NEW & IMPROVED Organic Cotton Cloths
Our new cloths are now;
- 6" x 9" (instead of 5" x 8")
- made with 100% organic terry towel
- more absorbent
- easier to wash
- hand sewn with delicate green trim
- same low price as before
Order a Set of 3 now! And use them around the house for dishes, dusting, cleaning and more. These beautifully, handsewn organic cotton cloths can also be used as individual hand towels when you have guests visiting.
Our new organic cotton cloth is still included with your purchase of any bottle of Love My Mat 100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser.
Visit us at www.lovemymat.com to learn more or purchase your own set.
Medicinal Uses of Lavender
I found this helpful & informative article on GardensAblaze.com
you can find the full article here; www.gardensablaze.com/HerbLavenderMed.htm
Lavender has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy, and does indeed appear to have antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, and last but certainly not least - anti-depressant properties. The fresh or dried flowers contain the medicinal properties of Lavender. For internal use the essential oil is often placed on sugar cubes - 1-3 drops per cube. Unfortunately unless you have a home still, and knowledge of the distillation process for essential oils, you have to purchase the oil. This purchased oil is capable of making you very nauseous, and most vendors advise against taking it internally except in very small doses. However, the flowers make a relaxing and refreshing tea with the same basic medicinal properties, and using Lavender in this way is advisable in most cases.
Internally, Lavender is believed to be of benefit for a multitude of problems, including stress, anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, headaches, migraines, insomnia, depression, colds, digestion, flatulence, upset stomach, liver and gallbladder problems, nervousness, loss of appetite, and as a breath freshener and mouthwash. Inhaling the essential oil in some cases has been reported to work as well as narcotics for inducing relaxation and sleep, easing symptoms of depression, and reducing headache pain. For inhalation purposes, boil 2 cups of water, add 2 drops of essential oil, and inhale the steam.
Externally, Lavender oil is one of the safest essential oils and can be used full-strength on the skin. It works wonderfully and can be applied directly for cuts, scrapes, wounds, burns, bee, wasp, and insect stings, rashes, muscle aches, rheumatism, arthritis, cold sores, canker sores, blisters, bruises, athlete's foot, and rubbed directly into the temples in case of headache or migraine. 
Miscellaneous uses of Lavender include using unsweetened tea as a hair rinse to help reduce hair loss and dandruff, using the dried flowers in sleep and dream pillows, in potpourris, sachets and tucked in drawers to freshen clothing and repel moths. A few drops of oil dropped into warm bath water is a refreshing and relaxing treat. The stems with the leaves stripped can be burned like an incense stick, and can also be used in crafts such as basket weaving, and making Lavender wands.
Lavender is a key ingredient in Love My Mat's 100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser for many of the reasons listed in the article from Gardensablaze.com. If you want to experience the powers of Lavender for yourself, pick up a bottle of Love My Mat here or at any one of the locations that carry Love My Mat found on our homepage www.LoveMyMat.com
Love My Mat 100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser
Does your yoga mat stink? Have you lost the stickiness? Get rid of that stale smell and restore you sticky mat with 100% Organic Ingredients! Love My Mat™ is an amazing new product that solves the problem of mat maintenance.
Dirt, sweat, body oils, and odours will cling to your mat if it is not properly cared for, but who has time for the laborious deep clean your yoga mat begs for? Love My Mat™ has come up with a simple solution to ensure you have a safe practice each and every time. Simple spray your mat before or after use and wipe with the included Organic Cotton Cloth to ensure even distribution and a quick dry. The worries of putting your face where your feet have been will be gone.
* Instructor Tip * Love My Mat™ is a great item for group practice situations to make sure students don't share more than a good workout...
One of the best benefits to this product is the speed and ease with which it can be used. No waiting for a soapy, wet mat to dry. (and we know there are some of you out there that just haven't gotten around to washing your mats at all - this is a great solution).
The cleansing powers of this spray come from grapefruit seed extract and a blend of USDA Certified Organic essential Oils including tea tree oil, lavender, and grapefruit. Grapefruit seed extract is now used sometimes in hospitals for cleaning because it kills bacteria better than many conventional medical antibiotics. Tea tree oil has a proven track record as an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agent. Other essential oils included in the blend are active antibacterial agents as well. The organic essential oils also offer a fresh, pleasant scent without being overpowering to encourage deep breathing for yoga practice.
