Logical Life

Is your dog's fur looking a little dull?

Do you see dogs on Instagram with shiny fur and wonder why your dog doesn't look the same?

There are several key ingredients to help your dog achieve their "fur goals". 

Shiny coats are a sign of proper maintenance, good nutrition, and even tell you that the dog is healthy inside. And we can all agree that there's nothing more adorable than a happy and healthy pup!

When it comes to proper maintenance, high-quality and non-toxic shampoos and conditioners help keep your dog's coat looking its best. Look for formulations that are:

1. Sulfate Free & Paraben Free - Dog shampoos, conditioners and coat sprays do not need to contain harsh ingredients. Naturally nourish your dog's skin and keep their fur looking healthy and shiny with gentle grooming products that are puppy safe too.
2. Essential Oils - Certain essential oils, such as tangerine, lavender, peppermint, and lemon oil can also be beneficial for your dog's skin and fur, and provide some aroma-terapeutic benefits. They help to soothe irritation and treat dryness or flaking. 3. Ditch dog products with synthetic fragrances that can be drying and irritating to the nose and eyes. Synthetic fragrances contain phthalates, and are often hidden in the ingredient section as “fragrance” or “parfum”.  Instead choose products that are naturally scented with botanicals, natural extracts and essential oils.

In addition to using the right products, it is important to take good care of your dog's fur by feeding them a nutritious diet. This will ensure that their skin and hair stay healthy and strong, which will help them maintain their luscious fur over time. The best foods for a healthy coat and skin are:

1. Eggs - Eggs are nutritional powerhouses, containing the most bioavailable protein. They’re like a one ingredient recipe for great skin and coats.
2. Fish - Fish contain healthy fats, like omega-3s that help maintain the skin's barrier function and keep it from being dry.
3. Nuts & Seeds - Nuts and seeds are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids that help your dog's coat stay soft and shiny.
4. Oats - Oats contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which can help relieve dry skin by trapping moisture and improving your dog's overall health.
5. Sweet potatoes - Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, and beta-carotene. They have anti-inflammatory properties too that can help keep your dog's skin calm while they're growing their hair at a faster rate.

It's also super important that your dog gets their walks in! Regular exercise can help promote circulation in the skin and prevent clogged pores.

So if you want to achieve beautiful, lustrous fur on your dog, be sure to use high-quality grooming products regularly and take good care of your dog's overall health and well-being. With the right approach, you can help your furry companion achieve all their "fur goals"!

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Every year, between September to June, lice outbreaks start popping up in schools across the country. And every year, parents everywhere panic. But there's no need to worry! With a little bit of knowledge and preparation, you can make it through lice season without a hitch. Here's what you need to know.

Lice Are More Common Than You Think—And They're Not Dirty
One of the biggest misconceptions about lice is that they're only found in dirty hair. This simply isn't true! Lice are attracted to clean hair because it's easier for them to attach their eggs (called nits) to the hair shaft. In fact, lice prefer clean hair because it's less likely to have conflicting scents that would repel them. So even if you keep your hair clean and healthy, you're not necessarily immune to getting lice.

Lice Are Contagious – But They Cannot Fly
Another common misconception about lice is that they spread by flying from head to head. This isn't true either! Lice are parasites that feed on human blood, but they do not have wings and cannot fly. However, they can crawl quickly and are very contagious—they can easily spread from one person to another through close contact or by sharing personal items like hats, brushes, or towels.

There Are Effective Ways to Treat and Prevent Lice
If you do find yourself with a case of lice, don't panic! There are plenty of over-the-counter and prescription treatments available, however not all lice treatment and prevention products are created equal. Most say they kill lice, including super lice, but they're not necessarily 100% effective or safe for humans! Many treatments contain PESTICIDES, like pyrethrins or permethrins, which can spark severe reactions due to their toxicity, and it is proven that lice can now be immune to those harsh ingredients. This is why our LiceLogic line of lice treatment and repel products was created. LiceLogic is lice expert approved, independently tested by the leading lice expert in the country, and infused with a natural plant-based enzyme blend so it is safe for daily use. Our Complete LiceLogic Treatment Kit is the most effective and easiest way to get rid of head lice and nits from the hair. Our pesticide-free and non-toxic family size lice kit contains everything you need for safe lice treatment and nit removal, and since our lice products are enzyme-based headlice cannot become immune to our lice treatment and head lice repel products.

And once you've gotten rid of the lice, there are steps you can take to prevent them from coming back. These include using a lice repelling shampoo or spray, avoiding close contact with people who have lice, tying long hair up in a bun, and doing weekly lice checks at home by running a nit comb through the hair and inspecting it under bright light for lice and nits. The sooner a lice infestation is detected, the easier it will be to treat.

Lice season may be dreaded by parents everywhere, but there's no need to fear! With a little bit of knowledge and preparation, you can make it through without any problems. Remember: lice don't discriminate, they're not dirty, and they don't spread disease. Dealing with lice is never fun, but it's something that every parent of a school-aged child will likely have to deal with at some point. Relax—you've got this! And if you have any lice questions, we are always here to help!

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As the new year approaches, we begin to reflect on the lifestyle we lead and how we want to grow in the new year. With reports of several studies concluding that the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened many people’s interest in creating a better, healthier world, many are transitioning to a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle.  These incremental changes are important developments in helping all of us to take better care of our planet. However, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed by all the possible changes one can make from fashion choices to fruit storage. Thus, we’ve put together a list of easy eco-friendly resolutions you, your family, and your community can adopt. We suggest starting with 2-3 resolutions at a time to integrate into your daily life, or perhaps even one is enough for now. However many you choose, remember that each new habit is significant in the collective effort all of us can make to help save our planet from global warming and pollution. 

