Sunscreen: The Good, the Bad, and the Irony

An article that was brought to my attention about current sunscreens, how harmful they actually are, and the overhaul that the SPF system will be getting come this fall.  I highly recommend you take a look at the article, as well as find your sunscreen HERE to see just what you're putting on your child.

Sunscreens: The Good, the Bad and the Irony

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Valuable information for Protecting Your Famiiy’s Skin This Summer

By: Ashley Ess

The FDA will be introducing new guidelines for sunscreen products this fall… not in time for summer of course, but thankfully, the non-profit organization Environmental Working Group has done exhaustive research for us in the mean time. In the new FDA guidelines, use of the term “waterproof” will be prohibited and the SPF scale will be overhauled, helping consumers understand the system a little bit better. As of now, many people are confused about the SPF system, in part due to the fact that the higher the sun protection factor a product has does not mean it will be a good defense from cancer-causing UVA rays. Basically, we are all in for a surprise when the FDA announces that sunscreens, ironically, aren’t actually proven to protect you from skin cancer and premature skin aging. Apparently, sunscreen has only been proven to protect skin from sunburn (http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/ct-met-sunscreen-safety-20100524,0,6689343.story?track=rss). As if all this information isn’t disheartening enough, new research says that a common sun protection ingredient which aids in premature skin aging, vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), may actually encourage skin tumors and lesions when applied in the sun (EWG). It’s no wonder why this hard-working organization only recommends 39 out of more than 500 beach sunscreen products.

The best sunscreens to wear are the simpler ones. Avoid hard-to-pronounce ingredients and lengthy ingredient lists, as these are usually the ones with unnecessary chemicals, preservatives and additives. The simpler, more natural sunscreens employ titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as their active ingredients (try the EWG top-rated All Terrain, Badger and California Baby brands). The choice not to use these and instead go for chemical sun protection is simple: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide both have tendencies to leave a whitish film on the skin. However, there are plenty of products containing these natural alternatives that blend into the skin fairly well. One of the most popular chemicals used in well-known sunscreen brands is oxybenzone, which is said to help some in protecting the skin from UVA rays, yet it also can be absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream and acts like the hormone estrogen; ultimately causing hormone disruption. The Environmental Working Group labels oxybenzone as “troubling.” As EWG states; “Scientists have called for parents to avoid using oxybenzone on children due to penetration and toxicity concerns.” The group does offer alternative options to oxybenzone and for anyone who chooses not to use mineral sunscreens. These safer options include avobenzone and Mexoryl SX (Encamsule) as their active ingredients.

All in all, products containing the zinc and titanium minerals have been proven to protect the skin from damaging UVA rays. They may not be able to be sprayed onto a busy toddler’s skin as he plays beachside, however. The extra work, though, of rubbing safer mineral formulas onto his skin will be worth every ounce of the peace of mind you will have knowing he will not be inhaling dangerous sunscreen mist and that he is protected by the next best thing to clothing or shade.

For more valuable information visit the Environmental Working Group’s website:

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/

For some quick facts about the dangers of sunscreens, follow this link:

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/9-surprising-facts-about-sunscreen/

For some great sunscreen tips click here.

Happy sunning!

New Title: Wrangler

I think I have officially traded in my title of mother for the title of Wrangler.  Being a single mom while my husband is deployed has been an eye opener both this deployment and the last! 

Today, Megan, Inara and Esme (our two kitties!) all joined me on a visit to the veterinarian.  We've recently taken a stray black lab into our house, so Inara, he is already a bit of a hellion, has been on her worst behavior and hisses and lashes out if you get within about 2 feet of her.  Due to this, I couldn't put her in big cat carrier I have that both cats typically go in.  So off to the vet we went, one cat each in their own carrier, and a 2 and a 1/2 year old along for the ride.  Trying to get them all into the vet clinic was an interesting experience.

I had to convince Megan to try to "help" me carry the big carrier (basically just holding the handle with me), then struggle to open the two doors to the inside, as the receptionist sat there and watched my humorous (I'm sure it seemed so to an outsider anyway) plight.

You truly do need more than two hands as a mother!  Luckily on the way back out, Inara and Esme both went into the big cat carrier together (as they banned together in fear of the ebil vet), and Megan could carry the little cloth/mesh carrier all by herself to be a big girl!

Animal Lover to a Fault

Today I had two strays find me.   I think theirs a sign blinking on my forehead that says "ANIMAL LOVER, WILL HELP STRAYS!!!!"

