We promised that we would start a book club and here it is!
Renegade Beauty was easily my favorite read of this past summer. The author is Nadine Artemis, who you may know as the visionary behind the original natural skincare line Living Libations. Honestly, I’m usually a little irritated by the category of holistic beauty books, because they look pretty, but often just skim the surface and don’t present any new or revelatory information. That is not the case with this book at all. The author does a very deep dive on every single topic she covers, tying in relevant scientific, historical, and philosophical information in an incredibly elegant way. The subjects of beauty and skin health are investigated starting from the inside out, making external skin care just a tiny part of the whole book. All of Artemis’ work is inspired and guided by nature, and through this lens, she explores the topics of our connection to the elements, the microbiome, the sun, women’s health, dental health, essential oils, and more. The book also has a ton of recipes for natural skin/body/oral/baby care that can be made at home. It urges the reader to step away from holding ourselves to the unrealistic standards of beauty in today’s media and instead to look within ourselves and to our natural environments.
I found this book to be completely mind blowing through and through, but the two subjects that struck me the most are: the importance of wise sun exposure (I’ve been trying to re-develop my relationship with the sun ever since), and how the health of our microbiome (not just in the gut, but on our skin and in our mouths, etc.) is everything. Below are some quotes I found especially informative and inspiring. They are of course just a tiny part of this knowledge-packed book. I’ve also linked some relevant podcast interviews with Nadine Artemis at the bottom of the post, which are very worth a listen. Have you read Renegade Beauty? What were your takeaways? We would love to hear!
The next book in our book club is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Want to read along with us?
On our oneness with nature
“From the meteorites that plant microbes on our planet to the carbon content of our bodies, we are linked to the atoms of comets that fell to the earth and the elements of exploding stars. Physicists tell us that 93 percent of the mass of our body is stardust. This may be a revelation to us, but Paraclesus, the sixteenth-century alchemist, instinctively understood our intimacy with the galaxy when he wrote that we are an ‘extract from all the stars and planets.’ We want to soothe the stardust that is us and bathe our bacteria in a bevy of life-affirming elements.”
“Because we are in a deep relationship, inextricably linked, to the earth element, what we do to our bodies we also do to the earth; and what we do to the earth we do to our bodies. In Sacred Economics, Charles Eisenstein draws the parallel between our heavy reliance on fossil fuels and our willingness to plunder the earth to get the energy we need and the ‘violent’ methods we use to jolt more energy from our bodies: coffee, stimulants, threats, motivational techniques, money. ‘The personal and planetary mirror each other,’ he writes. ‘We don’t really want to do it to our bodies; we don’t really want to do it to the world.'”
“We evolved with and in the natural world, so our cells, systems, and rhythms recognize the cells, systems, and rhythms of nature.”
On water
“Rumor has it that we need eight glasses of water a day; however, there is no scientific claim to this theory. Your ever-wise body will tell you when it is time for a drink. Thirst sets in once you have lost 2 percent of its needed water. If you drink to satisfy your thirst and if your urine is clear to pale yellow, then you are well hydrated.”
“Some of the 300 chemicals in tested tap water: fluoride, chlorine, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, bronchodilators, antidepressants, sunscreen ingredients, beta-blockers, pesticides, x-ray contrast agents, cleaning solvents, fragrances, nicotine, veterinary meds.”
On the microbiome
“A tiny world flourishes in you. Of the 130 trillion cells in your body, only about 30 trillion of them are human cells. You play hospitable host to more than 100 trillion bacterial and fungal cells that have coevolved with us and in us. Up to 3 percent of a human’s weight is microbial mass. That means that if you weigh 120 pounds (54.4 kg), then up to 3.6 pounds (1.6 kg) of that is your microbiome. A microbiome is the microbes and their relationship with their host and with other microbes in a specific location or habitat. Your microbiome includes all the various microbes that thrive in your gut, vagina, anus, nose, mouth, and skin.”
“More than 100 million neurons weave between the muscle layers of the gastrointestinal tract. This is roughly the same number of neurons in the brain. Almost 80 percent of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is involved in learning, memory, mood, and sleep and a million other tiny interactions, is made by the neurons in the gut and in transported to the brain. The GI neurons both send and receive messages from the brain via the vagus nerve, which is sort of like the telecommunication system in the body that wanders through the body from the brain to all internal organs.”
