Kelly

June 11, 2020 By Kelly Leave a Comment

12 Facts You Need To Know About Men’s Health

Being the mom of two teenage boys, men’s health is very important to me. It happens to be Men’s Health Month, although there hasn’t been much mention of it, has there? There’s a major fanfare of awareness brought to women’s health, breast cancer prevention, in particular, which is important but I’m really happy to see some focus being directed to men’s health, it’s absolutely just as important.

Roughly 1 in 7 male Americans will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, 97% of them, over the age 50

Let’s stop and talk about this one for a minute. Screening is important and often life saving as it was in actor Ben Stiller’s case. However, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test is a blood test that measures a specific protein produced by the prostate. Elevated levels potentially mean prostate cancer but medical experts don’t advise aggressive treatment since it can be a false positive so active monitoring is key. The New England Journal Of Medicine Conducted a landmark study found no statistical difference between active monitoring and observation and surgery in reducing deaths. Discuss all your options with your doctor.

When detected early enough, prostate cancer is 99% curable. Know the symptoms and be proactive. There is a 97 success rate of survival with early detection. If it’s detected late, there’s only a 26% survival rate past five years
The likelihood of a man being diagnosed with prostate cancer is 35% higher than that of a woman being diagnosed with breast cancer. Surprising, isn’t it?
Chances are even higher in African American men
A man dies from prostate cancer every 17.5 seconds
Dr. Josh Axe says that Saw Palmetto is beneficial for prostate health and hair loss. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) recently conducted a study that revealed increasing your intake of vitamin K2 may cut the risk of prostate cancer by 35%. Where do you get K2? Cheese, egg yolks, chicken breast, chicken liver (if you can stand it), butter, salami (not exactly a health food), natto and ground beef. Need a good gift idea for Father’s Day? The Pure Haven men’s line is fantastic. Click here to check it out and order.
Only 10% of all cancers are genetic and nearly 50% of premature deaths among men are preventable
Think you’re too young to take it seriously? The most common cancer in men ages 15 – 35 is testicular cancer
Nearly 8,000 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed this year
Testicles should not sag, this could indicate too much heat from the veins. Small is not normal. Hardness is a red flag
The good news is that the survival rate is 90% if caught early so get screened, go for your yearly physicals and learn how to self exam, ok guys?
MEN NEED TO USE CLEAN NON TOXIC PERSONAL CARE ITEMS TOO! Seriously. You guys may not use as many personal stuff as we chicks do but you use enough – like shampoo, deodorant, soap, shaving cream, etc. that it does matter. Choose clean personal care products.
Bonus fact: A mere 10% reduction in weight reduces your risk of various weight related diseases by 50%! Maintaining an ideal weight is vital for optimal health. Is your BMI too high? Let’s get you to a healthy weight! Click here to book your complimentary Eco Wellness Consultation . I’ll evaluate you and give you a crystal clear plan with key steps to get weight off for good. You can check your BMI here.

In the meantime, grab my FREE Healthy Eating On The Go guide with simple tips and habits along with several delicious, nutritious options to grab and go when you are pressed for time.

Avoiding personal care products containing carcinogens is one of the best ways to prevent cancer as well as other illnesses and health issues. It is so important to stay away from products that have endocrine disruptors like parabens. They can seriously mess with your entire endocrine system and mimic the body’s natural hormones increasing the risk of certain cancers.

The ingredients in most personal care items that men use are just as toxic as the ones we women use so do yourself a favor and products that do not contain harmful ingredients. Wondering which harmful ingredients to avoid? Here is a list of the most commonly used.

Healthy guys are sexy

May 26, 2020 By Kelly 2 Comments

How To Choose Safe Sunscreen: What To Avoid & What To Use

My happy place… a beach day with my loves

I have a confession. I love the smell of Coppertone. Despite the fact that I know that is one hell of a toxic fragrance, I love it because it brings back happy memories of exhilarating beach days and fun afternoons at our community pool. Regardless, I still don’t use it because there is no way I’m slathering those toxins on me or my kids.

I have gone so non toxic with all my products that now I am extremely sensitive to the toxic scent of synthetic fragrance. I can detect the scent a mile away and I usually cannot stand the smell but Coppertone is the exception.

One question I’m often asked is, “what sunscreen should I use,” because by now, most of know that the chemicals in most sunscreens pose serious health risks. Even mainstream western doctors admit that the chemicals found in most brands are dangerous.

One important thing to remember is that you need to wear sunscreen every single day of the year, even when it’s cloudy. The sun hits you through the window while you’re driving and even comes through the windows of your home.

I’ve written about this several times over the years. I like to do a refresh on the topic as summer approaches when we’ll be slathering our bodies and our kid’s bodies with sunscreen.

The safest sunblock is non-nanoparticle zinc oxide but if you’re curious about the common sunscreen ingredients that you should avoid, here is a rundown:

8 Ingredients You Do Not Want In Your Sunscreen

1. Oxybenzone
This hormone disruptor penetrates the skin, enters the bloodstream and behaves as estrogen in the body. It’s been shown to cause cell damage that promotes cancer, allergic reactions and even endometriosis.

The Glorious Pacific Ocean

2. 4-MBC
4-MBC is a chemical that chemical enters the bloodstream and behaves as estrogen in the body as well. It’s also been linked to cancer. Both 4-MBC and oxybenzone are such dangerous hormone disruptors that scientists are urging parents to refrain from using any product containing either on children but it’s found in most sunscreens, even those made especially for babies.

