Let’s Talk about Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral often lacking in modern diets as it’s missing from our depleted soils¹. It is valuable to help deep sleep and restore you overnight, also for period pains, sleep, muscle cramps, nervous tics, ADHD and hyperactivity in children, bone density, menopausal symptoms, absorbing Vitamin D … to name some of the benefits!

When I first suspected I had Magnesium deficiency I tried supplements, however they led to tummy upsets, which led to little to no absorption of the mineral. I’ve since learnt this is common and magnesium supplements are sometimes used as laxatives!

I then tried Magnesium ‘oil’ which you are supposed to spray onto thin skin areas… however the side effect from this is it’s incredible itchyness!

The third way I tried, was Epson Salt baths. However to truely absorb the magnesium you firstly need to have a very warm bath, that stays warm for 15 minutes – ie have the hot tap running, and secondly you need a LOT of Epsom Salt (1-2 cups per bath which is about 300g). Also I don’t know about you but I don’t take long hot baths very often, I find I overheat easily and they dry out my skin, so this was never going to be an easy ask.

So I set on the path to develop a better way to supplement Magnesium. Could I come up with a way that 1. didn’t upset my body 2. didn’t itch 3. could be used daily 4. got the most value out of the magnesium, and 5. was convenient to use?

The formulation I came up with ticks all those boxes for me, and hopefully also for you.

I make it with 70% Magnesium ‘oil’ (this is a 50:50 mixture of water-based ingredients and Magnesium Chloride – which I use instead of the cheaper but less effective and unsafe Magnesium Hexahydrate) in an infusion with Lavender hydrosol (for added relaxation benefits).

Making Magnesium ‘oil’

This is combined with an herbal infused oil – Organic Sunflower oil with Plantain & Nettle, two of natures best natural antihistamines) – and soothing Organic Coconut oil and Cocoa Butters to moisturise while it’s there. Essential oils of mint, lavender and cedarwood make for a deodorising, relaxing blend, just right for feet. Because the way I recommend you apply it, is to put a little on your feet at night, especially in areas of thin skin such as between your toes, the arch of your foot and around your ankles to transport magnesium most easily into your nervous system. Approximately 1/2 a teaspoon daily will restore magnesium levels within a week. Then apply as and when you need it. Find it here

Notes

1. “In humans, subclinical magnesium deficiency is common and generates chronic inflammation, which is the common denominator of a wide range of mental and physical health problems from metabolic diseases to cognitive impairment, from osteopenia and sarcopenia to depression. It is ascertained that magnesium content in fruits and vegetables dropped in the last fifty years, and about 80% of this metal is lost during food processing. As a consequence, a large percentage of people all over the world does not meet the minimum daily magnesium requirement.” Going to the roots of reduced magnesium dietary intake: A tradeoff between climate changes and sources. Published online 2020 Nov 3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7649274/

And now for some Positive News

The link to the finished article I refer to in my post about sustainability is here

Amid all the dispiriting news going around, there are some of us trying in every which way we can to not be another strain on our limited global resources, while making a living. I’m not perfect by any means. But if enough of us try (and that builds up a demand for sustainability) and enough of us put pressure on the systems that support unsustainable practices to change … they may be valuable drops (which make up buckets of water) bailing out the rising ocean of the climate crisis we find ourselves in.

Zero Waste or Sustainability?

It’s a debate I have just had with Positive News – is the focus on Zero waste and Plastic free products useful or is it distracting from the larger issue of whole planet sustainability?

While it’s important that we all increase our awareness of the amount of plastic and other materials we consume, zero waste is really only one small aspect in protecting our planet. The larger issue of our sustainability is harder to get to grips with, and so focussing on an entry point such as reducing plastic use and waste, certainly has it’s place. However I, for one, think we do not need to be dumbed down – we can all comprehend the wider issues of sustainability if given the time to talk and think them through.

