Sunscreen: Fun In The Sun, While Choosing The Safest And Most Effective Formula For Your Skin
Sunscreen, Your Guide To Sun Protection Made Simple.
Summer Vibes
Over The Last Few Years More and More Information Has Been Trickling Out About ingredients skincare naturally leads down the rabbit hole Of information into sunscreen. When looking into Any Skincare Including sunscreen, Research quickly Leads us To that; not all sunscreen is created equally by any means. The Basics of sunscreen is to break them into two basic categories you have Chemical and Physical Sunscreens or a combo of both.
Some Might Find This Next Few Facts on sunscreen Hard To Believe but feel free To-Do Your Research and Links are throughout the article. There is no real conclusive evidence that sunscreen works and the advertisements on bottles of cancer prevention also is not definitive with evidence. According to the CDC's report on Melanoma rates of women and men, the CDC found increasing yearly rates which are climbing at a rate of 1.4 to 1.7 percent. In particular, Melanoma has been increasing in people who spend most of their time indoors compared to others whose careers or choice of lifestyle has them outside frequently, which puzzles researchers. Another factor about this deadly form of skin cancer Melanoma has been more repeatedly diagnosed on areas on the body with little to no sun exposure. To find more surprising information on skin cancer and SPF, always use The environmental working group's website for further detailed information and a wide variety of studies.
After reading different reports and seeing that the type of sunscreen used is essential in getting actual UV protection and not having chemical ingredients that can do more harm than good in the SPF, All These Factors are Worth Considering When Buying Sunscreen. While Many Are Wanting To Be More mindful about the sunscreen formula Used On Themselves And family, Still Wanting To Err On The Side Of Caution Especially When Planning To Be Outside Or Planning For Fun In The Sun.
So Here is Our Guide to buying SPF, Along with A shopping Guide To Our Favorite Sunscreens in an easy to use shopping guide. An Added Bonus When Choosing Cleaner Sunscreen Formulas Not Only Are Your getting Quality Protection But Most Are also Coral reef Safe And Again EWG.Com is A wonderfully Easy To Used and detailed resource.
Chemical Sunscreen
There are two basic categories when it comes to SPF, Chemical, and Physical sun protection. One of the more popular and found most often is Chemical sunscreen protection. Chemical Sunscreen commonly uses oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxateas. Most formulas have the previously mentioned ingredients and regularly combine them. As the classification suggests, you are getting protection from the chemicals in the sunscreen. The substances protect by seeping into your epidermis then diffusing the UV rays into heat, which your body then releases. Chemical sunscreen has been widely used in recent years for a few good reasons. When picturing a lifeguard, most of us have the Iconic image of any classic Summer or beach circa70's/80's movie Scene, where the lifeguard has a thick layer of white sunscreen covering their nose (which is a physical sunscreen). This iconic cinematic look is one most people have wanted to avoid!
Chemical sunscreens can disappear into the skin and do not require the usual rubbing involved of physical sunscreens of the past, making chemical sunscreens a prominent option for many when wanting to avoid that ashy, white appearance. Chemical sunscreen's ability to blend into the skin has made it a standard formula, especially in the cosmetics industry, because it can be added to beauty and skincare products, specifically as most people are trying to protect their skin from sun damage. When a product offers you the chance to avoid applying two products with just one product, you can see why a foundation, for example, with SPF in it would be an option that many people would gravitate to buy.
There are a few primary concerns when considering chemical sunscreens first. If you or your child have sensitive skin, this formula should be avoided. If you have Acne, Eczema, Rosacea, Melasma, and Hyper Pigmentation, or overheating issues, these skin conditions are prone to flare up with chemical sunscreens due to the mechanics of how this variety of SPF works. This variety of skin conditions Are Prone To flare up when the skin gets overheated. Sensitive skin may also react to Chemical Sunscreen due to the sheer level of chemical ingredients in sunscreen. The chances of skin being irritated are more likely the higher the SPF number is. There is no real formula difference between an SPF 35 and that of a higher SPF. Formulas With SPF numbers above 35 are simply a marketing ploy, as a formulation has yet to be created that offers greater protection. Since there is no real formulation that has been designed to protect more effectively, sunscreen brands add higher concentrated levels of chemicals into their formulations.