3. Octinoxate (Octyl Methoxycinnamate)
This widely used sunscreen ingredient disrupts thyroid hormone, affects brain signaling and lab tests show that is kills mouse cells when exposed to sunlight, even at low doses. Octinoxate and octisalate are neurotoxins that have even been shown to cause Petit Mal seizures.

4. Avobenzone
Also known as Parsol 1789 and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane. It generates free radicals in the body and has also been cited as an endocrine disruptor. It is unstable and sunlight causes it to break down into unknown chemicals, especially when used with octinoxate.

5. Retinyl palmitate
This is a form of vitamin A. It is an antioxidant that slows the aging process in skin which is fine for use in night creams. However, a study done by the FDA discovered a connection to cancer because it may accelerate growth in tumors and skin lesions when exposed to sunlight which makes it a dangerous ingredient for sunscreen.

The FDA does not conduct any safety testing on sunscreen. It is completely unregulated so manufacturers can use any ingredients they want.

6. Parabens
You’ll also find parabens listed as methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. They are found in many cosmetics as well as sunscreen. Like oxybenzone, parbens mimic the body’s natural hormones increasing the risk of various cancers.

Would you like help on how to avoid other toxins or to discuss health or weight concerns? Book your complimentary call today!

7. Padimate O (Octyl Dimethyl PABA / PABA Ester)
This damages DNA, releases free radicals, mimics estrogen and causes allergies in some people.

8. Benzophenone
This is one of the most commonly found ingredients in sunscreens. It is known to cause cancer in lab animals.

9. Homosalate
Causes organ system toxicity and dispruts sex hormones in animal studies.

The sunblocking ingredient you want in your sunscreen is zinc oxide made without nanotechnology. Zinc is a physical sunblock which means it reflects light back into the environment. Your skin basically does not see the sun.

Nanoparticles have been shown to cross the cell barrier driving into organs, even attaching to brain cells. They’ve also caused developmental issues in animals. Mineral sunscreens are often made with nanotechnology.

In addition to harming your health, these toxins also harm marine life. The coral reefs are being damaged and killed off. This is a major issue. Many clean sunscreens brands will say ‘reef safe’ on the bottle. If it’s safe for the beautiful coral reefs, it will be for us.

So what can we use?! Sunscreen that doesn’t have these harmful ingredients. If depends on your skin type, personal preference and how green you want to go. Do you want to completely pure and plant-based or are you OK with a few safe synthetics? Several trusted clean beauty brands make nontoxic sunscreen. I offer clients help in deciding based on skin type, needs, budget and preferences.

As with all personal care and beauty products, there’s no one size fits all but here are some good general recommendations:

Coola (great under makeup)
MyChelle Dermaceuticals (love this under makeup one too)
Pure Haven (their whole line is great)
Acure (great budget friendly line)
Mad Hippie
Ever (this one has nice shades if you want tinted sunscreen)
Bu
100% Pure (love their whole line)
Josh Rosbrook
These are good for beach days and kids, a bit heavy under makeup: Block Island Organics, Badger and Babo Botanicals.

Want to make shopping for cosmetics, beauty & personal care products for you & your family easier? Grab my list of Top 12 Toxic Ingredients to avoid

We need sunlight. A deficiency in vitamin D3 causes a whole host of severe illnesses including. Recent studies are revealing that avoiding the sun blocks our body’s ability to produce vitamin D3.

It’s even more beneficial to get that natural vitamin D barefoot with your feet in the sand, grass, or dirt so you’re getting those wonderful grounding negative ions.

Lake Tahoe With My Cutie

Do you know someone who is looking for safe sunscreen? Send this their way and share it on Facebook, tweet it, Pin, it. Everyone needs safe sunscreen! These ingredients are especially toxic to children and babies because their delicate systems are not fully developed so they have a harder time filtering out toxins.

“… some sunscreens are known to interfere with hormone action… could plausibly increase the risk of various cancers” -Thomas Zoeller, Endocrine Society

May 10, 2020 By Kelly

5 Powerful Ways To Strengthen Your Immune System During This Pandemic

How are you holding up? It’s been a crazy few weeks. Very difficult for some. Confusing, frightening and downright strange for most of us. The fear, uncertainty and conflicting information being circulated have caused anxiety in just about everyone. My heart goes out to you if you or a loved one are suffering from coronavirus, sending you healing thoughts and love.

In light of these incredibly unprecedented times while we are staying home, trying to stay healthy, flatten the curve, keep coronavirus from attacking us and from spreading, it is more critical than ever that you strengthen your immune system as much as possible.

It’s surreal. Normal life is on hold which feels strange an uneasy. I think everyone is experiencing a myriad of feelings and emotions over this, I know I am. It’s completely normal and we need to give ourselves space and grace.

Social distancing and isolation is uncomfortable and inconvenient but important for public health. It’s devastating how many are fighting for their lives, how many have lost their lives and the number of people who may face financial ruin.

A weak immune system decreases the body’s ability to fight off foreign bacteria, viruses, and other illnesses. Panic and fear suppress the immune system too. Here are 5 powerful things you can do that bolster your immune system.

