Make Your Own Hand Soap/Gel

07 April 2009

I try to encourage my children's immune system to resist infectious disease and bacteria by not being fearful of exposure to germs. When my children are young, and definitely while they're still being breastfed, I am not overly cautious about what they may come in contact with. As my boys are getting older I am noticing the many, many places hands end up and am stressing the importance of sanitation to them.

This does not mean that I am squirting Purell, which is full of triclosan, on my children's hands. "Anti-bacterial" products have comforted worried parents and teachers, but what these products are doing to the endocrine system may be shocking for some. Triclosan disrupts the endocrine system by increasing the amount of testosterone and the natural effects of hormones in the body. Simply put, in a study conducted from The Endocrine Society, high levels of triclocarban produced significant changes in accessory sex organs in rats.


A great, and of course frugal, alternative to triclosan laden products is good ol' soap and water. Your body has good bacteria that fight germs, and it's important to keep a balance in your body. When soap and water is not available then a non-toxic homemade hand sanitizer is a great alternative.


Hand Soap:

1 tsp - 1/8 cup (depending on size of pump and your preference) of Dr. Bronner's
Water
5-6 drops of Jojoba oil to moisturize - optional


- Fill foaming hand pump with water until it nearly hits the top.
- Add Dr. B's and jojoba oil
- Put lid on and shake.


Hand Gel

4 oz of aloe vera gel


- Place the 4 oz of aloe vera in a bowl.
- Add 10 drops of each (or 20 drops of one) oil to the aloe and mix well.
- Place in container of choice (travel sized bottles work great!)

1 comments:

Robyn said...

I love your blog. Thank you for all the sound advice and tips. What brand of aloe gel do you use and where do you purchase it? I have not been able to find a pure organic brand anywhere online. Thank you so much!

Post a Comment