Am I allergic to Baking Soda or am I going through a PIT DETOX?
Posted by Kristi Joynt on
So you're wondering what those red bumps are that have appeared after trying Smiley Pits for the first time?
You're not sure if you are sensitive to the baking soda or if you just can't use our deodorant. I'd like to share my story to help you determine the difference.
If you were to have asked me if I was a healthy eater before, my answer would have been "YES!" I watched my calories, exercised, and limited my guilty pleasures (cake and soft drinks). But that so-called "healthy" diet, was loaded with processed food and hidden sugar. Yes, hidden sugar is everywhere from my yogurt, to my beloved PBJ sandwich.
I recently learned the benefits of eating a clean diet and how that affects my body. I cut out all sugar, grains, and dairy from my diet for 6 weeks because I was participating in a clean eating challenge at my gym. When I made the diet transition, I felt like I had the flu for almost three weeks. It was awful. I could barely play tennis or finish my workouts at the gym. I was grumpy and tired all the time. I learned that my body was going through a detox period just like drug addicts and alcoholics go through. It was an eye-opening experience for me. I promised myself I would never go back to eating quick, processed food that's loaded with sugar.
After getting my diet in check, I decided to take a look at the products that I was putting on my body. I used aluminum based antiperspirants for over 20 years. No one likes to have pit stains in the summer time, right? I began doing research on the dangers of aluminum. I talked to my "hippy" friends as well as my educated doctor friends. I wanted to make sure I wasn't over reacting. I tried a few store bought, natural deodorants. I was a stinky mess. I learned that the years I used an antiperspirant, was actually doing my body harm. I built up toxins and bacteria in my body from the constant "blockage" of the active ingredient, aluminum. When I stopped using the antiperspirant, once again, I was thrown into a full blown detox! I developed red bumps under my arms from all the bad bacteria finally coming out. I've never been a "smelly" girl, but I was literally rancid. Luckily, I have great friends who didn't mind my smell on the tennis courts! Soap would not get the smell out, eewww. I found that witch hazel worked wonders. That was a nice tip. Thanks Google! Did you know that baking soda actually pulls toxins from your skin, just like it pulls odors from your fridge? Sounds good until you go through your very first "PIT DETOX". I actually had to get smelly before I could get smiley.
I'm a very determined woman. No smell was going to stop me. I was determined to find something that would help me. In the meantime, I used a natural lavender lotion under my arms to soothe them from the bumps. After a few weeks, the bumps totally went away. I've learned that this detox period is different for everyone. Some people take months to detox, while others just a few days. I found that making my own natural deodorant was the only thing that worked for me. I would still sweat (which is a good thing), but I did not stink. Using a natural deodorant goes along with having a healthy clean lifestyle. Our bodies are such complex machines, it takes constant vigilance to take care of them.
You're not sure if you are sensitive to the baking soda or if you just can't use our deodorant. I'd like to share my story to help you determine the difference.
If you were to have asked me if I was a healthy eater before, my answer would have been "YES!" I watched my calories, exercised, and limited my guilty pleasures (cake and soft drinks). But that so-called "healthy" diet, was loaded with processed food and hidden sugar. Yes, hidden sugar is everywhere from my yogurt, to my beloved PBJ sandwich.
I recently learned the benefits of eating a clean diet and how that affects my body. I cut out all sugar, grains, and dairy from my diet for 6 weeks because I was participating in a clean eating challenge at my gym. When I made the diet transition, I felt like I had the flu for almost three weeks. It was awful. I could barely play tennis or finish my workouts at the gym. I was grumpy and tired all the time. I learned that my body was going through a detox period just like drug addicts and alcoholics go through. It was an eye-opening experience for me. I promised myself I would never go back to eating quick, processed food that's loaded with sugar.
After getting my diet in check, I decided to take a look at the products that I was putting on my body. I used aluminum based antiperspirants for over 20 years. No one likes to have pit stains in the summer time, right? I began doing research on the dangers of aluminum. I talked to my "hippy" friends as well as my educated doctor friends. I wanted to make sure I wasn't over reacting. I tried a few store bought, natural deodorants. I was a stinky mess. I learned that the years I used an antiperspirant, was actually doing my body harm. I built up toxins and bacteria in my body from the constant "blockage" of the active ingredient, aluminum. When I stopped using the antiperspirant, once again, I was thrown into a full blown detox! I developed red bumps under my arms from all the bad bacteria finally coming out. I've never been a "smelly" girl, but I was literally rancid. Luckily, I have great friends who didn't mind my smell on the tennis courts! Soap would not get the smell out, eewww. I found that witch hazel worked wonders. That was a nice tip. Thanks Google! Did you know that baking soda actually pulls toxins from your skin, just like it pulls odors from your fridge? Sounds good until you go through your very first "PIT DETOX". I actually had to get smelly before I could get smiley.
I'm a very determined woman. No smell was going to stop me. I was determined to find something that would help me. In the meantime, I used a natural lavender lotion under my arms to soothe them from the bumps. After a few weeks, the bumps totally went away. I've learned that this detox period is different for everyone. Some people take months to detox, while others just a few days. I found that making my own natural deodorant was the only thing that worked for me. I would still sweat (which is a good thing), but I did not stink. Using a natural deodorant goes along with having a healthy clean lifestyle. Our bodies are such complex machines, it takes constant vigilance to take care of them.