The Almost Green Mom

For many of us, it seems that summer has come early – I know we here in the Denver area started hitting the 80s a while back.  While I believe sunscreen is critical year round, it is especially important during these hotter and sunnier months of spring and summer.  And especially for our children.  It’s not always easy getting a child all lathered up in sunscreen when they’re fidgeting, but study after study has shown that sunscreen is the most effective way to ward off skin cancer (see studies by The Skin Cancer Foundation, citing medical evidence that over 90% of skin cancers are linked directly to radiation from the sun; and significant data and information from the American Academy of Dermatology).

A quick science background – UVA vs. UVB rays. UVA rays are the ones that can penetrate deep below the skin’s surface.  They may not always cause a noticeable burn to the skin, but they are responsible for premature aging, wrinkling and suppression of the immune systems.  UVB rays are the ones that cause sunburn and are the key instigator of cancer.  While both rays can be extremely harmful, SPF actually only measures UVB rays.  So that 50+ SPF lotion you are using may block upwards of 98% of UVB rays but be minimally effective against UVA rays.  You need a sunscreen that protects against both.  The Environmental Working Group (see below for more information) does a great job of providing information on a product’s ability to combat both UVA and UVB rays.

This blog will focus on sunscreen for children (which can also be used for adults actually – I use the same sunscreen as my daughter).  Since she was born, I have tried countless brands of sunscreens – all labeled as natural / organic, and with varying success.  We have found one brand that is stellar – I’ll get to that one in a second.  But before, I’ll highlight a few others we tried and issues with.  We do NOT use any of the traditional off the shelf sunscreens you’d find at an everyday grocery store as I believe many of the chemicals included in them (namely oxybenzone, which has been linked to hormone disruption and and cell damage, potentially a precursor to cancer) are extremely dangerous and potentially cancer causing.  So, we don’t use brands like Coppertone, Neutrogena, Banana Boat, etc.  Instead, I look for sunscreens that include minerals such as zinc oxide (get non nano size particles, if possible – label will say this) and titanium dioxide.  The biggest issue I’ve found with the natural versions is that many are a chalky white which are hard to rub into the skin.

One more thing before I get to the specific brand reviews.  I always refer to the  Environmental Working Group (this is a link to the “skin deep” part of the website to search for any product) to check the “score” of a sunscreen (I do the same for all household cleaning supplies, personal beauty products, etc.).  They have an app which you can download for free so you can check on specific products while out shopping.  This resource is invaluable and summarizes how toxic / harmful a product is based on its ingredient list.  It’s quick and easy to search for specific items.

Ok, here we go – here is my honest take on a handful of the sunscreens we’ve used over the years along with the EWG rating (note that EWG rates on a scale of 1 – 10, with 1 being the safest / best.  Typically 1 – 3 are “green”; 3 – 6 are “yellow”; 7 – 10 are “red”.

• Honest Co. Honest Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ (EWG 1):  This was way too chalky for us – very white and thick in consistency that was nearly impossible to rub into our skin.  While the SPF looks good, we actually still burned using this.  Time to move on.
• Honest Co. SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray (EWG 3):  I’m highlighting this one mainly because it is a spray which seems to be fairly popular.  We used this at the pool one day – I ran out of our favorite, and a neighbor had this in her bag.  I hate sprays, so I sprayed it in my hands and then applied it.  Why do I hate sprays?  There have been many studies / articles, including one from Consumer Reports which state that the ingredients sprayed enter the air and we inhale them, which is extremely unsafe.  Regardless, this product didn’t work at all – burned again. And stay away from the sprays.
• Babyganics Mineral-Based Baby Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50 (EWG 2):  Now this one I kind of liked, but the only issue is that it separated very easily in the bottle.  So many times when I squeezed it, a lot of watery liquid came out before the thicker sunscreen.  There’s an easy enough solution – shake up the bottle and knead it with your hands.  We didn’t burn, and it was relatively easy to apply.  They also have a stick that we have used on my daughter’s nose as well as hands (I’ve found sticks are the best for the hands as it doesn’t rub off as easily)
• Kiss My Face Baby’s First Kiss Mineral Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50 (EWG 6 – eek).  I was drawn to this one initially because it provided very good UVA and UVB ray protection.  In addition to the EWG score of 6 which is very concerning, the product is very oily.  It applies very easily (to be expected because it’s like an oil slicks), but then has an oily sheen on the skin which rubs off on everything it comes in contact with.  I say avoid this one.