That being said, for those who are suffering from coronavirus, treating the immune system depends on the potential cytokine storm. This is the case with other illnesses as well. Dr. Marc Milstein offers helpful insights in his video: Why Some Get Very Sick with COVID-19 and Insights Into New Treatments. You’ll find more information on cytokine storms in this study: Consider cytokine storm syndromes and immunosuppression.

Gut health We know that proper nutrition boosts your immune system in a huge way. Food really is medicine but the wrong foods break down your immune system and threaten your health. The foods we eat have a huge impact on how well our immune system functions.

Our diet is a major component of hormone function, energy levels, of course, weight and digestive health, but also on our mental state, brain health and more.

I coach certain clients through a nutrition program that helps them achieve optimal health but some of the basic tenents to follow: eat whole non-GMO, low glycemic foods, avoid processed foods, get at least 5 servings of produce each day, pile your plate with foods, known to boost your immune system including:

⦿ Citrus fruits ⦿ Broccoli ⦿ Wild caught salmon ⦿ Garlic ⦿ Ginger

⦿ Almonds ⦿ Berries ⦿ Sweet potatoes ⦿ Tumeric ⦿ Green tea

⦿ Pomegranates ⦿ Papaya ⦿ Sunflower seeds ⦿ Miso ⦿ Green veggies

“All disease begins in the gut” – Hippocrates

Chew on this: The digestion process starts in our saliva. Amylase, an enzyme in saliva helps to begin breaking down starch into simple sugars. Aim to chew each bite 20 times. This will get the digestive juices flowing and make you a more mindful eater.

My latest favorite green tea, by the way, is Pique Tea. They offer a wide variety of delicious teas with powerful plant polyphenols to build up your body’s defense during this critical time including green tea. They’ll deliver right to your door, no need to brave the germ laden grocery store. I’m sipping Earl Grey as I write this!

Sleep This is absolutely essential for your immune system. Along with making us look like crap, sleep deprivation is linked to more health problems than just about anything, including a weakened immune system.

Sleep scientist Matt Walker calls sleep ‘the most powerful elixir of life’ that is critical in order for our immune system to protect us. After only one night of 4 hours of sleep, we experience a 70% reduction in immune cells known as Natural Killer Cells, a type of white blood cell that is a key player in combating viruses and infections, and crucial for disease protection and detection, including cancer.

Hydration What are the two things you every doctor says to do when you’re sick? Drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. Listen to your grandmother and drink that water. You’ve got to flush those germs out.

70% of Americans are subclinically dehydrated. This is something I have clients track. Oftentimes they’ll tell me they drink a lot of water but then when they keep track they’re surprised at just how little water there actually taking in each day. Ahh the power of tracking and journaling.

Drinking enough water flushes out your G.I. tract and aids the function of your immune-fighting lymphatic cells. It also helps remove toxins from the body.

Water oxygenates your blood. When you are even mildly dehydrated, your body pulls water from the skin’s tissue to maintain concentration in your blood. When we’re fighting infection, our body’s fluid needs increase.

Start your day with a detoxifying drink of warm lemon water. A cup of warm water with the juice of 1 organic lemon helps flush the kidneys, aids digestion, boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, balances pH levels and the acidity stimulates your liver to produce acids that help detox the body… how about all those benefits without much work?! Oh and you’ll also get a nice dose of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin B and C and other antioxidants.

Extra credit if you add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, It also creates an alkaline environment that helps kill viruses and bacteria. That’s what I drink every morning before my coffee. Drink about half your weight in water each day. A bit more if you are ill.

I’ve been teaching clients, students in my workshops and in my online programs to drink warm lemon water every morning for years now. According to Mr. Healthy, Professor Chen Horin, CEO, Beijing Military Hospital, warm lemon water aids against proliferation of coronavirus. He says the acid and carboxylic acid in lemon help protect narrowing arteries and regulate hypertension which is a risk factor for coronavirus, stroke and other problems. He advises putting three slices of lemon in a cup of warm water which turns it into alkaline water.

If you are one of those people who just do not like the taste of water and it’s a true hardship forcing it down, try Hint Water.

Detoxification Environmental toxins impair your immune system. Detoxing your home, beauty and personal care routine is not just about being an eco freako earth loving hippie chick. No, this is vital for your health. I’m not messing around when I talk about this. Toxins have a very negative impact that suppresses your immune system. Using clean beauty and non toxic household products is vital for your overall health.

Get your home detoxified. Make it easy on yourself by registering for my easy to follow Home Detox Masterclass. You’ll learn how to create a healthier, less toxic environment inside your home which will benefit your immune system big time. In light of what’s going on right now I am keeping my Home Detox Masterclass at the introductory price for the time being. I can also help you reduce your body’s toxic burden with an Eco Wellness Power Hour. Book yours here.

Manage Stress Our adrenal glands pump out excess cortisol when we’re under stress which weakens the immunity in the lining of the gut. To say this COVID-19 pandemic is causing stress and anxiety is an understatement. We must manage that stress and anxiety for our well-being.

Proven stress relievers:

Exercise It’s vital for your immune system and since we all are homebound with a lot of our responsibilities taken off our plate the number one excuse for not exercising: ‘not enough time’ is not going to fly anymore unless you are someone who is now working from home while also homeschooling young children. In that case, you need stress relief more than ever. Walk, jog, do yoga, lift free weights in your home, log onto one of the many online workouts that are now popping up.

