Why Zebras Should be our Gurus for Stress Management

Posted on August 31, 2011 by julie

I just watched an amazing National Geographic special called “Killer Stress: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers”. It’s definitely worth watching if you can find it. The show deals with they physical ramifications of stress on the human body by looking at how animals deal with stress. The program is based on the work of Dr. Robert Sapolsky who is a Professor and researcher at Stanford University. He explains that in nature, stress occurs for a very good reason: to save an animal’s life.

Zebras and Stress
zebra Dr. Sapolsky first takes us through zebras and how they deal with stress. In the wild, zebras get stressed primarily for one reason: a predator, such as a lion, is chasing them because it wants to kill them and eat them. In this case, stress is a good thing, a very good thing. It causes all of the zebra’s resources to be channeled into one thing: keeping the zebra alive. What’s happening internally is that the zebra is temporarily knocked out of homeostatic balance. The definition of homeostasis is: balance or equilibrium, typically between the chemical environment of the body and the external environment. This means that the normal day-to-day functioning of the body stops, and anything that is not immediately pertinent to keeping the zebra alive is abruptly halted. When a lion is chasing you, it’s no time to ovulate! It is a time to run like hell and get away. So the body is flooded with adrenaline and noradrenaline to help the zebra run faster and harder.

But the amazing thing about the zebra is what happens after the chase (if it’s not eaten that is!). It goes back to normal. All of its systems return to a homeostatic balance as if nothing has happened. Now it can ovulate and do all of the things that it needs to do for the majority of the time it’s alive. Only for a very small percentage of a zebra’s life is it actually being chased by a lion. And when it’s not being hunted, it just lets it all go. It doesn’t sit there and dwell on the fact that a lion just chased it to make zebra meat of it. He doesn’t keep talking to his friends about “what a close call” that was and how “he just can’t get over it.” And so the zebra is not living in a state of chronic stress. It is aware of it’s surroundings, but it is not in a state of stress unless an immediate threat exists. There are no “perceived” or future threats that it is stressed over. Seems like a perfectly natural and healthy way to live.

Humans and Stress

It seems that humans have a lot to learn from zebras when it comes to stress management. Unfortunately many people today live in a state of chronic stress, despite the relatively safe environments that most of us live in. We no longer have to run from lions or worry about being crushed by a mammoth. And in the absence of real life threatening situations, we have created ways to stress ourselves. The body cannot differentiate between different types of stresses, so whether our lives are in peril or we are just pissed off because someone cut us off on the freeway and we’re seething and yelling, the body interprets these things the same. And unfortunately for humans, we are not good at letting the stress go and returning to a normal state. We dwell on things. In fact, we dwell on things that have already happened, and we dwell on things that may happen. Dwelling on things is some people’s full time job.

That means that often times humans are in a state of constant stress. And as we’ve learned, when we are stressed, our bodies’ chemical systems are off balance. One of the major systems that suffers is the immune system. And when the immune system is down, we get sick. Tomorrow we’ll talk more about the physical effects of stress on the human body and what can be done.

How Astaxanthin Helps Your Skin and Makes Flamingos Pink

Posted on August 30, 2011 by julie

Have you ever wondered what makes flamingos pink or how salmon get that lovely pink color? Well the answer is: astaxanthin.

What is Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin (pronounced asta-ZAN-thin) is a natural occurring pigment and part of a group of the cartenoid family. Plants, such as sea algae or plankton, produce phytochemicals to help with their survival, and cartenoids are part of these phyochemicals. When algae is put in contact with the sun and UV radiation it produces the astaxathin to protect itself. You can think of it as an internal sunscreen that it is manufacturing.

How do flamingos, shrimp and salmon get their pink color?

astaxanthin in flamingos
When an animal such as a shrimp or krill, eats the algae or plankton containing astaxanthin, it gets absorbed into their system. This causes them to turn pink. Then as other animals further up the food chain, such as salmon or flamingos, eat the shrimp or krill, they too absorb the astaxanthin from these little creatures. The more astaxanthin an animal eats, the pinker their appearance.

astaxanthin in krill Farmed salmon would actually not have pink flesh were it not for synthetic astaxanthin being added to their diets. Because they are not roaming the seas and rivers and naturally eating prey with astaxanthin inside them, such as krill, they would not be getting any astaxanthin in their diet in a farmed environment. So salmon farmers add synthetic astaxanthin to their food to get a pink color. In fact these synthetic colorings contribute 15%-25% of the cost of commercially farmed salmon feed. While it is expensive, what consumer would want to eat a white fleshed salmon? But even with synthetic feed, farmed salmon can’t compare to wild salmon in their deep, pink and almost reddish flesh. The next time you are at a fish counter in your local market, take a look at the farmed salmon’s coloring versus the wild salmon’s coloring and you will see the difference.