To ensure this cleanser is 100% Organic, we use no emulsifiers in our product. Just give the bottle a good shake before spraying & wiping your yoga mat to get the same blend of grapefruit seed extract and essential oils for each use. The water-based formula so gentle that it will not irritate skin or damage your mats and props. This multipurpose cleansing spray can be used on foam blocks, balance balls, and Pilates equipment, but it doesn’t stop there. Bring Love My Mat™ home to clean your counter tops, kitchen sinks or as a healthy alternative to febreze.
Get yourself a bottle today at LoveMyMat.com
The Big Stink
by Jane Odin on Ourdoodah.com
*Gagging From Stinking Up with Artificial Fragrances*
Have you seen the endless TV ads for artificial fragrances, pushed on possibly unsuspecting consumers looking to cover a big stink of some sort ? One of my favorite ads shows a grandmother-type arrive for a visit, ignore the children and immediately fall into an ecstatic trance, sniffing Febreze scented air, tennis shoes and various fabrics.
We are inundated with toxic artificial fragrances in the form of odor neutralizers, plug-ins, aerosols, room fresheners, car air fresheners, fabric fresheners, perfumes, scented candles/oils, paraffin candles and garbage bags. Scented garbage bags are the pits. Some brands are kind enough to put “scented” on packaging, others are not so thoughtful. I opened a box of Glad bags and became nauseous immediately from a Febreze-like odor. Gag!!!!!!!!! Upon returning to the store I punched little holes big enough to catch a whiff of the inner contents before purchasing more bags.
Why do we need so many kinds of artificial fragrances? Guess folks prefer cover-up to clean –up. It’s hard to imagine a stink bad enough to force one to reach for an artificial fragrance. Hopefully they aren’t used around infants and pets. It doesn’t really matter what the fragrance-peddlers say about the safety of petrochemicals and exotic toxins, we know better. Asthmatics claim attacks are most often triggered by artificial fragrances.
If you frequent 2nd hand clothing shops and don’t like the smell of Febreze - beware - sniff out the garment before purchase because the odor will not come out. It’s there for all eternity. And if you are a traveler with sensitivities to Febreze and other noxious odors, it’s a good idea to call ahead and ask questions.
Wafting Aromas: Ingredients
Artificial fragrances are composed of untold combinations of highly volatile petrochemical derivatives. The raw materials of perfumery are the solvents hexane and petroleum ether. According to a Natural Resource Defense Council sponsored test, 12 out of 14 air fresheners contain phthalates. These off-gassing chemicals are never listed as ingredients. They are claimed as proprietary secrets. Other chemicals found in a majority of air-freshners includes formaldehyde, (used as a preservative) benzene and naphthalene. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/newscience/oncompounds/PBDE/whatarepbdes.htm
Perfumed garbage bags are created through a process that involves perfumed composites of ethylene and various co polymers such as vinyl acetate and ethyl acrylate which enable bags to retain fragrance for a year or more. Other types of perfumed objects are coated with polyurethane to sustain the release of various fragrances.
Procter and Gamble had to seek approval from the NYS Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials in order to register *Febreze Antimicrobial* because it contains Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride. This product is used on fabrics to kill odor causing bacteria. Wow. Imagine some of that stuff up against your skin for 10 hours. The official letter from the Director of the Bureau of Pesticides Management states DDAC is a severe skin and eye irritant and goes on to say * “In the risk assessment conducted by the U.S.EPA, post-application dermal exposures were determined to pose unacceptable risks.” *Yet – the product was given the O.K. for production.
Over the holidays I almost gave a toxic gift of an evergreen infusion. It looked great with a graceful bamboo wicking system and it had a pleasant aroma. Interestingly enough it did not list one ingredient. I called the company and discovered ½ of the content was a “cosmetic preservative”. Most cosmetic preservatives are extremely toxic, including many of the innocent looking creams that have the various parabens in the ingredients. I use organic cosmetics that list all ingredients.
Comments from Shelley at Love My Naturals.
Thanks for the enlightenment, Jane.