Yoga Since your gym and yoga studios are closed, online workouts are our solution! Keeping up with your workouts will keep you sane and boost your immune system. Yoga is a stress reducer and a great workout. Try Yoga Download or even Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube.

Sleep, rest and relaxation

Getting out in nature Can’t go anywhere else now anyway. Take a walk and a few times a day, step out on your balcony, yard or front door and take a few deep cleansing breaths.

Meditation, Mindfulness & Gratitude There are wonderful meditation resources like Barbara Savin that can help you create a meditation practice. I had the extreme pleasure of speaking with her at Conejo Collective Day Of Wellness last year. She ended her talk with a short guided grounding meditation that was transformative, everyone was talking about how wonderful it was.

If you’re new to meditation, you don’t need to get fancy, just take a few minutes or even one minute several times a day to breathe while focusing on something you are grateful for. Gratitude is a potent stress reliever.

What you focus on expands. What you resist persists. Focus on thoughts of health and wellness. What do you think will happen generally does happen.

“Stress is a response to stimulation that makes you feel threatened and not always provoked by real circumstances, Rather a perception that you are being attacked.” ~Dr. Mark Hyman

There are many others things you can also do for your immune system that I help clients with but these are a few of my top recommendations that you can implement right now. They aren’t difficult, they are free or very low cost and they will make a difference. A strong immune system is your best defense during this crisis.

I don’t use that word lightly. I am not an alarmist and I truly believe that staying calm and levelheaded will get us through this but it is a crisis. It’s a serious situation, however, worrying about what we can’t control will only deteriorate our mental and physical well-being and exacerbate anxiety and stress.

As with every aspect of health and life in general, I always say control what you can, give yourself grace and release worry about what you cannot control. Can you 100% control your immune system? No, but you absolutely can implement these methods to give yourself a leg up.

With all that immune boosting goodness being said, please don’t beat yourself up if you’ve been eating too much comfort food, having a few to too many glasses of wine, not getting off the couch often enough, scrolling social media endlessly… These first few weeks were weird and scary. I think we all have to just give ourselves a little bit of grace, right? Your world has been turned upside down and your schedule is likely completely thrown off. Give yourself a break but that now we’re a few weeks in, good idea to get into a healthy routine – your new hopefully very temporary normal.

A word about personal Hygiene. I wrote about handwashing years ago in the first article that I wrote on tips for preventing cold and flu and easing symptoms. One of my tips was handwashing and as I stated in that article, I attribute diligent handwashing to rarely getting sick (thank you, Lord!). It’s amazing how handwashing is now at the forefront of everyone’s minds. It should always be a priority.

Certain germs threaten your immune system and others can lead to serious illness as we are now witnessing across the globe. I was a major hand wash it before all of this and even I am over the number of times I am at the sink sudsing up! However, we must wash the germs off your hands, especially before you eat, wash or touch your face and prepare food and always after you are out in common areas.

When it comes to supplements, check with your physician

There are impressive supplements that also boost the immune system like probiotics, vitamin D3 with K, astragalus, vitamin C, zinc, oregano oil, Echinacea, and more but you must check with your healthcare practitioner. Particularly with the coronavirus, scientists are finding that certain substances in medications exacerbate symptoms. And please keep in mind some supplements are not healthy on a long-term basis like echinacea and others so you must do your research and find a good physician. I like Western doctors that are integrative and homeopathic as well.

Spread Love Not germs

Know what else reduces stress? Love and gratitude. Spread loving kindness and treat with others and yourself with care.

Be gentle on yourself and as I told my kids, let’s just take it one day at a time and look for the silver linings. I shared some of mine here that will help ease your anxiety.

We are all in this together, we need to stick together, be there for one another and comply to save lives. It’s OK to be scared and to dislike the situation. This isn’t the norm for humans, it’s lonely. We are meant to be together and experience human touch. I still can’t believe it’s happening.

I’ll say it again because it’s an important concept to understand – – – – what we focus on expands. Focus on love, healing & positivity💫 Send those vibes out into the world to change the trajectory. It will make a difference in what’s going on in the world, within yourself. and your beloved immune system.

To recap, keep your immune system strong and be particularly vigilant in this time of pandemic with: Good nutrition, proper hydration, eliminating toxins, sleeping, and reducing stress.

Health isn’t just what you’re eating. It’s what you’re thinking, what you’re doing and what you’re saying.

Want help implementing some of these habits and learn more self-care tips that will help alleviate your anxiety during these uncertain times?

Register for my FREE Savvy Girl’s Virtual Self-Care Retreat starting on World Health Day, April 7th. As soon as you sign up, you’ll also get my complimentary Home Detox checklist delivered right to your inbox.

Stay safe, stay well and let’s all do our part to stop the spread of COVID – 19.

May 10, 2020 By Kelly Leave a Comment

Are you ready to make your health a priority? I would love to help you reach your health and clean beauty goals.

During your complimentary consultation…

I’ll evaluate you and give you a crystal clear plan with key steps to reduce toxic load and manage weight for good
We’ll uncover hidden challenges that could be contributing to toxic load and/or sabotaging your weight-loss efforts
You’ll learn tips to detox your home and personal care routine
Learn sustainable lifestyle habits that create a healthier, energetic, slimmer body
Discover the true cause of weight gain and plateaus
You’ll discover tips to prevent/mitigate Type II Diabetes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and potentially get off certain medications
Learn about intermittent fasting and balancing nutrition
You’ll leave the session renewed, energized and inspired to make the changes necessary to implement new healthy habits as well as learning about a proven method to lose weight once and for all
We’ll explore if any of my programs or services are a good fit for you

REQUEST A CONSULT

I am excited to speak with you and explore how I can help you optimize your health, reduce your body’s toxic burden, reduce stress, improve nutrition and/or lose weight. With my help, it will be easier than you can imagine.

