Reprint from Sunshine Sharing

Find Beauty through Health, Inside and Out!

After you had a major bout with illness, you made a lot of changes in your lifestyle. You cut out all sugar, white flour, and dairy products from your life. You started taking herbs and nutritional supplements to build and cleanse the systems of your body. These programs have helped you to have more energy and simply feel healthier and happier, but in the back of your mind you are wondering if you have missed something. Then it hits you-maybe while you are brushing your teeth or washing your hair- that at the same time that you have been working to help your body become free of toxins you have also been using personal care products that just put many toxins right back into your system. It has not been totally counterproductive, but in your quest to be the healthiest you can be, it just seems right to look for personal care products that are natural, products that can add to your therapies instead of detract from them.

Every day it seems there are more and more commercials advertising products which will help you stay looking young and healthy. Many of them even claim to be “all natural” or to be “herbal”. Unfortunately most of those products don’t live up to their claims. They may contain some herbal components, but in addition they contain chemicals that cause damage to the cells, and in the end just leave you with more problems than help. The following is a list of personal care products that are truly “natural”. If you are taking the time to care for your body on the inside, it only makes sense to use products on the outside that will enhance your program.

The Skin
Skin has a lot to do with how we look, and learning what it does and how to keep it healthy will bring out our natural beauty. The skin is the largest organ of the body and has several important functions. The following are some of the functions of the skin and how we can care for our skin on the outside by ensuring that it is able to perform these functions.

Keep it Clean and pH Balanced
The skin works to protect the body from infection. It is rather acidic, providing an environment for germs which consume other harmful organisms. When we use soaps which are harsh, the environment necessary for the good germs to live and protect our skin is damaged . You may have noticed dry, cracking skin after washing dishes or washing your hands too many times. It is good to use mild soaps which work with the skin.

Herbal Trim Skin Treatment was developed to help deep cleanse the skin and to help tone and tighten the skin of those who are losing weight. Since the skin works to excrete toxins that the other eliminative organs are unable to handle, it is important to help free it of those toxins. The skin has the ability to both release and absorb, which makes it especially important to deeply cleanse the skin after a time of perspiration such as exercise when the skin has had an opportunity to release toxins. Washing the skin will prevent toxins from being reabsorbed. Herbal Trim Skin Treatment contains Irish moss plant extract, comfrey root extract, Tei Fu oil blend (including eucalyptus oil, wintergreen oil, menthol and other essential oils), soluble collagen, elastin and citric acid.

Soft and Supple
Irish Moss Hand and Body Lotion is pH balanced to match the acidity of the skin. This is important because improperly balanced lotions can cause the skin to actually need more lotion instead of helping the skin to produce it’s own oils. Irish Moss Hand and Body Lotion aids problems such as dry, rough, patchy skin. This lotion contains Irish moss (used as a stabilizer but also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties), comfrey (a soothing herb which encourages the quick growth of cells and is known for helping to heal irritated tissues), aloe vera (see below), sunflower oil (a natural unsaturated oil to add to the oils of the skin), PABA (protects the skin from the rays of the sun) and vitamins A, D, and E.

Keep it Moist
At times when water intake is low, the skin will swell and hold in water rather than allow the body to become dehydrated. It is important to drink lots of water. The skin can become overworked and saggy from stretching when it is constantly trying to compensate for dehydration. Drinking water also provides liquids for our bodies to use in the sweat glands. Water is important for the skin cells to get the oxygen and nutrients they need to stay healthy. Unfortunately the water we drink from our taps is not healthful for our cells. It is treated with chlorine, yet the cleaning systems are unable to remove all the by-products, many of which are carcinogens. As the water runs through old pipes is absorbs even more contaminants. To give your skin adequate support it is best to clean the tap water. Nature’s Spring cleans the water by a process called reverse osmosis. It can be connected directly to the tap, and is an easy way to ensure the highest quality drinking water.