The Benefits of Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is still being studied and we are still discovering the miraculous effects of this incredible cartenoid. But already we know that the benefits are numerous, including:

reduced inflammation throughout the body
reduced joint pain, muscle pain and tendon pain
increased stamina for workouts and physical exercise
younger looking more beautiful skin
improved eyesight
and numerous other benefits including protecting the body from oxidative damage

How Astaxanthin Improves Skin Health

One of the wonderful benefits of astaxanthin is that it can actually improve the quality and tone of the skin. It does this in two ways:

Prevents UV damage from the inside- in the same way that the algae makes astaxanthin to protect itself from the sun from the inside out, when you take astaxanthin there is evidence that you also produce an internal sunscreen. This is not to say that you shouldn’t use a sunscreen on your skin, but there is evidence that prolonged use of astaxanthin allows people to remain in the sun for longer periods without getting sun burned or skin damage.
There is also evidence that astaxanthin starts repairing skin from the inside getting rid of wrinkles and fine lines as well as age spots. Perhaps by reducing inflammation, it actually improves the elasticity and health of skin.

Besides adding beautiful coloring to birds and sea creatures, astaxanthin is one of the strongest antioxidants known to man. It is many times stronger than many of the more well-known antioxidants such as vitamin C, beta carotene, or vitamin E. So if you’re looking for a way to boost your skin health without glopping on chemical sunscreens, give astaxanthin a try!

What’s the best breakfast to eat in the morning?

Posted on August 25, 2011 by julie

We all know that breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, but that doesn’t answer the question “What to eat for breakfast?”. Too many Americans start the day with a bowl full of cereal, that incidentally is often 2x-3x the amount recommended as a serving size. Plus breakfasts like cereal or pancakes that are high in carbs leave a person hungry a mere few hours after they’re done eating. The trick is to eat a breakfast that is high in protein. Protein will both fill you up for hours and keep you satiated until lunchtime as well as give you a good strong start to your day.

My favorite way to start the day is the incredible, edible egg. “What about cholesterol?” you may be asking. New studies show that it’s not actually foods with cholesterol that lead to high cholesterol in humans. In fact eating a diet high in refined grains and sugar is far more likely to lead to high cholesterol than eating a diet rich in eggs. So don’t be afraid of the egg.

My absolute favorite breakfast in an omelette I created that I call the ”Party Omelet”. I call it the Party Omelette because it’s a party on the plate and a party in your mouth. Here’s how to make it:

eggs “Party Omelet” Ingredients:

4 eggs (2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites)
any vegetables you like
salsa
guacamole
hot sauce
calories: about 300

“Party Omelet” Directions:

Heat up a pan with some oil. I like to use coconut oil beacause it has a high smoke point and is good for you.
Then add the 4 eggs. I use two whole eggs + two eggs whites. The yolk is actually very good for you, so you don’t want to cut them out completely. In fact just eating egg whites can lead to a vitamin B deficiency, but clever nature has put something in the yolk to combat it, so when you eat the complete, whole food, you don’t have to worry about it. I then add an additional 2 egg whites to add more protein but keep the calories lower. Also, I like fried eggs and to keep my yolks sort of runny. You can cook to your own preference but there’s evidence that not over cooking the eggs and yolk retains more of the nutrients, so try not too cook it so long that it tastes like rubber.
Add any vegetables that you like- the more the merrier! I enjoy onions and herbs like cilantro or even rosemary. Herbs are full of fantastic nutrients for the body so get a mixed bunch and sprinkle them in liberally.
When the eggs are ready, take them out of the pan and put them on a plate.
Sprinkle on some hot sauce to taste.
Add two teaspoons of salsa (I buy organic salsa in a container, but it’s great if you want to make it fresh).
Add two teaspoons of guacamole (again, I buy it in a container, but even better to make it at home).
For the piece de resistance I add a side of fresh, unpasturized saurkraut.

