The road north was calling and our feet tickled with excitement to be living 'van life' once again. Against The Grain Health's journey started with a man, a van, a passion for sharing lessons learned and not much of a plan, but oh how things can change. Almost 3 years later he had moved out of the van, and married the love of his life, Dannielle, and they knew exactly what the mission was about. To be the difference. Not only by providing non-toxic, 100% natural, multi-use products, but to connect with those who wish to preserve the natural world and in doing so preserve their own health and integrity.
We met some really amazing people on that trip in October - November. One particular example are the Marine Biologists and crew at Wavelength Reef Tours, who work tirelessly to do it differently and create ecological awareness by running guided tours from Port Douglas to the reef. Throughout the tour their passionate staff run interactive talks on reef conservation. The following photo is of a Green Turtle we were lucky enough to dive with, when they took us out to The Great Barrier Reef.
A beautiful female Green Turtle cruising Opal Reef
One aspect of our journey that resonated with us was is that we have everyday heroes all around us. These people are choosing to be the difference because they are hearing the cry of Mother Earth. It is a complete broadening of perspective when one truly realises that to preserve nature is to preserve our own existence. There's no two ways about it, we are connected with nature to such an extent that you see rhythms of nature imbedded in our own physiological rhythms. Did you know our extracellular fluid shares the same salinity as the ocean? To honour ourselves is to take just a little bit of time everyday to be mindful of how we live and the ramifications of our consumer choices. You might ponder, its not buying a new eco-friendly car that makes the major difference, it's how we chose to live our lives everyday and that involves choosing wisely.
We at Against The Grain Health are specialists in making natural concoctions that are quiet literally food for your skin - omega fatty acids replenish the lipid barrier of your skin cells, that's why we use only the best cold-pressed, organic coconut & olive oils. We also incorporate pure therapeutic grade essential oils which are rapidly absorbed through your skin, aiding you in your health journey beyond the skin. We don't consider skin care any other way, there's no point in catch 22's or one trick ponies. We prefer some wizardry, its less one dimensional.
We are big advocates of bee conservation and working together with these life giving creatures. Our beeswax is ethically sourced from organic farming areas by an Australian beekeeper of 60 years. Over his tenure Mr Smith has worked tirelessly alike the bees themselves, to cultivate bee populations and carry them through the drought stricken periods faced by NSW. Its safe to say he does his beekeeping old school, with integrity and deep wisdom. We'll be doing an interview with Mr Smith in the new year so we can share with you his wisdom and see what he has to say about the world of bees.
The idea that we should use synthetic preservatives or petrochemicals on our skin is outdated and it's time for change. If not for ourselves and our own wellness then for the preservation of our home - earth. 70% of what you put on your skin gets absorbed straight into your bloodstream, often bypassing the liver. Australia has the highest rates of cancer in the world, by a whopping 200 people per 100,000. If we as consumers can reach an understanding that skin products should transcend skin beauty in a positive way we can begin to shift the industry to create ethical products which promote health and well-being in every way. It all starts with us as consumers, we dictate the demand which in turn influences the supply - make the shift, be the change, change the future.
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Did you know that approximately 1 drop of Oxybenzone, a chemical found in most sunscreens, can pollute up to 6.5 olympic size swimming pools of seawater. Researchers behind a study, published in the journal, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, found that the chemical Oxybenzone has toxic effects on young coral that causes endocrine disruption, DNA damage and death of coral, among other the problems. Our 'No Funny Business' Zinc Balm is a smooth, easy to apply concoction that lives up to its name. We are looking forward to being a part of more eco efforts, such as the coral reef expedition embarked on by Great Barrier Reef Legacy Charity in November this year. They used our zinc balm throughout the expedition and heres what they had to say - Video
2019 for Against The Grain is about spreading the message about this human/nature connection and creating new products which resonate this harmony. We'll be connecting with those whom share our passion for this natural world and sharing their message for our followers. We'll also strive to help you through awareness and education. In the early part of 2019 we'll be releasing a new balm for deep tissue repair and pain relief as well as a detoxing natural deodorant that actually works! Lets do it differently and be the change as we move towards a new era of conscious awareness.
Yours in health,
Brad McDonald.
