Dealing with Smelly Pits

I don't have time to go into any details about why normal commercial deodorants are bad for you, I'll let you google that yourself and come to your own conclusions. Suffice it to say that the general consensus among informed people is that anti-perspirants are REALLY bad for you, and the deodorants you'll find at the store aren't that great either. For about ten years I've been on a quest to avoid anti-perspirant AND body odor. I've learned a lot in the process and would like to share some of that wisdom with you.

First, understand that undesirable odors in the armpits can vary in strength depending on your diet, your hormones, your stress levels, etc. So if something in your life has changed (like if you're pregnant), your body odor can change too. Or it could be something you are eating that is creating an increase in smelliness. It might take some detective work on your part to find the source of the problem.

The first natural deodorant I tried was the deodorant stone. You can buy this online or find an identical product (I'm pretty sure it's the same thing) called crystal deodorant at many stores. This is not an anti-perpirant so it will not stop you from sweating. It puts some kind of barrier on your skin that inhibits the smelly bacteria. The great part about it is that it lasts almost forever. I've owned about three deodorant stones in the past ten years. The thing that does them in is when I drop them on the tile floor and they shatter. So if you don't drop it, a stone or crystal can last a long, long time (at least several years). It works best for me if I use it right when I get out of the shower and my pits are still wet. I grab a dry stone and rub it all over to coat my underarm area. You could also wet the stone first, but I find it works better to wet your skin instead.

Crystal deodorant is the only thing I would recommend buying from a regular store. I have tried all the natural, hippie-type deodorants (like Tom's of Maine) and find that they just don't work that well for me. Maybe you would have better luck with them so it wouldn't hurt to try. Be aware that just because it is a "natural" brand doesn't mean that it is necessarily harmless. To be safe, check your brand of deodorant with the Skin Deep website. This is run by the Environmental Working Group, they have done tons of research on all kinds of hygiene and beauty products.

Sometimes the deodorant crystal works just fine for me, and other times it just doesn't cut it. I noticed at one point that my armpits were still quite offensive even as I stepped out of the shower. The smell was too much for the crystal to handle. I tried scrubbing and scrubbing with all different kinds of soap, but the smell still lingered and grew stronger with each shower. I was almost desperate enough to use Lady Speed Stick when I ran across a tip on a message board I sometimes visit. A woman there suggested to scrub your armpits with baking soda, rinse it off, then spray with apple cider vinegar, and then rinse if off. It was no trouble for me to try this since I already had baking soda and vinegar in my shower that I used for washing my hair. The baking soda I keep in an old plastic peanut butter jar. I add just enough water to make it clumpy instead of powdery, thus easy to grab a small lump. The apple cider vinegar mixture (about half water, half vinegar) I keep in a spray bottle. I tried this on my ampits and it worked so well that I didn't even need the crystal anymore, except on especially smelly days.

I still use the baking soda/vinegar trick every time I shower and it really helps. I haven't used the crystal much lately. It just seemed like it wasn't working as well anymore. Plus, I kept dropping it on the floor and it was getting some painful, sharp edges. I wanted to try something new and all-natural (like I mentioned before, the "natural" deodorants that you find at the supermarket are really not all that natural). I have heard some great things about Funk Butter and have been meaning to try it. But then I noticed that my friend Erika in Boise had started selling deodorant in her shop: Inspired Mama Creations. Since I LOVE everything else she makes (her diaper rash cream is really miraculous), I immediately bought some of her Smell Better Butter. It really love it, it's worked better than any other natural deodorant I have tried, hands down. This is what I am currently using (in the juicy citrus scent).

The only thing I haven't tried yet is to make my own deodorant. I know, I'm a slacker! I have collected some recipes but haven't made any yet. I'll post some links for different recipes. If you try one, please post a comment and let us know how it worked for you.

Homemade Funk Butter
Homemade deodorant on Mothering.com, this is also a discussion on where to buy ingredients, etc.
Recipe Mama, LOTS of deodorant recipes here.
Bath & Body Recipes, several recipes here as well, these have been assigned star ratings by users.

The Story of Stuff

Today I want to recommend a short film called The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard. It is about 20 minutes long and free to watch. I thought it was very enjoyable, enlightening, and infuriating! It's infuriating to know that our consumer society will act like mindless sheep and constantly buy and dispose of all the stuff that is pushed on them. More infuriating is the thought of the corporations that are orchestrating this global disaster, simply for their own gain.