Besides triggering skin conditions, the full range of chemicals at high levels can cause chemical burns, especially severe when considering that chemical sunscreens have penetration enhancers, which are added to give seemingly more sun protection. Another Concerning Factor Is the FDA decided to grandfather the same chemicals that were formulated in the 1970s!?! (lazy much???) Instead Of Testing Individual Ingredients Brands are using. In extensive laboratory studies of the ingredients used in SPFs, an issue arises with the substances used because sunscreen as a whole goes on such a wide variety of body parts like our lips, face, body, lungs(spray sunscreen), making it further of concern The formulation of chemical sunscreen is designed to penetrate our epidermis so it can work as intended. The natural absorption into our skin also means the formula can be absorbed into our blood, urine, and even mothers' breastmilk.
Alarming is the ability of the ingredients to mimic hormones, especially A Specifically Well Known hormone disrupter is oxybenzone. Oxybenzone affects hormones so much that it was banned in Hawaii for oxybenzone's ability even to disrupt the hormones of coral reefs leading to the effected coral reefs to die. There was such a significant correlation that lead to the state of Hawaii to ban the ingredient and all sunscreens containing oxybenzone. This particular ingredient oxybenzone has been reported by the CDC to be detected in 96 percent of the U.S. population. In recent years, many studies and their data have shown the Adverse effects of hormone disrupters, especially considering that many of these harmful results could have been prevented if the FDA had been more Diligent by not just grandfathering Ingredients for approval. The more the formulations are studied more information on the harm these products can have on our various body systems are being shown. Here is where we suggest that you visit the Environmental Working Group's site; they have an in-depth database and multiple studies on sunscreen Ingredients. Their website is such an excellent resource for such a wide range of Household and self-care products too.
Can you tell We Are passionate about the quality of products, especially those that are advertised safe for babies and children?!?
Physical Sunscreen
Physical sunscreen is the other classification that is found in UV protection, as its name suggests. It protects by providing a physical barrier between your skin and reflecting UV Rays off your skin. The two main ingredients in physical sunscreens are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. When shopping for sunscreens, you will be able to easily find physical sunscreens by the other name of Mineral Sunscreen, which many brands make. However, to make sure the formulation is just a mineral base, you need to look at the active ingredients. The only listed active ingredients should be Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide. If you notice other active ingredients listed, then the formulation is a Chemical sunscreen, which is typical for brands to combine physical and chemical sunscreens.
Tip when shopping for sunscreen, the simpler the list of ingredients, the cleaner the formulation. This also applies to the advertisements on the packaging, the fewer claims it has on it like anti-aging, waterproof, lasts all day, etc. The less likely it will irritate your skin. When looking for SPF information, EWG.Com has an in-depth ranking of sunscreens, so you can effortlessly search the ranking of your sunscreen you already use. Many Interested in Natural Skincare or having skin issues Gravitate Towards feeling more comfortable using minerals that reflect UV rays instead of using various chemicals to disperse the light into the heat as with chemical sunscreens. Mineral Sunscreen has been shown to protect the best against UV A and UV B, providing a broader spectrum of protection from UV rays, which is the whole point of wearing sunscreen in the first place. Zinc oxide has been found in studies to offer the broadest protection against UV light, with Titanium oxide being the second-best in providing a full spectrum of protection.
The Evident Protection And functionality, while not being irritating to sensitive skin Makes Mineral sunscreens an excellent option for those of us who suffer from sensitive skin issues of Acne, Eczema, Rosacea, Melasma, and Hyper Pigmentation. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide provide barriers by sitting on the skin's surface and not contributing to your skin heating up. Also, the formulation can be minimal, so irritation from chemicals will be less prominent of an issue.
With previous formulations of mineral sunscreens, there was the typical issue when applied of having the thick white formula, which didn't disappear upon application. With new Mineral SPFs coming out all the time now, the past issue of not having the sunscreen blend completely has been less of a problem. One way companies have gotten rid of this the chunky mineral problem is my using nanoparticles, especially with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the smaller particles in the formulation. So the SPF will rub into the skin more fully without that white shadow look. A factor to consider from a study when scientists exposed mice with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Titanium Dioxide was detected in the mice offspring, so just another factor to consider when shopping. A Label to look for if this is of concern, many brands don't use nanoparticles and will advertise on the label that they don't use nanoparticles in their products.
While we do think studies and data are essential, we also know that it can be overwhelming to take so much information in. To offer help, we provided you with a shopping guide to our favorite clean formulated sunscreens that offer us protection when having fun in the sun.
Mineral Sunscreens and Tinted Mineral Sunscreens Shopping Guide
The Ultimate Wellness Gift Guide
Show your loved ones how special they and their Wellness are with the help of this Wellness Gift Guide!
Show your loved ones how special they and their wellness are with the help of this Wellness Gift Guide! Gifts that will help them feel taken care of, charged, healthy, glowing and ready to take on 2020 with passion!
