gentle Birth Choices also see The Business of Being Born)


DID U KNOW...
The hospital is NOT necessarily the safest place to have a baby.
"The United States has consistently high maternal & perinatal mortality and morbidity rates compared to other industrialized countries." In 2003 the US ranked 32nd. "This means that there are 31 countries where it is safer for women to give birth than in the United States."
Who was top ranked? "Those where midwifery is an integral part of obstetric care & where births more commonly take place outside large hospitals." Singapore, Sweden & Japan where the top 3 for 2003.
-quotes from from Gentle Birth Choices

DID U KNOW...
The benefits of having a doula are:
50% reduction in cesarean rate
60% reduction in epidural requests
40% in use of pitocin
25% shorter labor
30% in use of analgesia
40% reduction in forceps use

-from from Gentle Birth Choices

DID U KNOW...
Electric Fetal Monitors (the thing they strap around your belly while in labor) "had a 74 percent false positive rate. That means that 74 out of 100 times the monitor tracings indicated distress when there was none." Just another excuse for a Dr. to perform an "emergency" c-section! No thank you! Those things only tie you down to the bed on your back (the worst position for labor). Trust your body, it knows what to do.
-quotes from from Gentle Birth Choices

DID U KNOW...There really is a mind-body connection. (positive thoughts=positive outcome)
Author of Childbirth Without Fear, Grantly Dick-Read, noted "that when a woman experiences fear (an emotion), her body tightens (a physical response), which causes pain. When she experiences the pain the level of fear increases, causing more tension & thus more pain. A cycle of fear, tension, and pain becomes established and often leads to a prolonged birth process. "
-quotes from from Gentle Birth Choices
also see The Secret