Why is natural bodycare important? Our skin is largest organ of our body. It acts as our protector, and filter from pollutants of outside world. At same time it allows us to absorb things into our body – for better or for worse. Think of some medications/treatments that are absorbed by your skin (the nicotine patch, or birth control patch are two common examples) and we begin to see why we should pay attention to soaps, lotions and powders we slather on our skin every single day.

We tend to forget that things we put on our body have direct, lasting impacts on our health. Read ingredient label on your favorite conditioner or hand cleanser and then compare to simple ingredients listed below. Honey, grains, oils, salt, flowers and herbs – these are some common, natural ingredients that can replace artificial cleansers and moisturizers we all use. Creating our own bodycare products is more economical, wastes less packaging and transportation resources, and gives us a better healthier, higher-quality end result to boot!

Oatmeal and Honey Bath Soak 2 cups mineral salts (Epsom salts), sea salt, or plain cooking salt 1/2 cup dried oatmeal, any kind 2 tbsp. honey 2 tbsp. vegetable oil (any kind) Optional: Cinnamon powder, vanilla or almond extract

In a bowl, combine salts with 1/2-cup dried milk powder. Grind oats into a fine powder, using a blender, food processor or coffee grinder. Add to salt/milk mixture, along with honey and oil. Mix thoroughly - it's a bit difficult to mix honey in - you can use your (clean) hands to make task easier if you like. Add powdered cinnamon for scent, color and herbal benefits (cinnamon is invigorating and warming, excellent for tired feet and muscles). You can also add vanilla or almond extracts at this point, if you like, for a lovely fragrance. To use: Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup to a warm bath. Soak, and relax. This is an excellent soak anytime but is especially useful for any rashes, skin irritations or sunburns.

Oatmeal is soothing to skin, especially dry, irritated or sensitive skin. Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts moisture to skin, while soothing it. Salts are purifying, and help relax muscles and soothe aches and sprains. Packaged in a recycled jar, this makes an excellent homemade gift idea.

Lively Lemon Salt Scrub 1 cup salt, sea or regular The juice and grated zest of one lemon ¾ cup vegetable oil, any kind will do

First a little background. The small intestine has dual function of being a digestive/absorptive organ as well as a barrier to keep out toxic compounds and macromolecules. Either one of these functions may be disrupted by various mechanisms, resulting in problems with 'leakage' into bloodstream. When this happens, it is called intestinal permeability, or leaky gut. The intestine contains numerous bacteria with toxic properties. These include certain bacteria and bacterial antigens capable of inducing antibodies, as well as food antigens that can produce immune system reactions. Also, studies have shown that Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) disrupt intestinal barrier function and cause increased permeability, or Leaky Gut Syndrome. This is relevant for those people with arthritis who are taking NSAIDs because increased permeability may be a factor in their disease process.