So which sunscreen do we ADORE?????

• Blue Lizard Australian Suncream, Baby SPF 30+ (EWG 1):  This stuff rocks.  It’s more of a lotion consistency (like traditional sunscreens), absorbs very well, leaves no white residue and works very well.  I also use this sunscreen (to note – the company has told me that the baby version is essentially the same as the sensitive version, so I just buy whichever one is cheaper at the time).  We’ve never burned, and it doesn’t seem to rub off on anything.  Also, it has an EWG score of 1 which is reassuring that the ingredients are as good as they can get.  Buy this now – oh, and another cool feature, the bottle will actually start turning a dark pink when exposed to sun’s rays as a fun reminder to put this on even when it’s cloudy (and your kids will think it’s cool).

So, there you have it – Blue Lizard is our top choice.  I actually have a bottle in my bag and another at home – you never know when an impromptu visit to the park may happen.  In addition to sunscreen, we are huge fans of the UV clothing line Coolibar (offers sun protection clothing for the whole family, and it actually looks like normal / cool clothes) as well as great sunhats and polarized sunglasses.

Summer is a great time of year with so many amazing memories – the pool, picnics, BBQs, boating, skiing, etc.  Have a wonderful summer and use that sunscreen!

“Here comes the sun, and I say
It’s all right

As promised, this blog focuses on the daily supplements we (my 3 year old and I) take for general health maintenance.  As I’ve stated many times, I’m not a doctor so you should definitely check in with your pediatrician, general doctor, naturopath, etc. to see what is right for you.

CHILDREN

Here’s our morning routine:

• Elderberry Syrup.  Our typical day starts off with elderberry syrup during cold season (we take this even if we are not sick as a preventative measure).  As I mentioned in my blog about colds, I am a huge fan of Gaia Herbs Black Elderberry Syrup – you can use the same formulation for adults and children, but make sure to check the dosage chart on the side of the box
• Probiotics.  I then give my toddler probiotics – as also mentioned in my blog about colds, we really like the Metagenics UltraFlora Childrens brand.  We buy it in the refrigerated section of a local Pharmaca store.  (Note that when my toddler was younger, I’d use Metagenics UltraFlora Baby liquid drops or pharmax HLC neonate powder – I’d mix them in with milk / formula as they are tasteless).
• Multivitamin.  Then, with breakfast, my toddler takes a multivitamin.  After speaking with our naturopath as well as chiropractor (a very gifted and talented chiropractor is an amazing inclusion in your overall wellness), we started taking Douglas Laboratories Ultra Preventive Kids in the orange flavor (for whatever reason, my toddler hates the grape flavor.  Go figure).  Why do we like this specific brand?  (1)  it not only contains vitamins, but also minerals and trace elements which I believe are really important for general health; (2) it does NOT contain any artificial colors, artificial preservatives or GMOs (as many of you have asked, I promise to do a blog on GMOs soon!); and (3) it actually tastes pretty good (yes, I’ve tried them).
• Vitamin D.  I give my toddler vitamin D, 2000 units, every other day.  I use a liquid brand, and I put 1 drop inter her water bottle (it doesn’t taste at all.  It does make the water cloudy, so I usually use a darker water bottle that day so she doesn’t see it!).  The brand we used, which was recommended to me by a naturopath, is Biotics Research Bio-D-Mulsion Forte Vitamin D.  It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, so it’s also a great one to travel with.  Note that this can also be used for adults.