It’s almost useful to do a sustainability audit on your life, or your business (see here for mine), and think through every aspect of energy use – the social (people, their energy, the longeivity of your lifestyle including working life – not burning yourself out), economic (I read this as a having a business or working life that lasts over time and isn’t focussed on making a quick profit at any expense) and environment (covering everything from resource use to energy use to pollution created).

Homemade Solar Cooker made from reused materials – infusing herbs and activating some walnuts at the same time – for free!

Coming from a background of 10 years in the Re-use Industry, although I naturally thought of certain aspects when setting up my business, some of those aspects were new to me, are some were also more important to me now, in my 50s, than in my 30s! So whatever you do, wherever you are, I urge you to think through your daily life, your energy and resource use in all it’s forms and bit by bit reduce, reuse and recycle

End of summer, post lockdown catch up

And such a lot to catch up on this year. Lockdown had me at home with my daughter, trying to keep us both sane and fed and the business going (online). It’s been a strange year, like no other, and yet here we are at the end of the summer – school has started up again (phew!) and I’m catching up on long-overdue tasks that I could not do with a little person around the house.

Late summer sunshine means a bit of last minute solar cooking to make infused oils to last through the colder, darker months – chickweed, calendula, comfrey, lavender, lemon balm.

I’m doing lots of paperwork, making batches when I can to fulfil orders for Christmas and sometimes even thinking about new products or new combinations of products. Fuller Orange, Lavender and Rose ranges are being developed in creative moments.

So for now, trying to get some semblance of normality … before one of us coughs or has a fever, and our world stops again!

http://caroscreams.co.uk

New beginnings

Gosh! Such a long time since I wrote anything. I think I’ve been under a cloud (aka abusive neighbour) but now I’ve moved house and the sun is shining and I’ve got lots of great ideas about taking Caro’s Creams forward.

Try as I might to reduce the number of core products I produce, the demand just keeps me making them! However the best-selling products are now quite obvious and as I’m almost plastic free (just got a few more black lids to use up before I switch to aluminium), there seems a road-sign out in front that says “Let’s go this way!”. And that way is:

• completely plastic free, compostable where possible, reusable where not
• new improved labels, so you can read everything CLEARLY
• bigger batches of the core products to improve my efficiency

I’m hoping to do a re-launch after Easter this year, with the new look.

In the meantime, the sun is out, I’ve unpacked my ingredients, and it’s time to get the solar cooker out and infuse some fresh 2019 herbs. I now live right next to a lovely big park so foraging is everywhere.. might even find some new herbs to make something from! (No! I’m supposed to be reducing the product range not increasing! Ha ha)

 

 

New Year Ideas

Thinking about what new to do in 2017, the carry-over to-do list includes:

• varicose vein / thread vein cream / gel
• psoriasis cream
• face masks
• spot zapper
• another lip balm
• dry oil body spray

I also want to experiment with Birch and go further into the hedgerow. And make luscious Herbal bath salt mixes.. with Magnesium, Himalayan salt, unusual flowers and herbs.

I’ve enjoyed where 2016 has taken me, making more and more and establishing my range. Completing the Formulation Course with the School of Natural Skincare has boosted my confidence in what I was already doing and given me a few more ideas. Making soaps has been great fun, hugely satisfying and I’m been really enjoying using the products myself so I’m quietly excited that others will discover them soon enough!

2016 was a great year for Calendula, Plantain and Chickweed. Not too great for Linden or Elderflower, and definitely bad for Elderberry! I’ve gained a soft spot for Zinc oxide as a cure-all for skin problems, as it has repeatedly worked wonders instead of fulfilling prescriptions for anti-fungal and steroidal creams!

And of course my little helper is learning more and more. She helps me collect herbs and places Calendula every so carefully on brown paper to dry, she helps pour the oil over them, mixes the bath bombs mix and sticks on the occasional label. She also does lots of ‘pretend’ work sorting out orders, adding them up etc… 

I hope all this and more continues in 2017…

Natural Deodorant

So after silly season (aka Christmas markets) it’s time to take stock (literally and metaphysically) and consider how to move forward. And since I ran out of shop-bought deodorant a few months ago I’ve been testing out different formulae of natural deodorant on myself, friends and client-testers. What has amazed me is that ALL (I had 5 different variations) of the different types were liked!

