ChristiansUnite Forums

For anyone interested I found a site that lists the harmful ingredients in the personal care products that we use today.  Thought it might be helpful to someone.

http://antiagingchoices.com/harmful_ingredients/toxic_ingredients.htm

One thing I'm seriously considering taking up is home soap making. I get a good supply of all-natural soaps here from a supplier in Guelph Ontario.

But I find it fascinating the combinatins one could use to make some high quality soaps.

Note folks, that the stuff you buy off-the-shelf like Irish Spring, Zest, etcetera, is either full of gunk, or full of cheap or very little quality ingredients.

Guys. How would you like to lather up with a bar of soap made with a generous amount of tea tree oil (anti bacterial), aloe (generous amount), Calendula (powerful anti fungal and anti-biotic), and glycerine. NO PERFUMY GARBAGE!!!

And the bae is pure olive oil. not animal fat, (not that here's anything wrong with that). But olive oil has been known for its great skin soothing properties for millenia.

And you wouldn't believe the cost of making your own soap. Just a few cents per bar.

Another back-to-the-old method that just came across my face is coffee bean roasting. If you're a coffee lover, I bet you didn't know that you can get the raw green coffee beans, and roast them yourself. I'm told that not only is a cup of coffee from these freshly roasted beauties simply divine, but the aroma!!!!! And get this, the preferrd method of roasting is in those old stovetop popcorn poppers. The ones with the swirler thingy on top.

Again, you can get raw coffee beans at half, or less than half the price of the off-the-shelf roasted stuff.

Just a coupla tings to ponder for the true purists out there.

No, I didn't know one could purchase green coffee beans.  I have a Whirley Pop.  I'm half way there.  I've never seen the raw coffee beans.  Do you know, off the cuff, if they're available in organic?  They should be.  Have you ever roasted the beans yourself?

I looked into soap making a very long time ago.  IT'S A LOT OF WORK.  I gave up on doing it.  I think, if my memory serves me right, that it takes about 3 weeks to complete.  Do you know anything about this?

I'm not sure but I think one can buy tea tree soap in the health food stores.  I use the liquid (organic) Desert Essence.  It's good for so many things.

Also, for anyone with pimples...........plain old Hydrogen Peroxide does the job.  My son couldn't believe it.  He says that it costs him about .55 a bottle compared to all the stuff on the market at $55.00 a bottle.  Yep, that stuff is good and inexpensive for a myriad of things, too.

I also use Calendula gel.............another good staple.  For those who don't know, Calendula is the marigold plant.

There are so many "natural" things available today and most people don't even know it.

Homeopathic remedies are another little known miracle.  I do say "miracle" cause that's just what I think those tiny pellets are.

Here's some links for you cris.

First, the coffee:

http://www.sweetmarias.com (http://www.sweetmarias.com)

And now, the first and original....
http://www.coffeebeancorral.com (http://www.coffeebeancorral.com)

Now for the soap:

http://millersoap.com/ (http://millersoap.com/)

http://www.meltandpour.com/making_soap_from_scratch.htm (http://www.meltandpour.com/making_soap_from_scratch.htm)

http://www.greensense.com/ZENDA.HTM (http://www.greensense.com/ZENDA.HTM)

Soap-making is definitely some work. But you know, if you make large batches, you'll come out with a couple of year's supply. And like the previously mentioned Guelph company, you might just end up in the business yourself!!

And since you're a woman, imagine lathering up with a soap made with coconut oil as a base, adding essential oils of lavender, aloe, calendula, and cocoa butter!!

Hi Zak,

 8)Just finished reading your links (not in their entirety of course); way too much reading.  From what I did read, it doesn't appear that roasting the green coffee beans nor making homemade soap is less expensive than buying it.  There's a technique for doing both, and I don't think I'm ready to get involved, although I'd like to, and I appreciate the links.  Wish I knew someone else who would like to do this but I don't.  I don't like tackling(sp?) things like this on my own.  It's more fun sharing the work and fun with someone else.  Two heads and four hands are better. ;)  Just reading and seeing the coffee beans, I could smell that rich aroma, umm.  Ditto the pictures and descriptions of the soap bars.  Actually, I think both would be a good local business to get into.  

I must have missed something though.  I didn't see the story on Guelph.  Guess that's how they got started.

Grace and peace,
cris

PS.........Have you tried either of these?  I know you said you had been thinking about it.  No way would I want to use the Whirley Pop though..............I'd rather it be a relatively sure thing. ;D  I say that because I can just see 1/2 lb. after 1/2 lb. being thrown out.  Gotta have that extra money to waste and experiment with initially.

Zak, some excellant information. Thanks for the links.

Cris,

Most cities have a senior citizen community center. There are many elderly people in some of these places that have a world of information on doing such things at home. I talk to those that are at the center nearest my home and have learned even more than I knew. It serves a double purpose. I learn something useful and these people have the feeling that they are not as useless as they thought. Most of these people are willing to help with these projects also. One of the ladies that my wife and I have talked to is almost 100 years old and still as sharp as a tack. Alot of information there and a very mutual benefit for us all.

It also gives a chance for witnessing to them.

Thanks PR.  I never gave that a thought.  You are most probably correct.  I'll definitely keep this in mind.

Didn't you know about all the "junk" that's in the products we're buying?  I've known about it for more years than I can count.  It seems more and more people are educating themselves as to what's going on out there.  Virtually everything we use and eat is chemical laden...............money is the game.  I'm not against making money but am against the way it's being made.  I think the organic producers are the only ones out there who have a conscience anymore.   Unfortunately, most people feel organic is too expensive, when, in fact, the non-organic is artifically inexpensive.  (I read that somewhere).  Gotta compare apples with apples.  I just wish I could buy uncontaminated "everything."  I try, though.  

I see Kevin Trudeau(sp?) is back at it again with his second edition of the book, "Cures They Don't Want You To Know About" (his infomercial).  I've heard the gossip about him, but it's supposedly just that.........gossip, although I personally don't know.  He's right and I'm glad he has the guts to confront some people.  Where it will lead is your guess as well as mine.  I just hope many of these alternative docs will come to his rescue if need be.  We need whistle blowers and we need to support these whistle blowers.  Enuff ranting.








   

Listen to the pastor cris!! My grandma, 93 years old, KNOWS how to do all these "manual" things. Now she ain't up to it physically anymore, but WHAT A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. I'll tell ya, NOBODY makes apple pie like grandma, and she doesn't even use measuring instrument when she makes it!!!

But I guarantee, if you seek out the elderly and ask them about roasting coffee, and making soap. you'd be very surprised what you can learn.

As for the price of roasting coffee beans:

Here in Canada, I have to buy off-the-shelf crap at about $1.25/100 gms. That's about $5.68/lb. That's about $28.50 per 5lb. of roasted-who-knows-when coffee, that tastes like who-knows-when.

I can buy green Columbian beans for a couple of bucks less, and KNOW I'm getting EXTREME quality with hime roasting.

Organics are couple of dollars more, and the peace of mind and the quality are certainly worth it IMO.

Now if I buy in large bulk, like say 20 lb. pound bags....half the price.