On antibiotics
“Antibiotics are a blessing to people in medical crises with an infection. However, the overuse of antibiotics today has led to bacteria that are not killed by antibiotics because they have mutated to be resistant to them.”
“You take antibiotics even if you do not swallow the pills. Even if you have diligently avoided antibiotics prescriptions, they still seep in by consuming supermarket food. All antibiotics have their allowable limits in the food and water supply. They are on our food, in our drinks, coating our vegetables, and fed to animals raised for meat and dairy. Milk can have up to 100 micrograms of tetracycline per kilogram.”
“Antibiotics are indiscriminate assassins. Antibiotics are in our hand soaps, dish soaps, lotions, and cleansers. Until recently, not much thought was given to the effect of all of this on our friendly bacteria, even as our bodies felt their absence. Any surviving resistant bacteria mutate fast and bask in the empty niches the antibiotics made. Soon pathogenic biofilms bloom, and we no longer have protection from infection.”
“Our best defense against illness is our own immune system. So, while we want to be diligent in protecting our health, we can refrain from worry and obsessive degerming for the future health of our children.”
On skin health
“This moist envelope of our soul is a living, breathing, communicating, and regenerating tissue. It is our largest organ of elimination, secreting out sweat and sebum while keeping out infectious invaders. This miraculous medium is the real estate coveted by every cosmetic that aims to penetrate pores, solve insecurities, and systematize skin types. Dry, oily in the T-zone, combination skin – these are not types but symptoms! Symptoms vary from subtle to severe, yet they all point toward skin microbiome imbalance.”
“The outer layer [of our skin], the stratum corneum, is composed mostly of dead cells, which has given rise to the practice of chemical peels and excessive exfoliation. Yet this vital layer is our topsoil that feeds our friendly flora. Cell loss is designed to precisely match cell production. Exfoliating cells away too quickly tips the balance, and cell loss exceeds cell production. This signals stress in the skin. Our epidermal ecosystem requires a healthy stratum corneum because it is our most antiaging and anti-infection layer. When we remove it prematurely, the young cells underneath are left vulnerable. With this juicy layer jeopardized, toxins and harsh chemicals irritate the new skin, inducing inflammatory issues. If this layer is disturbed regularly, as it is with daily exposure to foaming cleansers, creams, and chlorine, it creates an ongoing health deficit of missing microbes, inflammation, abnormal cells, and easy entrance for toxins.”
“Acne, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, keratosis pilaris, rosacea, melasma, hyperpigmentation, fungal infections, Candida, skin lesion, dandruff, age spots, blemishes, blackheads, dry, scaly, uneven skin, and more are all manifestations of bacterial imbalance. The unfriendly microbes that cause imbalance live on everyone’s skin. Yet, when microbial diversity mutates and plummets, pathogenic bacteria breed and trigger skin issues. Our skin needs bacterial diversity to thrive and to keep all the flora friendly instead of fostering the frenemies that cause disruption and disease.”
“You do not need to identify, categorize, or label your skin type. Bust free from all that renders skin sensitive and unstable: aggressive, synthetic skincare products, out-of-balance hormones, deficient nutrition, and inefficient digestion.”
“Restoring beneficial bacteria, rather than further depleting it, should be the key to all skin therapy.”
On sun exposure
“Currently, we live in a sunlight-deprived society; and according to the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, this deprivation is harming us, as we deny our bodies and minds the recharging vitality of the sun. The fine filaments of our bodies are covered with thousands of vitamin D receptors designed as antennas for the sun’s rays. Our cells have a DNA code and photons that require energy and information from the sun. Sunlight is a key that unlocks the nourishing energies that sustain our life.”
“A recent remarkable study highlights that humans are indeed light-harvesters of chlorophyll pigments, and our bodies, through the mantle of melanin, can convert the sun’s light into cellular, mitochondrial energy. Plants can help us with this, too; eating plenty of greens helps humans capture sunlight in our cells and translate it into energy via our mighty mitochondria.”
