Many of us spend a lot of time and energy eliminating toxic chemicals and metals from our diet, cleaning products we use and our water.  One question we need to ask ourselves is “does your deodorant contain toxic chemicals and aluminum”?

For decades, the deodorant/antiperspirant products that were available contained a slew of toxic chemicals and aluminum. Most deodorant/antiperspirant products contain aluminum which causes the pores to clamp shut, trying to keep us drier. People find that when they begin to use a product with aluminum, their underarms are drier.  But with time and increased temperature, all the backed up perspiration comes out in a flood leaving those wet rings under our arms.

Our body was designed to perspire, in a controlled manor.  When we perspire, our pores open up and release moisture and metabolic waste.  This can lead to an increase in bacteria that eat the metabolic waste.  This can lead to body odor.  Most deodorants contain aluminum and anti-bacterial chemicals which causes the pores to clamp shut and decrease odor.  The benefit is drier underarms and less odor, but there is always a benefit/risk with everything we do.  By closing the pores, we can not regulate our body temperature efficiently, nor can we remove built up metabolic waste.

Another thought to consider is how healthy is it to apply aluminum and the many chemicals found in deodorant/antiperspirants on our underarms every day for most of our lives?

There is now a great alternative, Primal Pit Paste. Primal Pit Paste is available in a cream, stick or spray and contains only non-toxic natural ingredients. The natural ingredients keep bacteria in check, and are very effective in controlling perspiration.

Here is some helpful  information that will be helpful as you make the transition from chemical deodorant/ antiperspirant products to a clean, natural product that works with your body to prevent odor and wetness:

• For many people, making the change to a truly chemical-free natural deodorant can induce a pit detoxifying phase.  Pit Detox isn’t exactly enjoyable, but if you’re experiencing it, be proud of yourself!  Your body is sending clear signals that it is recognizing and responding to the important change you’ve made with your deodorant.  We’re going to share with you what to expect and tips that might make the process quicker and easier.
  • This makes sense because we have been applying toxic chemicals to our underarms for years, preventing the normal detoxing  process which causes the body to store all this toxic stuff inside our “pit” area.  When you finally stop blocking and start working with the body, it begins detoxing and removing all the accumulated metabolic waste and chemicals.  Here are some tips and explanations that will help you through this phase of detoxing.  Once you are through this phase, you will find you are no longer having excess sweating and wetness and the odors are gone!

“How do I know if I’m experiencing Pit Detox?”

• You’re stinkier than usual, even while using Primal Pit Paste.

We know what you’re thinking: “Hey, I thought this stuff was supposed to kill odor!  What gives?”  Often what happens after years of using aluminum antiperspirants or chemical deodorants is toxins and bacteria have built up in and under the skin due to the clogging nature of those products.  Now that you’ve ditched the junk, your pits can unload all the gunk they’ve been holding onto all these years and sometimes that’s stinky business.  So you might actually have smellier pits than ever for a short time.  Not only are your pits getting to breathe for the first time in years, but baking soda may also have a drawing effect that actively pulls toxins and bacteria from the skin so your Primal Pit Paste might be coaxing crud out of your pits more quickly.  A great quick-fix for stinky detoxing pits is our Pit Pump.  Think of it as breath spray for your pits.   We’ll tell you more about how to deal with your detox funk in a moment.

• You’re sweatier than ever, even while using Primal Pit Paste.

Are your pits crying you a river?  Don’t worry, they’re probably tears of joy!  Aluminum antiperspirants actually travel into and block your sweat glands so that you sweat into your body instead of out of it.  We wish that it wasn’t a dirty secret, but it’s the stinking truth.  But your body is smart, it knows it needs to get that nasty stuff outta there and may start producing more sweat in an effort to clean out the sludge getting trapped in your glands and pit lymph nodes.  So when you start using a seriously effective natural product like Primal Pit Paste, your sweat glands are still in overdrive for a bit while they’re finally able to successfully sweat out all that garbage in the right direction!  Fear not- wet pits are not in the forecast for long.  Most people see a normalizing of their sweat production after a few days or weeks.  Then the arrowroot powder in Primal Pit Paste will easily be able to absorb excess moisture once your pits get the hint that they can chill out.

• You have some tenderness in the pit lymph node areas. 

Feeling a bit tender or bumpy under those newly primal arms?  We’re not too surprised about this one either.  Toxins, bacteria, and fake chemical crud are all inflammatory substances that aluminum antiperspirants keep trapped inside your body.  When your pits can finally push that junk out, your lymph nodes, which are responsible for doing all that filtering, can become inflamed as they get overloaded with years worth of inflammatory waste.  Check out this testimonial from a customer who experienced this:

“Just purchased your product (about 10 days ago). It’s working pretty well until both my husband and I are both experiencing painful lymph nodes under our armpit. Is that normal?… [fast-forward a few weeks]…Now after about a month of use, we no longer experiencing pain, and there are no more bumps under our arm pit. My husband actually says that the arm pit odor has decreased naturally since using ur product…. Thank you.”

You can also try adding Pit Primer during this phase to give tender pits some TLC.  However, this sign of detox, that should only last for the first few weeks, is not to be confused with sensitivity to baking soda.

“Ok, I get it.  Pit Detox is a good thing.  But how can I get it over with ASAP?”

Pit Detox is a lot like any other bodily detox.  There are some holistic steps that you can take that may reduce your stink factor and get you through the process more quickly:

• Drink more water-

Nothing helps our bodies flush out toxins, like plenty of pure filtered or spring water each day.  So drink up!

• Check your diet-

We should all be eating well for our health, but did you know a cleaner diet can often leave you feeling cleaner on the outside too?  Processed and packaged foods, fast foods and poor digestion can leave toxins floating around in our system.  Guess where these toxins get pushed out of whenever possible… your super savvy skin and especially your pits!  Garbage in, garbage out.  So if you don’t want dumpster pits, don’t use your body as a garbage chute!  Eat lots of organic vegetables, fruits, fresh sources of protein and high quality fats.  Skip the fast, processed, and packaged foods.

•  Try dry brushing-

Using a natural bristle brush to brush the skin of the entire body is an ancient cleansing practice that is thought to be very effective at stimulating lymph movement and aiding detoxification.  Gently dry brushing your pits may have the same effect in this area and help your body move odor-causing toxins and bacteria out more efficiently.  For more information about dry brushing, click here. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/24/dry-skin-brushing.aspx

• Get sweaty-

By now you probably understand the importance of sweating.  Moderate exercise that gets you to break a sweat ,as well as, other modalities like sauna can stimulate detoxification and could therefore speed up that process for you.  Remember to always replenish your body’s hydration level by drinking plenty of water when you get your sweat on.

Many of us at Johnson Compounding & Wellness have made the switch to Primal Pit Paste and within a week or two are drier than we have ever been even when using maximum strength antiperspirants.

Feel free to call us or stop in and we can show you the many different Primal Pit Paste products that are available.

Click here for ingredient list, pricing and to order on-line.