I cannot believe that it is September already and that I start university again in 2 days. I am looking forward to fall & I hope that we are able to get some fall weather this year in Saskatchewan instead of going straight into winter again.
shirt: Aritzia / jeans: Cache Creek (thrifted) / jacket: The Hot Like (thrifted) / shoes: Converse / bracelet: Michelle Ross / jewelry: vintage / sunglasses: Vogue / bag: Nordisen /
Tiara
I have been diagnosed with IBS, leaky gut & possible candida overgrowth & SIBO for several years now, alongside Endometriosis. The healing process has been beyond difficult. I have made very few advances, even with the help of several specialists and naturopaths. In fact, it feels like no matter how I approach this situation that I always encounter setbacks instead.
I have found that adhering to a very strict diet has been one of the only things that has helped, even though it is very difficult and time consuming. I used to feel like I was going to puke every single day and my intestines ached so severely that my mobility was negatively impacted. This was occurring even after I eliminated all gluten and dairy from my diet. So, I decided to pay for a “Food Sensitivity and Reaction Blood Test” that measured the amount of antibodies my body made per individual food (aka which foods were causing more inflammation in my body). The list was very long, I was restricted to a few vegetables, even fewer fruits, coconut & meat.
I have now been following that strict anti-inflammatory diet for almost 3 years. I do feel better, I don’t feel like I have to puke at all anymore, however my intestines are still quite sick. This summer, I have been trying to introduce more items into my diet that will help them heal. Grass fed & pasture raised gelatin is one of the things I have introduced. Gelatin is good for your intestinal health as well as your joints, hair & skin.
I decided to try making my own gummies with gelatin because it is a very easy way to introduce more gelatin into my diet (in a very delicious way). Here is how I make my own gut-healing gummies:
DIY BLUEBERRY & LEMON GUMMIES
AIP/Paleo/Autoimmune diet approved
(discovered on the Primal Palate)
Ingredients
Instructions
DIY STRAWBERRY COCONUT GUMMIES
AIP/Paleo/Autoimmune diet approved
my own recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
These are then good for about 3-4 days in the fridge (trust me, they do not last that long).
These gummies make an excellent snack, just ensure they stay cool (keep them on an icepack if you are removing them from the fridge) as they will melt if exposed to heat. I am now eating them with every meal in place of dessert – they are just so delicious. My favourite are the coconut strawberry gummies! I bought my molds off of amazon & ensured they were food-grade safe silicone, 100% BPA-free, FDA approved and that they came with pipettes/droppers!
Hope you love these as much as I do!
Tiara
What is in this little jar? This is the newest sustainable practice I have added to my beauty regime. I have started to make 100% compostable face masks. The idea came to me when I was cleaning out the fridge and I had some blueberries that had gone bad and some raw coconut that I did not get around to eating soon enough. These items were headed for the compost, however I figured before I put them into the compost, I would get some use out of them (please avoid or cut off any mould before hand)! There are a plethora of different fruits & veggies that are incredible for use in a face mask, so your options are not limited. I added blueberries, raw coconut and honey into the blender and I got a nutrient-rich face mask that will not pollute the water, does not contain toxins or plastic & the only packaging would have included the packaging the food came in (if any at all). If you have any left over, put it in a jar and store it in the fridge. When it is cold from being in the fridge, it is the most refreshing to use. You can use it each night until it is all gone, just give it a stir and pat onto your face.
Here I am without any foundation on, only eye makeup. Every few days after I wash my face, I examine it to see if there is any areas that need special attention. Usually I struggle with dry patches or redness. There are so many products on the market right now for skincare that it is overwhelming, however the toxic ingredients used in the majority of these products is even more staggering. Switching to an all-natural skincare regime has given me the best skin I’ve ever had in my life.
Now, I may look crazy however what is even more crazy is that most face masks say right on them not to apply them on your lips or around the mouth. This is due to how unsafe or toxic the ingredients are to ingest, yet people put it on their skin – which is being absorbed into the body! With this face mask, you don’t have to ignore your lips as all the ingredients are, strictly put, just pure food. Make sure you put on some older clothes for this face mask application, as depending on what & how much you blended, the consistency might get messy. 
I left my face mask on for about 15 minutes, if you have more time you can leave it on for 30 minutes for maximum benefits. When I was done, I wiped it off into a jar with my fingers & ensured that none went down the sink.
This is my face after rinsing with water! Look at how moisturized and even my skin tone is! My skin felt amazing. Again, I am only wearing eye makeup. I believe that the compostable skin mask has an indefinite amount of possible mixtures you can create based on what fruit or veggie has spoiled in your fridge. Now, the whole point is to use food that has gone bad and please try hard to eat the food before it goes bad – however we aren’t perfect and sometimes don’t get around to eating something before it spoils. This is the food that we can turn into a useable product before the compost! I would recommend always adding locally-made honey into your face mask as honey does wonders for your skin!
Here is the end result. Food that would have just gone straight into the compost was utilized and then turned into compost.
