Archive - March 2019

This was my reaction several months ago as I was reading the ingredients on the label of my favorite sunscreen. The one that doesn’t feel heavy and gooey on my skin and doesn’t run into my eyes faster than I can run to the corner and back. The one I slather on almost daily. The one that has parabens in it. Oh, #$&*. It wasn’t until recently I learned the reason behind the “no parabens” claim on a variety of skin care products. Parabens are used in personal care items (certain cosmetics, sunscreen, and toothpaste, to name a few) as…

Last week’s post Does It Matter What We Put On Our Skin? took to task the lax U.S. standards for personal care products and recommended, for the benefit of our health and our children’s, investing in cleaner body care that adheres to the stricter European standards. Transitioning to this safer body care can be pricey, especially when throwing out partially-used sunscreen, conditioner and cosmetics. But there are several ways to get that money back with smart and some oh-so-slightly-neurotic ways of extending those cleaner, healthier products: Use the right amount. Many of us are guilty (count me in!) of overusing…

A few years ago I was enjoying savasana during another yoga session in Kohler, Wisconsin. Our instructor was giving departing words of wisdom. As I sunk into my mat, eyes closed so I wouldn’t become distracted by the beautiful lake on full display through the wall of windows, my meditation was still thrown by Yogi J’s words: Women apply a (big number) of chemicals to their skin every day. I don’t recall the full context of her words, and I don’t remember the exact figure J quoted,* but it was enough to make my mind swirl and keep a fully…

We decided they were ready, old enough. So as part of our New Year’s Eve movie marathon, Dad and I added The Hunger Games to our cinematic lineup. Two of our kids gave the movie a thumbs up. But not twenty minutes in, our oldest was appalled. His not-so-inner-dialogue for the next two hours went something like this: This movie is horrible. This is not entertainment. We’re supposed to enjoy this? I knew we were taking a chance on a dystopian movie, especially with our sensitive, vividly-imaginative son. But I also knew he would respond to my agreeing with him….