One of my favorite parts is when Annie talks about products that are "designed for the dump". A common phrase to hear when something wears out or breaks down is "They don't make 'em like they used to." And why? Shouldn't society be getting better, not worse, at making quality stuff that will last? Well, we're not. And it's not just because we are taking shortcuts and using cheaper materials to make things. It's because things are specifically designed to break (or go out of fashion) so that you will go out and buy another one. That's the way that companies make more money. Take sewing machines, for example. If you can find an old quality-made all-metal sewing machine, you can bet that it will still work. If it's broken, you would repair it. Old sewing machines are worth their weight in gold because they can last forever with proper care. In other words, the sewing machine manufacturers would not be making any money from you if you sew with a machine that you inherited from your great-grandma. Most of the machines you find on the market today are made with plastic and are meant to break down after five years of moderate use. So then you buy a new one and it's "cha-ching!", another sale for Singer!

Shortly after watching this film, one of my friends told me that whenever her kids leave their board games, card games, or puzzles on the floor, she'll just throw them away because she can't stand the clutter. Then she buys them new ones every Christmas. Not a big deal, she said, they're so cheap anyway. I didn't say anything at the time, but I wanted to scream, "No! That's just what they want you to do. You are one of the victims!"

Watch the movie, it will change the way you look at everything you purchase.

Ditching the Entertainment Center

We had been talking for many months about getting rid of our entertainment center and everything in it (TV, DVD player, surround sound, VCR, Nintendo). It had always seemed like such an essential piece of furniture that everyone should have. But one day as I was surveying our overcrowded living room (too many super cool thrift store couches that we can't live without!), I realized that the entertainment center took up WAY too much room. We didn't even use it that often (maybe watched a movie once or twice a week), yet it stood there 24 hours a day as a massive monument to the art of wasting time. So I said that we should get rid of it, but it seemed like such a daring thing to do! What would we do without a TV? There was something inside of me that said it was necessary and we should hang on to it. I should know better because my parents didn't even have a TV until I was 7 or 8 years old. Most of my formative years were gloriously spent reading books instead of watching TV. We finally got a small TV for the sole purpose of using it as a computer monitor. It was the best monitor we could get for our new (awesome!) TI basic computer. Eventually we started using our television for its intended purpose, not just for learning basic computer programming. We didn't watch THAT much TV as kids, but I got used to having it around and came to depend on it for various reasons (namely Dr. Who, the Dukes of Hazard, and Night Rider. Not to mention the Monkees!). I haven't really watched TV for years (no cable, no reception of local chanels) and couldn't explain why I wanted to hang onto the entertainment center.



So finally we just did it. It's been at least two months since we said goodbye and I haven't missed it for a minute. It feels rather nice, in fact. I admit that my three-year-old protested at the time when he realized that we were actually giving our TV to someone else, but he hasn't mentioned it since. We can still watch DVDs on our laptop if we ever feel the need, and that has been working just fine. And to further save space, we bought a couple of those binders that hold compact discs. The smaller binder now holds all our movies, and our music collection is in the larger binder. Now we can get rid of our CD tower, and it freed up a large space on one of our bookshelves. I had resisted storing movies & CDs that way before because I liked having them displayed in the cases (easier to see what you're looking for). But then I realized how much space they took up and how unimportant they are. We threw away all the cases and it's so much nicer now in our living room.

Now that we are without a TV, people come over, look around the room, and assume that we must have another family room in another part of the house that houses our TV. When we explain that we don't have one anymore, most people look at us incredulously with awe and sometimes respect. "Wow, how amazing, I could never do that!" It's as if we said we were going to dress in gunny sacks and eat only carrots from now on. Why is TV such a big deal in this culture? It's so meaningless. . .

Now all we need to do is find a small corner computer desk to house our laptop and printer. That will be a great improvement from this gigantic metal (but good because it was free) desk from the 1970's. That would certainly free up another large chunk of the wall in our living room.

Simplicity in Government

About a week ago, I received my Alaska Voter's Guide in the mail. I always look forward to reading these guides because each candidate has a statement regarding their goals and what they stand for (much more enlightening than all the pointless mud-slinging and gossip that is found in the media). I first read the statements by our presidential candidates. Neither the Republican nor Democratic candidates really said much of anything beyond vague statements that they will bring reform in Washington and fight for our future. Then they listed the "goodies" that they promise to give us, like more free money, health care, alternative energy resources, etc. I was not impressed. So Americans are stuck with choosing the "lesser of two evils" when they cast their vote for president next month. Unless we "waste our vote" on one of those smaller guys who has no chance of winning anyway.