Here’s our evening routine – we only do one thing right after dinner (unless we are sick, then we add more things as noted in my blog about colds):

• Fish Oil.  No, it’s not gross.  She’s actually been taking it since she was 1 year old at the suggestion of my naturopath (again, check with your own doctor).  The only brand we will use is Nordic Naturals Kids DHA (the liquid version which has a strawberry flavor; they have chewable, but we’ve never tried those).  Why Nordic Naturals?  It’s one of the few brands that is completely transparent on the entire process of harvesting the oil, packaging it and shipping it.  Who cares?  I do – because if fish oil is heated, processed the wrong way or shipped incorrectly, it can completely negate the health benefits of the product.  Yeah, Nordic Naturals is more expensive, but it works (I have my own bloodwork results to prove it). And why even take fish oil?  I’ll explain it below in the “Adults” section.

ADULTS

Like my toddler, I start off my day with the Gaia Herbs Black Elderberry Syrup.  I then also take a probiotic, and I switch between a few different brands including a Metagenics UltraFlora Balance, Udo’s Choice Adult’s Probiotic and pharmax HLC High Potency Capsules.  To add a fun little twist, I always take my probiotics with my “green drink” in the morning.  It’s really not gross, I swear.  I really, really like the Amazing Grass Green SuperFood ORAC, Acai Berry.  It’s s green powder you mix with water.  With the acai flavor, it really doesn’t taste grassy or anything to me – then again, I’ve been drinking this stuff for years.  If you want to just test it out, I’ve seen single serving packets of the various flavors of Amazing Grass at Whole Foods.  It’s definitely worth a shot.

Now, I won’t bore or shock you with the list of all the supplements I take, rather I’ll highlight a few which I personally believe are critical to my daily health.  As background, in about 2007 / 2008, I was feeling very, very sick.  No traditional doctor could seem to figure out what was going on with me, and in fact, one doctor told me I was crazy and should be medicated.  Thanks buddy.  At the recommendation of a friend, I finally found an amazing naturopath.  I was a huge skeptic of naturopaths in general at the time, so I made the appointment with hesitation.  My naturopath ran a ton of tests (blood work, stool samples, saliva tests) to really see what was going on.  It turns out, my lipid profile was totally screwed up (LDLs, HDLs and triglycerides) as well as many other things.  Fortunately for me, my naturopath provided me with options of natural alternatives or traditional prescription drugs (he was able to prescribe them), which actually made me feel like I was empowered to make my own decisions rather than him forcing one or another on me.  I chose to go the natural route, and we redid my bloodwork about 8 weeks later.  It was shocking – all of the lipid figures were in the optimal range and other metrics had improved as well.  I felt like a rock star.  I became a believer.  How did we do this?  And how did we do this naturally?  Well, here are a few of the key supplements I used and continue to use:

(1)  Fish Oil.  I can’t say enough about this.  There are studies upon studies about the health benefits of this fatty acid improving / maintaining healthy cholesterol and lipid levels, reducing overall inflammation throughout the body, decreasing cardiac risk, reducing joint pain, improving fertility and the list goes on.  As I mentioned above, I will only use Nordic Naturals brand – I use Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega.  And don’t worry, if you do burp, you won’t taste fish because of the added lemon flavor (and, I’ve never burped with this version.  If you take fish oil, you know what I mean).  And if you still aren’t on the natural supplement train, know that when my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, one of the first things his “western doctor” did was tell him to take high doses of fish oil.  This isn’t some tree hugger thing.  Look into it.

(2) Resveratrol.  This is one of the polyphenols which acts like an super antioxidant to protect the body from oxidative damage.  Resveratrol is from the skin of red grapes and is produced in plants to protect against fungus.  There are countless studies on resveratrol and its ability to promote healthy arterial blood flow (cardiac health) as well as cell life.  I’m a huge fan in general of the NOW supplement line, and I usually take its NOW Foods Natural Resveratrol on a daily basis.

(3) Buffered Vitamin C.  Also one I use on a daily basis, vitamin C is beneficial not only when you have a cold, but also for general health maintenance with respect to connective tissue, general immune health, pregnancy, cardiac health and many other issues.  I’ve always taken buffered vitamin C because it’s gentler on the stomach (remember that vitamin C is water soluble, so you just pee out any extra your body doesn’t need).  I use Country Life Buffered Vitamin C.