Dealing with Acne and Other Skin Problems
Aloe Vera Gel contains Irish moss extract to make aloe’s watery healing substance gel-like and easier to apply. Aloe is native to Africa. It loves a hot dry climate and interestingly contains a soothing juice which cools burns and wounds of the skin. Find soothing relief from a sunburn by rubbing Aloe Vera Gel over any hot, inflamed areas. Aloe vera kills bacteria, viruses and fungus and promotes healing of the skin. This makes it great for getting rid of the bacteria that come with acne. It also kills the virus that causes warts. Aloe vera contains many vitamins and nutrients necessary for tissue growth and repair. This gel helps to repair the damaged skin of a canker.
Last but not least Aloe Vera Gel soothes, coats, and heals the dry, painful skin that occurs with eczema.

Jojoba is a low bush native to the Arizona Sonora desert. Oil is taken from this bush’s nut. Studies have shown this yellow, sticky oil to be very effective in clearing acne and softening dry skin. In a study done by the Purex corporation, high school and college students used jojoba on acne and dry skin. 87% found improvement in their conditions.

Pau d’ Arco Lotion is a tropical rain forest tree that has a knack for fighting fungus. Use this lotion to ward off athlete’s foot. Because pau d’arco also absorbs toxins from the blood and tightens the tissues, it works well as a deodorant.

Black Ointment is a combination of herbs which provides a strong drawing action, making it excellent for the removal of warts and slivers. It also helps to remove infection from wounds. Apply thickly and then cover with a bandage.

Hair
Herbal Shampoo is designed to keep the hair clean and healthy. Hair follicles and sebaceous glands are found in the skin. The sebaceous glands are close to the hair shaft and excrete oil or sebum for the h a i r a n d skin.
Dandruff and oily hair are caused by a lack of or too much sebum. To help remove old skin, hair and oils and keep the sebaceous glands working properly use Herbal Shampoo. Herbal Shampoo is pH balanced to match the acidity of the skin on the scalp. Herbal Shampoo contains chamomile extract (heals wounds or skin problems and neutralizes bacteria, fungus and toxins) and chlorophyll in a base of coconut oil and natural conditioners.

Tea Tree Oil is a strong cleanser which helps to treat lice, dandruff, and itching scalp. Mix it with Herbal Shampoo and use it when you are washing your hair.

Jojoba conditions the hair and prevents dandruff and balding. After washing the hair with herbal Shampoo, rub a small amount of jojoba into the hair and scalp.

Teeth and Mouth
Sunshine Brite Toothpaste contains calcium carbonate (chalk powder), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), carrot powder, sea salt, myrrh and mint in a base of vegetable glycerin and water. This natural toothpaste works to nourish and cleanse the mouth and teeth without using toxic chemicals.

Tea Tree Oil is good for both the teeth and the mouth. Apply on a toothache to temporarily ease the pain till you can see a dentist. Tea Tree Oil is an anti-bacterial and can be used as a gargle to clean out the mouth, but be sure to dilute it (2-4 drops per pint of water).

Tei Fu Essential Oils also work to relieve a toothache.

Nails
Golden Salve contains extracts of comfrey leaf, golden seal, yarrow, white oak, black walnut, marshmallow, lobelia, scullcap, myrrh, mullein, wheat germ and chickweed in a base of olive oil, beeswax, vitamin E and eucalyptus oil. When used on the cuticles it softens them and prevents tearing.

Easing Stress and Muscle Pain
Peppermint Oil has a cooling effect when you breathe it in, and it has that same cooling effect on the stomach when it is tied up in knots. Put 1 or 2 drops in a cup of water and sip slowly to ease digestive and nervous problems. Peppermint oil can also help muscle spasms.

Tei Fu Massage Lotion relaxes sore muscles when rubbed into the area of pain. When massaged into the neck and shoulders Tei Fu Lotion can relieve headaches.

And While You’re At It, How About the House?
Sunshine Concentrate is a cleaner that is so non-toxic that you can use it to fertilize your plants! Why wash the floors, dishes, and bathroom fixtures with substances so strong and toxic that they dry out your hands and eventually take harmful substances to the rivers and streams, when you can use Sunshine Concentrate? Sunshine concentrate won’t irritate the skin and it is organic and biodegradable.
For those of you who have children you can forget the worries that come with regular cleaners. You can even use Sunshine Concentrate to bathe. Talk about a cleaner!