Composting is so important because food that gets thrown away creates methane (a very strong greenhouse gas) in landfills as it is not able to break down properly due to the lack of oxygen. If you do not have a compost, there are so many different sizes and forms of composters for any living situation. I highly encourage you to start composting if you do not already!
Tiara
As you all probably already know, I despise plastic. I keep looking for alternatives to everyday items that are commonly made of plastic. I lucked out when I came across these Oh My Woodness sunglasses (such a cute brandname too). These frames are made from wood & came packaged in a completely recyclable/reusable heavy duty cardboard slide box. I decided to pair them with this fun floral summer outfit.
shirt: Vintage M Collection (thrifted) / pants: Aritzia / sunglasses: Smart Buy Sunglasses / purse: Viahera / shoes: thrifted vintage / necklace: Hillberg & Berk / bracelet: Paris Jewellers /
sunglasses received from Smart Buy Glasses, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
– Tiara
With being an environmentalist and striving to live a more sustainable lifestyle, I wondered if there were any organizations that exist in Saskatoon which focus on sustainability or the environment. I just completed my fourth year in Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan and I am working towards completing a soil science minor and a certificate in sustainability. Being aware of some local organizations that support these values is important to me. Luckily, I was able to meet with two women that run very different, but important charities here in Saskatoon.
Since I started my blog in September of 2013, I have given myself the freedom to present my interests and passions creatively and freely. One of my initial passions was sustainability and caring for the environment. Each year, I researched more, I learned more and challenged the modern way of life, which led to changing my way of life based on what I was learning about sustainability. I have changed multiple ways that I live my life and I keep making changes each month. Slowly but surely, I am working towards living a sustainable life.
Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with Allyson from the Saskatchewan Environmental Society. The Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES) is a non-profit, registered charity located in Saskatoon. They work on projects all across Saskatchewan. The SES concentrates on sustainable energy and climate solutions, water protection, resource conservation, biodiversity preservation and the reduction of toxic substances. Pretty badass, am I right? The goals that this society is working towards are vitally important and their focus on education is crucial. They even have a helpful page called Stuff I Can Do, which outlines some options of how to live more sustainably at home and at work. Their site is packed with useful information and can help aid you in your own personal research, as they provide many scientific publications for you to read. I was very excited to learn about the SES and I am very interested in the work they do.
I also had time to visit with Jan from the Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation Center here in Saskatoon. Animals take precedence over people here, that’s for sure. They provide treatment services that are needed to rehabilitate small birds and mammals. This includes providing a safe place for the injured or orphaned animals to mend until they are returned to their natural habitat (if possible).
Both of these organizations are charities, which rely mostly on volunteer work. If you want to support either of these charities, they would greatly appreciate it. One of my favourite quotes is by Anna Lappe: “Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.”
– Tiara
I wish I was able to find these shorts in every colour! I found them at a vintage shop in Hamilton, Ontario when I visited for a Global Water Futures conference. I am able to squeeze my waist into the very last notch in the belt, but look how small it goes – I am convinced these shorts were made for a 10 year old child! I decided to pair some gold jewelry with this outfit from Elizabeth.Lyn Jewelry & keep it simple to modernize the look! The delicate chain and earrings add to this outfit beautifully.
Necklace: Elizabeth.Lyn Jewelry / Earrings: Elizabeth.Lyn Jewelry / Shorts: Compagnie Internationale EXPRESS (thrifted from Vintage Soul Geek) / Bodysuit: American Apparel / Purse: thrifted / Shoes: Call it Spring / Phone case: Pela /
– Tiara
It is finally July, which means it’s time for Plastic Free July! Do you want to avoid landfill waste, reduce your eco-footprint, protect the ocean and reduce toxin exposure to the environment and yourself? I sure do! There are many tips for reducing the amount of plastic you use, and I hope that this post helps you as well! I purchase most of my lovely sustainable and safe cosmetics and personal care products from Green Tree Beauty! Most of the items I have pictured here are all made sustainably, packaged in safe alternatives and contain natural ingredients that are not toxic, all found at Green Tree Beauty.
The present consumer lifestyle, fast paced and highly consumptive, seems to have finally caught up with us. Plastic, single-use items and packaging has found its way into every store, every home and now every part of the planet. Plastic is created by using non-renewable products, plasticizers, additives and chemicals. Many of the ingredients in plastic leach out into the product the plastic is containing, which leads to a dangerous toxic effect when we apply the product on to our bodies. Some of the toxins that are within plastic are endocrine disruptors, which negatively impact the health of animals and humans. Animals are prone to eating plastic litter, as it resembles their food. Each year, studies have shown that millions of animals die due to their direct or indirect consumption of plastic. Plastic does not only harm ecosystems and animals, it directly impacts humans as well. If we consume anything that was contained in plastic or apply anything on our skin that was contained in plastic, our risks of toxin absorption increase. Recycling plastic is not a solution to this problem, as most plastics cannot be or won’t be effectively recycled in the first place. The best route for success is to reduce the amount of plastic and unnecessary packaging we purchase and use and discontinue purchasing products that involve plastic. As consumers, we have the biggest impact on the earth. We have the power to change the world for the better, and that is an inspiring thought.
