Diva Guide: Suncreen

Summer is coming – which sunscreen will you slather on your skin?

Sunscreen is a product that we are encouraged to use to protect ourselves from harmful UV rays while enjoying the outdoors. If you’re a parent, it’s likely you are even more concerned about protecting your children’s sensitive skin and making the safest choice possible.

But what to do we really know about the safety of the products we are choosing – in my research – it seems clear that we don’t know enough.

Note – be prepared when switching to safer sunscreens you are going to move into products that are going to be thicker, whiter and slower to absorb that other sunscreen choices.  This is because they rely on a high concentration of zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to block the suns rays.

Look for:
At least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for UVA & UVB protection.

What to Avoid:
Spray and Powder Sunscreen
Sunscreen insect repellent combo – pesticides absorbing into your body
Ingredients; Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3, skin absorption, allergies, hormone problems
Brands; Coppertone, Banana Boat and Most Neutrogena

From the EWG:
No one understands the health implications of our exposures to complex mixtures of industrial compounds and pollutants: remarkably, federal health standards do not require companies to test most products for safety before they are sold, including nearly all chemicals in sunscreen and other personal care products. Little is known about the safety of most industrial chemicals. In the absence of data the federal government approves new chemicals for the market using computer models to predict if they are toxic to humans.

After 30 years of debate,the government has failed to set mandatory sunscreen safety standards. Companies are free to make their own decisions on everything from advertising claims to product quality. FDA now stands in direct violation of a Congressional mandate requiring the agency to finalize sunscreen safety standards by May 2006, flouting not only Congress but also consumers, who are reliant on sunscreen to protect their health.

EWG’s Top Ten List:

Blue Lizard
California Baby (SPF 30 or Higher)
CVS (with zinc oxide
Jason Natural Cosmetics – Sunbrellas Mineral Based Sunblock
Kiss My Face – Paraben Free series
Neutrogena – Sensative Skin Sunblock
Olay Defense Daily UV Moisturizer with zinc
SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense
Solar Sense Clear Zinc for Face
Walgreens Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose, & Ears

My Picks:

After studying the EWG’s extensive list the following products have an EWG score of 0-3 for toxicity. My selections are for individual products, not the brands in general, as brand scores can vary widely.

Natural:
Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas: Mineral Based Physical Sunblock SPF 30+
Kiss My Face Sunscreen Spf#30 + With Oat Protein 100% Paraben Free
Nature’s Gate Organics Be Solective Sunscreen for Face, SPF 30
All California Baby Sunscreens

Luxury
Dermalogica Super Sensitive Face Block, SPF 30
Mustela Sun Cream for Sensitive Areas, SPF 50
Kiehl’s All-Sport ‘non-Freeze’ Face Protector, SPF 30
DDF Organic Sunblock, SPF 30

Value:
CVS Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 45+
Walgreens Sunblock with Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose & Ears, SPF 45+
Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer, SPF 30 – Available at my Target
No-Ad Ultra Sunblock Lotion, SPF 60

If you must use a spray – these are your best bets:
Almay Sun Protector for Body Spray, SPF 30
Dermalogica Waterblock Solar Spray, SPF 30
Banana Boat Ultra Mist Kid’s Tear Free Continuous Spray Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30 – Only SPF 30 the SPF 50 is rated 9!

Shopping at Target:
I was recently at target, they had walls of sunscreen. I could only find one of the above products – After an hour of research using my telephone I was able to find 2 sunscreens that were an EWG 3 and the lowest score for a spray was a 5.
Coppertone WaterBabies Pure & Simple – SPF 50 – oil, fragrance & dye free
Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion – SPF 60+
Banana Boat Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen – SPF 50

To learn more:
www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report/sunscreen09

Welcome back to PND. It's good to see you again!Diva Guide: Suncreen

Diva Review – Kabana Organic Sunscreen

Kabana Organic Fragrance Free Tinted Sunscreen SPF 22

Planning a getaway for some fun in the sun this winter? You’ll want to protect your winter white skin from the sun with sunscreen, but you’ll also want to be sure the protection doesn’t care it’s own set of concerns.

Kabana Skincare offers a selection of ultra pure sunscreens, baby care products, soap & bodywashes that offer light UV protection for everyday protection, moisturizers, lip balms and sunscreens.

To learn more about the importance of careful sunscreen selections read the Diva Guide to Safer Sunscreen.