Personal Care From The Inside Out

So now you know a lot about how to care for your skin, hair and nails on the outside, but it is also important to understand that many of the problems we have on the outside stem from a deeper system weakness. The following is a discussion about some of those weaknesses and how we can care for our bodies on the outside by healing our bodies on the inside. Our skin is often called “the third kidney” because it takes over trying to rid the body of toxins when our eliminative organs are in a stressed or weakened condition. When the skin is taking on more than it’s share of the work, it uses such tatics as acne, rashes and excessive sweating to rid the body of waste. You can keep your skin from suffering with the symptoms of carrying that extra load of toxins by taking herbs that strengthen your urinary and digestive systems.

Some herbal strengtheners are as follows:

Sage is a low growing, bushy aromatic which has been long used for many ailments. Sage strengthens the bladder and aids digestion. By strengthening these eliminative organs it also promotes healthy hair and skin. This common garden herb has been used to help baldness and night sweats.
Take 1-2 capsules 2-3 times daily before meals.

White oak bark is a tall tree with fibrous bark used to tighten tissues. White oak bark strengthens the kidneys and the bladder, thereby aiding in the treatment of many problems of the skin such as inflammation and rash. This bark will help heal varicose veins.
Take 2 capsules between meals (1 to 3 times daily).

Slippery elm bark provides a fibrous, mucilant herb which pulls toxins from the body. It mildly clears the intestines of toxic material. It has a very soothing quality and therefore works well on inflammed, damaged skin. To support the intestines take 2- 4 capsules 3-6 times daily with lots of water.

Horsetail is a reed-like plant high in silica. Silica is an important part of skin, nails and hair because it provides strength in combination with flexibility. It helps weak, brittle fingernails and hair with split ends to become healthy. Horsetail also has a diuretic action promoting good kidney function. Take 2 capsules with every meal.

LBS-II contains cascara sagrada, buckthorn, licorice, capsicum, ginger, barberry, turkey, rhubarb, couch grass, and red clover tops. These herbs are combined to relieve constipation which blocks elimination and puts stress on the skin.

LB-X is another laxative to relieve constipation. In addition to cleansing and toning the colon, LB-X strengthens the liver and aids digestion. These three actions ensure that the skin, hair and nails stay strong and healthy.
The thyroid is an endocrine gland which controls many of the functions of the skin, hair and nails. When the thyroid is weakened skin problems such as acne and dryness occur. Hair loss and brittle nails may also be a sign of a weak thyroid. To help the skin by building the thyroid try these herbal therapies:

HSN-W is a formula designed to build the hair, skin and nails. It contains dulse, horsetail, sage and rosemary.
Dulse and horsetail are rich in silica which brings both strength and flexibility to prevent split ends in hair, brittle nails and skin problems. Dulse is rich in iodine and helps to build the thyroid. Take 1-2 capsules 2-3 times daily.

Kelp is a seaweed plant which is rich in iodine and other trace elements. Kelp helps to strengthen a weak thyroid gland, relieving problems such as acne, hair loss, brittle nails and fatigue. Take two capsules with two meals daily.

Black Walnut is a good source of iodine and builds the thyroid gland. It is good for problems such as canker sores, dandruff, eczema and rashes. Take two tablets with meals twice daily.

The skin needs certain building blocks to be able to constantly replace the thousands of skin cells which flake off daily.
Alfalfa has a long taproot which helps it absorb minerals which other plants can’t get to. It is rich in the minerals and trace minerals important to the building and repairing of tissues. Take 2 capsules 3-4 times daily.

The liver has an important role in cleaning the body of toxins. When it is in a weakened state the blood starts carrying more of these harmful substances. Often the skin is close to the blood and the skin reaches out to give a healing hand. To keep the liver and blood strong and clean use these herbs:

Chlorophyll is an important part of personal care. It builds the blood and improves the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. By improving the function of the blood, chlorophyll is good for reducing body odor.

Dandelion is a common garden weed that strengthens both the liver and the kidneys and builds the blood. Taking 1 to 3 capsules 2 to 3 times daily will help acne, age spots, eczema and yellow jaundice.

This information is for educational purposes only. Consult with a qualified health practictioner for all serious or persistant illness. Copyright © 1999 by Robinson & Horne, L.C., P.O. Box 1028, Roosevelt, UT 84066. This material may be printed from this database (in single copies only) for educational purposes only (not for resale) provided it is not altered in any way

Distributed by: Four Winds Nutrition Club and Webnat.com