In the meantime, grab my FREE Healthy Eating On The Go guide with simple tips and habits along with several delicious, nutritious options to grab and go when you are pressed for time.

A votre santé!

Book your free consultation at a time that is convenient for you. We’re available at your earliest convenience. Feel free to text 818.235.2205 or email me: kelly@kellybonanno.com.

https://kellybonanno.com/2020/05/complimentary-eco-wellness-consultation/

April 28, 2020 By Kelly

Are you feeling out of sorts? A bit more anxious than usual? It’s completely understandable. This unprecedented situation with COVID-19 and the recession have many everyone stressed out and overwhelmed.

For most of us, the situation is frightening, confusing and inconvenient but for some, it’s downright devastating. People have lost their lives, others are fighting for their lives and many are facing serious financial hardships.

I truly hope each of you reading this are healthy and safe. If you or a loved one has fallen ill, my heart goes out to you.

It’s on my heart to help you feel supported during this pandemic. To accomplish that, I offered a free Virtual Self-Care Retreat in April during Stress Awareness Month. The feedback I received was fantastic, participants loved it so I’m making it available to everyone.

Give me a few minutes each day for a week, we’ll get your self-care game going with fun, easy, relaxing self-care and wellness activities that will improve your mood, reduce stress and give you a healthy focus.

Now more than ever devoting attention to your well-being is essential. The current global climate has people on edge and fearful. The shelter in place has many feeling overwhelmed and disoriented. You’re trying to stay healthy, doing your part to prevent the spread of coronavirus while navigating this new normal, albeit temporary. But some things will change for good.

I want to help you turn that around, choose faith over fear, find peace, and relieve tension. We’re not stuck at home, we’re safe at home. Let’s make the most of it.

My free Virtual Self-Care Retreat gives you fun, simple ways to practice self-care along with self-love and self-compassion. Self-love is acknowledging that you are enough. You matter. You are loved. The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one with yourself.

Learn to listen to your own inner voice and feel important enough to be heard and looked after the way you care for others. Loving and nurturing yourself allows you to love and nurture others in a stronger capacity.

During this time of uncertainty trying to avoid coronavirus and adhere to the social distancing mandate, the most beneficial thing you can do is support your mind and body with positive habits that reduce anxiety and strengthen your immune system.

This virtual retreat will lift your spirits and reduce anxiety.

I’m known for helping people go green and improve health by transitioning to clean beauty and reducing toxic load caused by environmental toxins but other things cause a different type of toxicity that I help people mitigate. Stress, fear, anxiety, pessimism are all toxic to your system. A strong immune system is vital right now, read this blog post for tips to boost yours: 5 Powerful Ways To Strengthen your Immune System During This Pandemic

During this retreat, we are going to detox your lifestyle with some radical self-care and fun.

Go from overwhelm to relaxed in 7 days.

Sign up now!

This will lift your spirits and help alleviate some of the added stress and anxiety brought on by this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the recession. It will help you prioritize self-care, self-love, and personal development which is crucial for your overall well being.

Do stress and anxiety harm your health and impair your immune system? Yes, but there are enjoyable ways to mitigate the harmful effects.

Each day, I’ll share fun, easy self-care and wellness activities designed to alleviate stress, anxiety and overwhelm. Enjoyable self-care – not the overused buzzword type that’s demanding and makes you feel guilty if you don’t do it!

Some activities will be purely for relaxation and well being, others will help you be more efficient and productive with your time. You’ll have access to my free private Facebook community where you can bond with like-minded individuals and get support.

This resource is everything you need to incorporate self-care and self-development into your daily routine and kick stress to the curb.

Whether you are extra busy and overwhelmed working from home while homeschooling or find yourself with more time on your hands than usual and perhaps bored, this retreat will benefit you. I will be sending you emails and replays of all the Facebook live streams so you can complete activities on your own time.

Click here to sign up for the Virtual Self-care Retreat and enjoy 7 fun, stress-reducing days devoted to you 💜Joy heals. Focusing on the positive heals.

Invite your friends to join us too!

This retreat is very important to me. I want to give you the tools that I use to alleviate my stress and the self-care activities my clients and I enjoy to feel calm and centered during difficult times.

Creating a positive mindset and inner peace will help keep you healthy. It’s good to feel good.

Stay well 💕

#savvygirlsvirtualselfcareretreat

https://kellybonanno.com/2020/04/the-savvy-girls-virtual-self-care-retreat-giveaway/

April 22, 2020 By Kelly

10 Ways To Go Green & Reduce Your Carbon Footprint For Earth Day

Happy Earth Day

50 years ago today, 20 million Americans held demonstrations across the country rallying for a healthy, sustainable environment. We still face many of the same environmental issues as we did on that first Earth Day when founder, Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Senator at the time, was inspired to make a difference after the devastation of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, a beautiful coastal town here in Southern California.

“What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable home planet to put it on?”

