Maybe your lipstick IS making him sick. When it comes to cosmetics and skin care products, it's difficult to determine where toxins may be hiding. This is the fourth article in our series focusing on removing or reducing toxins in our lives. In May, we focused on the importance of choosing natural cleaning solutions to avoid inhaling toxins at home or work .

 

• If you are crafty, you might want to try making your own cosmetics. For a scientific, yet humorous approach to making products such as lipstick, check out the National Geographic special titled "Ingredients," hosted by MIT-trained chemist and science educator George Zaidan. For a more a more realistic take on homemade products, visit sites such as   One Green Planet for do it yourself makeup recipes.

• Let the cosmetics and skin care industry know that their use of toxic ingredients is not okay. Organizations such as Campaign for Safe Cosmetics are taking on the big brands with sophisticated advocacy tools that allow you to contact decision makers in a few simple steps.

• Give a small donation to watch dog groups in exchange for guides and lists that will keep you from purchasing harmful products. For instance, the Environmental Working Group recently released their Guide to Safer Sunscreens. Your nominal donation to download the guide, allows them to continue to research products and provide an informed overview.

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Health Awareness Month. We're dedicating both our "Food for Life" and "Healing Therapies" sections to insights that will boost your awareness of simple steps you can take to decrease your chances of developing this disease.

 

We've often referred to the work of Dr. David Perlmutter and his belief in the brain/gut connection. Because Alzheimer's is an inflammatory condition and changes in our gut bacteria can enhance inflammation, Dr. Perlmutter recently suggested that probiotics in our diets could prove to be a good way to combat the advancement of Alzheimer's. He shared research conducted last year by Frontiers in Aging Science that studied whether a diet rich in probiotics could have an impact on the brain. When comparing a control and placebo group, those that were provided probiotics exhibited improved brain function, while the placebo group actually declined in brain health.

 

That's evidence enough to get us thinking about how we can take in more probiotics within our daily diet. Contrary to popular belief, yogurt isn't the only source to be found naturally. In fact, items such as Sauerkraut and Kimchi, apple cider vinegar and tempeh, are all sources of good bacteria.

 

What's coloring got to do with it? Well, it turns out that both physical and mental exercises can prevent or slow the occurrence of dementia or Alzheimer's and helps with reducing inflammation in our bodies.

 

If you're looking for a way to build strength, but don't have the ability to drive to a gym or because it's just too hot to enjoy many activities outside now, consider visiting Go4Life , an exercise and physical activity campaign from the National Institute on Aging at the National Institute for Health (NIH), designed to help seniors fit exercise and physical activity into daily life.

 

If you like brain games, check out the free games on brainHQ . The series of free brain games test your abilities with everything from attention, brain speed and efficiency. If online games are not your thing, engage your family or friends in card games or enjoy a coloring session with an adult coloring book such as Maria Shriver's Color Your Mind .

 

For more information on reducing your chances of developing Alzheimer's, visit the Bright Focus Foundation or the Alzheimer's Association .

Innovative Primary Care stocks a number of probiotic supplements such as Pro Omega 3, Omega Pure EC and Omega Pure Krill. Dr. Levitt would suggest you start with avoiding foods that actually cause inflammation. Topping that list is sugar, dairy, alcohol, trans-fat filled fried foods. Check out the top 12 foods you might want to avoid.  

 

Feel free to visit our office to learn more about the featured supplements or ask your IPC provider for more details at your next visit. You can place an order by calling us at 480.776.0626. Payment is required at the time the order is placed.