Why do we use organic ingredients?
The answer is simple: The skin is our largest organ. Just as we should be reading the ingredients of every food we eat, we should be paying close attention to what goes on our skin. Prior to starting my journey with Primal Healing, I spent twenty plus years in the medical and wellness fields. When I was first diagnosed, I truly began paying close attention to both the foods that went into my body as well as the skin care products that I was using as well.
My organic journey went into warp speed in 2010 when I became very ill. With my body being compromised and unable to process additional additives, my desire to use clean products was stronger than ever. I have been a vegetarian since the age of 14. At the time, my diet consisted of about 50% organic foods–when I could afford them. Once I made the decision to leave Florida and move to Colorado, I also made the decision to go raw and upped my intake to 90-100% organic foods.
As I began to heal from my surgeries, I started reading labels more closely than I ever had. Trips to the grocery store became more of a nuisance rather than the pleasure they once were. I would stay on the perimeter of the store, totally avoiding the inner aisles if I could. I began looking for key terms on food product labels like “Non GMO”, “100% organic” and “pesticide free.” When it came to body care products, I was in search of items that were free of dyes, parabens, chemical preservatives, and petroleum, as well as being light in fragrance (if not fragrance free). The tiny town that I was living in at the time provided me with very few options.
So, I took to the kitchen and began making topical products for my own use. I knew how to make cannabis infused butter since high school and I wondered what it would be like to make a lotion. The research began. I enrolled in classes for herbalism. Having used several herbs and various forms of plant medicine while I was sick, I wanted to gain a better understanding of why those herbs were so effective. The medical professional in me knew that synthetic fragrances and artificial dyes were bad due to concerns associated with endocrine disruption, and parabens are often linked to breast cancer. I wanted to understand the positive effects of plants and know less about the detrimental chemicals I was being inundated with.
Herbal relief has been used for centuries, but this modern day witchcraft ended up saving my life. Organic products compliment a healthy lifestyle and I am now the healthiest that I have ever been. My diet remains 75% organic at a minimum, and the only products I use on my body are the ones that I make. Remember, our skin absorbs over 60% of what is placed on it and our bodies are being exposed to toxic ingredients daily. Choosing to go organic in as many aspects of your life as possible is choosing to be the the most healthy version of yourself.