Is your child ready for back-to-school? Sure, you’ve bought them new shoes, a new backpack, some new clothes, and school supplies. But are their bodies fully prepared for the onslaught of germs they’ll encounter when they re-join classmates in crowded classrooms?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 22 million school days are lost each year to the common cold alone. Unfortunately, schools are like giant petri dishes when it comes to spreading viruses and harmful bacteria. All it takes is one infected student to sneeze, cough, or touch a shared object (doorknob, table, glue stick) to transmit germs that can make other students sick.

Fight Germs on the Hands First

As a parent, your first line of defense is to teach your kids to wash their hands frequently. This simple habit is so effective in stopping the spread of germs that the CDC and other organizations have launched an international campaign called “Health in Your Hands.” The campaign is rallying support throughout the world for Global Handwashing Day on October 15, 2011.

Of course, soap and water are not always available, so it’s a good idea to send your child back to school with hand sanitizer in his/her backpack. Today you can find non-drying hand sanitizing formulas made with good-smelling herbal extracts packaged in convenient kid-sized bottles.

Stronger Immune Systems Combat Germs

Your second line of defense is to make sure your child’s body can effectively fight off diseases that come their way. Multivitamins containing essential vitamins and minerals come in kid-friendly flavored chewable tablets, liquid formulas, or powders you can mix with liquid for easy assimilation.

You can even find gummy worms containing Omega 3 fatty acids! These berry-flavored chewy worms are said to promote healthy brain and visual development while supporting immunity, memory and learning. And, as your child might say, they’re WAY tastier than fish oil.

- Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor

Summertime can be hard on your hair.  Sun and saltwater dries it out.  Humidity makes it frizz or go limp. And chlorine from the swimming pool can actually turn it green! All these factors makes it almost impossible to keep your healthy hair

What can you do to get that healthy hair back?

I remember “green hair syndrome” very well.  As natural blonds, my older sister and I often developed brassy, dull, greenish hair after long afternoons in the community pool. One summer my sister introduced me to a brand of shampoo specifically designed to remove chlorine from hair. As I recall, it removed my hair’s greenish tint but didn’t do anything to restore its moisture and shine. I looked like a scarecrow with straw hair.

That was 30 years ago. Today we have hundreds of hair-care products on the market to get us through summer without the scarecrow look. And thankfully, many of them are made with all-natural organic ingredients, so there’s no need to worry about absorbing toxins through our scalps.

For example, Aubrey Organics’ line of “normalizing” shampoos includes a substance that naturally removes chlorine, minerals and other impurities.  This helps to prevent discoloration of the hair. Instead of ingredients that sound like they came from a chemical lab they contain natural ingredients.  Some of these ingredients are soy protein, organic corn syrup, aloe vera, and shea butter.

Is your healthy hair thinning?

Did you know our hair typically grows faster in the summer? We’re outside in the fresh air, we’re more active. Our hair follicles tend to respond with an accelerated rate of growth.  But for those with alopecia (thinning hair) or male/female pattern baldness, hair growth is an uphill battle no matter what season it happens to be.

According to research, the trigger for alopecia is DHT, a powerful hormone that interrupts the normal growth of hair follicles. Theoretically, if you can block the action of DHT on hair follicles, you can stimulate re-growth of hair on the scalp. Many believe that all-natural supplements designed to block DHT can help to slow hair loss. Ingredients such as zinc, selenium, saw palmetto extract, and the root of a wild vine called Polygoni Multiflori are thought to have a beneficial effect on healthy hair re-growth.

- Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor

Cleopatra had the right idea. She used natural cosmetics to enhance her legendary beauty: kohl (derived from minerals) to outline her eyes, and red ochre (derived from naturally tinted clay) to color her lips.