One friend: “your deodorant is AMAZING!!! I walked to and around and back from the zoo, went to the forest, ran around today – all while on my period. Have been sweaty and gross every day but NOT SMELLED AT ALL! Can’t believe it.. you are really onto something!”

The main reason for my delay in launching is I had wanted to put it in compostable, paperboard tubes. But I’ve given up on sourcing them for now and even given up on the idea of making my own, although I do like the prototypes they don’t have lids/covers. So for now it’s in plastic. But I CAN RE-USE them if you bring them back. Starting with 2 varieties: Grapefruit and Lavender. Tell me what smells you want for future products.

http://www.caroscreams.co.uk

Happy sweet smelling!

Busy season

The run up to Christmas started in September, when at a harvest market I had people buying “for Christmas presents”! Since then the level of sales, and number of markets, is steadily increasing. Luckily, I had a bit of a panic forage in August when I realised that the medicinal qualities and indeed growth of many herbs and flowers was almost over for the year. So stocked up on calendula, comfrey, lavender and chickweed, using come fresh herbs to make infused oils in the last of the summer sun, and drying others to use this winter.

I want to stay true to my ideal of foraging wild herbs (which I both love doing and believe to be stronger), however as we get into the Christmas season proper now I’m not sure I’ll have enough infused oils made from foraged herbs to make all the products I need to make. And there are no new herbs until March next year, and that’s only for the first hardy herbs… calendula, comfrey and lavender are only available round here from June or July onwards.  As this is my first full year of herbal cream and salve making, I guess I’m learning in an entirely natural way how to respect the seasons and the cycles of nature!

In this industry, Christmas comes as a good time though.. after the abundance of spring and summer have allowed fresh harvesting of herbs, and making of plenty of oils on which to based the products. As I far prefer to make infused oils from wilted herbs (rather than fully fresh or fully dry), for me they need to be in season to make the oils. And as oils really only last for a year, I’ve got to somehow estimate how much I’ll need until the first harvests, next year. And even then, due to infusing the oils twice over with freshly wilted herbs and using a solar cooker, each infused oil takes between one week and a month to prepare – or lead time ( in business speak).

Working with the seasons and within nature can be highly satisfying. Farmers for centuries have been working this way. However it can also be hugely frustrating.. if we get a bad summer, or too much rain, things can spoil or not ripen, or go mouldy. I hope that wild herbs will be strongly resistant to this, as they will only grow when the conditions are right and so the seeds will “seek out” those conditions to grow in. It might mean that I need to rummage around a bit further in fields and hedgerows, as patches from previous years may well move around. It’s good to know “my store cupboard” will be moving around.. I didn’t want a standard job any more and it certainly keeps  things varied!

Banish aches and pains

… and make way for “Comfrey salve”!

I am actually stunned! I knew Comfrey helped with pain and inflammation but I didn’t think it would be that dramatic (I know I should believe more by now but I am by nature sceptical). I have neck, shoulder and various places in my back ache, had a bit before the little one was born and now due to being a single, hands-on (can’t keep my hands off!) mummy have had it BAD since. I get massages, see a chiropractor from time to time, use ice packs, hot water bottles and microwave heat pads very regularly, and when it gets really painful ibuprofen gel… BUT NO MORE!! I rubbed some newly made Comfrey salve on it and the pain and aches instantly went away! No-one is more stunned than me! Here was this “weed” in my garden all along, and I was using it as compost feed for the plants. 20 minutes later and it was still pain free, I could move normally and moreover behave normally (as pain doesn’t half make me grouchy).

How did I make it? I first pick some perfect Comfrey leaves.. small, medium and large, but all dark green and intact. 

