Life is good. We’re eating healthier, exercising more and we remember to bring our reusable bags to the grocery store. But do you feel as if something is missing? Do you ever wake in the middle of the night, wondering what final piece of the green puzzle will make your life complete? Well, I do. And the puzzle piece I’m looking for is an organic deodorant…that actually stinkin’ works.

I’m sure many of you are aware of the dangers of regular deodorant – that it contains aluminum chloride and aluminum chlorohydrate to stop you from sweating. Of course, no one likes to sweat, but sweating is how our bodies process food, expel toxins and regulate temperature. Blocking this bodily function isn’t a good idea. Plus, aluminum has been established as a neurotoxin and has been shown to adversely affect the blood-brain barrier, cause DNA damage and have adverse gene effects.

But hey, as long as no one sees you sweat!

My point is that you want to keep your deodorant natural and organic. As with all organic deodorants, you might sweat a bit more than you’re used to, but you won’t smell. And one more tip – deodorant sprays work far better than sticks.

Now let’s get down to business – the Good, the Less than Good and the Yes, It Really Does Work of organic deodorants! The following list includes all organic or natural deodorants that I tested over an extended period of time, in hot Los Angeles temperatures and even on a trip to Las Vegas.

The Holy Grail: Grapefruit and Geranium Deodorant Spray by Avalon Organics

(Note: According to Avalon Organics, the direct link is not yet available because this product is new to the market, but it’s coming!). This is the best of the best, and I’m anticipating a long relationship with this spray. It smells fruity and pleasant. I kept reapplying it  just to experience a mini aromatherapy session. And most importantly, it works. I wore one application for a day and night, and didn’t notice any body odor (my boyfriend didn’t, either). It’s certified organic and made with various citrus peel oils. It contains no parabens, aluminum or other synthetic ingredients.

The Close Runner Up: Jasmine and Grapefruit Organic Deodorant by Erbaviva

When I can’t find my Avalon Organics, I reach for this spray. As above, it contains grapefruit extracts which help eliminate the odor-causing bacteria. It really does smell good, like something you’d find in the middle of a spa. It also works really well, though you may want to keep it on hand for touch ups. It’s made with certified organic ingredients like grapefruit peel oil, cedar wood oil and jasmine oil.

The Perfume Impersonator: Wild Rose Deodorant Spray by Weleda

This spray is most like a perfume, with a fun, floral rose scent. The first application lasted for a few hours, though I found myself sniffing for a second application earlier than the aforementioned products. The floral scent goes on strong, but it mellows with time. If you like an old-style, cool perfume-y scent, you’ll like this spray. This UK product is made with natural essential rose oils and fragrances.

The Old Standard: E Plus High C Natural Roll-On Deodorant by Aubrey Organics

I have used this product for years – pre-spray, it was the closest I got to a working natural deodorant. It has more of a traditional scent, with hints of baby powder. It works, but doesn’t last as long as the sprays. However, Aubrey makes a Calendula Blossom spray that keeps the protection going longer than the roll-on. Both are made with natural and organic ingredients like rose water, coconut cream and organic aloe vera.

The Pioneer: Deodorant Crystal by Naturally Fresh

Back when natural deodorants were new to the market, deodorants crystals were at the forefront. This company first discovered the crystal while in Thailand, where the process of wetting a crystal and rubbing it under your arm has a long tradition of killing odor-causing bacteria. There’s a spray and a roll-on, and apparently the spray is the number one recommended product by oncologists, allergists and dermatologists.

But does it work? Happily, it does. A friend of mine often uses the crystal in conjunction with other natural deodorants. One word of caution though – you need to wet it before applying, which can prove a little messy.

The Experience: Geranium Lime Pit Putty by Bubble & Bee Organic

This is a new concept that literally involves putty for your pits.  It has a great lime-y, fresh and clean-smelling scent.  You apply it with your fingers, which is a little odd.  It turns to power, which is cool.  But if you start sweating, you will be running for the sprays.

The Good Stick: Clear Enzyme Deodorant Stick by Alba Botanica

Like I said, sticks in general don’t seem to work as well as the sprays.  But many do offer decent protection. This one from Alba Botanica offers a fresh scent and a decent run of it.  It has antibacterial properties from coriander and lichen and certified organic aloe vera.  It is also 100% vegetarian!