SUNSCREEN: FUN IN THE SUN, WHILE CHOOSING THE BEST AND SAFEEST FORMULA FOR YOUR SKIN
Sunscreen, Your Guide To Sun Protection Made Simple.
Summer Vibes
Over The Last Few Years More and More Information Has Been Trickling Out About ingredients skincare naturally leads down the rabbit hole Of information into sunscreen. When looking into Any Skincare Including sunscreen, Research quickly Leads us To that; not all sunscreen is created equally by any means. The Basics of sunscreen is to break them into two basic categories you have Chemical and Physical Sunscreens or a combo of both.
Some Might Find This Next Few Facts on sunscreen Hard To Believe but feel free To-Do Your Research and Links are throughout the article. There is no real conclusive evidence that sunscreen works and the advertisements on bottles of cancer prevention also is not definitive with evidence. According to the CDC's report on Melanoma rates of women and men, the CDC found increasing yearly rates which are climbing at a rate of 1.4 to 1.7 percent. In particular, Melanoma has been increasing in people who spend most of their time indoors compared to others whose careers or choice of lifestyle has them outside frequently, which puzzles researchers. Another factor about this deadly form of skin cancer Melanoma has been more repeatedly diagnosed on areas on the body with little to no sun exposure. To find more surprising information on skin cancer and SPF, always use The environmental working group's website for further detailed information and a wide variety of studies.
After reading different reports and seeing that the type of sunscreen used is essential in getting actual UV protection and not having chemical ingredients that can do more harm than good in the SPF, All These Factors are Worth Considering When Buying Sunscreen. While Many Are Wanting To Be More mindful about the sunscreen formula Used On Themselves And family, Still Wanting To Err On The Side Of Caution Especially When Planning To Be Outside Or Planning For Fun In The Sun.
So Here is Our Guide to buying SPF, Along with A shopping Guide To Our Favorite Sunscreens in an easy to use shopping guide. An Added Bonus When Choosing Cleaner Sunscreen Formulas Not Only Are Your getting Quality Protection But Most Are also Coral reef Safe And Again EWG.Com is A wonderfully Easy To Used and detailed resource.
Chemical Sunscreen
There are two basic categories when it comes to SPF, Chemical, and Physical sun protection. One of the more popular and found most often is Chemical sunscreen protection. Chemical Sunscreen commonly uses oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, and octinoxateas. Most formulas have the previously mentioned ingredients and regularly combine them. As the classification suggests, you are getting protection from the chemicals in the sunscreen. The substances protect by seeping into your epidermis then diffusing the UV rays into heat, which your body then releases. Chemical sunscreen has been widely used in recent years for a few good reasons. When picturing a lifeguard, most of us have the Iconic image of any classic Summer or beach circa70's/80's movie Scene, where the lifeguard has a thick layer of white sunscreen covering their nose (which is a physical sunscreen). This iconic cinematic look is one most people have wanted to avoid!
Chemical sunscreens can disappear into the skin and do not require the usual rubbing involved of physical sunscreens of the past, making chemical sunscreens a prominent option for many when wanting to avoid that ashy, white appearance. Chemical sunscreen's ability to blend into the skin has made it a standard formula, especially in the cosmetics industry, because it can be added to beauty and skincare products, specifically as most people are trying to protect their skin from sun damage. When a product offers you the chance to avoid applying two products with just one product, you can see why a foundation, for example, with SPF in it would be an option that many people would gravitate to buy.
There are a few primary concerns when considering chemical sunscreens first. If you or your child have sensitive skin, this formula should be avoided. If you have Acne, Eczema, Rosacea, Melasma, and Hyper Pigmentation, or overheating issues, these skin conditions are prone to flare up with chemical sunscreens due to the mechanics of how this variety of SPF works. This variety of skin conditions Are Prone To flare up when the skin gets overheated. Sensitive skin may also react to Chemical Sunscreen due to the sheer level of chemical ingredients in sunscreen. The chances of skin being irritated are more likely the higher the SPF number is. There is no real formula difference between an SPF 35 and that of a higher SPF. Formulas With SPF numbers above 35 are simply a marketing ploy, as a formulation has yet to be created that offers greater protection. Since there is no real formulation that has been designed to protect more effectively, sunscreen brands add higher concentrated levels of chemicals into their formulations.