(4) Multivitamin.  I’d like to think I’m a healthy eater, but I admit I probably don’t “eat the rainbow” every day so I choose to take a multivitamin.  I refuse to buy an off the shelf multivitamin that contains anything artificial.  My naturopath recommended pure encapsulations Nutrient 950 multivitamin.  I take the version without iron, but there is a version that includes it. The only real bummer with this brand is you need to take 6 per day – so I take 3 with breakfast and 3 with dinner.

(5)  Vitamin D.  Here’s a newsflash – vitamin D is actually a hormone and not a vitamin! Our bodies make vitamin D naturally with the help of sunlight, and vitamin D is critical for for our muscles, hearts, lungs and brains, amongst many other things.  It’s also critical for the health of our bones (long ago it was proven that Vitamin D could prevent rickets in children).  Many general practioners are now including a blood test for vitamin D levels in general annual physicals…and rightfully so.  Given that most of us now don’t spend much time outdoors in the sunlight (unlike our ancestors), we have lower vitamin D levels than are advised even by the federal entity that sets the “recommended daily allowance” levels (Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences – my person view is that if anything, these recommended levels are on the low / cautious side).  So, my view is that if your vitamin D levels are already below “recommended” levels, you can be pretty sure that you need to supplement.  And, vitamin D is  relatively inexpensive supplement.  I take NOW Foods Vitamin D3 5000 Iu on a daily basis.

The other supplements I take are more personalized to my health concerns.  Again, I urge you to find a great naturopath to help you navigate what’s right for you and your family.  My naturopath literally changed my life for the better.

Love and Peace,

The Almost Green Mom

Amy Smith is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

In a house with a child, it seems cold season lasts forever.  It’s insane.  My child started preschool this fall, and I’ve never seen so many runny noses, coughing spells, flushed cheeks and overall sickness in a classroom.  And, then it was brought into our home – awesome.  My child caught something, then I got it, then she got back whatever crazy mutated form I had.  It’s like a sick joke.

The good news is that there are natural remedies that work and many times, are more potent than traditional medicines such as antibiotics (which, by the way, ONLY KILL BACTERIA.  NOT VIRUSES.  NOT FUNGUS).  Almost every day I feel I read an article about a super bug that is antibiotic resistant – the result of chronic over prescription of antibiotics and the resulting mutation of bacteria which no longer are killed off by traditional medicine.  I feel strongly that natural remedies deserve a prime spot in our medicine cabinets.  As I’ve stated before, I’m not against traditional medicine when it’s required (we use it).  However, I am for finding and using natural remedies which can help accomplish the same thing in a way that is less toxic for our bodies.

Getting through and conquering cold season is a combination of basic, every day supplementation and general health practices (I’ll call this baseline – I won’t cover this in this blog, but I will in another one forthcoming) and then there is bringing out the big guns for a cold.  I’ll focus on the latter in this blog post – this blog is quite lengthy, but it’s worth it!  To note:  I have a 3 year old toddler – she has been taking the below supplements for 1 – 2 years at this point.  As I’ve stated before, I’m not a doctor, so I encourage you to consult with your own naturopath or alternative pharmacist (see my mention of Pharmaca below).

ELDERBERRY SYRUP
This stuff is the bomb.  I take it and so does my child on a daily basis for preventative measure.  When we are sick, we take it 2x per day.  It’s a natural syrup from the elderberry (genius definition, I know).  It’s an immune booster, and this stuff has been around forever (literally mention of it in Ancient Egyptian times).  Here’s the story – this wonder syrup has proven to help colds, flu, sinus issues, allergies, upper respiratory issues and more.  There are several brands out there – get the syrup (don’t get a capsule with it because generally that is elder flower (not there same)).  I highlight recommend  Gaia Herbs Black Elderberry Syrup – here’s why:  (1)  it’s organic; and (2) the same bottle / formulation can be used for children (over 1) and adults – the dosage is just different so pay attention to the label.  Buy this stuff.  NOW.