~Henry David Thoreau

The hippie chick inside this eco advocate considers every day Earth Day 🌎The theme this year is Climate Action. Celebrate by connecting with your inner flower child and take action by implementing one (or all!) of these eco-friendly habits:

Conserve Energy Shut lights off when you leave a room, use energy efficient light bulbs in all your fixures, and reduce phantom energy drains by unplugging electronics when they’re not in use. This will save you money too.
Compost Like An Eco Boss This seems like a rather big project but it’s actually not. You just need to get it set up. It turns food scraps into a rich additive for soil that helps plants thrive but if it’s not done right it can be a smelly mess. Learn how with Master gardener, Stacey Murphy. You’ll also find helpful tips at The Spruce. If gardening is a form of your self-care, you’ll like composting. After a few weeks you’ll have crumbly compost for your lawn and garden. Many cities even provide you with a free composting bin which certainly makes it far easier. Check with your municipality to find out if they offer that service.
Eat Less Meat Livestock production emits more greenhouse gas and uses a huge amount of land and water. In his enlightening book, Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet–One Bite at a Time, Dr. Mark Hyman, Chairman, Institute for functional medicine, says that our food system is the number one cause of climate change. Loss of soil, factory farming of animals, processing and food waste are some of the contributing factors.

Click here to watch my Earth Day live stream on Facebook

Shop local And Shop Consciously Buy less, recycle more, upcycle and seek businesses that are environmentally focused.
Detox Your Home Occupy your time during lockdown by creating a healthier, less toxic home. You are currently spending more time inside your home than ever. The environment inside your home is up to TEN TIMES more polluted than it is outside. I cannot impress upon you enough how important it is to create a less toxic home. Environmental toxins impair your immune system and wreak havoc on your health. I know it’s daunting and overwhelming, that’s exactly why I created my easy workshop-style course: The Home Detox Masterclass will remove the overwhelm, save you an abundance of time and you will avoid the hassle of being greenwashed. This makes it easy for you to learn the steps you need to clean up your indoor environment, reduce your toxic load, and minimize your carbon footprint. (In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m keeping it at the very low introductory rate for a limited time – grab it for $37. Tell a friend.) Imagine how relieved you’ll be when you know exactly what to do and what to use. What better way to celebrate Earth Day?! Click here to learn more & register.

If you are concerned about climate change, make some eco friendly changes in your own home. What’s going on in your home affects the earth.

It starts with you.

Clean Hair Care Is Best For Humans and Mother Nature Make the switch to clean, non toxic hair care. Americans poor hundreds of millions of gallons of shampoo down the drain each year. The waste water treatment plants in this country are designed to remove bacteria but not toxic chemicals so that contamination can end up back into our water supply. Using clean beauty and personal care products is very beneficial to your health as well as the planet.
Drive Less, Bike And Walk Way More Wonderful for the environment, your wallet and your waistline.
Burning Clean Candles Paraffin candles emit toxic chemicals such as benzene, toulene, and keytones into the air and many wicks contain heavy metals. Soy and palm oil candles are hydrogenated and often contain paraffin. Soy can be a safe option if it’s non GMO. Beeswax and coconut wax are clean, safe options.

The EPA ranks indoor air pollution one of the top five environmental health risks

Green Your Beauty Routine This is good for the planet and it will reduce your toxic load which is super healthy for you. Click here for tips to make it easy.
Plant A Beautiful Tree This is a great thing to do with your family while you’re in lockdown. Even one tree has a positive impact on the earth. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen into the atmosphere, help regulate the water cycle and provide food and habitat for wildlife and humans.

In light of this pandemic, it’s more important than ever that you create a healthy, less toxic home and personal care routine. Environmental toxins found in homes account for an estimated 75%-80% of cancer cases and deaths in the US.

March 7, 2020 By Kelly 3 Comments

7 Good Reasons to Practice Yoga

Yoga is rich in benefits for the mind, body, and spirit

Yoga studios have been popping up everywhere in the last few years. It’s like Starbucks, seems like there’s one on every corner, right?! It’s more popular than ever, with over 20 million Americans practicing. I have been an avid yogini on and off for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, I’ve been more ‘off’ for too long. I do plenty of cardio and strength training and I’m usually good about doing some yogic stretches afterward but haven’t had the steady yoga practice that I used to. I miss it!

In fact, I was just telling a friend at lunch the other day that I want to commit to a regular practice again. Honestly, I see and feel a clear difference in both the way I look and feel when yoga is a regular part of my fitness routine. Writing this has inspired me and now I’ve put it out there, you can hold me accountable! Check back in a few weeks to see where I’m at 😉

A good yoga session leaves you with an inner peace that stays with you throughout the day. The mind body experience of yoga has benefits that go beyond leaner muscles and a more zen state of being. No chanting necessary, so roll out your yoga mat and strike a pose.

The Mind Body Connection
In yoga, you focus on your breathing, as well as what your body is doing and how it is feeling and reacting to each pose. That focus carries through to other aspects of your life. “I think the most important benefit of a yoga practice is learning how to replace habits with mindfulness,” says Leeann Carey, founder, Yāpana by Leeann Carey Yoga. “Mindfulness is a strategy for turning knowing into doing and being. It is more than striking a yoga pose. It is about noticing what you are doing and how you are doing it. A yoga practice is a method for implementing this.”