Besides triggering skin conditions, the full range of chemicals at high levels can cause chemical burns, especially severe when considering that chemical sunscreens have penetration enhancers, which are added to give seemingly more sun protection. Another Concerning Factor Is the FDA decided to grandfather the same chemicals that were formulated in the 1970s!?! (lazy much???) Instead Of Testing Individual Ingredients Brands are using. In extensive laboratory studies of the ingredients used in SPFs, an issue arises with the substances used because sunscreen as a whole goes on such a wide variety of body parts like our lips, face, body, lungs(spray sunscreen), making it further of concern The formulation of chemical sunscreen is designed to penetrate our epidermis so it can work as intended. The natural absorption into our skin also means the formula can be absorbed into our blood, urine, and even mothers' breastmilk.
Alarming is the ability of the ingredients to mimic hormones, especially A Specifically Well Known hormone disrupter is oxybenzone. Oxybenzone affects hormones so much that it was banned in Hawaii for oxybenzone's ability even to disrupt the hormones of coral reefs leading to the effected coral reefs to die. There was such a significant correlation that lead to the state of Hawaii to ban the ingredient and all sunscreens containing oxybenzone. This particular ingredient oxybenzone has been reported by the CDC to be detected in 96 percent of the U.S. population. In recent years, many studies and their data have shown the Adverse effects of hormone disrupters, especially considering that many of these harmful results could have been prevented if the FDA had been more Diligent by not just grandfathering Ingredients for approval. The more the formulations are studied more information on the harm these products can have on our various body systems are being shown. Here is where we suggest that you visit the Environmental Working Group's site; they have an in-depth database and multiple studies on sunscreen Ingredients. Their website is such an excellent resource for such a wide range of Household and self-care products too.
Can you tell We Are passionate about the quality of products, especially those that are advertised safe for babies and children?!?
Physical Sunscreen
Physical sunscreen is the other classification that is found in UV protection, as its name suggests. It protects by providing a physical barrier between your skin and reflecting UV Rays off your skin. The two main ingredients in physical sunscreens are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. When shopping for sunscreens, you will be able to easily find physical sunscreens by the other name of Mineral Sunscreen, which many brands make. However, to make sure the formulation is just a mineral base, you need to look at the active ingredients. The only listed active ingredients should be Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide. If you notice other active ingredients listed, then the formulation is a Chemical sunscreen, which is typical for brands to combine physical and chemical sunscreens.
Tip when shopping for sunscreen, the simpler the list of ingredients, the cleaner the formulation. This also applies to the advertisements on the packaging, the fewer claims it has on it like anti-aging, waterproof, lasts all day, etc. The less likely it will irritate your skin. When looking for SPF information, EWG.Com has an in-depth ranking of sunscreens, so you can effortlessly search the ranking of your sunscreen you already use. Many Interested in Natural Skincare or having skin issues Gravitate Towards feeling more comfortable using minerals that reflect UV rays instead of using various chemicals to disperse the light into the heat as with chemical sunscreens. Mineral Sunscreen has been shown to protect the best against UV A and UV B, providing a broader spectrum of protection from UV rays, which is the whole point of wearing sunscreen in the first place. Zinc oxide has been found in studies to offer the broadest protection against UV light, with Titanium oxide being the second-best in providing a full spectrum of protection.
The Evident Protection And functionality, while not being irritating to sensitive skin Makes Mineral sunscreens an excellent option for those of us who suffer from sensitive skin issues of Acne, Eczema, Rosacea, Melasma, and Hyper Pigmentation. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide provide barriers by sitting on the skin's surface and not contributing to your skin heating up. Also, the formulation can be minimal, so irritation from chemicals will be less prominent of an issue.
With previous formulations of mineral sunscreens, there was the typical issue when applied of having the thick white formula, which didn't disappear upon application. With new Mineral SPFs coming out all the time now, the past issue of not having the sunscreen blend completely has been less of a problem. One way companies have gotten rid of this the chunky mineral problem is my using nanoparticles, especially with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the smaller particles in the formulation. So the SPF will rub into the skin more fully without that white shadow look. A factor to consider from a study when scientists exposed mice with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Titanium Dioxide was detected in the mice offspring, so just another factor to consider when shopping. A Label to look for if this is of concern, many brands don't use nanoparticles and will advertise on the label that they don't use nanoparticles in their products.
While we do think studies and data are essential, we also know that it can be overwhelming to take so much information in. To offer help, we provided you with a shopping guide to our favorite clean formulated sunscreens that offer us protection when having fun in the sun.
Mineral Sunscreens and Tinted Mineral Sunscreens Shopping Guide
Collagen -Why You Need To Add It Into Your Diet, Plus Budget and Vegan Friendly Options
Tips for supporting your bodies production of Collagen, one of the major types of proteins our body uses to support our skin, nails, and hair.