WISH GARDEN HERBS

I stumbled upon this brand at a local pharmacy (Pharmaca – get to know this place.  It’s a “traditional” pharmacy as well as an alternative one.  They have brick and mortar stores nationally (a lot in the Bay Area and Denver area), as well as an online presence.  The people working here are an invaluable resource.  Here’s a tip – call a store and ask to speak to a pharmacist.  She / He can provide amazing help with respect to both traditional and alternative medicines for any ailment you / your family may have).  Back to the herbs:   Wish Garden Herbs is an amazing company, based in Colorado, which is women owned (yay!) and family run. The woman who started it is a master herbalist and has been making these herbal tinctures since at least the mid 1980s.  You can buy these at places like Whole Foods, Pharmaca or on the company’s website (I actually suggest you DON’T use Amazon to purchase these b/c it’s a lot more expensive there).  The company has a variety of tinctures for both adults, pregnant women and children, and they have herbalists on staff who can answer any questions you have.  The ones we like the best for children are Cold Seasons (link to the company’s website for this) for kids and Kick It Cough for kids.  When my child is getting sick, I give her two dropperfuls of the Cold Seasons every 2 – 3 hours (listen,  the taste isn’t exactly like a lollipop, but it works.  My child tolerates it well – and, I suggest you just go for it and give your child the two dropperfuls rather than put it in water / juice.  I can’t imagine a child drinking a full cup of something flavored with this).  If my child has a cough or upper respiratory problem, I switch between the Cold Seasons and Kick It Cough throughout the day.    For adults, I like the Kick-Ass Immune (awesome name) and Serious Cough.  (Note:  make sure you buy different formulations for adults and children b/c the strength of the tinctures are different).  Also, I’ve found the tinctures work better than the sprays.

LOCAL HONEY WITH PROPOLIS
First, don’t give honey to children younger than 1.  Why buy local honey?  It contains pollen local to the area in which you live, which can strengthen your immune system (it also is a wonder to help with season allergies).  And, even better buy raw honey (if it’s not raw, it’s heated which actually kills off most of the heath benefits).  Same goes for propolis – don’t heat it (don’t put it in hot water, on toast, etc.).  The heat will destroy the beneficial properties.What the heck is propolis anyways?  It’s a sticky, resin-like substance obtained from a beehive.  This is another one of those natural remedies that has been around forever – specific mention of its medicinal uses date back to Aristotle as well as the Ancient Egyptians.    Propolis has been shown to kill bacteria, viruses and fungus.  I’ll take it!  (let’s all understand that traditional antibiotics only kill bacteria.  That’s it.  Not viruses.  Not fungus).  If you’re feeling really brave, you can get straight propolis extract (only for adults).  It is strong and, I think, very difficult to swallow (hello gag reflex).  So, we get local honey that has propolis mixed in with it.  We adore Bjorns Colorado Honey – it’s a Boulder, Colorado company that makes raw honey in various forms including one with propolis.  When we’re sick, we take a small spoonful of this 2 – 3 times per day (I give my child hers right before a nap and bedtime).

PROBIOTICS

While we take these on a daily basis, I think it’s crucial to ramp up probiotics consumption while you’re sick.  It has been proven that healthy bacteria in our gut is much more important than we ever thought – even moreso if you or someone in your family is on antibiotics which kill off both good and bad bacteria (just make sure to take the probiotic a few hours before or after to ensure your body absorbs it).   Always get a probiotic that is refrigerated – probiotics are living cultures that generally need to be refrigerated to stay alive.  Trust me, I know this can be annoying, especially if you travel (note – work with a naturopath or someone at Pharmaca to investigate which non refrigerated brands are recommended while traveling).My toddler takes a Metagenics UltraFlora Childrens chewable probiotic every morning.  If she’s sick, she gets one chewable in the morning and another with dinner.  If you order this online, make sure it is sent in a refrigerated package, otherwise there’s no point.   I take a variety of different probiotics (switch them a lot to ensure I get a variety of bacteria) including  Megaspore Biotic by Microbiome (must buy through a naturopath; only probiotic I know of which which is antibiotic resistant…when my daughter was on antibiotics, I opened the capsule and mixed it in with yogurt) and Udo’s Choice Advanced Adult’s Blend Probiotic Capsules.  By the way, our digestive tract has over 100 TRILLION bacteria in it – so taking a probiotic that has several billion bacteria is completely tolerable.