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -John Quincy Adams

Voting for principle and standing alone is what I plan on doing this year. I don't want to waste my vote on a Republican or Democrat. Look what they've done to our country for the last 80 years! I am going to vote for Chuck Baldwin, member of the Constitution Party. He would like to return our country to a limited government based on the Constitution (do you remember that quaint historic document? Apparently all the guys in Washington have forgotten about it). His platform is the only one I've read that talks about any kind of real reform. He wants to bring home our troops from the 130 foreign countries where they are stationed and concentrate on defending our own borders (provide for the common defense). He would work to get rid of the Patriot Act, "free trade" agreements, and all other laws and organizations that limit our freedoms. He would work to end all socialist activity and bring us back to our Constitutional roots. I agree.

A word about socialism: Many people applaud all the various state and federal programs that are meant to help our fellow man with health care, housing, food, etc. I disagree. It's not that I am against social programs in general, I just know that the government is the absolute worst organization to carry out these tasks. I would be surprised if even 1% of our tax money ends up at the intended destination. The other 99% is wasted in overhead costs, corruption, etc. Anyone who works for the government knows that the system is bogged down with extreme waste, inefficiency, political red tape, and too many employees. These social programs should instead be carried out by the groups that are actually good at what they do. I'm talking about churches, private charities, and social organizations like the Lions Club. These groups have always worked to improve communities and provide necessities to those in poverty. They run (mostly) on private donations, donations that could be much larger if the average citizen and business could bring home more of their profits (instead of having their profits stolen by the government). Sure, there would be Scrooge-like people that never donate. And I'm sure there would also be corrupt charities that would con people out of their money without helping the poor. At least donations to these corrupt charities would be optional, whereas the current corrupt government does not give us that option!

Integrated Agriculture

I recently read this article about integrated agriculture being practiced on small farms in Vietnam. The program they use is so fascinating; I find myself thinking about it often. In a nutshell, it is living & farming without waste. For example, grass that grows along the edge of a rice field is fed to cows. The cow manure is not thrown away, it is used to raise earthworms and even to power a methane gas cook stove. The earthworms are used to feed the chickens, and all the manure from all animals eventually goes back to be used as fertilizer in the fields & gardens. Kitchen & garden scraps are used for chicken feed and compost. These are just some of the examples. It is rather like the system that Mother Nature uses. She doesn't ship in supplies from other continents. Nor does she ship garbage out to the dump; every element of life has a purpose and can be used for something.

Now every time I throw something in the garbage, I look at it and think how it could be useful in some way. (Regrettably, life on an island in Alaska is largely without recycling options.) We already save all paper & cardboard to use as fire starter in our wood stove. Glass bottles & jars are useful for storing food & other items, but there comes a point when enough is enough and I have to throw some away! Plastic containers can also have a place, but I don't like them as well and usually just toss them. (I should probably avoid altogether buying food in plastic containers, but then my options are so limited.) Food scraps should of course go to compost, but I am still searching for the perfect barrel to make my own rotating composter (my attempt last winter to save food scraps in a bucket was a miserable failure, too much rain). What other useful things do we throw away? Old clothes & scraps of fabric too small to use also end up in the garbage can. In the old days, they saved pieces of cotton & string to make candle wicks. Cotton & other natural fibers can also go in the compost pile or the burn box.

What about the things that grow in our yard or nearby forests? Do we take advantage of the bounty of nature, or do we ignore the treasures right under our noses and rely on packaged salad mixes from the store? I took the advice of my sister-in-law and went out to harvest some of the dandelion greens that grow in my yard. They make a very healthful addition to salads. You can also make dandelion fritters & dandelion lemonade. We've also been eating the fiddlehead ferns that grow abundantly in our yard, very tasty! While I was outside yesterday gathering greens, I saw the hot air from the dryer exhaust escaping to the great outdoors. It made me feel momentarily guilty, first of all because I haven't installed my clothesline yet. Secondly, I thought, there must be some way to harness that wasted energy of the hot air from the dryer! If farmers in Vietnam can use the methane gas from cow manure to power their cookstove, what's my excuse?

Come back to my blog soon to see my next entry: how I used "garbage" around my house to make a mattress for my toddler!