If anyone else is looking for a healthy alternative to the chemicals in Febreze or other fabric & air fresheners, I recommend you have a look at our Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser. We use 100% Certified Organic Ingredients to ensure there are no harmful affects to any living being in your home. Although our product is designed for Yoga Mats, it have been proven to disinfect and deodorize couches, linens, car interiors, kitchen counter tops, bathroom sinks and more. Just a few sprays and the disinfecting powers of Lavender & Tea Tree Oil and working naturally to keep your house clean & smelling fresh.
Buy A Bottle Today at www.LoveMyMat.com
Organic Cotton IS Better
as told by Barbara Garrison on Buzzle.com
Supporting organic cotton baby clothing is a great way for parents to help shift the toxic business of cotton production into an industry of hope and environmental stewardship. This article provides facts about cotton and ways consumers and parents can get more involved.
If you are a parent, you know how important it is that we leave the world a better place for our children. Supporting organic cotton baby clothing is a wonderful way for parents to participate in green consumerism. This trend is important because ordinary cotton is more responsible for poisoning our planet than any other crop in the world. We’ll start by discussing the problems with conventional cotton, describe the growing trend of organic cotton as a solution, and offer parents and consumers some ways that they can make a difference through their own personal choices.
Toxic Cotton
Cotton is one of the most versatile crops in the world, with millions of industrials uses and also finding its way into our homes, our clothes, and even our food. Cotton is single-handedly responsible for 25% of the world’s use of pesticides, as well as 10% of the world’s insecticides. What makes these figures really come into relief is the fact that cotton only accounts for 3% of the world’s crop acreage. In fact, for every three cotton t-shirts produced in the world, one pound of synthetic fertilizers and chemicals were used in production. Farmed with convention methods, it is not an exaggeration to say that cotton is the most toxic crop in the world.
So what? Why are pesticides so bad anyways? As it turns out, heavy pesticides are linked with problems in rivers and oceans, air pollution, the health of animals, as well as the health of human farmers and workers. Asthma, fatal poisoning, and cancer are just some of the human health risks associated with conventionally grown cotton. For babies, traditionally grown cotton is known to cause skin allergies and sensitivities due to the remnants of all these poisons still within garments. Also, cottonseed oil is found in many baby foods, still laced with small amounts of the toxins that have poisoned hundreds of workers around the world.
The Promise of Organic Cotton
Organic farming methods are crucial to turn around the negative effect of cotton production on the globe’s natural resources. Organic farming accounts for only a little over 1% of cotton production, but the organic cotton market is growing by about 15% a year. This trend is expected to continue as producers cash in on the new market, but it needs help from consumers too. Not only is organic cotton better for the environment as well as the health of millions of farm workers, but it also produces a high-quality product. Organic cotton baby clothes are softer than traditionally-grown cotton clothes, and also less likely to trigger skin allergies and sensitivities. This is especially important for infants and toddlers. In fact, organic cotton baby clothing is one of the fastest growing segments of the organic cotton movement.
Are you looking for organic cotton items for your baby or as a new mother's gift? Love My Naturals carries 5"x8" Organic Cotton Cloths which are prefect for wiping your baby's face or bottom. Show you care about babies and our earth by purchasing Love My Natural's Organic Cotton Wipes here: www.LoveMyNaturals.com
It's Easy to Clean with Lavender
Steps
Get are a squirt bottle, water, and lavender essential oil. You can get the lavender oil at a health food store.
Fill the squirt bottle with water and add about 10 drops of lavender essential oil. Mix together and let sit for a little time to disperse.
Squirt this mix onto any surface in the house to disinfect it. Lavender is a natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral plant. The best part is - it won't hurt you and it'll smell great.
Squirt it on your hands, too. Don't use the oil full strength though, it could burn the skin.
Don't wipe. Just squirt and relax. Let Mother Nature do the disinfecting for you.
Tips
Lavender doesn't kill the good bacteria on your skin.
It also is good for your mood.
Keep a squirt bottle handy in the bathroom.
Use it to disinfect the toilet, handles on the sink, bathtub, and counters.
Squirt door handles, light switches, anything you or anybody touches.
Warnings
Don't use the oil full strength directly on your skin as it could burn the skin. The mix is made with alcohol, so it could cause skin reactions if used by itself.
