When my migraines kicked into full gear over 2 years ago, I was medicated for more than half of every month. I began to wonder what harm all these medications would have on my body. I became frustrated slapping a band-aid on my problem and never knowing the cause of the issue. I couldn't pin-point my triggers. I started to dabble with natural methods to help my migraines. I did chiropractic care for a year and that did not help my migraines. I did massage therapy every week for months and that didn't help...now some of you are saying...sign me up for weekly massages. Might I just say that these were "medical" massages. I often walked away bruised and with an induced migraine. I had seen my primary doctor and a neurologist all who prescribed medications with no interest in the root cause.
So here is the turning point. I had done everything I knew how to do. I finally caved in and went to a naturopathic doctor. For the first time ever, I met someone interested in what the cause of my problems were. We found my triggers: allergies, stress, and chemicals. I noticed that whenever I drove over the South GI Bridge towards Tonawanda I instantly got a migraine. The odor from the plants put me over the edge every time. I noticed on the days I cleaned my head was worse. I slowly switched my cleaning products to natural products like vinegar and baking soda. Not all my clients were game with this but some made small changes for me.
I began to realize that our skin is the largest organ on our body. Every chemical we clean with enters our system. Every lotion, soap, shower gel, perfume, and make up enters our system. I started researching what was in the products I use. There is this awesome website called Skin Deep were you type in your product and it tells you it's hazard rating. Like the sunscreen I used on my daughter all her life was a dangerous level 9 out of 10. Seriously? I started finishing off my products and switching to lower hazard products. I changed my shampoo/conditioner, soap, shaving cream, lip balm, sunscreen, bug spray (we're campers), cleaning products and laundry detergent. Of course they cost more but my health was worth it.
So here is the turning point. I had done everything I knew how to do. I finally caved in and went to a naturopathic doctor. For the first time ever, I met someone interested in what the cause of my problems were. We found my triggers: allergies, stress, and chemicals. I noticed that whenever I drove over the South GI Bridge towards Tonawanda I instantly got a migraine. The odor from the plants put me over the edge every time. I noticed on the days I cleaned my head was worse. I slowly switched my cleaning products to natural products like vinegar and baking soda. Not all my clients were game with this but some made small changes for me.
I began to realize that our skin is the largest organ on our body. Every chemical we clean with enters our system. Every lotion, soap, shower gel, perfume, and make up enters our system. I started researching what was in the products I use. There is this awesome website called Skin Deep were you type in your product and it tells you it's hazard rating. Like the sunscreen I used on my daughter all her life was a dangerous level 9 out of 10. Seriously? I started finishing off my products and switching to lower hazard products. I changed my shampoo/conditioner, soap, shaving cream, lip balm, sunscreen, bug spray (we're campers), cleaning products and laundry detergent. Of course they cost more but my health was worth it.
This my friends, is how I entered the world of natural products and organics. I saw the results of using chemical free products on myself and in my home. I changed my diet...we can chat on that another day.
The biggest thing I did was stop believing what everyone told me and figured out the answer for myself. I realized that no one really cares about my health but me. Doctors don't share all the side effects of medications, pediatricians don't tell you what is really in the needle they are injecting into our kids, manufacturer's don't really tell you about the antibiotics and hormones injected in beef, which shows up in all our dairy. Company's don't really tell you what high fructose corn syrup is. I can go on and on about the things we don't know and we keep putting them in our bodies.
I haven't mastered this. There are many people I know that know more on this topic and live it out better than I do. We make the changes we can. We investigate the issues before us. We are willing to take a stand about our bodies and what enters it.
So, the reason I thought to post this today was because of my deodorant. I know how bad deodorant is. I know studies have shown an increase in breast cancer for those who use harsh deodorants. I have tried natural "safe" deodorants. Sorry, I need my deodorant. But today, for the first time, I noticed on the label..."for DRUG information tear here." What disturbed me today is that my deodorant is labeled a drug. Hmmmm.....now that is something to think on.
Oh, and me? Migraine free for 10 months. As my husband says, the benefits outweigh the cost.
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ReplyDeleteHiya, I think you're spot on! I've been getting hormonal migraines just before that 'time of the month' and I think it is the supermarket bought deodorant I've been using, so I've switched to a natural deodorant and will be very interested to find out if the migraines go away. Oh also I would get a really sore breast 2 weeks before hand and I think it was the toxins in the deodorant as well...
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