A current statistic is that people, more commonly women, put on an average of 515 synthetic chemicals on to their bodies every single day. These chemicals absorb into our skin, especially if there are additional chemicals in the product that increase the absorption rate. Scientific studies show that these synthetic ingredients found in every-day products can be linked to neurotoxicity, reproductive harm in both men and women and chronic diseases. The reason companies are allowed to create such products with devastating ingredients is because the ingredients are rarely tested or regulated before they are allowed to be sold to the public & the consumer drives the demand. Most of the general public is simply not aware or chooses not to care about this information. I hope that after reading this you are both enlightened and inspired to avoid unnecessary packaging and toxins when it comes to cosmetics and personal care items.
First things First, the Packaging
What are most of your cosmetics and lotions packaged in? A popular answer is always plastic. Hard plastics, soft plastics, there are actually thousands of different plastics and each plastic has its own composition and characteristics. Plastics are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic as they serve to concentrate and transfer even more toxic chemicals, which end up in the marine food web and ultimately in the human diet (Engler 2012). Various household products including pesticides, cleaning agents, personal care products and plastic, are all listed as toxins in the home (Gilbert 2012). In fact, modern living has introduced more than 17,000 chemicals in the home (Gilbert 2012). Some of these items are acutely toxic and will have an immediate negative impact to your health, however constant contact with plastic results in chronic exposure, leading to chronic effects. Chronic exposures can occur through repeated use of a product. The reason plastic is toxic is because many of the chemicals that make up plastic are endocrine disruptors.
The endocrine system is the body’s communication system, using hormones to communicate instructions to the organs or muscles. Hormones are incredibly important as they regulate and influence almost all functions of life. Endocrine disruptors mimic estrogen, cause decreased fertility, cause changes in brain function and behavior and can impair immune systems. They can cause thyroid dysfunction, endometriosis and cancer. They negatively impact hormone levels, sexual characteristics, reproduction and development in humans and animals. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can interact with the endocrine system at very low levels of exposure (Gilbert 2012). The permanent changes that toxins from plastics are able to do to the body result in adverse health effects and persist continually, as these dioxins bioaccumulate. This means that the dioxins & toxins are able to accumulate in our bodies and be passed down onto the next generation. Over time, the amount of these toxins continually increases if exposure is continued.
The only way to reduce our exposure to these toxins is to choose less-toxic products. Every single day, we are unavoidably exposed to a wide range of synthetic endocrine-disrupting chemicals – why expose ourselves to even more by using plastic-packaged cosmetics or products full of toxic ingredients? Most sustainable companies are aware of how devastating plastic is to both the environment and to animal and human health, so they have safer packaging options. These options usually include stainless steel, glass and paper products. These products are ideal because they can usually be reused, can be more efficiently recycled and ultimately if they are not recycled, they will not leach nearly as many or any toxins at all into the environment. There are also ways to skip packaging altogether. Replace your regular shampoo and conditioner with bar options and store them in a tin. Replace your hand wash, body wash and face wash with specifically formulated bars of soap as well. Most of these options (should) be package free or nearly package free!
Within the Packaging
Ah yes, what you usually buy the item for in the first place, the actual product itself. The lotion, the cream, the eyeshadow, the foundation, the list of options goes on and on. The claims that the product promises to deliver may be enticing, but what are those ingredients actually doing to your skin? If you repeatedly expose your skin to synthetic chemicals, the toxins accumulate in your body and can lead to dermatitis, eczema, irritated skin, allergies, chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances and/or infertility. I have switched to a mindset of “If I cannot eat it, it should not go on my skin.” My eyes were opened to how many toxins are in personal care products when I got the app Think Dirty. I highly recommend this app, it allows you to scan your products and it breaks down every single ingredient for you in an easy to read format. They rate your product from dirty to clean. My favourite part is that they also have an “our picks” section that they recommend similar products to which you have scanned and that are very safe to use.
We are faced with a very complex problem, however the message is clear. As consumers, we need to stop buying our products if they are packaged in plastic or in other single-use alternatives. As consumers, if we start to demand more sustainable and long-lived products, companies and industries will be forced to start providing what the consumer wants so that the companies remain successful. Also, investing in products with reusable packaging will help to save the consumer money in the long run as these (glass or steel) containers can be washed and reused without any toxic substances leaching out of them. These containers make great storage options for a multitude of things, even your own DIY cosmetics and personal care products that can be made from ingredients found in your kitchen! It is crucial that as a consumer we remain conscious about purchasing plastic items and our purchasing habits can result in a decrease in the amount of plastic and single-use packaging altogether.
– Tiara
REFERENCES
Engler, Richard. 2012. The complex interaction between marine debris and toxic chemicals in the ocean. United States: Environmental Science and Technology.
Gilbert, Steven. 2012. A small dose of toxicology: the health effects of common chemicals. United States: Healthy World Press.