Or why not make it even easier for yourself and purchase a bottle of Love My Mat 100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser?
Our recipe using USDA Certified Organic Lavender Essential Oil, plus other non-toxic germ killers. It's not just good for yoga mats - so use it on your couches, linens, counter tops, bathroom sinks and anywhere that needs some freshening.
www.LoveMyMat.com
Why Clean with Chemicals?
The average North American household uses roughly 40 pounds of toxic cleaning products every year. Many of these cleaning products contain dangerous ingredients, including carcinogens, allergens, central nervous system depressants, heavy metals, neurotoxins and other agents that cause or contribute to cancer, respiratory problems, reproductive abnormalities, allergic reactions, and behavioral problems, among other issues. These potentially deadly ingredients will make their way into our environment through a variety of different routes: they are flushed down toilets, poured down sinks, sprayed into the air, washed & drained into our water systems, and thrown in the garbage. It is a fact that most of these hazardous cleaning products are thrown in landfills or incinerated and after time they release their toxins into our environment, contributing to depletion of the ozone layer, polluting groundwater, contaminating soil, and harming plants and animal life.
If you still think you can use your regular cleaning products, please read the examples below and become a promoter of 100% Certified Organic Products.
• Phosphates, found in dishwasher and laundry detergents, cause algae bloom, which kills fish and aquatic plants, and produces chemicals that are toxic to animals and people who drink the water.
• Chlorine bleach is found in many products or can be used on it's own. It is toxic to fish and can bind with organic compounds in water to form organochlorines, which break down slowly in the environment and accumulate in the fatty tissues of wildlife. Chlorine is especially toxic to organisms that live in water and soil.
• Formaldehyde, an ingredient in furniture polish and various cleaning products, is a potential human carcinogen and a known cancer-causing agent in animals.
• Phthalates, which are now banned in many products, disrupt hormone function and can cause genetic defects in both animals and humans. DO NOT use any products with Phthalates around your children!
• Sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide, in drain cleaners, can change the pH of water and cause fish kills.
Organic cleaning products can and should be substituted for most of the toxic cleaners on the market today. You can start by going to LoveMyMat.com to learn about our 100% Certified Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser which can be used to disinfect countertops, as an organic alternative to Febreze or deodorizing your baby's room safely. Visit www.LoveMyMat.com
100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser Now Available in Stores!
Just in time for Christmas.
if you have a friend or family member who is eco-friendly and practices yoga, whether its once a month or three times per week, you should consider getting them a bottle of our 100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser. It makes a great stocking stuffer!
You can pick up a bottle at one of 3 locations in Hamilton, Ontario.
1. Just The Essentials on Concession Street in Hamilton, On
2. Goodness Me! Natural Food Store on Upper Gage in Hamilton, ON
3. De La Sol Yoga Studios on York Street in Hamilton, On
Pick one up today!
Ray Sahelian Proves the Benefits of Tea Tree Oil
http://www.raysahelian.com/teatreeoil.html
Tea tree oil, used for centuries by Australian natives, has been popular in the health supplement industry for many years and gradually becoming known by mainstream Americans. Tea tree oil has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activity. See nail fungus for a natural treatment for this difficult condition.
Tea Tree Oil use and potential benefits
Tea tree oil has been tested in various skin and medical conditions including acne pimples, dermatitis, gingivitis, pediculosis (lice), dandruff, genital warts, and tinea pedis (athlete's foot). There is good research to suggest tea tree oil is beneficial in athlete's foot, and I have listed some of this research below.
Tea Tree Oil Research Update
Herbal medicines for treatment of fungal infections: a systematic review of controlled clinical trials.
Mycoses. 2004 Apr;47(3-4):87-92.
Traditional medicine has made use of many different plant extracts for treatment of fungal infections and some of these have been tested for in vitro antifungal activity. This systematic review evaluates antifungal herbal preparations that have been tested in controlled clinical trials. Four electronic databases were searched for controlled clinical trials of antifungal herbal medicines. Data were extracted in a standardized manner by two independent reviewers and are reviewed narratively. Seven clinical trials met our inclusion criteria. Tea tree oil preparations were tested in four randomized clinical trials and some positive outcomes were attributed to the intervention in all trials. Solanum species (two trials) and oil of bitter orange preparations (one trial) were compared with conventional treatments. In all cases encouraging results were reported. There are few controlled clinical trials of herbal antifungal medicines. The most thoroughly clinically tested is tea tree oil, which holds some promise. All herbal remedies require further investigation in rigorous clinical trials.