One is a male orange cat that is half shaved.  I don't know if someone was being cruel or trying to shave him for "heat control" because he's long haired.  But he stayed with us all afternoon while Megan played in the sprinkler, and I wound up bringing him in and putting him in the spare room for tonight.  I took pics of him and put up a found ad on craigslist.  If no one claims him I'll take him with me to the vet Tuesday and see if he's microchipped.  If no luck then, I'll find a no kill shelter in the area and take him there.  I wish we could keep him, he really is super sweet.

Then as I was leaving to go to the store, a young black lab came RACING over to me.  At first I was freaked out because he was half jumping and I had Megan in my arms, and held my purse out as a buffer (it's huge!) but he sat down immediately.  So I took Megan over to the neighbors, and had her watch her for a minute, and walked all up and down the street and knocked on doors to see if he belonged to anyone.  No dice.

I put him in my backyard (I couldn't just let him run around the neighborhood, he could have gotten hit, or hurt), and went to the store.  I wound up picking up the disposable litter box, and a huge water bowl and a small bag of food for the pup.  He's trained.  He knows sit, lay down and shake, and he's REALLY good with Megan.

I wound up checking him for fleas, and the cats are currently in time out in my bedroom (they were being butts to Megan), so I let him inside for a bit.  He was giving me puppy dog eyes. :(  He's now laying at my feet chewing on a bone I got him.

I put up a craigslist ad for him as well, and looked for any reports of lost black labs, but no luck with him either.  I'm really afraid that someone just let him out because they didn't want to keep him or are PCSing.    Hopefully he just got away and someone will claim him.

Pictures:

Fun In The Sun

I never realized just how much fun it could be to watch my child play and learn.  She is so bright and catches on to things so fast (we're going to be in trouble soon when she starts repeating things mommy and daddy say!), that I get so much pleasure just sitting back and watching her learn.

Yesterday, I bought her a slip and slide.  Knowing that she had more fun just playing with the water that shoots out of it, that's what I aimed for when buying it, and at a second glass I also picked up a little flower sprinkler out of the dollar section at target.  Which do you think she likes more?  The 30 dollar slip and slide?  Or the 2.50 sprinkler?

That's right, the sprinkler. :P

She has such a vast imagination, and can entertain herself for hours as she plays in the water.  Give her a bucket and a bottle of bubbles, and she would stay outside all day every day if I let her!

It just goes to show, the simplest things in life can give you the most joy and happiness!

A gorgeous Sunday afternoon spent playing in the pool and grilling hamburgers and hot dogs!  What a great vacation!

Picture Post!

There is nothing cuter than a toddler tushy in a ruffle bathing suit!

Vacation With A Toddler

Princess has blown me away these past two weeks.  We had the "pleasure" of driving from Colorado down to Austin, Texas.  I thought the car ride was going to be complete hell, as Princess does NOT like to be cooped up in the same spot for long periods of time.   She's full of energy and is at her best when she can run and skip and jump around all over the place!

I planned our trip out thoroughly, including buying a travelng dvd player so that I could bring all of our disney movies with us for another form of entertainment.  I planned rest stops and breaks by the length of each dvd.  When a movie would end, we would pull over and either get a snack, a potty break, or just get out and stretch our legs.  It worked miracles at keeping her happy!

She would only fuss as we got to the end of the day of driving, and then a bit again in the morning when we would have to climb back in the car.  I broke the trip into three days to get down to Austin.  We stayed at a hotel the first night in Amarillo, a good friends house the second night in Floydada, and then a hotel again the third night, and arrived at my mother in laws in the morning on the fourth day.  We spent a few days sight seeing around Austin, and then my father in law drove us to Lousiana to meet the rest of my husband's family.  (Another 6 hour trip, I thought Princess was going to lose her mind!)  We stayed there for two days (where I met my husband's cousin, and realized we are so similar.  I wish we lived closer, because I think she and I would be fast friends).  She's due with a little boy this month, so when we got back to Austin, I picked out her baby shower gift (which I will post here once her baby shower is over!).  I will give a mini spoiler though, and say that I featured some of her products awhile back in my blog! 

Teaser picture:

We drove back to Austin, and have been here again for the past three days.  My father in law bought Megan the coolest toddler pool in the world, and we've spent the past two days playing in it.  Megan even learned how to say "pool"!  Sadly, we have to start heading back home today.  My kitties have got to be missing us terribly.  It will have been almost two weeks that we've been away by the time that we get back. 

We're planning on staying in a hotel in Abilene tonight, getting to my friends again tomorrow in the very early afternoon, then staying with them until Friday morning, and leaving out to head home.  I'm going to drive the whole way in one shot, because I want to sleep in my own bed!

Overall, traveling with a toddler (at least with my precious toddler!)  has been mostly a breeze.  If anything, I feel terrible because I know she's bored out of her mind, but she's been a little angel in the car!