GARLIC MULLEIN OIL

This is an ear drop that is used to treat / prevent ear infections.  We use Herb Farm Mullein / Garlic Herbal Ear Oil for both myself and my child.  It has been proven to be more effective than antibiotics and can be used for adults as well as children.  I put 2 – 3 drops in each ear (mine and my child’s) when I sense congestion – usually 2 – 3x per day.  What is it?  It’s basically olive oil infused with garlic.  So yes, it smells like garlic.  But, did you know that garlic is yet another wonder food that kills viruses, bacteria and parasites?  Here’s a tip:  warm up the bottle in your hands or in your armpit for a few minutes (don’t open the bottle until you’re ready to use it) – this will make the liquid runnier and easier to get into the ear.  We use this religiously and it is super effective.

VITAMIN C

There seems to be controversy on whether vitamin C supplementation actually shortens a cold.  From personal experience, I think it does.  For my toddler, during cold season, she chews a Rainbow Light Gummy Vitamin C Slices after each meal.  Here’s why I like this brand specifically for children:  (1)  each “slice” is only 83.3 mg of vitamin C (3 slices = the labeled 250 mg on the label) – this is important because children are more sensitive to higher dosages of vitamin C than adults (diarrhea can happen).  And with this lower dosage, I can better control how much my child gets.  It’s important to know, however, that vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin – basically if you take too much, you pee it out (unlike something like vitamin A which can be toxic at high quantities); and (2) while it probably tastes like candy, there are no artificial sweeteners or colors.  For me, I take 2000 mg of vitamin C daily (in 1000 mg doses; I double this when I’m sick), and I really like Country Life Buffered Vitamin C 1000 Mg Plus 150 mg of Bioflavonoids.

OREGANO OIL
I do not give this to my toddler.  This is something only I take, and I only take it when I’m starting to feel sick / when I’m sick.  I buy it in a capsule form and use the Gaia Herbs Oil of Oregano.  I first became aware of oregano oil years and years ago during the bird flu epidemic.  I flew to China a lot for work (every other month or so), and I wanted to make sure I had something on hand at all times that could kill the nastiest of bugs.  This is it.  It has been proven to kill a wide variety of bacterias, fungi, viruses, parasites and almost anything else you can imagine (including MRSA).  I take 2 – 3 capsules with water a few times a day to kick any of my symptoms to the curb.  The only side effect I’ve noticed, is that if you burp, it just tastes like you ate an Italian meal!

Hopefully this helps a bit.  I’m sure it’s a lot of information.  Here’s a little cheat sheet on a day in the life of my toddler when she has a cold:

Breakfast:  elderberry syrup + 2 – 3 dropperfuls of Cold Seasons (repeat this every 2  – 3 hours throughout the day; alternate with Kick It Cough if respiratory issues) + probiotic + daily multivitamin + vitamin D (will cover in another blog)

Lunch (after):  “herbs, vitamin C and honey!” (2 – 3 dropperfuls of Cold Seasons / Kick It Cough, 2 vitamin C chews + spoonful of honey with propolis)

Before rest time / nap:  2 – 3 drops of garlic mullein oil in each ear

Dinner:  probiotic + fish oil (will cover in another blog)

After dinner / before bedtime:  elderberry syrup + “herbs, vitamin C and honey!” (2 – 3 dropperfuls of Cold Seasons / Kick It Cough + 2 vitamin C chews + spoonful of honey with propolis)

Right before bed:  2 – 3 drops of garlic mullein oil in each ear

As a side note, I am a huge believer in diffusers (put a few drops of organic eucalyptus oil to help with colds / flu), air purifiers throughout the home (will cover in another blog), sitting in a steamy bathroom to clear congestion, tons of water and even more rest. Oh, and one more thing – make sure to get that congestion out of your child’s nose…if not it can lead to an ear infection.  I am a fierce believe in the “snot sucker” – NoseFrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator.  Yep – you’re sucking out their snot.  Don’t worry – you don’t get it in your mouth (how dramatic).  Many kids can’t blow their noses well, and this is an amazing product to really help.  If your child is really congested, spray some saline mist (we like Little Remedies brand – DO NOT use adult nose sprays) into each nostril and then do the sucking – voila!

Love and Peace,

The Almost Green Mom

Amy Smith is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com