Collagen has hit its peak in popularity (you heard it here first, ha) in the beauty and wellness arenas, its everywhere! From Sephora to your local chain grocery store and of course as my son calls is “The Amazon”can ship it to your front door. I must say I didn’t dive in head first to this trend. And I don’t usually with a lot of trends, I wait to see if there is any feedback or waining within individual’s results, because frankly it is expensive and time sucking to keep up while being informed on all the latest trends. I also don’t have a lot of extra time to incorporate new items into my routine so functionality of a product is another key factor.
A great example of an ongoing trend that is great but I couldn’t fully get onboard with is the Celery Juice Drink. While I loved having Celery Juice first thing in the morning, I don’t have time to juice celery every morning especially if there is a chance I will wake up the kiddo with the noise of the juicer, and due to most mornings I wake up before me little sleepy head. I found it also nonfunctional with this drink to have celery continually stock in the fridge, ie me always having to run to the store because celery had run out at home wasn’t always plausible. So I have semi parted ways with this drink, and only do it on occasion so I can keep my sanity in the morning, and still keep this healthy beneficial trend in my back pocket.
Yes I know I went off topic a bit, but my point is and I think will always be that I am very practical (hello typical virgo with OCD here) and wanting to only share tips and trends that are workable, realistic, and try to also give cost effective short cuts!
So that leads me back to Collagen. I was familiar with the benefits of collagen for our bodies, but my personal focus with the use of collagen was a bit more cosmetic however I was pleased to have results with my hair, skin and did notice a less cracking of my joints when exercising. Like many women who are moms there are inevitable changes that happen, to it put mildly. After our son was born my hair became super super course in the back. While I have always had thick semi curly hair, this course texture made hair styling so time consuming and I just never fully liked the end results. As for my skin….well you try to go without sleep for two years straight. Lets just say concealer and I are BFFs for life. I have found the Powder I use and the supplement that I have taken on the regular now for a few months were an ease to add into my routine, and more important I saw results. My hair has become more softer like it used to be, and styling is more easily done to the lessening of the former course texture. So my skin…. has been going through its own journey due to some not quite diagnosed medical issues, I have been having swelling, hives and breakouts due to severe allergies and possible other issues (might share later when I have more answers from doctors). However with all the other issues my skin is going through between spells my skin has been able to heal faster and feels more balanced. This is quite funny to write and is so counter intuitive to how bad my face appears when I am going through “bouts” that are linked to other issues, but it is a testament to the benefits of aiding our bodies in the healing process, in this case with collagen.
What Is Collagen?
So why is collagen so beneficial to our bodies? Collagen is one of the building blocks that cements our bodies together, and one of the major types of proteins our body uses. You find Collagen in connective tissue ie joints, ligaments, muscle and skin. You can also find Collagen in fibrous tissues like our heart, blood vessels and digestive track. The major area that is being exposed and hyper focused on at this time for the importance of collagen is in beauty and wellness industry, as collagen being a main component in the structure of our skin, hair and nails, and how the appearance/strength can be improved if our body is making the proper amounts of collagen. Unfortunately our bodies production of collagen does slow down as we get older. You can see the results of the less dense connective tissue under a microscope on someone who is older, smokes or excessively tans which can all attribute to and lower collagen levels in our dermis layer of skin (Middle layer) making it less dense in connective tissue. This can lead to skin looking thinner, crepey, weakened and not as plump. This loss of collagen can also lend itself to contributing to joints and muscles feeling more stiff, limited range of motion and shrinking of muscles. The far reaching affects and benefits of collagen is easy to see how it can be helpful and worthwhile to look into this trending focus on collagen.
So a issue that I had when powders and formulas first came out was they were all animal based, depending on the companies extraction process they use mostly ligaments and other areas where you find connective tissue and extract it from animals bone and tissue. Personally I have been plant based for over twelve years so the formulas I was finding were not compatible. The point I like to make here that sometimes I believe is missed, when you are consuming a protein from an animal in this case mainly collagen which is a triple helix (think DNA) your body can’t consume that protein whole. Because that protein and its formulation was made for that animal’s body based on that animals needs and diet. Since your body can’t consume that protein whole your body has to break it down, and it formulates what your body needs from it, and what it doesn’t use or consume becomes waste. I am bringing up this point not to go on a tangent (again lol) but its a point I see missing from the collagen conversation. On the other hand when eating plant based collagen builders specifically fruits, veggies, legumes, grains and nuts the profile of these foods doesn’t require your body to break down a complex animal protein making it easier on your body to get the resources it needs ie collagen, vitamins and minerals. Beyond that, plant based options offer other nutrients that help support your bodies collagen production like Vitamin C, A, E, B1 which are some of the key components in the synthesis of your body making collagen, so when getting your collagen from plant based options your body gets the all around ingredients it also needs for pre/post production and protection to help prevent breakdown.
