During these uncertain times, take precautions like you've never taken precautions before. Do not use commercial antibacterial soaps and think you're good to go. If you've been on the fence about using pure essential oils, now is the time to try them, because guess what...you'll never know unless you try. We're smack in the middle of a world health crisis, one is global: Ebola and the other is closer to home in 43 states, enterovirus D-68 and potentially life-threatening for our children. If we're to trust the information from the Center of Disease Control and the World Health Organization, the simple act of washing your hands is a crucial part of your first line of defense in protecting yourself from a virus. Make your efforts pay off by using an anti-viral soap that you made yourself and trust in the ingredients.
Pure essential oils that will kill bacteria (most likely virus too although I can't make that claim according to the FDA). FYI: ALL pure essential oils are antibacterial, a select group is anti-viral as well. Oregano, Melaleuca, a Thieves type blend with cinnamon, clove, rosemary, eucalyptus and lemon. http://jmm.sgmjournals.org/content/56/4/519.full First of all, use of antibacterial soaps is now being linked with antibiotic resistance and the spread of superbugs. Commercial antibacterials like triclosan work very differently by interfering with a bacterial enzyme through penetration of the bacterial wall. Because of their ability to evolve very quickly, microbes have the potential to develop enzyme systems that are resistant to triclosan over time. 75% of liquid soaps on the market still use antibacterial ingredients despite increasingly loud warnings about their safety and efficacy.
Triclosan, a chlorinated phenolic compound has been linked to disrupted hormonal activity in animals. Estrogen dominance is a big contributor to the irritating and sometimes debilitating symptoms of perimenopause. Avoiding any chemicals that produce the tendency toward estrogen dominance is vital for every woman over 40 if she desires a symptom-free transition to menopause. It is also very possible that widespread use of this chemical (along with others like BPA) is a factor in the early puberty experienced by so many young girls today. In boys, estrogen mimickers produce the opposite effect. Obese boys, in particular, are at risk for delayed puberty, likely due to the estrogenic effects of the extra fat they are carrying combined with environmental exposure to estrogen mimickers like triclosan. Exposure to this chemical clearly has risks for anyone no matter what his/her age. Another disturbing finding is that triclosan has been shown to reduce circulating thyroxine (T4 – thyroid hormone) in rats. Lack of sufficient circulating thyroid hormone produces the symptoms of hypothyroidism, currently at epidemic proportions in the Western world. You know the symptoms of hypothyroidism well – fatigue, thinning hair, depression, cold hands and feet, and difficulty losing weight. Chances are you or someone in your household already suffers from it even if not yet diagnosed by a physician. Watch out, as triclosan is used not only in soap, but also detergents, cosmetics, deodorant, toothpaste, children’s clothing, and even toys. {source} Ok, a big nevermind on those .99 cent plastic bottles of antibacterial goo in the bargain bin at the market - walk on by they're NOT our friend, they're part of the problem! Are you ready to try scientifically proven antibacterials with no harmful side effects to our bodies or the earth? Good!! Be well, stay well!
