Product Review: Primal Pit Paste

Primal Pit PasteA few months ago, I posted about some great natural deodorant options I had found and it’s been one of the most-read posts lately.  So, apparently, I’m not the only one who has struggled to find something that works.  Since initially hearing about how harmful the chemical ingredients in regular antiperspirant deodorant, I’ve been committed to not putting myself at risk for those health effects (learn more here).  But, I have had such a hard time finding something that truly lasts all day (for me, at least) and that also helps with sweat.  While not the worst inconvenience, I still had to reapply most products at least once during the day.  So, when I heard about a local company (with an awesome name!) producing a new product, I had to try it out!

I have seen plenty of DIY natural deodorant recipes online that I’ve been meaning to make, but I decided I would go the lazy route and buy it first to see how it works.  The ingredients are simple and contain no artificial preservatives or parabens: shea butter, arrowroot powder (similar to cornstarch), coconut oil, non-aluminum baking soda, beeswax (in some versions) and essential oil.  The kind I use comes in a small glass jar and you just swoop a pea-size amount out with your finger to apply under your arms.  They also have a stick version if you prefer to apply that way (though it’s a little tougher for guys with underarm hair to apply).  The consistency is really smooth with the shea butter and coconut oil and melts as soon as it hits your skin, plus it’s super moisturizing.

The best part about this product is that the arrowroot powder absorbs any moisture and leaves you dry, while still allowing you to sweat. This is essential to your body being able to naturally sweat out toxins (and very unlike regular antiperspirant deodorant which uses aluminum to block your glands).  Primal Pit Paste does not inhibit this function, which keeps you healthy while still preventing any embarrassment when you raise your arms.

The baking soda in this product does a super effective job at deodorizing. I got the strong version and the regular version to try; the strong certainly lasts longer for me but the regular lasts all day still.  Everyone’s body chemistry is different so they have sample sizes to try if you’d like to see what works best.  While I haven’t experienced any issues personally, I know that baking soda can be irritating to those with really sensitive skin – their Happy Stick is an option made with clay instead.

Of course, I am a big fan of essential oils and love the different scents this company offers.  Plus, it’s natural way to add a scent without chemical fragrances.  So far, I’ve tried the lavender and lemonade, but the Jasmine one is next on my list.  Lavender & Lemon essential oils both have freshening properties as well and are great for the skin, so I know they can only adds to this product’s effectiveness.

If this is your first time trying a natural deodorant, I want to note that you may experience some detox effects depending on your diet and overall health.  Primal Pit Paste has a whole protocol on their website that explains exactly what that means and how to get through it.

If you are still looking for a natural deodorant option that will convince you it’s possible they can work, you should definitely give this one a try.  Buy Primal Pit Paste here!

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A Health Challenge: My Goals

Auld Lang SyneWe are almost halfway through January and I wanted to check in… how are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions?   I’ll be honest, I’ve failed already.  But, I’m not giving up quite yet!  

I recently organized a health challenge for my office and have also decided to participate.  The challenge runs 12 weeks and started yesterday.  The competition is based off of body fat percentage loss since that is a good indicator of both fitness and health and more accurate than BMI.  Plus, you can see your percentage loss, weight loss and inches loss at the end, which is so encouraging.  Y’all, my current body fat percentage puts me in the “overweight” range… I have got to get back in that healthy range! I’ve known for awhile what I should be eating and doing to get my body healthy, I just haven’t had the self control to do it. As I sat down last night to think through my goals and make a plan, I knew that many of you also have some health resolutions this year and might want to see what I’m doing.  If you haven’t made a resolution yet – it’s not too late!  Here are the five things I am focusing on for this challenge, why they are important and some simple action steps to follow if you are interested in adapting them yourself:

  1. Increase Nutrients – With all the packaged and processed foods in our restaurants and grocery stores, we are no longer getting the nutrients our bodies are starved for.  We have essentially become malnourished as a culture.  The blog 100 Days of Real Food has some great meal plans and recipes to avoid processed food.  I will be focusing on eating real food with real health value to my body.  I will aim for 5+ servings of vegetables per day and a high protein, high fat diet to keep me full and give my body energy instead of relying on cheap carbs to do so.  Basically, I’ll just be eating lots of freshorganic produce and protein.
  2. Eat Clean – It is important to eliminate the toxins in our environment and foods that are causing harm to our bodies.  In order for the nutrients we eat to work effectively to help our body, we need to make sure we are not poisoning it at the same time.  I always look for these on food labels when grocery shopping or on a restaurant menu:
    Hormone-Free
    Antibiotic-Free
    Preservative-Free
    Pesticide-Free (Produce)
    Cage-Free (Eggs)
    Free-Range (Chicken)
    Grass-Fed (Beef)
    Wild-Caught (Fish)
    Non-GMO
    Nitrate-Free
  3. Eliminate Inflammatory Foods – While losing weight/inches/fat would be great, my main goal is health.  I want to get my hormones balanced, be pain-free and increase my immune function.  My adrenal levels are currently way high, which is inhibiting all of those things and causing me to gain weight.  Eek! The only way to fix it is to change my diet: I will be avoiding grains & cheap carbs, soy (as always!), sugar (except for a couple of special occasions & some dark chocolate here and there) and vegetable oil (I use coconut oil instead… and no, it doesn’t taste like coconut).
  4. Drink More Water – A couple of months ago, I read the book Your Body’s Many Cries for Water and learned so much about how dehydrated I am (I plan to write a review about the book soon!).  Drinking lots of water has tons of benefits, including losing weight & detoxifying the body.  Per the book’s recommendation, my goal will be to drink at least 64 oz of water per day, plus an extra 16 oz for any coffee or tea I drink since those beverages work to dehydrate us.  Also, less alcohol… red wine is healthy, right?
  5. Get Moving – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I hate exercising.  I can commit to eating well all day, but commitments to exercise always fail.  Recently, I watched an interesting documentary about exercise and I really want to put the routine into practice.  It will only take 3 minutes a week… surely I can.  I’m going skiing soon and my trip to Europe this Spring will entail lots of walking, so I need to be in shape. I woke up this morning and worked out for the first time in years, so I’m off to a great start. Please, ask me next time you see me and hold me accountable!

Writing those out makes it seem a little less daunting than it did yesterday.  Instead of focusing on what I can’t have, I’m going to focus on all the yummy foods that I can eat…. here’s to bacon, avocados, raw cheese, BBQ, sushi, colorful salads, nuts, fresh juice, sweet potato fries, fried okra, dark chocolate, and (in case you forgot) bacon.  Cheers!  *Water glasses clink*

Who else wants to join me?  What are your goals?