Blow your Nose, Wipe your Mouth

If you are like most humans in this country, you will always make sure that you have a box of facial tissues and a package of paper napkins in your house at all times. These used to be regular items on my shopping list. I have always been a big user of Kleenex. The box ALWAYS ran out when I had a cold, so I would usually stock up on several boxes. But the paper tissues were rough on my poor nose. Even the ones with added lotion left my nose red and rough from all the wiping. About two years ago I had an "aha!" moment when I decided to use my handkerchiefs (which I already had) instead of facial tissues. I fold up the handkerchiefs and stack them neatly in a decorative wooden bowl on the kitchen counter. Once used, they go in with the dirty towels, kitchen rags, etc. Now if I am having a killer cold and run out of hankies, I don't have to run to the store. I just quickly do a load of laundry. I'm doing laundry all the time anyway, and my handkerchiefs can be easily added to any load I am washing. I have never bought another box of Kleenex and my nose is much happier now.

I have recently been using soft cotton jersey fabric scraps to supplement my storebought hanky collection (small children=lots of noses needing constant wiping). I like these even better because they are softer and more absorbent. I cut them smaller than a regular hanky (an easier size for me to use). And since they are knit, they don't need to be hemmed. A nice soft & thick t-shirt at the thrift store would be perfect for cutting up to start your collection.

Cloth napkins are also a no-brainer solution to paper napkins. Like handkerchiefs, they are small and can be added to any load of laundry. I have collected many napkins at thrift stores, garage sales, etc. I've also stitched up my own from cotton fabric or repurposed tablecloths. My favorite to use are nice thick ones that are almost as thick as a kitchen towel (I made them from a great cotton tablecloth that I found at the thrift store). They are very absorbent & great for scrubbing messy faces or soaking up spilled milk. And they look so much nicer than paper napkins on the dinner table. Don't save your cloth napkins for special occasions, use them for every meal and save the trees instead!

Walking, Biking, Busing

Like most other people, I have been worrying and worrying lately about rising fuel prices. I mentioned to my husband the other day, "are you still going to go to work if the cost of gas to get there is higher than your paycheck?" Then all the sudden it hit me, there are other ways to travel besides our monstrous Jeep Wagoneer that gets 8 miles per gallon (on a good day).

So, I started walking everywhere. I am lucky that I live across the street from our town's shopping center, and have always walked to the grocery store. But church is ten blocks away, and we are always late as it is! But I walked to the church one evening (with Lola in the wrap and Jefferson in the stroller) and it took me 17 minutes. Could I commit to leaving 20 minutes early to get to church by 10 am? Yes. (Last Sunday I walked and I was 5 minutes early, yeah!) I have been walking all over the place now. Besides saving gas money, I already feel better because I am getting more exercise.

Another form of travel is the bicycle. Now, it may seem strange to my father that this hadn't really occurred to me before! He is the shining example to me about not using gas to get to work. He starting biking to work in the 1970s when he noticed he had gained a few pounds. He kept on biking even when he had to ride 13 miles each way in the hot Arizona sun. And he kept on biking in the Minnesota winters when the temperature dropped below zero (with protective clothing and snow tires). And I complain about how to get to the post office that is only 1.5 miles away. So I pulled my bike out of the basement, dusted it off, and made some repairs. We also pulled out our bike trailer (can fit both children, groceries, etc.) and ordered the part we needed to connect the trailer to the bike. All we have to wait for now are the new wheels that my husband ordered for his bike and we will be ready to ride anywhere. Truth be told, we live on an island in Alaska with very limited roadways. We can't drive more that 15 miles in any direction from our house. We have no excuse to use our car! Well, except for the fact that this is the rainiest city in North America (15 feet of rain annually). But for the price of filling up our Jeep a couple times, we could get some really nice rain gear.

The third mode of travel that I hadn't considered was the city bus. Our town is long and skinny running along a highway that hugs the shoreline. In other words, there is nowhere that is more than five blocks from the bus line. And to top it off, there is a major bus stop less than half a block from my house. But I had never thought about riding the bus before. I always just jumped in my car whenever I had to go anywhere, thinking that the bus was for other people, not me. Well, now I've decided the bus is for me. I found out that the month of May was "ride the bus for free month." Wow, I wish I had known that earlier. But even when June starts, I will be able to ride for only one dollar (my children ride for free). Or I can even buy a monthly bus pass for $25.00 (The cost of getting 6 1/2 gallons of gasoline, wow.) We have been riding the bus and my kids love it! I must say that it is easier than taking kids in and out of the car seats. Lola stays in my wrap and Jefferson sits on the seat. The bus will be great to use when it is raining sideways (as frequently happens in the winter).

It has been about 10 days since I have used my car and I feel great about it. I am going to see how long I can go. My other job is to convince my husband to either bike or ride the bus to his work (less than 2 miles away). Don't be such a wimp, Chris!