Kabana offer’s sunscreen in both Tinted & Untinted.  Many of the safer sunscreens contain a high amount of zinc, as does Kabana’s.  Many people don’t like the white pastiness you end up with from the zinc.  Tinted sunscreen provides a solution to this problem.  I’m very fair and the tint disappeared into my skin.  Those with darker skin my find the tinting a little pale.

Sunscreen is an important part of a skincare regime.  Not only does it prevent skin cancer, but wrinkles too.  Let’s face it, most of us are more motivated by vanity then our health.  According to the American Academy of Dermatologists – 90% of wrinkles are caused by sun!

What I love about the Kabana line is their streamline approach they take with their products.  Their Tinted Sunscreen has 8 ingredients.  Eight!  They focus on high quality, effective ingredients.  I was initially concerned that they didn’t offer a SPF 30.  Their founder,  Eric Kreider believes that an SPF 20 is all the protection we need and equates to absorbing 95% of UV, while an SPF 45 only gives you 2.8% more protection while exposing our bodies to more chemicals that typically carry a %300 increase in associated health risk along with a higher price tag.

With a Diva Total  13.7 of out of 15 points this product is: Divaliscious!

CLICK HERE for review criteria:

8 Points Skin Deep Low Hazard Rating ~ 1
2 Points for being Organic – The Tinted Sunscreen comprised of %86 organic ingredients.

1.8 Points for effectiveness Worn at the Beach in Sunny California and on a Palm Springs getaway, my fair skin didn’t get burnt. I did get a bit of extra sun on my nose – I should have reapplied after 2 hours as per the instructions.

.8 Point for Texture This product was very smooth and creamy. For a zinc based sunscreen I found it absorbed in more quickly than other products I’ve tried.

.7 Point for Fragrance The Kabana Sunscreen is unscented and doesn’t contain any fragrance to mask it’s natural scent.

.3 Points for Packaging Appearance The packaging is very sporty in appearance. Royal Blue with Bright Yellow and Green Writing accents.

.1 Points for Packaging SustainabilityThe Sunscreen is not packaged using any additional boxes, but there was no information on their site or the tube.

Overall:

With a nice texture, effective sun protection and ultra pure ingredient list, this is a great sunscreen option for your entire family.  If whiteness from the zinc bothers you, choose the tinted option.  Otherwise I didn’t notice a difference between the two offerings.

Note – Don’t forget to shake the tube well prior to application as it separates when it sits.

Diva Review – Kabana Organic Sunscreen

Oprah & Pure Natural Diva

Oprah is Having a Contest and my friend, Desiree, at Bottles To Britches told me I HAD to enter.  So I got to work.

Now that my video audition is complete – please check it out – and more importantly – VOTE!!!  Voting couldn’t be any easier – no forms to fill out – just one second to click on vote.

I Need Your Votes – TODAY, TOMORROW, OVER and OVER and OVER again!  The math goes like this -  I need every single fan to generate 8 votes daily.  Yet we know that only 10% of people really get involved that really means I need my biggest fans generating 65 votes every single day… hmmm…

Your votes will get Pure Natural Diva one step closer to having a show on the air that is fully dedicated to Whole Living with Style and Ease – imagine the difference we could make.

This is a hardcore competition with high stakes.  The current leader of the contest is Rener Gracie – he has the entire Fighting Community voting for him  – in two weeks he’s gotten over a million votes.

Spread the Word – Share – Share – Share

Forward this via email to everyone on your contact list, copy and paste the message below on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and all other social media networks.

Tweet & Status Update

Vote for Pure Natural Diva to win her own show on Oprah’s network  – give a voice to healthier, greener living! http://bit.ly/dwAlGP

Blogger’s:  I’ve created a simple post that you can use on your blog

Click Here to grab your story!

Check out the Audition

http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=5711&promo_id=1  to view my audition piece – then click “Vote” – that’s it!

One voter had this to say on the Oprah site:

“We need Pure Natural Diva Live! America needs this show! I love that Tania is a mom who wants to make a difference in all our lives. She has passion and really dives into the issues, makes you feel passionate too about wanting to make changes in your own home and life. In addition to being a hilarious and genuine person she is incredibly smart. Tania has invested her heart & soul in Pure Natural Diva….out of not just her own family & personal needs but seeing a genuine need in all of our lives & in society today Please pick Pure Natural Diva Live to be an Oprah show!”