Increased Strength and Stamina Yoga doesn’t just make you more flexible, it really makes your muscles strong. You work all of your body parts and many of the poses take a tremendous amount of strength, particularly when you challenge your body to hold them for at least five breaths. I notice a lot more definition when I practice yoga on a regular basis. A good yoga class really works me and I love it.

Stress Reduction

Yoga has a calming effect on the nervous system. Stress causes a PLETHORA of health problems, seriously, it’s a killer. Anything you can do to manage stress will be unbelievably beneficial. Mindful breathing is one of the best things you can do to bring your stress levels down. In yoga, you focus on your breath as you move from pose to pose. Yoga has been shown to increase levels of a chemical in your brain that helps decrease anxiety known as GABA (gamma-amniobutyric). That wonderful afterglow of yoga known as the “yoga buzz” keeps you energized and calm.

Pain Relief

The Group Health Research Institute in Seattle recently conducted a study where they found that 60 percent of their subjects suffering from chronic back pain reported significant relief after just 12 yoga classes.

Weight Loss

There isn’t a huge amount of research regarding yoga and weight loss but studies have shown a correlation. Carey says she has seen countless students lose weight through yoga, “There are plenty of styles of yoga that promote weight loss — some that are more aerobic than others. But the most important and enduring effect is a mindful lifestyle which supports overall healthy choices in food, activity, thought, and action in all things,” says Carey.

It Just Might Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is the primary cause of disease and aging. Reducing toxic load and maintaining a healthy weight are huge factors in keeping inflammation in check. The Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research reported a study that found individuals who practiced yoga had lower inflammatory markers levels than those who didn’t.

Yoga Is for Everyone

It doesn’t matter what your fitness level is or how old you are, there are modifications for each pose that allow everyone to practice and reap the benefits. Yoga is now mainstream; it’s easy to find a good class. There are several different types of yoga, so do a little research and find the best fit for you. Be sure to choose a reputable yoga studio with skilled instructors. It is crucial that they know how to teach proper alignment and make necessary adjustments in the poses to avoid injuries. Namaste

This post was originally published in 2016, it has been updated and revised for your enjoyment.

March 1, 2020 By Kelly

Giveaway! Enter To Win Pure & Coco Skincare AND Home Detox Masterclass & Coaching!

Enter for your chance to win Pure & Coco Skincare products AND Kelly’s Eco Wellness Coaching. Meet Pure & Coco founder, Rene Bartosh, and hear how she helps people naturally relieve dry skin and eczema with her inspiring Pure & Coco story. She also shares some of her top skincare and clean beauty tips!

One very lucky winner will receive the following prizes worth over $200:

Pure & Coco Moisturizing Exfoliators

Luxe Stainless Steel Spoon for Moisturizing Exfoliators

Bamboo Facial Washcloth

Cosmetic Travel Bag

Kelly’s Home Detox Masterclass

1:1 Eco Wellness Session With Kelly

Check out our interview:

Pure & Coco Moisturizing Exfoliators

Pure cane sugar gently removes the barrier of dead skin cells which blocks creams, oils, and lotions from properly absorbing into the skin, all without burning or irritating sensitive skin
Gently removes dry skin, flaking skin, & moisturizes to soothe itching eczema skin overnight
Helps even out skin tone, minimizes pores and calms redness
Dermatologist approved for use on your face & body, safe for daily use
Organic Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil leaves skin feeling soft and moisturized-not greasy

Luxe Stainless Steel Spoon for Moisturizing Exfoliators

This perfectly sized spoon scoops up the exact amount needed every time of your favorite Moisturizing Exfoliator
Easily scoop out the perfect amount each time
Helps manicures stay looking fresh longer because you no longer have to use your fingertips to scoop out the product
Keeps excess water out of product
Perfect for stirring if the product becomes separated from heat or hard from cold temperatures
Crafted from 18/10 stainless steel, resists rust and holds its polish well
Dishwasher safe

Cosmetic Travel Bag

This generously sized cosmetic bag can carry all of your favorite Pure & Coco skincare products, including a large Moisturizing Exfoliator, and plenty of room for all of your makeup
Convenient zippered compartment with breathable mesh fabric to safely store your makeup brushes
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Bamboo Facial Washcloth

No more sharing the family bath towel to dry your face. These 100% Pure Bamboo washcloths are naturally anti-microbial and anti-bacterial perfectly suited for sensitive facial skin types
Using a separate towel for your face prevents transferring bodily bacteria onto your face
Double layered for extra absorbency and thickness
Machine washable

Kelly’s Home Detox Masterclass

Learn how to:

Go green
Detox your home
Reduce your body’s toxic burden
Reduce your risk of illness
Reduce your carbon footprint
Adopt healthy home habits
Eliminate chemical-filled commercial products from your home and daily routine
Eliminate and avoid toxins commonly found in households and everyday products
Learn about harmful chemicals commonly used in household products & which health risk they pose
Implement the best strategies to help ensure your home is as healthy and non-toxic as possible
Easily implement eco-friendly household habits and methods
Transition to clean, effective products for the home
Eliminate toxins and create a healthy indoor environment
Prevent long term health issues caused by environmental toxins
Choose healthy, safe, effective household products
Protect our ecosystem and help create a cleaner environment
Avoid being greenwashed ever again

Includes worksheets, handouts, pocket guides and a comprehensive list of my top favorite household lines that are safe and effective (cleaning products, candles, water filters, and more.)

In light of this pandemic, it’s more important than ever to create a healthy, less toxic home and personal care routine. Toxins lower immunity and wreak havoc on your health.