So I am aware of the cost of products specifically in the beauty and wellness space can add up really fast . I do want to share a few products that I saw results from. However I wanted to add in foods that can benefit and support our bodies in the making of collagen and are great for overall skin, hair, nails and well body health that are also a little less taxing on our wallets also more sustainable. For me personally investing in my health is important because I see that everything is possible when you have your health. Health is wealth!
Collagen Building Products
Collagen Building Foods
Let me know what resinated with you in this blog and if you start to include any of these tips into your routine. Also please share your favorite collagen boosting tips, you know what to do comment below!
Ways To Protect Yourself From Skin Cancer (That Have Nothing To Do With Sunscreen)
We are too quick to focus only on sunscreen and forget all the other things that put you at risk for skin cancer. Here are four ways to prevent this disease that have nothing to do with SPF:
One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer during their lifetime. Many people don't know this, but skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer worldwide, and in the United States, there are more new cases of skin cancer than breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers combined. Research shows that the incidence of melanoma in women 18 to 39 increased 800 percent from 1970 to 2009. In other words, we should all be reading up on how to prevent it.
I say this not only as a skin cancer expert and dermatologist but because I am one of those five. And if I had known then what I know now, there's a chance I wouldn't have had the extreme displeasure of having to diagnose myself with the most deadly skin cancer there is: melanoma.
And while sunscreen is an important part of skin cancer prevention, we are too quick to focus only on sunscreen and forget all the other things that put you at risk for skin cancer. Here are four ways to prevent this disease that have nothing to do with SPF:
1. Get your beauty sleep.
Your body is regulated by your circadian rhythm, which regulates one of the body's most important hormones: melatonin. Melatonin influences your body weight, reproduction, and hair growth and helps your body know when to sleep and wake up. One of the most important roles melatonin plays in skin health is its ability to protect it from UV radiation. In fact, melatonin has been shown to be a stronger scavenger of free radicals than vitamin C or vitamin E, which are both often used to treat cellular damage. As an antioxidant, melatonin has a protective role against UVB skin damage and can block free radical damage, decrease inflammation, and stimulate the formation of other potent antioxidants in the body such as glutathione and superoxide dismutase. Translation: Getting quality sleep every night helps block the damaging effects of UV rays.
2. Eat the rainbow.
UV exposure and other environmental factors can quickly deplete your skin's innate antioxidant reserve. As a result, cellular and DNA damage is created, and this increases your risk of developing melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Eating foods rich in antioxidants like collards, strawberries, kale (which all contain plenty of vitamin C); avocados, dark-green leafy vegetables, salmon, nuts (great sources of vitamin E); carrots, squash, sweet potatoes (vitamin A); and romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach (which contain lutein and zeaxanthin) is extremely important. These foods have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties, which is why they are considered among the most promising group of compounds to be researched and implemented as an ideal cancer-prevention strategy.
3. Get caffeinated.
Studies have shown that higher consumption of caffeinated coffee was associated with lower risk for basal cell carcinoma and may also have an effect on lowering the risk of melanoma. In a clinical study of over 90,000 Caucasian women, it was found that those who drank six or more cups of coffee per day had a 30 percent decrease in the prevalence of non-melanoma skin cancer. In a separate study, coffee consumption of one cup per day was associated with a 3 percent reduction in melanoma risk, while another study showed a 20 percent decreased prevalence of malignant melanoma consuming four cups a day. The sweet spot may turn out to be somewhere in the middle but more research needs to be done. For now, though, we know that the benefit is tied to the bioactive chemicals in coffee, including caffeine and chlorogenic acid, so don't switch to decaf just yet!
4. Get naked.
The only way to examine your skin is to see it—up close and personal. Get ready to party in your birthday suit and be on the lookout for any uninvited guests. I can't stress this enough: When you take notice, you can take action. So make a date with yourself and pick one day a month that you commit to checking your skin, and put it in your calendar. Get naked. Examine yourself either before or after your shower. You're already naked, so make the most of it. Start at the top of your head and work your way down to your toes. Look in all your nooks and crannies: your mouth, lips, ears, armpits, belly button, nails, between your fingers and toes, the tops and bottoms of your feet. Check out your intimate bits—front and back. Grab a hand mirror so you can see the skin externally and internally. (Here's a guide for what to look for.)
Skin cancer is both the most prevalent and the most preventable cancer in our country. Remember to keep up with these four tips, as well as being diligent about sunscreen if you're going to be spending time outside. Cheers to your resilient health!