Treatment of interdigital tinea pedis (athlete's foot) with 25% and 50% tea tree oil solution: a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study.
Australas J Dermatol. 2002 Aug;43(3):175-8.
Tea tree oil has been shown to have activity against dermatophytes in vitro. We have conducted a randomized, controlled, double-blinded study to determine the efficacy and safety of 25% and 50% tea tree oil in the treatment of interdigital tinea pedis. One hundred and fifty-eight patients with tinea pedis clinically and microscopy suggestive of a dermatophyte infection were randomized to receive either placebo, 25% or 50% tea tree oil solution. Patients applied the solution twice daily to affected areas for 4 weeks and were reviewed after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment. There was a marked clinical response seen in 68% of the 50% tea tree oil group and 72% of the 25% tea tree oil group, compared to 39% in the placebo group. Mycological cure was assessed by culture of skin scrapings taken at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. The mycological cure rate was 64% in the 50% tea tree oil group, compared to 31% in the placebo group. Four (3.8%) patients applying tea tree oil developed moderate to severe dermatitis that improved quickly on stopping the study medication.
Click to Read the Full Article
Fight athlete's foot, fungus & bacteria on your Yoga Mat with 100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser from Love My Mat.
Germs Lurking on Your Yoga Mat
Chris Zdeb , The Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON -- Getting fit is supposed to make you healthier, but sometimes, it can make you sick.
"I got a toe wart last year for the first time since I was 12 ... and I'm not amused!," says one woman who is sure she got it at her yoga studio. "I know someone else who got a plantar wart, too. Now I wear socks until I'm on my mat."
Not to give you another reason for not working out, but public gyms, fitness centres and yoga studios can be breeding grounds for all kinds of bacteria, germs, fungi and viruses that can result in anything from a cold or flu to an upset stomach, rashes and skin infections.
Researchers have found E. coli, strep bacteria and the influenza virus in gyms and on athletic equipment.
Things like warts, athlete's foot and other fungal infections, such as ringworm, are commonly picked up in places where you have skin-to-skin contact with somebody or your skin touches an area where someone who has one of these infections has been before, says Dr. Gerry Predy, Capital Health's medical officer of health. There is an increased chance of infection if you have cuts or cracks in your skin due to cold, dry weather.
"Generally, the risk is higher on wet surfaces because these organisms tend to like a little moisture in order to persist," Predy says.
"These things are pretty common, and while they're not going to cause any serious illness they can be painful, annoying and pretty persistent. Warts, for example, are difficult to treat and it can sometimes take a year or two for them to go away."
Common bacterial breeding grounds include swimming pool decks, showers, weights and workout equipment and yoga mats.
So fight the E. coli and influenza virus by using an effective, all natural cleanser like Love My Mat's™ 100% Organic Yoga Mat Cleanser. It's 100% safe for all yoga mats and safe to inhale. So go ahead and spray your mat before your practice to inhale the immune-boosting properties of Tea Tree Oil & Lavender. It's a treat for your beloved yoga mat.
COMMON GYM INFECTIONS AND HOW TO SPOT THEM
- WARTS: A viral infection picked up by being barefoot in yoga studios, locker-rooms, shower stalls. Symptoms include thick raised patches of greyish, brownish or yellowish skin. On the bottom of the feet they're known as plantar warts. They tend to grow inwards, have a black core and can be painful.
- ATHLETE'S FOOT: Spread by walking barefoot on locker-room and shower floors. Symptoms include red, scaly, tender rashes, cracked, blistered skin between the toes along with an itching or burning sensation.
- RINGWORM: Shared yoga mats, unsanitary equipment and dirty towels are sources of ringworm. Symptoms include round, red, scaly rings on the surface of the skin.
- STAPH INFECTION: Easily transferred from shared gym equipment to the skin, nose and throat. Symptoms -- skin lesions such as boils or open non-healing sores.
© The Edmonton Journal 2007
Click to Read the Full Article
