This database is really informative about the ingredients in the products we use on and in our bodies. Most of us are careful about what we ingest but what about what we use topically? It's very eye-opening.


http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

I read EVERYTHING! and then I calculate how much fat/protien/carbs/fiber something has because I am on WW. I avoid anything artificially sweetened, and HFCS, and other such stuff. I admit some products are getting better, because many folks are reading their labels and putting the chemically laiden stuff back on the shelf and making healthier options. The more we do that, the more the store sees we dont want the chemical junk, just the good stuff please.

I've gotten really adept at reading food packages. Takes me forever when I go grocery shopping because I tend to look at everything on each package.

But I've gotten just as "picky" about things like body wash, lotions, makeup, etc. My skin is super sensitive and reacts to just about everything that has chemicals or fragrance in it. I have found a few items I can tolerate but they are few and far between.

The containers our products and food come in are just as important as the ingredients in them. Most things don't come in glass containers but some do and I try to choose them before I choose plastic.

It gets difficult when you're on such a tight budget but I've managed to cut way down on the products I buy...,..,.especially "beauty" products.

The only beauty product I use is ...shampoo! and now I dont even use that. I am using the WEN and its FABULOUS! enviornmentally friendly, biodegradable, all natrual ingredients and so forth. I do try to pick biodegradable stuff as we have a septic system and the leaching field can easily contaminate the garden/yard area if you wash cruddy products down the sink.

I guess I do use lotions, so that should count, and soap, but I use natural stuff like Toms or Olive oil home made soap. We have a home made mix of bug stuff, that smells gawd awful, ick! but its very friendly to the enviornment.

As for foods. I am a home made kinda gal, but now and again, do buy products like packaged oatmeal. or ketchup. who knew how much sugar and HFCS was in ketchep! I buy the HFCS free stuff when i can or the organic products when I can.

Latest news story showed how hard it is to wash pesticides off your store bought fruit. it seeps into the ground water around where they are spraying and the fruit/veggie sucks up that water, and now its on the INSIDE of the thing. ick! Also store bought tomatoes have zero flavor. I have learned to smell them. If they have no smell, they have no flavor.

I do try to keep nasty ingredients from my mouth to my body and from my skin to my body, then to the environment, but sometimes, I'm a bad girl.

I buy already flavoured and cooked frozen foods from Schwans, and Skin products from Oil of Olay and use hair spray, occasionally.

It's hard sometimes to be able to eat or use the purest products. Sometimes my budget just doesn't allow for it. I try to make the best choices I can. It's good to be aware of what's out there, though.

I'm extremely meticulous about reading all labels. I can calculate the health of a product just from years of **** study and obsession. It makes it interesting for my DH trying to do the shopping, lol.

I do read all the ingredients on all the foods I buy at Schwans and the only things that stops me from buying are sugar substitutes and too much fat.

Well, I went to the grocery store last night for a few items I'd run out of. It's supposed to be stormy the rest of this week and I wanted to go so I could avoid having to be out in the rain.

I lingered around the frozen foods looking at all kinds of labels. I wanted some popsicles so badly but they either had HFS or Splenda in them. The total fruit bars were so expensive - about $5 for a pack of 6! I didn't get anything. I suppose I could make my own but I wasn't feeling that industrious then.

One thing I have found that I really like is Amy's frozen foods. They are all organic and have no GMO's. You have to watch the calories because they aren't a low-calorie food. Their burritos are really good. I was apprehensive to try them but so glad I did. Their pizza is good, too. I love the Spinach pizza.

My list of things I feel good about eating is definitely shorter than it used to be. I'm practically a vegetarian.....can't remember the last time I had meat.

I do read labels like a hawk! Especially food because so many of the artificial additives give me headaches, heart palpitations or facial flushing. I try to make a lot of things from scratch or easy cooking recipes.

As for personal care items.. I tried many of the organic lotions and potions, but I have to be very careful that there is no marigold in them... it breaks me out in hives! I do use sulfate-free shampoo and an organic Rosemary conditioner. I find that regular type shampoo caused my scalp to breakout and be very itchy. During the summer, I use a huge bottle of Dr. Bronners Castle Peppermint soap for a bodywash. Tried using it for shampoo, but it leaves my hair feeling stripped of all oils.

I also only use sulfate-free dishsoap.. the other stuff makes my nose tingle and itch just breathing in the "fumes". I use Ecos laundry detergent w/lavender. Occasionally I use a laundry soap called Nellie's All Natural Laundry Soda. It is expensive, but I found a bargain at a local Tuesday Morning store. I have seen it on Amazon.

I have my moments of weakness in the stores and buy a lot of stuff I shouldn't. My biggest weakness is sugar.. so I have to avoid the dessert areas. I'm really trying to love fruit, but it's just not the same.

Kelly have you looked at buying the bags of frozen fruit that you could puree and make some frozen ice fruit pops?