EFT Tapping For Cravings: A Simple + Effective Practice To Try On Yourself
EFT TAPPING is a unique therapy for letting go of heavy emotional baggage.
EFT TAPPING is a unique therapy for letting go of heavy emotional baggage. When we lighten our emotional load, we actually give our bodies the opportunity to better deal with other chronic issues that need working out. Integrative nutritionist, Jennie Miremadi, uses EFT tapping for cravings — curbing them and keeping them under control — and she’s sharing a simple guide to trying it yourself.
We love this simple personal practice, especially as we launch into a season saturated with excess and temptation. Discover the basics of EFT tapping here, and learn all about EFT tapping for cravings just ahead…
The EFT + Craving Connection
If you struggle with food cravings, EFT is an incredibly powerful tool that may be able to help. I’ve written about the practice of EFT previously, but here’s a brief recap: In EFT, which stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques (often called tapping), you use your fingertips to tap on specific points on your face and body. These points are identified in traditional Chinese acupuncture that land on energy pathways (called meridians) that run throughout your body.
When you use EFT directly on your cravings, you connect with your craving for a particular food while tapping on the meridian points — the simultaneous tapping while thinking about the craving makes it possible to release or lessen the intensity of the craving. This way you look at the food with a much lower craving, or without experiencing any cravings at all. Pretty amazing, right?
Focus On Real Food
I’m going to show you step-by-step how to start using EFT on your cravings, but before I do, keep in mind that what you put in your body is a key component to combat cravings. Meals that are loaded with sugar and refined carbs (even if organic, gluten-free and vegan) spike your blood sugar and trigger cravings for more sugar and refined carbs. So, you’re likely to get stuck in a vicious cycle of constantly craving unhealthy food. Instead, eat a nutrient dense, anti-inflammatory diet made up of real, whole foods. Be sure to include protein, healthy fats and fiber-rich carbs at every meal. Also, drink plenty of water. In doing so you may be able to eliminate food cravings altogether.
Tap Directly On Your Cravings
If you implement dietary changes and are still craving food that doesn’t serve your health and nutrition goals, that’s when I recommend using EFT to target cravings. Here’s how to do it:
Grab a particular food that you’re craving — and if you don’t actually have the food available at the moment try using a photo of the food instead. As you look at the food, notice what you love about it: Is it the smell? The taste? The texture? Now, rate how much you crave the food on a scale of 0 to 10 (use 10 as the highest or most craving and 0 as no craving at all). Then, take the tips of your index and middle finger (or all four of your fingers) and start tapping on the karate chop meridian point (identified in the photo). Say this setup phrase three times: Even though I have a strong craving for … (fill in with your food choice, such asa grilled cheese sandwich) because I love (fill in why you love it, such as the gooey cheese that oozes out with every bite), I deeply and completely accept myself.
Then, using the tips of your index and middle finger, move to tapping on each of the other meridian points (identified in the photo) about seven times, starting with the eyebrow meridian point, then moving to the side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin and collarbone points. Switch to using all four fingers for the underarm point, and end by tapping with all four fingers on the top of head point. While you’re tapping on each meridian point, focus on the craving and use a phrase to remind yourself of your favorite part of the food (gooey cheese).
Repeat the entire sequence a minimum of three times, retest how much you crave the food on a scale of 0 to 10. If your craving isn’t yet at a 0, keep going with rounds of tapping. Before you start tapping again, connect with your craving for the food. Notice if what you love most about the food has changed to a different feature of the food (instead of gooey cheese, it’s the warm and buttery bread). If it has, focus on whatever part of the food you now desire most.
Modify your setup phrase to note that there is still part of the craving remaining by saying: Even though my craving for x is not yet gone, and I still want x because I love the taste of (fill it in with the aspect of the food you currently desire most, such as the warm and buttery bread), I deeply and completely accept myself. Then do another three rounds of tapping on the other meridian points, adjusting your reminder phrase to remind you of the part of the food you currently desire most (warm and buttery bread). Ideally you’ll keep tapping until you reach a 0, but generally if you can get the craving to a 3 or lower you’ll be in a place where you could take the food or leave it, making the decision not to eat the food a whole lot easier.
When There’s Resistance
If, after doing several rounds of tapping, you find that your craving isn’t budging, you can attempt to tap on your resistance to let go of the craving. Change your setup phrase to note this resistance, stating: Even though I have no desire to stop eating x because (fill it in with your reason), I deeply and completely accept myself. Then do rounds of tapping, focusing on the reasons why you don’t want to let go of the food you crave.