The Fruit on a Stick: Mandarin Orange and Patchouli Deodorant by Nature’s Gate

This is another fruity scent that proves much more pleasant than anything you’ll find at the supermarket. It lasts for a bit, but then you will have to follow up. The ingredients for this product are grown on a family-owned farm in California with a water source derived from the winter rains and snow pack of the Sierra Nevadas. It is paraben-free and naturally contains no aluminum.

The Nice Scent But… Naturally Fresh Deodorant Stick for Men by JASON Pure, Natural and Organic

I wanted to like this product because JASON products are generally outstanding. And upon opening the deodorant, I found it has a light, green tea scent that goes on smooth.  But a mere hour after applying it, I found myself reaching for the sprays.

Yes, I know it’s for men – so I had my boyfriend try it out, and he agrees. It’s certified organic and is enriched with lavender oil, Vitamin E, shea butter and certified organic corn starch.

The Reason No One Thinks Natural Deodorants Work: Unscented Deodorant Stick from Tom’s of Maine

This deodorant from Tom’s of Maine works well – if you sit motionless in a chair and under an air conditioner all day.

Image: TheAlienessGiselaGiardino

‘Tis the (cold and flu) season, and it’s time to stock up on immune boosting foods like oranges, garlic and Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies.

Yes, that’s right. Kellogg’s is claiming that all the vitamins they’ve sprinkled onto their sweetened, processed puffs will help your child’s immune system. It’s boldly emblazoned across the box, so it must be true!

Vitamins aside for a moment, has anyone forgotten the negative immune impact of sugar? I haven’t, but one wonders if Kellogg’s is exercising some selective memory techniques. The second ingredient on the Cocoa Krispies label (quickly followed by high fructose corn syrup), sugar raises the body’s general acidity, making you more prone to illnesses of all kinds.

As for vitamins: the best ones come from whole foods sources like…well, like oranges and garlic. In order to get the necessary nutrients your body needs, you can eat actual, whole foods or take vitamins from brands such, as New Chapter, ,that derive their supplements from actual food extracts (with a small dose of probiotics to help you digest them better). The vitamins you’ll find in Cocoa Krispies, on the other hand, tend to have the bad habit of washing away in the milk.

Conclusion? Cereal is not medicine, particularly the cracklin’ candy sort. Opt for serving your tots a hot, yummy bowl of real, organic whole-grain oatmeal with fresh, organic fruit for a true immunity boost this season.

Being elected into The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is considered one of the highest honors in the field of health and medicine. It recognizes those who’ve demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

Earlier this month the IOM announced the names of 65 new members and five foreign associates who’ve made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. What’s especially interesting is that in order to assure diversity, they required that at least one-quarter of those selected be from outside of the health professions. They were chosen from such fields as the natural, social and behavioral sciences; law, engineering and the humanities.

We think that’s very “eco”.

This year, five of those selected are from the University of Southern California:

• Deborah Grady, MD, MPH is an international expert on menopause and the risks and benefits of postmenopausal hormone therapy. Grady has trained and mentored over 40 young researchers interested in women’s health. With colleagues at UCSF, she designed and conducted the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS), a clinical trial of 2800 women with known coronary disease.

• Lawrence W. Green, DrPH specializes in population science research in cancer and other chronic diseases. In a current project, he’s looking at screening for colorectal cancer in the context of flu vaccine clinics. Once director of the Office of Health Promotion in the Carter Administration, he participated in the early development of the Healthy People Initiative, which since 1979 has continued to contribute to programs in health promotion and disease prevention. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he led international programs in tobacco control and national programs in community-based participatory research.

• Michael R. Harrison, MD is professor emeritus of clinical surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, and director emeritus, Fetal Treatment Center, UCSF Children’s Hospital. Harrison is internationally renowned for his expertise and innovation in pediatric and fetal surgery, and is author of more than 400 hundred peer-reviewed articles and several textbooks. He performed the first successful human fetal surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia and later for a number of other fetal anomalies. And he initiated the first National Institute of Health-sponsored clinical trials for fetal surgery. Harrison’s current research focuses on pediatric orphan device development.

• Sam Hawgood, MBBS is the dean and vice chancellor for medical affairs, UCSF School of Medicine. Hawgood has led the school in expanding research, fostering patient-centered care and furthering global health. He also directs a major NIH grant supporting a range of projects that seek a new understanding of lung biology and pulmonary diseases.

• Roger Nicoll, MD is a professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology and physiology. He’s renowned for his pioneering discoveries about the way the brain learns and remembers. Over several decades he’s shown that learning and memory occur when neural connections between nerve cells in the brain are strengthened. Nicoll’s research focuses on the brain’s hippocampus, which is severely damaged in Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding the chemistry of thought could enhance drug design for Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases of the brain.