1. Carry A Spare Reusable Bag For Shopping: 

As cities increasingly phase out the use of plastic bags or at least impose fees for their use, you may already have a reusable bag for on-the-go store runs. Even if plastic bags have not been banned yet in your locale, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t transition to reusable bags on your own. Avoid having to use or pay for plastic bags whenever you do some shopping on the way home from work or school. Making the effort to always carry a spare tote bag around will ensure that you won’t have to use plastic bags or buy another reusable bag ever again.

2. Invest In A Reusable Water Bottle:

Plastic bottles and bottle caps rank as the second and fifth most collected plastic trash items respectively in the Ocean Conservancy’s annual September beach cleanups in more than 100 countries. Environmental efforts are focusing on plastic bottles as next in line after banning plastic shopping bags, with several locales around the world already banning them. Plus, you’ll be more hydrated once you start carrying a reusable water bottle with you.

3. Reduce And Reuse Creatively:

As two of the three Rs we were taught from an early age, they’ve been the less popular companion to “Recycle”. However, before you get to that one, it’s better to reduce and reuse given the amount of energy recycling takes. From saving glass bottles for storage purposes to repurposing cloth, this encourages long-term use of your possessions in contrast with the extreme waste and resource extraction that comes with contemporary fast fashion culture.

4. Compost, If You Can:

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants. Not only does it decrease the amount of waste being transferred to landfills, an energy-intensive process, but it repurposes food waste towards healthier soil and plants, critical for a greener future. There are several options for composting at home depending on the climate you live in and the space you have available, and there are valuable resources that can help guide you as you begin your composting journey.

5. Shop From Eco-Friendly Businesses.

Supporting eco-friendly businesses is a significant adjustment that will reap great environmental benefits; not only does it ensure a more sustainable lifestyle, but it also supports the larger sustainability movement with your wallet. Other benefits include healthier and safe products for you, your home, and your community. Investing in eco-friendly businesses rewards their environmental efforts and lets big corporations know where you stand. They’ve been historically responsible for dumping and pumping toxic chemicals into our air and water supply, with no concern for the detriment of their actions and the increase in global warming; it’s time to show them what your values are as a consumer by saying no to their product offerings. 

6. Unplug Appliances When Not In Use:

Turning off the lights and devices that aren’t in use have made its way to mainstream consciousness, however, we may need to take it a step further. Surprisingly, “vampire appliances” still consume energy while plugged in, even if turned off or on standby mode. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75% of the electricity used by home appliances is consumed while they’re turned off. In the U.S. alone, vampire appliances amount to around $3 billion in energy costs per year. As unplugging appliances when not in use would prevent this, it might be easier to use a power strip that you can easily turn on and off with a switch. 

7. Thrift:

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the world produced more than 17 million tons of textiles in 2018, compared to only around 2 million tons 50 years. That same year, around 13 million tons of discarded clothing and shoes came under the EPA’s management; while 1.6 million tons were able to be recycled, over 9 million tons ended up in the landfill. Furthermore, slipping out of the shop-and-discard cycle of fast fashion is crucial as the water footprint of a cotton t-shirt is 659 gallons and that of a pair of jeans a shocking 2,108 gallons. Once you’ve outworn your clothes and footwear, thrifting is a suitable and fashionable alternative to buying new clothes.

8. Make Your Social Media More Eco-Friendly:

Educating yourself is crucial to further action. The simple act of populating your social media feeds with eco-friendly content indicates a willingness to learn and change, while ensuring organic and constant reminders of the significance of building a more sustainable lifestyle. 

9. Spread Awareness:

Once you have educated yourself, you can help save the planet by educating others. From simple oversight, stemming from a lack of environmental education to confusion due to misinformation, many people inadvertently contribute to environmental harm without meaning to. Each share to your Instagram story or to your family’s group chat represents dozens of learning opportunities at a time. 

10. Donate To Environmentalist Efforts:

If you are able to, financially supporting environmentalist initiatives is an impactful way to contribute to the sustainability movement. As land and water defenders around the world face political prosecution, violence, and sometimes even death, such support makes a difference. Efforts such as Stop Line 3 or coalitions such as Indigenous Environmental Network are worthy initiatives to invest in to help ensure a more sustainable future for generations to come

Further Reading

Alice Carroll, “Why Reuse is NOT Recycling”, Scrap Exchange, February 3, 2020.

Ashley Sims, “Climate for Action: Turn It Off”, The EPA Blog, November 25, 2008.

“Composting At Home”, Environmental Protection Agency.

Jonathon Engels,  “7 Reasons Why Reusing and Repurposing is Better than Recycling”, One Green Planet, 2018. 

Laura Parker, “The Story of Plastic: How the Plastic Bottle went from Miracle Container to Hated Garbage”, National Geographic, August 23, 2019.

Ngan Le, “The Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment”, Princeton Student Climate Initiative, July 20, 2020.

“Nondurable Goods: Product-Specific Data”, Environmental Protection Agency.

“Reducing and Reusing Basics”, Environmental Protection Agency.

Shelia Hu, “Composting 101”, Natural Resources Defense Council, July 20, 2020. 

Susan S. Lang, “‘Vampire’ appliances – they suck electricity even when switched off – cost consumers $3 billion a year, says Cornell energy expert”, Cornell Chronicle, September 17, 2002.

“The Hidden Water in Everyday Products” Water Calculator by GRACE Communications Foundation, 2017. 

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