Time Your Tapping
Tapping directly on your cravings can help in the moment when faced with a food craving that you’re struggling to not eat. By reducing your desire to eat it, you make it easier for yourself to walk away from it. But, if you’re like many people who struggle with cravings, there’s often a time after you have a craving when you’re likely to eat the food no matter what. The only way to reap the benefits of using EFT to reduce cravings is to start using it before you get to your no turning back time.
If you’re trying to figure out when your no turning back time is, here’s a hint: It’s often when you’ve switched from thinking about the food to acting on eating. For example, it might be when you’ve picked up the phone to order a pizza. Or, once you’ve popped that frozen enchilada in the oven. Or, maybe it’s when you’ve have the box of the mac and cheese in your hand. Try to determine when your no turning back time is, and the next time you have a craving practice using EFT before you reach it.
Digging Deeper For Cravings
Occasionally you may be able to eliminate a craving permanently by tapping directly on the craving itself. But many times cravings occur because a person is experiencing a negative emotion that they’re trying to suppress with food. If your cravings are being triggered by emotions, you’ll likely have to keep tapping on the craving every time it arises until you figure out what’s triggering it.
Of course, having the ability to use EFT in the moment is empowering. It gives you an actionable tool to reduce your cravings — but ideally you’ll need to start digging deeper to figure out why your craving keeps appearing. You can then use EFT to reduce or release the underlying emotional trigger for your craving. In other words, in addition to using EFT directly on your cravings, you can also use it to decrease or clear the intensity of negative emotions that are at the root of your cravings. When you use EFT in this way, you make it possible for EFT to have a more lasting effect on cravings because you’re targeting the root cause.
If you’d like to dig deeper into the emotions behind your cravings, ask yourself these questions when a craving arises:
+ What emotions come up when I think about craving this food? Why am I having these emotions? Are they connected to any specific events?
+ Did an upsetting event happen prior to this craving?
+ If an upsetting event did happen prior to this craving, does that event remind me of similar upsetting events from my past?
+ Is this a food I’ve craved before? If so, is there a pattern to when I’m craving it? And, if so, is there an event that I can remember when I first started craving it?
+ Does this food remind me of anything or anyone from my past? If it does, why is that upsetting to me?
+ Are there any beliefs about myself that come up when I think about craving this food? If so, are there any events in my life that gave rise to or support that belief?
Create a list of all the specific* events that come to mind when you answer each of these questions. Then use EFT to decrease or clear the intensity of negative emotions connected to the specific events you’re able to identify. Doing this makes it possible to think about the same previously upsetting event(s) that triggered your cravings with a much lower emotional charge, or without experiencing any negative emotion at all. You’re likely to find that when you clear the trigger(s) for your cravings, the craving itself disappears.
*You can read why specific events matter here. And, review the EFT Basic Recipe detailing how to use EFT to reduce or release negative emotions connected to specific events.
Find Support
Getting to the root of your cravings not only takes time, it can be challenging to do on your own. So, if you try digging deeper but find yourself struggling to identify the events, emotions and beliefs triggering your cravings, or you’ve identified them but you’re having trouble working through them yourself, consider reaching out to a certified EFT practitioner to help guide you through the process.
And, most importantly, if you’ve suffered through any kind of serious trauma or are the victim of a crime, please do not use EFT on your own to work through these events (even if they’re triggering cravings for food). Please seek the help of a trained professional who will guide and support you.
Summer Is Here.....Summer's Bucket List
Summer days fly bye and so do plans, so I wanted to make a summer bucket list to help keep some of the activities that I look forward to during this time of year in mind.
I am a wimp, when it comes to summer temperatures sizzling outside. However I am excited for summer this year, there is just a motivating energy that i’ve been feeling. It might be the sun is rising a few mins after I wake up. Or the longer summer days are helping me feel a little less rushed later in my day, another aspect to loving the longer days is feeling supported and more inspired to get more projects done. More important to me than checking off items on my to do list is the time spent outdoors, the long late evenings spent chatting with family and friends sharing memories and laughs in our backyard, or staying past the sun setting at the beach.
Summer also has a way of slipping away to quickly, with a husband who is a Fire Captain and the state of Ca sadly on fire for most of the months, the time of long lazy days of childhood are certainly a dream. Summer days fly bye and so do plans, so I wanted to make a summer bucket list to help keep some of the activities that I look forward to during this time of year in mind, so when the season comes to an end I don’t find myself regretful that I let the days pass me by. So in typical type A adult me mode I decided to make a list, then I am working on scheduling activities in.
Love to know what summer plans you have coming up, any changes in your routine, or exciting festivals or retreats you might be heading off to?!? Wishing you a wonderful summer and plenty of fun in the sun!