Image: apdk

What’s not to love about lip balm? In fact, a girl’s love affair with lip balm often starts very young. You were probably given a clear Chap Stick to soothe your dry lips, and naturally you pretended it was bright red lipstick.

Regardless, you got used to the feeling of soft, moisturized lips.

Cut to a couple decades later, and you’re frantically flipping through your organic cotton clutch for the lip balm you know is in there…somewhere. No one likes dry lips. Of course, we can technically live with dry lips, but who wants that?

Chap Stick was invented by Dr. C. D. Fleet, who decided that petroleum jelly would be the best short-term fix for dry lips. But petroleum doesn’t absorb into the skin, so it prevents the skin from breathing and makes your lips more chapped in the long run.

But not to worry! There’s a whole wide world of natural and organic lip balms out there, and we recently applied our lips to the best of them.

Here’s a look at our favorites, styled by category. It’s like a high school yearbook for lip balms! (They grow up so fast, don’t they?)

Most Likely to Be Tasty
Organic Root Beer Lip Balm by Bubble and Bee
This balm goes on smooth and yes, tastes exactly like root beer. The moisture lasts – a few hours later and my lips were still fully hydrated. (And tasty!). It’s made with organic beeswax, sunflower oil and cocoa butter. The flavoring is Stevia-based and all organic.

Pineapple Quench Lip Balm by Alba Botanica
This delicious lip balm tastes like a pineapple margarita over and over, but without the brain-crushing hangover. It does a great job keeping your lips initially hydrated, however you should keep it hand because the need to reply will arise in an hour or so. It’s made with organic coconut oil and apricot kernel oil.

Most Likely to Last at the Beach
Peppermint Vanilla Liplux SPF 15 by Coola
This light, peppermint-y balm goes on silky smooth, and one application lasts a long time. It has an SPF 15 which explains the slight sun block aftertaste. They also have an SPF 30 version for you serious sun worshippers! It contains certified organic flavors and is paraben free.

Lifeguard’s Choice Weatherproofing Lip Balm by Burt’s Bees
From what I can tell, this product does not contain an SPF but it goes on white and therefore acts like the old-time zinc lotions that reflected sunlight. It has a high menthol taste too, but that’s a good thing. It’s recommended for both “sun and snow” and contains a large amount of Vitamin E.  95.20% natural, this lip balm is made with coconut and sunflower oils.

Most Likely to Replace Your Lipstick
SPF 8 Lip Moisturizer by Juice Beauty
This lip balm offers a fantastic, subtle touch of color – a pretty hint of makeup beats lipstick, any day! However it fells slightly drier than some of the other balms and drags on your lip a bit when being applied. It may not be as silky as some, but the trade-off is color. It contains certified organic oils and natural fruit essences.

Mostly Likely to Make You Hungry
White Chocolate Lip Protector by Terressentials
This lip balm tastes exactly like white chocolate. Yum! It goes on silky smooth and provides excellent hydration, but you’ll need to reapply after a while. The ingredients are simple: certified organic cocoa butter, beeswax, vanilla and coconut oil.

And Finally, for the Best All Around…
Natural Beeswax Lip Balm by J.R. Watkins
This balm has a strong peppermint taste and really hydrates in all its good, silky smoothness. One application lasts a long time. It’s 100% all-natural (not organic) and contains premium beeswax, vitamin E and shea butter.

Organic Lip Treatment by EO Organics
Another outstanding lip balm, this one tastes great, goes on light and silky and leaves your lips hydrated for a really long time. While writing this article, I had all eight lip balms on the table in front of me, and this is the one I kept reaching for. It’s made with certified organic cold-pressed safflower and sweet almond oils, beeswax, vitamin E and more.

Find your favorite and pucker up!

Image: Aleera

Green girl Josie Maran has modeled for Glamour and Sports Illustrated and she’s appeared in films like The Aviator and Van Helsing. Now she’s an eco-entrepreneur whose eponymous cosmetic line is one of the best on the market.

What qualifies a model-actress to start her own makeup line? Models and actresses look fresh faced and makeup free for one reason – they are experts at applying makeup.

As Maran puts it, “When I began to land jobs, I discovered what a lot of girls already know: the power of makeup. I saw that a little could go a long way.”

After spending hundreds of hours in the makeup chair, she realized she was uniquely experienced to design her own line of healthy, natural cosmetics. And Josie Maran Cosmetics was born.