And voila! You have a HUGELY filling breakfast all for around 300 calories. You won’t be hungry for hours! And you will have packed in a ton of protein and a serving of vegetables.

How to Read Cosmetics Labels and Understand What You Are Buying (Part II)

Posted on August 24, 2011 by julie

Yesterday we talked about the difference between a cosmetic and a drug in the How to Read Cosmetics Labels part I. We also looked at how ingredients are listed on a cosmetics label. Today we are going to look at various claims made about cosmetic products. There are a myriad of fantastic promises that our skin creams and cosmetic products make from getting rid of wrinkles to erasing brown spots. The FDA conducted a consumer survey in 1994 asking consumers about their perception of cosmetic labeling. Nearly 50% of respondents said that if a product claimed to be “natural” then it should contain all natural ingredients. But the reality is that there is NO regulation behind the claim that a product is natural. You could put almost ingredient into a cosmetic product and call it natural and that would be fine.

cosmetic label The FDA has tried in the past to legislate official definitions of various terms such as hypoallergenic or natural, but these regulations were overturned in a court of law. So now any company can use these, and several other terms, on products in any way they see fit.

Let’s take a look at some of these terms that consumers should be skeptical of:

Natural: there is no regulation governing this term so it can be used to describe virtually anything.
Fragrance free: leads a consumer to believe that no fragrances are used in the product but it could just mean that there are no discernable odors. In fact fragrances could be used to mask or nullify odors from other ingredients.
Hypoallergenic: there is no regulation governing this term, so once again, it could be used to describe anything. And in addition, different people are allergic to different things, so what may be hypoallergenic for one person may not be for another.
Alcohol free: implies that there is no alcohol in the product, but could just mean that there is no grain alcohol and could include ingredients with other alcohols such as cetyl alcohol.

One case of misleading labeling is with Procter & Gamble’s Clairol Herbal Essences. They say that you’ll have a “totally organic experience” using it. Unfortunately the rules governing the use of the term “organic” don’t apply here because P&G is claiming that the experience is organic, not the product. There are no regulations for claiming that an experience is organic, even though it leads consumers to believe that it is actually the product that is organic. And it’s likely that although it’s called Herbal Essences, one would be hard pressed to find the herbs within.

Reading labels of cosmetic products is very important. The list of ingredients is your guide to what is in the product. If you don’t know the name of an ingredient, either don’t purchase the product, or educate yourself by Googling it or looking it up in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary. Buying cosmetics is definitely a case of buyer beware. You cannot trust any of the beauty claims that guarantee you that you’ll look ten years younger, and you know now that calling a product “all natural” is meaningless. Do your research, be informed, and use what has proven to work for you.

How to Read Cosmetics Labels and Understand What You Are Buying (Part I)

Posted on August 23, 2011 by julie

This is a two part blog on demystifying cosmetic labeling. Trying to understand and decode cosmetics labels is no easy feat. Part of that reason is that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulatory requirements that govern cosmetic products aren’t as strict as they with other products such as drugs and food. In fact because of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C), the FDA regulates cosmetic products and their ingredients after they go to market. That means that they are sold to the public without needing to go through an approval process.

What is a cosmetic and what is a drug?
It’s important to understand the difference between a drug and a cosmetic according to the FDA, although note that an item can be classified as both a cosmetic and a drug.

Cosmetic- according to the FDA, a cosmetic product is intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance. Examples of cosmetic items would include: lotions, perfumes, lipsticks, nail polish, makeup, mouthwash, and skin care creams.
Drug- according to the FDA a drug is intended to exert a physical effect on the body and is intended for use to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease.

Cosmetic labeling requirements
One of the main rules government cosmetic labeling is that ingredients must be listed in descending order by quantity in the product. That means that the ingredient with the highest quantity will be labeled first, and then so on down the line. So in many ways the ingredients label is a consumer’s best friend. This is your chance to see exactly what’s in a product and in what relative amounts. This is essential for people with allergies who need to avoid certain ingredients, such as nuts or certain fruits.

The only problem with an ingredients list is that consumers may not recognize the names of the ingredients, no because they don’t know what the items are, but because they are listed by their chemical names. One system of naming is called the International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient (INCI) list. So for example instead of seeing an ingredient listed as “Almond Oil”, it would be written by the INCI name which is “Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil”. How many people would know what Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil is? What if it was written instead as Jojoba oil? Even vitamins have to be listed by their chemical names, so the innocuous Vitamin E ingredient gets written as Tocopheral. The reason for all of the hoopla is so that there will be a consistent naming convention that everyone must follow. Anyone who doesn’t know what an ingredient means can look it up in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary.