View Tania’s audition here and don’t forget to vote – http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=5711&promo_id=1

Very Important – So I’ll say it again!

Voting is not limited  – so please vote AS MANY times as possible before the deadline on July 3rd.

Thanks guys! Together we can make this happen and positively impact lots of lives.

Extra Bonus Points

Help get the producer’s attention by posting a comment too!  Show the producer’s that you believe a show like PND live can make a difference in lives around the country!

Oprah & Pure Natural Diva

Tyler Florence Wishbone Los Angeles TweetUp

Pure Natural Diva opened our doors to some fabulous Los Angeles Twivas for a lovely brunch!

For this event we made Tyler’s Salad and an  EggFrittata.

Tyler Florence’s  Arugula, Roasted Cherry Tomato & Bocconcini Salad:

1. Preheat oven 350°.
2. Arrange tomatoes in roasting pan, then drizzle with olive oil. Add garlic and thyme. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes or until tomatoes are tender and start to burst.

 

This event was sponsored by Wishbone.

Tyler Florence Wishbone Los Angeles TweetUp

Natural First Finger Foods for Infants

During the finger food stage of feeding your little one my favorites are (Organic):

Puffed Wheat

Puffed Kamut (related to wheat) – larger and easier for little hands to grasp

Puffed Brown Rice

Puffed Corn

Brown Rice Cakes – Unsalted

* Don’t forget the fruits and vegetables.  You can cook and chop into small pieces any vegetable or non soft fruit that you might feed them at meal time.

Natural First Finger Foods for Infants

I’m Buying a Cow.

I’m not going to pasture a cow in our backyard, but have I decided that I need to opt out of the mainstream meat production as much as I can.

The first step in “buying our cow” is acquiring a deep freeze.  If you aren’t going to get your meat from the market, you’ll likely be buying it in larger quantities and that will require a freezer.

In an effort to ensure anyone could do this -  I found our deep freeze on craigslist in the free section.  It took a few weeks of steady checking – but one day there it was – an upright, clean, free deep freeze.

I don’t think we’ll buy a whole cow, we don’t eat that much meat – a share will do us nicely.

So why am I doing this?

It’s my belief that the food system in our country is very broken and one of the areas that is of particular concern is the meat industry.  It’s no wonder so many people turn to being vegetarian. About 70% of ground beef in America contains a filler product that is washed with ammonia in order to kill e-coli – it’s time to for a change.

For me and my family that means eating less meat,  higher quality meats and whenever possible – supporting local farmers and ranchers.

Recently, I had an great discussion with a farmer named Xenia, from Rainbow Ranch Farms in San Bernadino, CA.  She used to be a vegetarian – now she has a farm, and on her farm she has  chickens, goats, cows, and 2 dogs.  She raises these animals in the manner that we imagine all the farm animals are raised.  Unfortunately meat we are getting from conventional grocers isn’t raised in this fashion.

Xenia can’t sell to any stores, she can’t sell to whole foods, she can only sell to folks who are shared owners of her farm. The good news is anyone can become a shared owner of her farm or many of the other CSA farmers around the country!

More good news – there are farms that are licensed to sell without requiring a CSA share.  Farms like Lazy 69 Ranch in Central California.  They will ship anywhere, but see if you can’t find a  great ranch like this one close to you.

Don’t think you have a small farm in your area – you’d be surprised.  Spend a few minutes with google or www.localharvest.org.

You can also find  local farmers who sell meat and eggs through the Farmer’s Markets.

I’m Buying a Cow.

You’re Having a Baby – Plans For Delivery

So, you’re having a baby. Congratulations! Welcome to the biggest challenge and biggest joy of your life.

You want to have a natural childbirth. People are laughing at you. You’re not sure where to go for support.

Before getting pregnant – if you had asked me – I would have told you that if I ever had a baby I would be the first in line for the epidural. Sign me up, lets go.  I knew I didn’t want a c-section – I didn’t want any scars, but give me the drugs… please!

Something changed for me once I had that little one in my belly.

I had carefully chosen my OBGYN prior to getting pregnant, knowing that we would be trying to start our family soon. I talked to friends, researched online and made my selection.

A few months into my pregnancy – I started to have questions… I realized I was in a group practice and unless I went into labour during office hours, the chances of my doctor delivering our baby was pretty small. This was not the experience I wanted.