Recently, Maran shared some of her product and beauty tips from her fall line, exclusively for EcoSalon readers. Here’s what she had to say:

EcoSalon: A typical green girl might love makeup, but not love looking like she’s caked with it. What are your best tips for a natural look?

Josie Maran: You can achieve a natural look by using tinted day-cream instead of heavy foundation. Then, go in with a concealer to cover blemishes. For small areas use a pointy brush. This way you can place the concealer where it’s really needed.

Fall is here, bringing with it cooling temperatures and fading tans. What’s your best tip for transitioning our skin from the summer sun?

Smooth lips and hydrated skin are the ultimate foundation. Start your fall beauty routine with targeted moisture. This fall, balms are making a big comeback and my Argan Moisturizing Stick smooths chapped lips and hydrates dry, peeling skin. It targets areas that need moisture most, providing a smooth canvas to work with! And there are other fantastic balms to consider: Jurlique Love Balm and Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil.

What are the best eye shadow colors you recommend for fall? And more importantly, what are your tips for applying it?

This fall is all about a neutral color palette. Create a natural smoky eye with my favorite earthy shades (for this look think: soft brown, not harsh black). Start by sweeping a muted, light brown shade all over the lid. I love the Maple shade in my line of eye shadows.

Then blend a darker, smokier brown into the crease for a dramatic effect. Try my Eye Shadow in Smoke, or my personal favorite Chianti – it’s a rich brownish plum, perfect for fall Smudge a brown eye liner along the lashes to get the smoky effect. Finish the look with brown mascara.

Lastly, what do you recommend for lips?

Red lips, naturally! Red lips have been a huge hit on the runways. I wear mine naturally with paraben-free lipstick in Desirous and shine it up with Joie De Vivre lip gloss.

Josie Maran Cosmetics is made up of a 70-piece line for eyes, lips, cheeks, skin and more. It’s free of parabens, toxins and petrochemicals, and it contains a large percentage of natural and organic ingredients. The product line is available online, at Barneys in New York City and at Vert in Venice, CA. You can also find products at various Sephoras around the country.

It would be grand to just roll out of bed every morning looking glamorous and fresh, but it requires serious maintenance to stay sexy. Here are eight easy and eco-friendly tricks for dealing with some of the most frustrating beauty predicaments.

Tired Eyes
Everybody knows about sliced cucumbers, but I recently discovered a more effective method. Steep a couple of green tea bags, put them in the refrigerator until they’re cool and place them over your eyes.

Blemishes
Apply a touch of toothpaste overnight and dab blemishes with lemon juice before putting on makeup in the morning.

Oily Skin
If you start your morning off with a hot bowl of oatmeal, this one’s a cinch. Let your leftovers cool, mix in a little bit of honey and apply this homemade mask to your face. Leave it on for five minutes and rinse.

Dull Hair
Next time you pop the bubbly, save a glass of champagne to rinse through your hair for brighter locks.

Bad Breath
Add several drops of lemon juice to that reusable water bottle you carry around all day. When your mouth feels stale, just take a swig and swish. Bad breath bacteria don’t stand a chance against the acid present in lemon juice.

Wet Nails
Who has the time to wait for nail polish to dry, especially after a couple of coats? Dipping them into ice cold water will speed up the process.

Chapped Lips
Lip balm may moisturize, but it doesn’t get rid of dead skin cells. Make your own exfoliating scrub by blending a bit of honey with coffee grounds and massage the mixture onto your lips.

Dandruff
Mix several teaspoons of vinegar with water and massage into your scalp. Wrap your hair in a towel and leave it in your hair overnight. Repeat the process weekly for the best results.

For more beauty suggestions, check out Katherine’s picks for the best organic skin toners, shampoos and sunscreens.

Image: clickflashphotos

You know the times you’ve run a fingernail down the side of your face and small bits of face have rolled off with it? The ick factor is huge, right? And most of that ick is dead skin.

Sure, you can moisturize with the best organic lotions out there. (And for the best green lotions to use, click here.) But those dead skin cells have to absorb the lotion before it can penetrate the skin underneath.

No amount of organic skin lotion is going to raise your skin cells from the dead. But before you conduct a green funeral for your face, try sloughing off with your best tool of choice – a scrub.

Bringing out the healthy, alive layers of skin on your face will improve your skin immensely. You’ll be less prone to break outs. Your skin will be smoother and have a healthier glow.