“A sampling of a few research study conclusions sheds a different light on some common conceptions. One study found that malignant melanoma is less likely for adults and children who work and play outside. Another study showed that melanoma is far more common for people who work indoors … The results of a 1982 study conducted by researchers of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and published by the medical journal The Lancet demonstrated that fluorescent light exposure from indoor work (and this was back in 1982 when most of the workforce was yet to stare at a computer screen all day) creates twice the incidence of melanoma than outdoor work in the sun. Office workers, exposed to high levels of artificial lighting during the day with minimal exposure to sunlight, had the highest risk of developing melanomas and mutations in their cells.”
“Lack of sunlight and our culture’s epidemic lack of vitamin D3 are linked to cancer, overwhelmingly, in more than 2500 studies. Several studies confirmed that appropriate sun exposure actually helps prevent skin cancer. In fact, melanoma occurrence has been found to decrease with sun exposure, and increase with sunscreen use.”
“Our eyes need sunlight, too. Absorption of sunlight by the eyes is the most direct path of communication between the sun and our brains, and our good health and mood hinge on it. When the full spectrum of light rays is intercepted in the retina, it is positively encoded in the brain and sets in motion the juicy hormones and neurochemicals that help us stay happy and healthy. This process works even if we are in the shade, yet not if we are wearing shades.”
On Sunscreen
“When we apply sunscreen, sun-shielding chemicals that block UVB rays are absorbed into our skin; UVB rays do cause burns after extended time in the sun. SPF, sun protection factor, is a designation that can be used only for synthetic ingredients that have been laboratory tested to prevent sunburns. Yet SPF creates a false sense of security by disabling our skin’s early warning protection, the sunburn, against overexposure to the sun. Essentially, sunscreen anesthetizes skin. UVB rays – the rays blocked by sunscreens – are also the nourishing rays that spark production of vitamin D in the body.”
“UVA rays become harmful when they are separated from their UVB ultraviolet partner by sunscreens. Current studies suggest that it is isolated UVA that damages DNA. So, slathering on sunscreen actually inhibits the much-desired vitamin D and allows undesired penetration of isolated UVA while UVB is blocked.”
“We do want to avoid sunburns, yet getting sunburned is actually easier on our DNA than processing the cell damage from being in the sun with synthetic sunscreen.”
On Vitamin D
“Our skin converts sunbeams into regenerative substances of melanin, sulfur, and the steroid hormone, vitamin D. This distinct steroid hormone influences every cell in our body, and is easily one of nature’s most potent champions.”
“The best time of day to get out and play in the sun for making vitamin D is morning to solar noon. Time variances, existing melanin levels, geography, and weather are all factors in how much shine one would need to get a good day’s supply of D – of course, there is an app for that” (Note: the app is called DMinder)
“Vitamin D from oral supplements, which is unsulfured and fat-soluble, is helpful, but it is not bonded to sulfur to make D3 sulfate. Vitamin D3 sulfate is water-soluble and moves freely in the bloodstream, providing a healthy barrier against bacteria; it is ‘synthesized in the skin, where it forms a crucial part of the barrier that keeps out harmful bacteria and other microorganisms such as fungi.”
“[Vitamin D] repairs organs, boosts immune function, lowers insulin levels, reduces blood pressure, boosts neuromuscular functioning, and interacts with more than 2000 genes. The sun, via vitamin D, lets the cells know when it is time to die; this healthy process is called apoptosis. Failure of apoptosis is one of the reasons for cancerous-tumor development.”
“… vitamin D (along with vitamin K2) is essential for proper absorption of calcium and other minerals into the bones and teeth. It promotes efficient neuromuscular functioning and plays a role in anti-inflammatory processes. Thousands of vitamin D receptors (VDRs) are found in our skin, in places where the sun doesn’t shine, and in almost every single cell in our body, including the brain, breasts, bones, hypothalamus, prostate, pancreas, placenta, lymphocytes, heart, stomach, small intestines, colon, and more.”
“Our interaction with the sun need not be ‘all or none!’ If we are wise, we can enjoy a healthy, happy relationship with our ancient friend, the sun.”
