Eco-Heart Product Review

Welcome to Eco-Heart Product Review

2008-09-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hello. Welcome to Eco-Heart Product Review, a resource for sensitive ecologically-conscious consumers. As someone who is concerned about the environment and who is also extremely sensitive to smells and chemicals, I have a difficult time finding products that fit my requirements. I need products that are gentle to the earth and also gentle on the senses. My intention for Eco-Heart on-line product review, is to provide a resource for other sensitive, eco-aware consumers, and to promote vegan (meaning does not contain any animal products and is not tested on animals) products from ecologically and socially responsible, fair-trade companies. My review will focus on household products including : body-care products for sensitive skin, unscented laundry detergent, food and nutritional supplements, cookware, clothing, bed and bath products. Please feel free to send me information on, or recommend any gentle eco-friendly products for review.

PerioBrite Toothpaste

2008-07-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

PerioBrite A Natural whitening toothpaste with CoQ10 & folic acid.

Ingredients: Calcium carbonate, vegetable glycerin, sodium bicarbonate, U.S.P. purified water, colloidal silica, peppermint oil, xanthan gum, xylitol, lysine, centipeda cunninghamii extract; extracts of echinacea purpurea tops, calendula flower, olive leaf, black walnut green hulls, gotu kola herb, chamomile flower, green tea leaf, prickly ash bark, grapefruit seed; essential oils of oregano, clove, thyme, lavender, cinnamon and eucalyptus; plant saponins, folic acid, coenzyme Q10, aloe vera, chlorophyll.

Uncle Harry's Remineralization Powder

2008-07-20T01:52:00.000-07:00

Uncle Harry's Remineralization Powder is an excellent product.

It maintains an alkaline pH to stop demineralization and tooth decay. Put a pinch of the powder in your mouth. You can also brush your teeth with it, or use it with toothpaste. Very soon it promotes secretion of saliva. Flush the saliva and powder in your mouth for up to two minutes and spit out. It is not necessary to rinse. Use frequently.

Ingredients: Unrefined sea salt, calcium carbonate, tabashir, magnetic earth with probiotic bacteria, alkalizer ionic minerals, purified seawater, marshallow root.

DOLPHIN CHOCOLATES

2008-07-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

An essential item on my grocery list is non-dairy, grain-sweetened Dolphin Chocolates. They are circular nuggets of excellent malty-tasting chocolate wrapped in a colorful assortment of foil--a different color of the rainbow for every flavor. My favorite flavors are the "Peanut Butter" and "Roasted Almond"--both vegan. This company sends a percentage of their profits to the Environmental Defense Fund, in the interest of protecting dolphins. Although their ingredients are not 100% organic, I'd say the taste of these chocolates is worth the exception. I love that they are grain-sweetened. These are currently my favorite non-raw chocolates.

Ingredients of the "Peanut Butter" chocolate : unsweetened chocolate, organic peanuts and salt, cocoa butter, whole grain malted barley and corn, soy lecithin, and real vanilla.

the other flavors have similar ingredients, substitute the peanuts for almonds etc.

Look for these chocolates at your local health food store! or order them from their website :

http://www.dolphinnatural.com 1-800-236-5744

NEW CHAPTER : TRUE TAMANU OIL

2008-04-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

New Chapter's True Tamanu Oil is an amazing, skin-nourishing oil that can be added to carrier oils or lotions, or used as is for a more concentrated application. It has a slight maple-syrupy scent to it which I find pleasantly invigorating. I'd highly recommend it for scar treatment, or any skin problem.

New Chapter is an excellent earth-loving company that carries many other high-quality organic nutritional supplements. Look for their products at your local health food store.

Click on the Website links on this blog : True Tamanu Oil and New Chapter for further information about this wonderful company and its beautiful products.

Uncle Harry's Red Palm Oil

2008-04-03T22:41:00.000-07:00

I have found an amazing new moisturizer. Uncle Harry's Natural Red Palm Oil is completely natural and a bright orange-red color, due to its high beta-carotene content. It turns my skin orange for a while, which is why I tend to put it on before bed. It was recommended to me for scar treatment/wound care. But I use it all-over. And love it. I very highly recommend this product.

http://www.uncleharrys.com

VITAMINERAL GREEN by HealthForce Nutritionals

2008-01-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

This green powder is full of excellent 100% Organic or Wildcrafted nutrients :

Whole Leaf Barley Grass
Whole Leaf Wheat Grass
Nettle Leaf
Shavegrass (Horsetail)
Alfalfa Leaf Juice
Dandelion Leaf Juice
Barley grass Juice
Oat Grass Juice
Burdock Root
Broccoli Juice
Kale Juice
Spinach Juice
Parsley Juice
Carob Pod
Ginger Root
Nopal Cactus
Alma Berry
Algaes : Spirulina, Broken Cell Wall Chlorella
Icelandic Kelp
Nova Scotia Dulse
Enzymes : Protease, Amylase, Lipase, Cellulase, Bromelain, Papain, Alpha Galactosidase
Comprehensive Probiotic Mixture including NSO (Natural Soil Organisms) and Implantable Species

This is the most amazing "Green Drink" or nutritional powder, I've found. I would highly recommend it. The suggested dose is a couple of tablespoons a day mixed with water or juice. It's a bit intense with just water, so you may want to throw it into a fruit smoothie or juice. You can also sprinkle it on your morning oats (after not before cooking) or other foods including salad/dressing.