Pick a scrub that can make best friendsies with your skin. It is possible to over-exfoliate so be forewarned! If you over scrub, you can sand paper away the natural, protective barrier of your skin.

For sensitive skin, you’ll want a gentle exfoliating scrub. If your skin can take a sand blasting, go for the deep pore scrub. Depending on age and sensitivity, some people scrub daily, some only once or twice a week.

Best Scrub to Lessen Your Carbon Footprint:

Pangea Organics Facial Scrub ($32.00)
This gentle scrub is organic and, even better, fair trade. It contains Egyptian geranium with adzuki bean and cranberry. The smell is interesting – a combination of mud with bits of fruit buried in it. It’s light enough to use daily but strong enough to feel like you’re getting a good exfoliation. It is free of parabens, sulfates and any synthetic preservatives.

Best Scrub to Brighten Your Face:

John Masters Organics Jojoba and Ginseng Exfoliating Cleanser ($28.00)
This fantastic product contains certified organic jojoba beads (to exfoliate!) and ginseng (to revitalize!). And the best part? It will leave your face noticeably brightened. It seems to contain almost light-reflective properties that sit atop your skin and make it glow.

Best Scrub to Pretend You’re at the Beach:

Juice Beauty Exfoliating Cleanser ($22.00)
This is another gentle cleanser/scrub that has a rich pineapple base. The fresh fruity scent will bring you back to the beachy memories of childhood or that vacation you once went on where you blacked out from pineapple margaritas. It also contains certified organic extracts of white grape and aloe vera.

Best Scrub for Your Buck:

Noah’s Naturals Face Scrub with Jojoba Beads ($7.99)
This is a great, all-around scrub. You’ll feel like you’re getting a good wash while scrubbing out the baddies. It gives off a pleasant, old-school scent that’s almost floral, without being perfumey. It contains no parabens or sodium lauryl sulfate. It’s not organic, but it’s a good choice if you want an affordable, natural cleanser.

Best Scrub to Love Your Sensitive Skin:

Avalon Organics Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub ($16.95)
This product offers up a light, lavender scent. I used it daily for about a week and my skin did feel smoother after a couple of days. It’s free of parabens and preservatives. It is 100% vegetarian, and contains certified organic ingredients.

Best Scrub to Blast Your Skin:

Burt’s Bees Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub ($7.99)
If you’re looking for a scrub to really tear it up, this is the product for you. It has a fresh, peachy smell but it does leave a bit of a waxy, leftover feeling. It’s made from ground peach stone to exfoliate and also contains willowbark, a natural source of salicylic acid. 98.45% natural, it is free of sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, parabens and phthalates.

Best Scrub to Use Daily:

Aveda Tourmaline Charged Exfoliating Cleanser ($29.00)
This product works really well as a cleanser, but if you want a vigorous scrub, look elsewhere. It is not organic but it does contain “naturally-derived” exfoliating beads and certified organic lavender and geranium oils. And it’s tourmaline charged. What, pray tell, is tourmaline charged? Tourmaline apparently “acts as a conductor for the plant energy and the crystalline energy, while energizing the skin and boosting it with moisture and vitamins.”

Best Scrub to Simply Wash Your Face:

Exfoliating Wash by Kiss My Face ($15.00)
This scrub…er, wash got high marks for smell. It reminds me of lime and mint, and really makes me want a Mojito. It’s clean and refreshing, but doesn’t feel like a scrub.  It works more like a gel and feels gentle on your face. It’s not organic, but does contain several “certified natural” ingredients.

Osteoporosis is a big deal for women. But there’s more involved in keeping your bones strong and healthy than just eating plenty of calcium. Weight-bearing activity (exercise on your feet that works your bones and muscles against gravity) is crucial to building and maintaining optimal bone mass. Here’s why:

Bone density refers to your reserve of stored calcium. This is what determines the strength and health of your bones.
Bones are living tissue and need to be used to be strengthened.
The best time to start doing weight-bearing activities is during the teen and early adult years when bones are still growing. But it’s never too late to start!
The more bone density you have, the less negative impact there will be after menopause, when bone density begins to thin out with the loss of estrogen.
Higher bone density means stronger bones that are less susceptible to fracture or breakage.

So ladies, listen up: here are some activities you can incorporate into your lives to build up bone mass and stay strong.