On dental health
“The mouth is the principal portal into our bodies; it interfaces, absorbs, and assimilates our world. The endocrine, immune, and digestive systems are intimately bound to the microbiome and our mouths.”
“Although we have been told and sold on fluoride in tap water and in dental products to strengthen bones, it actually makes bones brittle and stiffens skin by impending collagen production. ‘Contrary to marketing madness, tooth decay is not caused by fluoride deficiency! The United States’ EPA has fluoride on its ‘substantial evidence of neurotoxicity’ list. Fluoride appears to interfere with critical, bodily chemistry, damaging gums, disrupting collagen production, and reducing enzyme activity. Fluoride accumulates in the body, especially in the pineal gland, lowers IQ, forms deposits in the brain related to Alzheimer’s, promotes early onset puberty, and the list goes on and on.'”
“Most toothpastes and rinses, including many of the brands sold in health food stores, use chemical and synthetic ingredients that are more appropriate for industrial purposes than for cleaning the delicate tissue of the body or cultivating oral health.”
“[Tooth] Whiteness comes from within! Tooth enamel is actually transparent, and gray, glassy teeth denote a deficiency in the body of vitamins of D3 and K2.”
On breast health
“We now know that most breast cancers are not inherited but are acquired from cell mutations. If a woman carries the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene linked to cancer, she inherits only the risk not the disease… Women who carry this genetic risk must also develop a second mutation before tumors will form, and epigenetics reveal that these secondary mutations are from environmental exposures.”
“Iodine is the gatekeeper of our breast’s glandular integrity. Iodine deficiency increases estrogen production. Iodine sufficiency maintains the correct balance of the three estrogens (estrone, estradiol, and estriol), helping us metabolize the estrogens in favor of the safer, protective form of estrogen, estriol. Iodine sufficiency is necessary for the normal growth and development of breast tissue.”
“Breasts contain an abundance of lymph vessels that support the circulatory system in maintaining proper fluid balance and carrying away intracellular waste … Massaging our way to healthy breast tissue is a simple strategy. Breast massage lubricated with essential oils regenerates our cells and supplies monoterpene medicine to where it is needed most. Be sure to massage inward and upward to stimulate lymphatic drainage, release excess estrogen, firm connective tissue, and enhance elasticity.”
“Breasts, along with their undervalued role of sustaining life, are also canaries in a coal mine. They detect our environmental invasions and store the toxins of our trespasses for decades. Our breasts are barometers for the changing atmosphere of our planet.”
On real essential oils
“Essential oils protect us in much the same way that they protect the plant against pathogens while helping friendly bacteria. Each oil is made of hundreds of special substances that defy the development of bacterial resistance. The same substances that stop quorum sensing and kill pathogens also boost the skin’s beauty by removing toxins, delivering nutrients, and stimulating cells … These essences ally with our bodies, turning on electrons, protective genes, and anti-inflammatory proteins, stimulating circulation, feeding immunity, and keeping collagen healthy.”
“The scientific findings of forest bathing teach us that it is beneficial for people to spend time in nature. Fortunately, phytoncides and essential oils share a similar constituent – those precious terpenes. (Terpene is one of only two main components of essential oils; the other is phenylpropanoids.) Essential oils can provide forest therapy for us at home, every day, all year long regardless of the temperature or locatin. All essential oils are antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal, and they all have a concentration of a terpene.”
Related podcast interviews with Nadine Artemis
The Life Stylist: The Great Sunshine Swindle
Expanded Podcast: Holistic Beauty and Unconventional Wisdom for Healthy Living
valerie says
Hi! Yes, I would love to be part of the book club! When should we have the next book read by? And will there the a forum for discussion or do we comment here on your upcoming post? I joined a book club at my neighbourhood library, sadly it wasn’t a good fit, but I think the books you recommend will be ones I’ll enjoy. Thanks!
Anya says
Hi Valerie,
Wonderful! The discussion will just be in the comments. We are aiming to post about Power of Now by end of October. Hope you enjoy reading it :)
valerie says
Did you mean end of November? :) Sounds good!
Anya says
Yes! Sorry about that :)