Health Force Nutritionals : Escondido, CA 92025 (800) 357-2717 website :

http://www.HealthForce.com

Dr. Bronner's All-One Baby Mild Soap

2008-01-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

My soap of choice is Dr. Bronner's All-One, Baby-Mild. This soap is an essential item in my household. I use it in the bathroom, kitchen, and even add it to my laundry. I have tried other Dr. Bronner's soaps as well, and they are nice for those who enjoy natural scents such as peppermint or euchalyptus, but the Baby-Mild is my favorite because it is unscented.

Ingredients : saponified organic coconut, palm and olive oils (with retained
glycerine), water, organic hemp oil, organic johoba oil, salt, citric acid and vitamen E

their website : http://www.drbronner.com/drb_soapsandingredients.html

Aubrey Organics : Vegecol, and Pure Aloe Vera

2008-01-17T12:00:00.001-08:00

Aubrey Organics :

Vegecol Moisturizing Cream with Aloe Vera, is an excellent moisturizing cream for sensitive skin. It has a very mild natural scent to it, but I don't find it at all irritating. I use it as an all-over body moisturizer. Ingredients : Coconut Fatty Acid Cream Base, Organic Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel, Horsetail Extract, Calendula Oil, St. John's Wort Oil, Coltsfoot Extract, Coneflower extract, Panthenol (Vitamen B-5), Linoleic Acid (Vitamen F), Carrot Oil, Organic lemon Peel Oil, Aubrey's Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamens A, C and E).

I also recommend Aubrey's Pure Aloe Vera, to sooth sun-exposed skin, or burns, cuts, and just about any skin condition. Aloe vera is an essential skin care ingredient. Add it to salves or use it as is. Made with 98 % organic ingredients : organic aloe leaf juice, grapefruit seed extract, and tochopherol (vitamen E).

http://www.Aubrey-Organics.com

Maggie's Soap Nuts : the Laundry Soap that Grows on Trees!

2008-01-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

Maggie's Soap Nuts is, just that, a box of nuts! (well berries actually) The soap from these nut-like berries is the most natural you'll find--no processing involved. Soap nuts are the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree (Sapindus Mukorrosi) related to the Lychee and Rambutan, found primarily in India and Nepal. The nuts are harvested in Indian and Indonesian jungles. In suffering rural economies Soapberry trees are cut down and sold as lumber and firewood. Maggie's Pure Land reserves the Soapberry harvest years in advance, providing families with guaranteed fair income from living trees.

Soap nuts contain saponin, a natural cleaner used for thousands of years to clean clothes, comparable to plants used by Native Americans for washing. Simply put a few soap nuts into the included cotton sack and drop it into your laundry. Throw the used soap nuts in your compost when you're done (you can get 2 or 3 washes out of a few in warm water). 100% Biodegradable. Hypoallergenic. Safe for Sensitive Skin. After finding these, I'll never go back to processed laundry detergents. Our ancient ancestors were way ahead of us in eco-sustainability!

To make a concentrated liquid soap : Boil 4 cups of water. Add one cup of soap nuts. Turn heat down, and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat off, and let cool. When it's cooled, mash the nuts with your hands or with a bean-masher or your tool of choice. Then pour the liquid into a container (mason jar or your choice of bottle) through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth if you have it. And there you have a bottle of ultra-concentrated,
multi-purpose soap. Use it for dishes, windows, floors, plants, bathroom etc. You can boil the nuts again for a less concentrated soap. The apple-cider colored soap is highly concentrated, so dilute it, or it's great for laundry too. I use 1/3 cup for a load.

You can also avoid the heating method and simply soak 1 cup of soap nuts in 4 cups warm water overnight, for a truly Raw Soap. But, this method may require a blender--(liquidify the mixture in the blender the next day). After blending, strain the liquid into the container just as the above method. (I have not tried this method, so I can't vouch for it yet--if you try it, let me know how it works). The liquid soap that I made has an apple-cider look to it. It also smells a bit like apple juice. It's like sudsy apple-juice!

website : http://www.maggiespureland.com (see their FAQ for more thorough info.)

Uncle Harry's Neem Sticks : India's Natural Toothbrush

2008-01-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

No need for toothpaste, when you've got a Neem Stick! That's right, you can brush your teeth with sticks. Villagers in India have been using the twigs of the Neem tree to clean their teeth for centuries. The way it works is : simply chew on one end of the twig, until it becomes softer and brush-like, and then rub it over the teeth and gums. As you chew on the stick, you'll probably notice a slight bitter taste. This is the therapeutic Neem oil. Neem has many healing properties, and has been used for skin, hair and general body care for ages.

Distributed by : Uncle Harry's Natural Products, http://www.uncleharrys.com

I got my pack of 6 Neem Sticks at Mirador (an excellent little "natural home" shop) on SE Division St. in Portland, Oregon. It's $6.00 for a pack of 6 twigs. But you can get quite a few brushes out of each twig. Plus, the great thing is, you don't need toothpaste. The neem cleans your teeth. When the brush that you've made wears out, clip off the used end and continue to chew on the stick until another brush-end is formed. Keep doing this until you run out of stick, put the stubs in the compost, and grab another twig.

I Loooooove my New Toothbrush!