For starters, lift things! No need to go overboard, but carry your groceries to the car and don’t be shy about picking up boxes. Just make sure you protect your back and do it safely.
Jogging is good for building bone, and so is walking uphill, but a regular walk around the block won’t do much for you.
Vigorous gardening and housecleaning – move a lot, stretch and lift heavy things!
Skip the elevator and climb stairs instead.
On your walks and hikes, wear a backpack. Fill it with water bottles and other things to add some weight, as this helps build bone.
Weightlifting is very good for your bones. There are weightlifting techniques that help build lean muscle mass, and plenty of bone while you’re at it. Here are tips to lift weights without bulking up.
For more active types, try jumping rope, team sports (basketball, hockey, soccer), and high impact aerobics.

Image: glitter feet

Stay away from processed meats like bacon, hot dogs and sausage. Sodium nitrate accounts for their appetizing red hue, but this additive can also cause the formation of nitrosamines in your system, which can lead to cancer.

Stick to low-mercury fish like American-farmed tilapia instead of swordfish or tuna. Overexposure can cause memory problems, fatigue and other health issues, and besides, most wild fish stocks are threatened these days. (Looking for an alternative? There’s branzini, the fish you’ve never heard of.)

Reduce the amount of canned food you consume. Cans are commonly lined with bisphenol-A, an organic compound that, according to the Lang study, may be associated with diabetes and heart disease.

Cut back on meat and dairy products. These animal products may contain trace amounts of harmful contaminants like polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyl and dioxins. Although many of these toxins have been banned, they are still present in the soil. Reducing your intake of animal products is also more friendly to the environment.

Skip the diet soda and artificial sweeteners. Prolonged exposure to aspartame, a neurotoxic chemical additive in these products, can lead to nerve cell damage, dizziness and headaches. Besides, anything that gives rats brain tumors is worth avoiding in my book.

Choose the farmed fish carefully. Studies show that farm-raised fish contain more polychlorinated biphenyl and over 10 times the amount of dioxin.

Opt for organic chicken. The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy discovered traces of arsenic in non-organic chickens. Exposure to this dangerous chemical can lead to cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Another study also found numerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria in conventional poultry.

Only drink milk that says “no rBGH” on the carton because recombinant bovine growth hormone has been linked with breast cancer. Better yet, opt for responsibly-produced, unsweetened soy, nut or rice milk.

Avoid manufactured snacks. Hydrogenated oils are used to lengthen the shelf life of products like crackers and cookies, but they are also associated with diabetes and heart disease. Another reason to stay away from the middle aisles: snack foods are generally loaded with salt, corn syrup and other unhealthy ingredients.

Stay away from artificially-colored foods like candy, maraschino cherries and gelatin. Mice and rats exposed to blue 1 and 2, red 3 and yellow 6 suffered from brain, adrenal gland, thyroid and kidney tumors.

Always buy organic produce. This one’s a no-brainer, but the list wouldn’t be complete without it. Lingering pesticides can lead to nervous and reproductive system damage, not to mention cancer.

Use stainless steel or cast iron cookware to prepare your meals. The Teflon used to create nonstick surfaces can release noxious gases when exposed to high temperatures, which puts you at risk for heart disease.

Never microwave food in plastic bowls, containers or dishes. Exposure to heat causes the bisphenol-A found in plastics to break down and potentially contaminate your food. Also, make sure to hand wash them.

For more information, check out 12 Dangerous Food Additives and the 7 Most Dangerous Ingredients in Conventional Foods.

Image: Mzelle Biscotte

In my background as a yoga therapist, I can vouch for the fact that very often, physical pain is the result of emotional stress. Once the emotions are felt and released, the physical body responds and someone with years of chronic pain may suddenly find themselves pain-free once and for all.

The same mind-body theory applies to back pain, a common malady suffered by 55 million Americans. Dr. John Sarno, author of Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, suggests that 75% of back pain is emotionally related, particularly linked with repressed anger. This anger results in diminished blood and oxygen flow, causing muscle spasms and nerve dysfunction, i.e., pain. By admitting to the anger and working through it, the back pain will be relieved. Keep in mind that anger and stress amplify pain anyway, so there’s a lot to be gained by relaxing.

Of course, it’s important to maintain proper posture and strengthen your core muscles; these are the best preventions for back pain. Accidents and injuries may contribute to slipped disks and pinched nerves, causing pain, and these should not be ignored. But if you’ve been checked out physically and the pain won’t go away no matter how much stretching or massage you do, you’ve got nothing to lose by digging a little deeper into your psyche and smoothing the emotional kinks that may be showing up as pain in your back.

Image: vonSchnauzer