3 Tips for Healthy and Natural Laundry

Posted on August 22, 2011 by julie

There are a lot of great options out there for using more natural products in your laundry. A lot of people don’t want the hassle and bother of mixing and making homemade laundry detergent, and that’s fine. There’s no need to have to create your own detergent in order to get healthier laundry and take the toxic chemicals out of your cleaning. Find a great existing laundry product, like Nothing But Soap’s Laundry Soap and then use these three tips to make your laundry safe for your family:

natural laundry

BAKING SODA- good old fashioned baking soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate) was probably something that your grandmother or great grandmother used in her laundry, and it’s still good today. Add a half cup to a cup to each load of laundry for a natural alternative to help boost your laundry detergent. Baking soda can get stains out of clothes in the wash and can help soften the water. This is a good alternative to harsh bleaches or whitening agents and it won’t hurt your clothes.
WHITE VINEGAR- many fabric softeners contain harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients that can harm you or your family. We all want our clothes to come out of the wash soft and feeling good, so try white vinegar instead. Just add white vinegar to the fabric softener area of your washing machine. There’s nothing harmful or toxic in white vinegar, so it won’t hurt your clothing or your skin. Not only does it soften your clothes, but it also brightens whites and helps to get stains out. And an added benefit is that it cleans the washing machine while you’re doing laundry. You may notice a vinegar scent in the machine after the load is done, but don’t worry, it won’t leave your clothes smelling like vinegar. They’ll just be soft and lovely.
LAVENDER SACHETS-
Now that you have fresh and clean laundry coming out of the wash, you’ll want to make your clothes smell great in the dryer. Unfortunately many dryer sheets are laden with toxic chemicals that transfer to your clothes in the dryer. Then once you sleep in your clean sheets or wear your clean clothes, those chemicals transfer to your skin. One natural alternative to get great smelling clothes without the chemicals is to use lavender sachets in the dryer. You can really use any herbs or flowers in a sachet that you want, just make sure that the bag is securely tied so that it doesn’t come loose in the dryer. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to give the sachet an extra punch. Your clothes and sheets will come out smelling fabulous and there will be no harsh chemicals.

Luckily there are a lot of great, simple natural remedies to make your laundry look and smell great without all of the toxic chemicals.

UTI home remedy

Posted on August 19, 2011 by julie

Are you looking for a UTI home remedy or natural remedies for a urinary tract infection? Bladder infections are the absolute worst! If you’re a woman, chances are you’ve either had one in your lifetime or you’re going to get one. Let me start by saying that if you think you have a UTI you should go see your doctor both to get tested as well as to get a prescription for antibiotics to get rid of it. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, there are also some home remedies UTI that you can use to help you both prevent them as well as deal with them once you have them.

Nature has created two wonderful plants to help us ladies out with bladder infections. One is a fruit and one is a vegetable. So when your mom says “eat your fruits and vegetables” she’s giving you good advice.

Asparagus:

First up is the gorgeous asparagus. If you don’t like asparagus but you get a lot of UTIs are a looking for a UTI home remedy, learn to like it! What asparagus has going for it is sulfur. It’s the stuff that makes your pee smell funny after you’ve eaten asparagus. That same stuff (the sulfur) is going to help kill off all of the nasty bacteria that are currently colonizing in your bladder and urinary tract and giving you an infection. I even heard that in Germany when women get urinary tract infections doctors prescribe that they buy five cans of asparagus and eat a whole can each day. While here in the States it’s not a traditionally accepted cure (you’ll want to see your doctor), you can help yourself out with a can of canned asparagus a day until it’s gone. You’ll want to eat the entire contents of the can AND drink the juice or water in the can. A lot of the sulfur will have leeched out into the water, so don’t just throw it away.

I can tell you from experience that it’s not entirely pleasant to eat a whole can of asparagus plus drink the water at one sitting, but for those of us who know the agony of having a UTI, you know that you’re probably willing to try anything. You will feel a little bloated, but it will help. I’ve used this method from that first onset feeling where you know you’re about to get hit with a bladder infection, and I’ve managed to stave it off without needing antibiotics. So if you feel a UTI coming on, run to the market and buy a few cans of canned asparagus. You’ll be glad you did.

