New and exciting things???

If you read my 2016 post series then you are aware of the radical changes I've been having to make as a result of allergies that I have developed. I thought I'd share with y'all today some of the new products that I am having to use now that we know everything I am allergic to. All of it is new to me, and right now I'm not too excited about it. However, if implementing these changes produce lasting effects then that will be really dang exciting!

At our house there is very little that hasn't changed at this point regarding products we use. I have to use special soap for hands and dishes, body wash, shampoo/conditioner, nickel free razors, face wash, lotion, make up, detergent, dryer sheets, toothpaste, deodorant, hair spray--the whole nine yards. Even new pots and pans that wont leach nickel into my food. As far as my husband and the kids go they are able to use their normal soaps and shampoos, shaving stuff, and toothpaste, but things that would effect me they are stuck with. My hubby did have to give up Burts Bees because it included lanolin and I am allergic to that. I was flaring up around my mouth and it seems to have stopped since he switched to an approved lip product. He was super bummed, but totally willing to make the change, after all, he is pretty fond of kissing me!

All of our clothes are washed with Kirkland brand Free and Clear- I can't tell you how happy I am that a Costco product made it onto our "safe" list. We use 7th generation Free & Clear dish soap and all-purpose cleaner, and I'm cooking all food in our new enameled cast iron pots and pans. The pots and pans things was huge, because what's safe for me to use is not cheap, and we really weren't in the position to spend hundreds of dollars on new cookware. Lucky for me I had a birthday in October and I was able to be super boring and request Bed, Bath, and Beyond gift cards to purchase our first 2 pieces. Then recently a wonderful group of women I know blessed me with a donation and I was able to purchase a few more pieces that have made it much easier to cook for myself and my family. The silver lining is that the new cookware is nice and should last my lifetime, but it's heavy and I'm having to learn to use it. Long-term I know it is going to be a huge blessing regarding what is best for my health! It comes in fun colors, which is nice, too!

One of the biggest irks I have regarding new stuff I have to use is that I am SUPER limited in the toothpaste department. There are only 5 options for me to use and 3 of them are kid's toothpaste! Ugh! Right now I'm sharing with my girls and using Tom's of Maine in the mornings and then brushing with just baking soda at night time. There is another brand I'm going to try next that is reasonably affordable called Cleure, but it is out of stock everywhere right now. The last option is $30 for a tube, and I just don't think I can stomach spending that on toothpaste, y'all. A bummer about the kid's toothpaste is that it is flouride-free and I am cavity prone because of deep indentations and crevices in the crowns of my teeth. I am able to use mouth wash which should help with this, and also with the fact that the kid's strawberry flavoring just does not seem strong enough to help fight bad breath. 

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The new face products I'm using seem to be working well, so far, although eventually I think I'll need to add prescription acne prevention back into my routine as these products lean toward more natural and less chemicals. Since I work out and sweat a lot I have to really deep clean to prevent blemishes. This True Cider is from Dr. Cheryl Lee who also makes eczema treatment and products called True Lipids. It's on the pricey side, unfortunately. 

The last little bit I'll share with you is my hair. This was something that was a huge issue, because a lot of my allergic reactions were manifesting on my scalp. At their worst they were all over and I don't want to go into too many details because it's so gross, but needless to say the sores were so bad that I was losing hair in several spots. Even right now I am on a decent dose of prednisone to prevent a flare up over Christmas and I'm still experiencing extreme itching and dryness in those areas. I think long-term my scalp will be the most difficult to get under control. There is a True Cider shampoo and conditioner that is "safe" for me to use but it is very expensive and I wanted to try something different before I went that route. A friend from church introduced me to the "No Poo" movement. Yep, that's right, No-Poo, as in, no shampoo. It's really big in the crunchy communities and overall supposed to be great for your hair and scalp. Some people who go no-poo use mud or volcanic ash as a cleanser, but because nickel presents itself in the Earth's crust and therefore in soil, I thought that might not be the best option for me. No one told me I couldn't use mud, but it seemed like a safe assumption. I decided to go the baking soda and apple cider vinegar route. I know that these two things are safe for me to use and consume so they seemed like the best option for me. I did some research and as you begin the no-poo method there is supposed to be a bit of a transitioning period where you hair can look and feel like crap. Basically before the natural ingredients can begin to work wonders on your hair all of the chemicals and parabens have to be stripped from it which can take a few weeks. For me the shampoo and conditioner I had been using was already a very basic Free&Clear version that had very little chemicals and I didn't seem to have to endure this transition period. What I did have to navigate, however, was how much to use and how often. This has been a trial and error thing and is honestly still in the works. A basic mixture is 1 part baking soda to 4 parts water- this is your cleansing agent. Start on the roots and let sit for a minute then work down to the tips and rinse. The conditioner is the apple cider vinegar, again it is 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water, you can also add a few drops of essential oil to cut the vinegar smell. I'm really limited on essential oil use, because I have to try each one individually to see if it will cause me to flare up and I'm just not down with that right now. I know I'm ok with lavendar, so that is what I use. I don't think it helps much, but maybe a little. On Sunday my hubby told me I smelled like pickles. Oh well. You can make these mixtures at the beginning of the week and use them all week long, it's not necessary to use daily or even every-other day, you'll know if you need to when your hair starts feeling dirty. Other bloggers I read suggested spray bottles, but I haven't found them to be super convenient. The baking soda water is too thick and clogs the hose in the spray bottle, so I just end up dumping it onto the top of my head directly from the open spray bottle. The vinegar mixture sprays fine, however. I'm hoping that my scalp will continue to adjust to this option and that I can use it long-term, it seems like the healthiest thing for my hair and is certainly the most affordable option. 

Well, there you have it. Now you know exactly what I'm using every day to get ready. If any of you suffer from skin allergies or sensitivities I'd love to hear what works best for you! Also, if you have any questions about the products I'm using or other changes I've had to make, sound off in the comments!