Posted by Linda | May 13, 2016
Left You Hangin’
I know I left you hanging….
We all should have a “WHY” to what motivates us. Well, here is one of my “whys”. Her name is Ashley. She is my niece, a daughter and mommy and OMG what and adorable baby, right? YES, this miracle was born in the middle of this mess. God is so good.
Ashley has several of the risk factors that I named on my last blog for Melanoma skin cancer which includes fair skin, freckles, sun exposure and use of tanning beds.
So what do we do?
PREVENTION
How do we protect ourselves better against the sun which is a powerful, wonderful, source of energy that we need?
WE MAKE BETTER CHOICES!
Last week I listed the ingredients we want to avoid and provided you with a link to EWG.org which is a wonderful resource.
Do not get caught up in pretty labels/colors and miss the most important information. This is an example of how we have to do our own due diligence and “be our own advocates”. Know what you are looking for and read labels. This sunscreen is a chemical spray and lists ingredients on the “avoid list”.
FEW TIPS
- Go for physical barrier sunscreens (no chemical ones please). Physical sunscreens start to work right away. No waiting 20-45 minutes. Who remembers to do that anyway?
- Choose sunscreens that have at least 15-20% zinc oxide as the primary ingredient.
- Sunscreens free of oxybenzone or oxtinoxate (see the above picture).
- There are lotions or creams with zinc oxide that can reduce the white haze but remember sprays are out.
CHANGE IS GOOD AND SOMETIMES IT COMES WITH A LEARNING CURVE.
Yes, the physical sunscreen may not look & feel as nice on our skin as the chemical ones and it may have a white haze, but I would say avoiding cancer is worth it!
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE?
- For general use: Badger It has simple ingredients. This will go on a bit thick but you can rub it in.
- For the special woman in the house: Suntegrity This goes on easily and does not leave a white or greasy residue.
- For the active member: Thinksport
- For the baby: California Baby
You can find these on amazon or your local health food store.
WORDS FROM THE WISE
Last week I mentioned I would have a guest and she happens to be my sister, Sue Kane. She is studying aromatherapy (amongst other things) and because she makes 99% of her own products, I asked her for ideas on a DIY sunscreen.
Here are here words……
In my humble opinion, I would caution anyone to not “rely” on DIY sunscreens to protect their skin if you plan to be out in the sun for an extended period of time, if you are fair skinned and/or have a family history/genetic predisposition to skin-related cancers. A good sunscreen has to cover the skin evenly like a good coat of paint and, unfortunately, the zinc powder has a tendency to clump together when you DIY causing uneven coverage and protection. Instead, I’d recommend you use a “professionally” formulated “natural” sunscreen.
That being said, there are some people that have reported success with DIY recipes.
Below are links to a couple of sites you can check out if you are interested in exploring the option to make your own. I always like to read all the comments to see what users are saying:
Wellness Mama: http://wellnessmama.
Scratchmommy http://www.
If you do happen to get too much sun, here’s a sunburn spray recipe to help provide some “relief” to your inflamed skin.
In a 1 oz (30 ml) glass spray bottle, combine:
1 oz (30 ml) Lavender hydrosol (can use distilled water if you don’t have hydrosol)
15 drops Lavender essential oil.
1 tsp (5 ml) aloe vera gel (unscented)
2 gel tabs of vitamin E (just pierce the tabs with a safety pin and squeeze out the gel.)
Keep refrigerated to enhance the cooling effect
Safe for kids over 5
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide – taking into consideration the information you’ve gathered, your genetics and the environmental conditions (will you be in the shade or in direct sunlight for hours). If you do decide to make your own sunscreen, I’d suggest that since we are all unique, that you “test” the formulation to see if it works for YOU.
After all, it’s YOUR skin :).
Sue Kane
Essentials Just for You * Supporting Better Health
FINAL THOUGHTS
A final thought from one VERY strong lady- Ashley Drury
When asked if there was anything she wanted to say:
“So much, but I would definitely have been more careful to avoid the pain and experience it has brought to my life.”
Remember: Be safe and choose sunscreens that are effective, non-toxic and will not disrupt your hormones!
Feel free to post your comments below.
What is your favorite non-toxic sunscreen?
Great blog Linda! As a mother of a daughter and watching her suffer and go through all she has gone through with her ongoing battle against melanoma, I do not understand why there is not the same warning when using a tanning bed as there is on a package of cigarettes!!!!!! Mothers! Please discourage your young daughters from using tanning beds and DO NOT sign a waiver to allow it!! Watching my daughter lose some precious time in her young life is heart wrenching and CAN be prevented!!
Heartfelt and powerful words from a awesome Mom. I could not agree with you more!