I lay them out on brown paper, out of direct sunlight and let them wilt for 24-48hrs to get most of the moisture out.

Then I chop them finely and put in a heatproof jar, and cover with Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil (I prefer Zaytoun, the Palestinian fair-trade brand). Then comes the “magic”.. I cook it in my solar cooker!

Obviously it needs to be warm and ideally a bit sunny to get the temperature up, but it can stay very warm for hours in the cooker even without direct sunlight. I place the solar cooker in a sunny spot in my south facing back garden and on a fine day, the oil can be infused in a morning or afternoon (mid-summer I do have to keep an eye on the temperature so it doesn’t start to fry). Two great things about my solar cooker are that it makes the most beautiful infused oil, as the temperature is nice and hot without being too hot, for hours on end, and, of course, that it uses no fossil fuels (apart from the few recycled, and renewable resources it took to make it). I can also make several oils at once and heat up water for making creams and salves at the same time.

The day I put my first infusion of oil batches in the solar cooker is also generally the day I pick some more of the same herb – in this case Comfrey, for a second infusion a day or two later. I try to pick herbs in the morning, after the dew has dried off, but before the midday sun. So they are then laid out to wilt, while the oil is brewing.

At the end of that first day, I let the oil cool down then strain it (through a sieve at this point as it’s ok to leave bits in). Then on the next fine or sunny day, I repeat the process with the newly wilted Comfrey leaves and the once-infused oil to get a rich, dark green, double Comfrey infused oil.

This oil them forms the basis of the salve. I heat up the oil (on the stove this time – in a bain marie/double boiler) with organic beeswax pellets (11-12% of total weight) which melt at around 70 degrees C. Once it’s all melted I take off the heat and mix thoroughly.

When it cools to under 40 degrees, I add a few drops of organic essential oil (optional, depends if you like the smell of Comfrey) – I tend to go for sympathetic and calming EOs, as I figure if you have pain that’s what you need. In the batch I’ve just made I’ve used Lemongrass, which is also good for aches and pains, as well as uplifting for the spirit. Lavender would be another good option, which is great for skin and calming.

Then before it starts to solidify, it’s time to pour into clean jars. Once it’s cool, it gets a lid on and labels. And it’s ready to use!

Rainy days mean stock-taking, mentally and physically

Apart from laying out my stall at Buddhafield recently,

I have spent time picking myself up from the floor, dusting myself off and assessing where I am, after feeling knocked back by EU regulations. Although back on track and progressing again, I has rained a lot recently and with the solar cooker out of action it was time to take stock.. is there anything else I’m desperate to make? (yes, a varicose and thread vein cream but need to find an unpoluted horse chestnut tree for that).. so maybe time to step back from making more lines and look at selling a few.

I’ve put together a brochure, which explains a bit about each of them, and got a card printed. Just a few more tweaks and I’m happy to roll with that as “publicity”.

I’m also starting to wonder if and when I might ever make any money from this venture!? My accounts aren’t up to date but I can tell you now I’m definitely down. That’s to be expected in the first year of setting up a new venture, so I’m not too dispirited. It’s just that with few other sources of income and the latest UK budget clanging the bell of doom, I need to “diversify my portfolio”.. or in other words, get a job! So since I’m trained and experienced, I’m considering setting up as a counsellor again, and doing that alongside my Creams business.

I guess I never came into the Creams world to make my fortune, I came to help people, and primarily share the success I’ve had with the eczema cream for the little one. That is happening! And I’m also now helping people (including myself) put much nicer, healthier things on their skin on their faces and bodies in general. But sometimes I want to SHOUT about it… GET THIS STUFF! IT REALLY WORKS! But doesn’t everyone who makes a product they believe in?!

I’m very driven and self-motivated when there is something I want to do, so I just hope this stays as something I want to do, despite having to jump through regulatory hoops from time to time.

(creams also provide learning opportunities for building towers for toddlers!)