Not that Cleopatra had any other options in 49 B.C.,… but my guess is, she’d be shocked to see the chemical-laden cosmetics marketed to women today. According to the Environmental Working Group, the cosmetics industry can use virtually any ingredient in makeup without being subject to government review or approval. Some of these ingredients are:

• 1,4-dioxane – Found in shampoos, body wash, children’s bath products and other sudsing formulas, 1,4-dioxane has been identified as “a reasonably anticipated carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Research done by the Environmental Working Group found that 22 percent of all personal care products may contain 1,4-Dioxane.
• Parabens – This is a group of compounds used as an antifungal agent, preservative and antimicrobial in creams, lotions, and other cosmetics. The Breast Cancer Fund says parabens have been identified in biopsy samples from breast tumors.
• Talc – Found in eye shadow, blush, baby powder, soap, and deodorant, talc is known to act as a human carcinogen. It has been directly linked to ovarian cancer.
• Lead – A contaminant in an estimated 650 cosmetic products including foundation and lipstick, lead is a neurotoxin associated with learning, language, and behavioral problems.

The obvious message here is, read the label. But some chemicals such as 1,4-dioxane cannot be found on ingredient labels, as it is formed during the manufacture of the product!

To avoid putting toxins on your face, choose cosmetics made with pure ingredients such as lemon, aloe vera, honey, beeswax, lanolin, natural Vitamin E, and plant-based oils: coconut, grape seed, lavender, tea tree oil, olive, sesame, and jojoba bean. Look for products from established organic and all-natural cosmetics companies such as Ecco Bella Botanicals, Honeybee Gardens, and Lotus Cosmetics.

Postscript:  Based on analyses of residue found in ancient makeup containers, scientists believe that Cleopatra’s kohl makeup was comprised of lead-based compounds. Could that be why she died at age 39? Not likely: French researchers think the low doses of lead salts in the makeup may have actually helped Cleopatra fight off bacteria that caused eye diseases (source: National Geographic).

- Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor

Thankfully we are now all much more conscious of the types of ingredients we use in our homes and bodies. Unfortunately choosing the right products to use has become a complicated chore for most households. Add a new baby to the home and you may really feel overwhelmed with all the toxins, and harsh chemicals found everywhere and in everything. Synthetic chemicals, artificial dyes and fragrances, BPA, parabens; these are just a few of the un-natural ingredients that harm rather than heal and are found in many personal care products.

Desert Essence, founded in 1978 was the first company to introduce Australian Tea Tree Oil to the United States.  Since then, Desert Essence has expanded tremendously to include a wide variety of organic and natural beauty care products that bring the benefits of healing and renewal to health-conscious consumers.

We are pleased to announce the addition of Desert Essence Organics Baby Care to our site and can’t wait to try out all these cute, all-natural items. All of these excellent baby products have been pediatrician-tested and use minimal ingredients so you can naturally soothe and protect baby’s skin without the worry.

Check out Sweet Dreams Natural Odor Absorbing Air Freshener to freshen the nursery with the antiseptic power of tea tree oil with the soothing aroma of lavender.

Sweet Dreams Natural All Surface Cleaner is the safest way to naturally clean toys, changing table area or any nursery surface with an easy to use spray pump.

Oh So Clean 2 in 1 Gentle Foaming Hair & Body Cleanser will soothe as it gently cleans baby’s skin and hair. 100% olive castile soap is blended with vitamin-rich organic sunflower oil, both moms and babies are sure to enjoy bath time.

My Sweetie Pie Baby Lotion gently penetrates baby’s extra sensitive skin to moisturize and nourish. Pediatrician-tested and formulated with only four ingredients this is the perfect lotion for your newborn.

Cuddle Buns Soothing Body & Massage Oil and your loving hands will send baby to sleep peacefully and naturally. Only four ingredients in this organic blend to enrich, condition and relax your baby.

Treat and prevent diaper rash with organic beeswax blended with organic castor seed oil in the soothing Don’t Be Rash Diaper Cream. Providing a natural moisture barrier in a fragrance-free cream, this will give baby long lasting conditioning and relief.

All Vitamins Plus Staff Contributor