Cranberries:

The second natural remedy for a UTI is the beautiful red cranberry. Anyone who’s eaten a cranberry on its own knows that pucker face because these guys are TART! These acidic little berries rock because not only do they help once you’ve got a urinary tract infection, but they can actually help to prevent them! Scientists used to think that it was just the acidity of the berries that helped to kill off bacteria in the bladder and urinary tract, but studies have proven that it goes further than that. They actually change the structure of e.coli bateria so that they have a harder time latching onto the bladder and starting an infection in the first place. Normally the structure of e.coli has little hooks on the end which help them “grab on” to the urinary tract or bladder and that’s when an infection gets started. But there’s something about the cranberries that causes the e.coli to literally change their structure so that their hooks become rounded. With rounded ends, it’s hard for them to get a hold and start and infection to begin multiplying. Instead they just get swept out of your system when you pee, and presto, no UTI.

So if you think you’ve already got a UTI, see a doctor. But if you’re looking for natural remedies for UTI to help prevent them or to compliment traditional medicine then give asparagus and cranberries a try.

Why an organic mouth is a happy mouth

Posted on August 18, 2011 by julie

Just having visited the dentist today, oral hygiene is top of mind for me. First of all, no one likes going to the dentist (unless you have a really cute dentist and even then it’s not fun). The better care you take of your teeth and gums, the fewer number of visits you’ll have to make to the dentist, and the less time you’ll spend once there. But perhaps more importantly, there have been numerous studies that show that people with unhealthy teeth and gums have higher rates of illness and disease.

Why should this be? Well, if we think about it, gum disease means that there’s bacteria in mouth 24/7 that is being swallowed and taken through your digestive system and internal organs. This constant flow of bacteria leads to inflammation in the body as it tries to fight off all the germs. And when a body is in a constant state of inflammation, it is an invitation for diseases to come and flourish.

What can be done to keep your mouth healthy?

A consistent and healthy oral hygiene regimen can go a long way to keep your whole system healthy. If you follow these 4 steps twice a day, you’re sure to end up with a healthy set of choppers:

Step One: Brush- this is obvious, but you must brush TWICE a day for at least TWO MINUTES each time. Too many people get tired at night and decide to flop down on their pillows without having brushed their teeth before bed. This is a double whammy, and actually if you were going to choose one time of day to brush, the evening would be better than the morning. At night when we sleep, our production of saliva slows down so that we don’t wake up in a slobering mess. But this reduced amount of saliva means a dryer mouth. And a dryer mouth means there’s more of a chance for plaque and bacteria to proliferate. So if you don’t brush at night, then you have an entire’s day worth of plaque build up on your teeth that is just going to love that dry environment all night long to multiply. And to pack a real punch, try using an electric toothbrush such as Sonicare. It really gets in there and removes all of the gunky buildup on your teeth.
Step Two- Floss: you’ve heard it a million times- flossing is good for you. So why aren’t you doing it? Once you get used to floss you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Even if you are the best toothbrusher in the world, you just can’t get in between your teeth to get everything out. But floss can! There are cool types of organic dental floss out there- some made from silk and some with cranberry extract coating (made by Radius- www.radiustoothbrush.com). There are also woven and fabric flosses. I like OralB’s Ultrafloss as it’s kind of springy and grabs plaque better than waxed flosses.
Step Three- Tongue Scrape: this may be a little new to folks, but there are devices out there called tongue scrapers which do exactly what they sound like- they scrape your tongue. Using a tongue scraper packs a one two punch to germs and bacteria in your mouth. It’s very hard to brush all the way in the back of your tongue because we have a gag reflex which basically prevents it. That means that all of the bacteria back there can’t be reached by brushing or flossing. But once you get used to a tongue scraper, you’ll be able to really get to the back of your tongue and literally scrape out all the junk that’s hanging out back there. And did you know that most halitosis or bad breath is actually caused by the bacteria on your tongue? That’s why people who have bad breath can’t get rid of it by brushing. If people are starting to back away from you when you talk to them, run out and get a tongue scraper and you’ll soon solve the problem.
Step Four- Mouthwash: the final step is to use mouthwash. I like it as a finishing step to wash everything down nice and minty clean. There are a lot of great organic and natural mouthwashes out there. I like the Natural Dentist with sage and PerioWash with cloves.