My mother, a Registered Massage Therapist in Canada, had delivered me and my sister’s naturally, so somewhere along the way I became open to the idea of attempting a natural childbirth. I had also heard her talk many times over the years about patients developing chronic lower back pain following their epidurals… too many to be coincidental. This sounded like it was worth avoiding to me. I thought I would be open to trying it on my own, and I was going to be in the hospital, so it wasn’t like they would refuse drugs if it wasn’t going well.

One of my closest friends is a birthing doula, we had many conversations about the birthing process, the high incidence of induction, scheduled c-sections and general intervention in the natural process of bringing a baby into this world.

So, I decided I wasn’t going for the auto epidural. I was going to attempt a natural childbirth.

Then came the big question – how on earth is my baby’s head going to make it out of that opening without the help of drugs. I started my research and picked my birthing class.

I decided on Hypnobirthing.  Through the hypnobirthing website I met Alisha Tamburri who became my hypnobirthing instructor. I decided that if I had a shot at doing this without drugs, this was going to be the way it would happen. Alisha’s class was invaluable and helped me realize I was with a nice doctor in the wrong practice.

With her help I found a practice with two OBGYN’s, Dr. Crane & Dr. Chin and a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) Debbie Franks – they even had receptionists who knew your name when you called their office – this is in Los Angeles.

When I met with the Debbie, there was no way I was having a midwife and there was no way my husband would go for it even if it was what I wanted. Yet, after a meeting with Debbie, I knew I wanted her to deliver our baby. With a little help from my Mother In Law – Debbie was in.

My experience with Debbie and her whole team was fantastic, not to mention night and day from what I’d experienced at my prior doctor’s team. And different from most other mom’s I’ve spoken with since.

So I went from being the first in line for an epidural, to taking hypnobirthing classes and delivering my baby with a midwife. I ended up having a natural childbirth in a hospital and I’m so happy that I gave it a try.

Below are some resources that were useful to me. I also recently watched The Business of Being Born – a documentary that I wished I had seen sooner and suggest it for all expectant mothers.

http:http://www.mymidwife.org/midwife.cfm
http://www.hypnobirthing.com

You’re Having a Baby – Plans For Delivery

Diva Recipe: Vanilla Room Fragrance

Fragrances are a key area of concern for many people trying to reduce their exposure to potentially toxic chemicals and phthalates.  There are numerous articles dedicated to this subject on the EWG website.  My concerns have led dramatically reduce my perfume use – opting instead for pure vanilla and to stop purchasing room fragrances.

The trouble is – it’s still really nice to have a nice room spray to freshen up a room when it’s needed.  This recipe does the trick in our home.

So – now I make my own!  It’s simple, fast and inexpensive.  Anyone can do it and keep their powder room safely fresh.

1/2 Cup of Distilled Water

1 Tablespoon of Vodka

20 drops of Vanilla (or other favorite) Essential Oil

1 Teaspoon of Grapeseed Oil

Combine all the ingredients and store in a glass container for 45 days.  When you think of it – or every 7-10 days shake your concoction.

Once the fragrance has aged – use a funnel to transfer the liquid into a gorgeous atomizing container.

Diva Recipe: Vanilla Room Fragrance

Natural Remedies Known to Have Dangerous Interactions With Medications:

A report from the Mayo Clinic lists the following known drug interactions between natural remedies and prescribed medications & conditions:

St. John Wort – Increases the potency of some drugs.
S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) – Interacts with drugs that affect serotonin.
Garlic – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
Ginseng – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
Ginger – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
FeverFew – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
Ginko – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications & can interfere with anti-seizure medication
Kava – Avoid if you have liver problems or taking cholesterol medications

St. Johns Wort – Image from Shandchem

I use natural remedies myself – but it is important to remember that natural remedies CAN interact with prescribed medications – just like any other medicine! My personal choice is to work with an Integrative Doctor who prescribes both prescription and non-prescription drugs. If you see a traditional Doctor, or don’t have an Integrative Doctor in your area, be sure to keep your doctor informed of any natural therapies you are using.

The above list is condensed, to read the full story.

Natural Remedies Known to Have Dangerous Interactions With Medications:

10 Americans

This is a great presentation by the President of the EWG, Ken Cook.
The risk of Cancer in the United States is higher than any other country in the world. Invest a few minutes to watch this video. For the health and safety of your family – it’s eye opening.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

10 Americans

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