Stink Proofing and Aluminum

Continuing our series about odor, the next thing on the agenda is to talk about Deodorant. There are long aisles of different deodorants on sale in the grocery stores and pharmacies… but are they all good? Sure they all work, providing a defense from odor and in some cases even preventing perspiration from occurring. But are they all safe?

I began investigation myself after ran article published years ago made claims that the use of aluminum in store bought deodorant can have harmful long term effects. In an eye opening article Web MD published an article titled “Antiperspirant Safety: Should You Sweat It?” in which they reviewed some of the medical research suggesting that the presence of aluminum in deodorant/antiperspirant have ties to breast cancer, kidney disease and Alzheimer. If you spend any time trying to read all of the articles on the internet you might join me in becoming confused about what the truth is. Most of medical articles indicate there is a correlation of aluminum and illness, because this metal builds up in the body, and like all toxins, over time it will have an impact. There are other ingredients that can cause toxic reactions. I found this chart that lists some of the most common chemicals that are problematic:

These are controversial claims and not all medical authorities believe this as truth, however on a personal note i had been growing more concerned with reducing the amount of aluminum i am exposed to. And realizing that anything we put on our skin is absorbed into our system.

So the quest began for a natural, non metal deodorant. I have to tell you that I tried to make home made deodorant, and discovered its a fine art as well as chemistry knowledge beyond my skill set. Getting that blend of ingredients right so there is no skin irritation, and yet it is effective is not easy. Lets suffice it to say after 3 different recipes i had to leave time for my irritated pits to heal. After a few months of healing, a friend told me about an all natural deodorant she uses that is plant based, no metals, and she found it worked for her. I ordered one, and it worked. Its been almost 3 years since i moved to this natural version, and wile i cant quantify it, my mind seems clearer, less brain fog, and unless i excessively work out, or it is an extremely hot day, the deodorant works really well.

i found an informative comparison article on all of the natural deodorants which you might find helpful if you decide to make this change. click the picture below to visit the article.

On a personal note, i chose Myro, and while it is more expensive, the tube lasts me about 2.5 months.