If you follow these four steps twice a day, you’re sure to have healthy gums and shiny, clean teeth. While it may sound like a lot of steps, it can be done in less than five minutes. And not only will it give you nice cosmetic results, but it’s something that will contribute to your overall health. And five minutes of brushing sure is easier than an hour of cardio

Why Beauty Products Should Have an Expiration Date Like Food Does

Posted on August 17, 2011 by julie

Many people never think about the fact that the cosmetics and beauty products they buy don’t have expiration dates. We’ve never been raised to think that they could “expire” and so many people happily use products for years after they’ve been manufactured. “Is this wrong?” you might ask. Well, let’s analyze it. Every living thing starts to deteriorate once it is no longer attached to its source. For plant life, that occurs when it is plucked out of the ground, off a tree or off a vine. For animals this occurs after slaughter or once milk or eggs have left the animal’s body.

We are well aware that with food items we need an expiration date. Some items a highly perishable, such as milk, raw eggs or raw beef. These food sources require careful handling and generally can only last days or a week if they are not frozen or dehydrated. Other foods, such as packaged crackers or cookies, are mixed with chemicals that preserve them for a year or two. But whether the food item can last only a few days or as long as a few years, we are all acutely aware of the life span of that item.

So why is it that we don’t even give any thought to the lifespan of our cosmetic and beauty products? The answer is that they are most often so filled with chemicals, that there is nothing living left in the products. We glop on dozens and dozens of synthetic chemicals everyday onto our skin, hair and face and never even give it a second thought. But the time has come where people are starting to realize the real danger in this type of behavior. We all know that smoking a cigarette results in inhaling over 500 carcinogens into our lungs and body, but did you know that our skin absorbs over 60% of what we put on it? Not only that, but our skin is the largest organ in the body, so if you are applying a lotion all over, you are absorbing 60% of whatever is in there. A good test is to turn over your beauty product and try to read the ingredients. The first question is “how many ingredients are in there?” If it’s over ten, you may question how natural it is. Also, can you even pronounce the names of the ingredients, or all they all multisyllabic mumbo jumbo words that you have no idea what they mean? If you can’t pronounce it, don’t put it on or in your body!

If what you are putting on your body doesn’t have an expiration date, then it doesn’t use natural live ingredients. Nothing in nature is meant to last forever, and neither are your shampoos, conditioners, lotions and makeup. We’re learning as consumers to start to read our food labels and question the ingredients. Let’s do the same with our makeup and beauty products.

Image:
graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Prosper Organics is live!

Posted on August 17, 2011 by chief

Hello all and welcome to the very first blog post of Prosper Organics. We’re working on some terrific products and getting our website ready for launch. Until then we’re starting our blog.

Let me tell you a little about myself and Prosper Organics. About eight years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disease. Everyone else in my immediate family also suffers from autoimmune diseases (various ones). I was frustrated with answers from the traditional medical community that they didn’t know what caused hypothyroidism, how to cure it or even how to treat it (beyond giving synthic chemical hormones). Same went for the other autoimmune diseases that the rest of my family has. That was crushing information to receive and it was the first time I thought to question the way we lived our lives in America and dealt with health.

The more research I did, the more I realized two things (1) the traditional medicine didn’t have all the answers and (2) that many of the foods I was eating and products I was using in my home and on my body were actually toxic to me. It was at this point that I started a long and gradual process toward a more natural and healthier lifestyle. Out went the frozen diet dinners from my freezer and in came fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and lean fresh protein. I started exercising and getting outdoors into fresh sunshine.

As I started investigating ways to use healthier personal care products, I started buying items from the healthier grocery stores assuming that they would be all natural. It wasn’t until I started learning about the ingredients in the products and reading the labels that I understood that most of the products out there still contained harmful ingredients. A great place to start is the Skin Deep Cosmetic’s Database by EWG. If you’re a data hound like me, you’ll love it! Research is a passion for me in both my personal and professional life. I have an MBA from Stanford and so both am trained in school and life to get answers. When I couldn’t find the types of products, I decided to do something about it, so I started Prosper Organics.

Prosper Organics uses certified organic ingredients whenever possible, and absolutely no synthetic or harsh chemical ingredients such as parabens, mineral oils or sodium laurel sulfate. We’re working hard on formulating the best possible products and we’ll be launching soon. In the meantime, stay tuned and keep reading our blog.