Dirty, Filthy Truth about Hand Sanitizers! Disease in a bottle?

Directly from WebMD!!!

As long ago as  2007 -- Antibacterial soaps are no more effective than plain soap and water for killing disease-causing germs, but the jury is still out on whether they promote antibiotic resistance in users, a newly published research analysis shows.
Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health reviewed 27 studies examining the safety and effectiveness of antibacterial products containing the active ingredient triclosan.
That includes most commercially available soaps, detergents and other products with the word 'antibacterial' on their labels, with the notable exception of alcohol-based hand gels.
Soaps containing triclosan at concentrations commonly seen in products sold to the public were found to be no better for killing bacteria and preventing infectious illness than soaps that did not contain triclosan.
"Antibacterial soaps do not provide a benefit above and beyond plain soaps for generally healthy people living in the community," researcher Allison Aiello, PhD, tells WebMD.
"Washing your hands is extremely important for preventing the spread of infectious illness, especially at critical points like after using the toilet, changing the baby, or handling raw foods. But consumers can't assume that antibacterial soaps are better for this than other soaps."

Antibacterial Soap, Antibiotic Resistance

Along with University of Michigan colleagues Elaine Larson, RN, PhD, and Stuart Levy, MD, Aiello has conducted some of the largest and most rigorously designed studies examining the safety and effectiveness of antibacterial products.
Studies in their own laboratory first showed that triclosan can cause some bacteria to become resistant to widely used antibiotics like amoxicillin, but this has not been shown outside the lab.
In another of their studies, 238 families were told to either use triclosan-containing cleaning and hygiene products for a year or similar products without the antibacterial agent. Skin testing conducted before, during, and after the intervention suggested that both cleansing regimens were equally effective for killing germs.
There was also no evidence of an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the hands of people who washed with the antibacterial products.
A spokesman for the soap industry tells WebMD that no evidence exists outside the laboratory linking the use of antibacterial soaps and cleansers to the promotion of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
"It is egregious to continually hype the hypothesis that these products are contributing to antibiotic resistance," Brian Sansoni of the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) tells WebMD. "These researchers keep raising the specter of what could happen, but it is a ghost story without a ghost."

FDA: Antibacterial Soaps Not Better

Sansoni called the review "predictable repackaging of old studies and old opinions," adding that the issue of whether antibacterial soaps and cleansers promote antibiotic resistance has been put to rest by "study after study."
Aiello disagrees. While antibiotic resistance is routinely tracked in hospitals and other health care settings, tracking resistance trends in the community remains a huge challenge, she says.
"These [community-based] studies are very hard to do," she tells WebMD. "We haven't been able to study this in the way we would like, and I don't know if we will be able to in the future."
An FDA advisory panel considered the question of the effectiveness of antibacterial products in the fall of 2005; the panel overwhelmingly concluded that there was no evidence proving that antibacterial soaps were more effective than regular soaps for preventing infection.
There was talk at the time of restricting the labeling or advertising of new antibacterial products, but the agency has taken no formal action.

I suggest using a natural, handmade true soap!

Everything is fried in the South, how about your skin?

Since the time that Coco Chanel declared tanning "in" in the 1920s, a suntan was seen as symbol of health, youth and status. However, recent studies on the relationship between the sun's ultraviolet rays (UVR) and our skin are changing the way we view that "healthy" glow.

The sun's UV rays damage the DNA of the skin's epidermal cells, triggering enzymes that race to repair the damage.  However, these enzymes do not always repair the DNA successfully, and all this unrepaired damage can lead to mutations that increase the risk of skin cancer.  Also, repeated unprotected sun exposure can cause photoaging – wrinkles, sagging skin, and spots associated with sun damage.  We all know that over tanning creates leathery looking skin if not treated properly.

Goat Milk products ARE  great for your skin!
Our goat milk soap is made with only pure, natural, skin-enriching ingredients! We use absolutely NO chemical additives, harsh ingredients, detergents or artificial preservatives.

·         Goats' milk, Our main ingredient for skin health.  Goat’s milk molecules are comparatively small, being composed of short-chain fatty acids with smaller-sized proteins. This makes goats' milk more accessible for absorption into the skin. Bringing with it the vitamins, minerals and botanicals to nourish skin.

·         Other Goat’s milk benefits: It also soothes the surface tension of the skin, allowing it to be moisturized and to absorb the healthy nutrients

·         Caprylic acid, another fatty acid  in goat milk, reduces alkalinity, giving our goat milk soap a pH level very close to that of the skin.

·         Vitamin A  in Goat’s milk slows down the effects of aging and prevents brown spots.

·         Zinc in Goat’s milk aids in the reconstruction of collagen fibers, resulting in firmer, smoother skin. Zinc also encourages moisture retention and assists in maintaining the skin’s elasticity.

·         Calcium in Goat’s milk tones and smooths the skin.

·         Alpha-hydroxyl acids in Goat’s milk plump the skin, reducing signs of aging.

·         Caprylic acid, another fatty acid  in goat milk, reduces alkalinity, giving our goat milk soap a pH level very close to that of the skin.

·         Antimicrobials/antifungals, the other fatty acids present in goat milk are natural protectors to your skin.

·         Selected Oils, our soaps use a synergistic blend of oils such as Palm Oil, by far the highest content of β-carotene of any known fruit or vegetable, 10 times higher than carrots for example. Olive Oil creates a protective barrier (not sunblock), other rich oils that deliver the benefits of the vitamins and minerals to the skin.

·         Herbal Extracts, We use a fantastic blend of skin nutritious herbs in our tan care product line.  All known for repairing damaged skin.

     Covenant Creek Farm website: www.covenantcreekgoatmilksoap.com

Antibacterial Soap

Antibacterial Soap, what's the buzz? I will tell what you need to know:

A friend's daughter did research for a school science fair project (of course she won!). She compared bacteria from her hands after washing with a leading name brand antibacterial soap and all natural goat milk soap with no detergents. After washing daily for a week with each soap and placing scrapings in Petri dishes, guess which ones grew bacteria???? Not the handmade natural soap, Yes, the name brand commercial soap. Most contain Triclosan. What about Triclosan? :

Triclosan Can Transform Into Something Even More Dangerous

The antibacterial agent added to many liquid hand soaps to help kill germs. Triclosan is suspected of contributing to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.

Here's something else you may not know about that innocent-looking bottle of liquid hand soap sitting next to your sink.

When triclosan mixes with the chlorine in your tap water, chloroform is formed, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified as a probable human carcinogen.

And when combined with other disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in your tap water, this chloroform can raise the concentration of dangerous trihalomethanes (THMs) above the EPA's maximum allowable amount.

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are Cancer Group B carcinogens, meaning they've been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Disinfection byproducts (DPBs) have also been linked to reproductive problems in both animals and humans.

Not only do you absorb them into your skin, these antimicrobial chemicals flow down your drain, contaminating the environment and food chain.

So, let me ask you… do you really want to use this on your skin or your children's skin?

In my opinion, you're better off switching to skin care products made of natural plant names you recognize, can pronounce, and could even eat (if you had to).