New Health Changes

This post starts with a few things I learned in college: 1) your biggest digestive organ is not your stomach, it is your skin 2) there are more bacterial cells than skin cells on your body.  These are both huge statements, if you really let them sink in.  This means what you put on your body is really important to your health.  In the US, the only products that are required by law to list all of their ingredients are food.  If there is something harmful in lotions, soaps, shampoos, etc, you would never know.  They may only list the happy, good ingredients and simply forget the bad ones.  After all, they are doing you a favor by telling you some of the ingredients; they are not required to divulge them.  It works to their benefit to mention and advertise the ingredients that you want and will help sell the product and then choose to not talk about the other ingredients.
Which brings me to my latest health change.  I will soon be starting a new hygiene protocol.  I decided to take it slow and observe results before I jump with both feet.
a) I will be starting a loofah scrub instead of soap 6 out of 7 days a week.  I am taking a shower, however, I am not using soap.  Soap may contain all sorts of oils and alcohols to help reduce/eliminate odor and kill bacteria.  Remember most of the bacteria on your skin is good for you.  Your skin bacteria are literally your first line of defense against invaders.  If you kill them off with your soap, then bad bacteria can enter your body freely.  Also, anything your body does not need for nutrients, it will then have to get rid of through feces, waste products, sweat, and oil (all of which are at least slightly annoying).
I'm not saying there is something dangerous in the average soap bar, I am only saying there is something unnecessary in soap and I do not know what it is!  This method will eliminate any odd things in soap and allow nature to get rid of what it will and I will still smell so fresh and so clean!
I believe in a knowledgeable and empowered populous/status quo/people.  I believe in all those in power, be they governments, or companies with lots of money, sharing with the public everything possible that the public could ever wonder or want to know.  I believe in a populous that questions every detail about the status quo.  An ever-changing, adapting, growing, improving status quo and population.

b) I will be eliminating all aluminum deodorants (though I only use Burt's Bees deodorant) and instead use a block of sea salt.  It makes sense.  Think back, to the olden times.  We used to bathe in the ocean and rivers and lakes.  We had no soap or deodorant (our bodies have not adapted to these new chemicals).  Salt may in fact be good for cleaning.  It apparently kills bacteria.  On this I am torn.  As I said before, I know there are many good, necessary bacteria, and I do not wish to kill them.  This is an experiment.  I will note the results and make a healthy decision from there.  If I do nothing, I will never know.  Maybe a few dead good bacteria is better than many poisoned skin cells and bacteria from deodorant.

c) When I do need soap, I will use tea tree soap.

d) Occassionally, when I do not smell, I may choose to go without a shower.  We did not used to take daily showers.  As long as I do not smell, no one will notice or care.  Also, being able to take a shower is a luxury and many of us forget this.  There are people all around the world who do not bathe often.  In addition, we need to cut back on our water usage in order to have clean, healthy water for all eternity.
 e) I will not use shampoo.  Instead I will use apple cider vinegar and baking soda.  Eventually, if I think it is wise, I may eliminate "shampooing" altogether.  I will still wash my hair, just without the "soap."  This all depends on the amount and odor of my hair without these soaps.
Apparently Apple Cider Vinegar is good against heartburn, and diabetes, and obesity!  Does it work through my hair, too?  According to webmd, vinegar has acetic acid, other acids, vitamins, mineral salts, and amino acids.  While vinegar is a disinfectant, it doesn't kill as many germs as common cleaners. And while vinegar does seem to help with jelly fish stings -- an old folk remedy -- hot water works better.  It has also been shown in studies to treat high cholesterol, blood pressure, heart health, cancer, weight loss.  Apple cider vinegar should always be diluted with water or juice before swallowed. Pure apple cider vinegar could damage the tooth enamel and the tissues in your throat and mouth. 
I do not know what is in baking soda!  I will look it up shortly.
Supplements are not regulated by the FDA!! They aren't routinely tested for effectiveness or even basic safety.  A 2005 study found that some supplements listed ingredients which did not reflect the actual ingredients.
These are a lot of changes, so you ask, why in the world am I doing this.  1) Well it will save me money.  I will be consuming less and less often.  I will have less to buy.  2) It may be (I'm betting it will be) healthier for me.  3) It will be healthier for the earth.  I know this is a fact because I know the harm soap and phosphates cause our water habitats.  In short, too much phosphates and nitrates from soap, shampoo, fertilizers, dish-washing soap, clothes detergent, etc cause too much algae to grow and then cause fish to die.  If you want more detail, let me know.  But this is the concise explanation.  If you did not already know, these are 3 of my favorite reasons to quit doing something.
What I have always done and will always do for my body and the earth's health.  Obviously I already take quick, minimal water showers.  Hardly ever!! use plastic bags at the grocery store.  I try not to and I remember when I do.  The few that make it to my house are always reused in some way.  I may take them back to the grocers and use them to carry my purchases again.  I may package and organize with them.  I may pack a lunch in them.  Then after being reused, they are recycled.  I take them back to an amazing HEB (not Walmart b.c they won't do it!) and place them in a bin to be recycled by the plastic bag company.  I do not wear makeup.  On the special occasion when I do, I only use burt's bees.  Think of your face, it is the most fragile skin anywhere on your body.  It is also the skin closest to your vital organs: lungs, brain, heart, immune system, and nervous system.  It is also very porous.  We should only put good things on it.  I am a vegetarian (see previous posts as to why and how).  I make conscious choices throughout my life and about everything!  I buy locally and organic when I can.  I know what is under my kitchen sink.  I eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
Let me know if you ever have any health suggestions that I should try.  I love new healthy ideas!