1:1 Eco Wellness Session With Kelly

We’ll reduce your body’s toxic burden by working on any aspect of green living and wellness that you choose: beauty, personal care, home, lifestyle, nutrition or a combination
I will provide you with the very best plan to effectively detox your beauty and personal care routine to support long-term health, without stress or overwhelm
Start/continue transitioning to the right clean beauty & personal care products for your skin type, preferences and budget
Learn how to balance nutrition and stabilize blood sugar levels so you can release unwanted weight and stop yo yo dieting
I will help you create a plan based on your needs and the type of skincare, beauty and/or home products that you want and need to make your green journey easier and more glamorous
Ask Kelly all your questions about clean beauty, eco friendly living, the products you currently use, which products you should use, nutrition and more

The prize is valued at over $200!

Enter and tag a clean beauty loving friend! Good luck!

A votre sante

xo Kelly & Rene

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March 1, 2020 By Kelly

Savvy Girl’s Premiere Virtual Self Care Retreat & Giveaway

Are you feeling out of sorts? A bit more anxious than usual? It’s completely understandable. This unprecedented situation has most everyone stressed out and overwhelmed.

April happens to be National Stress Awareness month, quite timely given what we’re going through with COVID-19, isn’t it?

I truly hope each of you reading this are healthy and safe. If you or a loved one has fallen ill, my heart goes out to you.

It’s on my heart to help you feel supported during this pandemic. To accomplish that, I am offering a free Virtual Self-Care Retreat.

Join us for 10 days of healthy, relaxing activities to make your time at home less stressful and more productive and enjoyable 💕

I want to help you turn that around, choose faith over fear, find peace and relieve tension. We’re not stuck at home, we’re safe at home. Let’s make the most of it.

My Virtual Self-Care Retreat gives you fun, simple ways to practice self-care along with self-love and self-compassion. Self-love is acknowledging that you are enough. You matter. You are loved. The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one with yourself. Learn to listen to your own inner voice and feel important enough to be heard and looked after the you care for others. Loving and nurturing yourself allows you to love and nurture others in a stronger capacity.

This virtual retreat will help improve mood and reduce anxiety during this challenging time while normal life is on hold. Sign up and join us, everyone who participates will be entered to win a self-care clean beauty bundle!

I’m known for helping people go green and improve health by reducing toxic load caused by environmental toxins but other things cause a different type of toxicity that I help people mitigate. Stress, fear, anxiety, pessimism are all toxic to your system. A strong immune system is vital right now, read this blog post for tips to boost yours: 5 Powerful Ways To Strengthen your Immune System During This Pandemic

During this retreat, we are going to detox your lifestyle with some radical self-care and fun.

Go from overwhelm to relaxed in 10 days.

We start on

World Health Day

Tuesday, April 7th

Sign up now for the next retreat!

We’re all in this together, joining a community in the name of self-love with like-minded individuals will lift your spirits and offer a welcomed distraction.

Do stress and anxiety harm your health and impair your immune system? Yes, but there are enjoyable ways to mitigate the harmful effects.

Some activities will be purely for relaxation and well being, others will help you be more efficient and productive with your time at home. You’ll have access to my free private Facebook community where you can bond with like-minded individuals and get support.

This resource is everything you need to incorporate self-care and self-development into your daily routine and kick stress to the curb.

Click here to sign up for the Virtual Self-care Retreat and enjoy 10 fun, stress-reducing days devoted to you 💜Joy heals. Focusing on the positive heals.

All participants have a chance to win a self-care clean beauty bundle! Enter the giveaway on the form below.

Invite your friends to join us too!

Creating a positive mindset and inner peace will help keep you healthy. It’s good to feel good.

Stay well 💕

Sign up here now for the next Virtual Self-Care Retreat and to enter the new giveaway click here. #savvygirlsvirtualretreat

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February 25, 2020 By Kelly Leave a Comment

8 Surprising Heart Attack Symptoms Women Should Not Ignore

Do you believe that your chance of having a cardiac episode depends on your genes? Think you don’t have much control? Not true. 80% of heart disease is preventable, this statistic comes from the American Heart Association. Certain types of heart disease are genetic and difficult to detect but for the most part, your lifestyle dictates your chance of heart problems, including stroke.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the U.S.

Sharp chest pain is obvious but there is a wide range of symptoms associated with a heart attack and these symptoms do not always include distinct chest pain, especially in women. Can’t stress that point enough, ladies!

Certain symptoms can be subtle but very distinct signs that you should head straight to the ER. These symptoms are often associated with other issues that are not serious or life threatening so it’s easy to ignore them or pass them off as simply discomfort or a minor issue.

Extreme fatigue
Heart palpitations
Feeling light headed or dizzy
Nausea and indigestion
Heartburn
Shortness of breath
Tingling of the hands
Pain in a hand- even in a finger.

This is not to say that if you are experiencing one of these symptoms it’s a heart issue, women can feel light headed for a variety of reasons, heart palpitations are common with thyroid issues and menopause, a plate full of spicy enchiladas can bring on a lovely episode of indigestion.

However, all of these are symptoms are often associated with other ailments making it less obvious when a woman is having a heart attack so it’s good to be aware, particularly if you’re experiencing more than one or there’s no good reason.

Transitioning to a clean beauty routine may not have a direct impact on your heart health but it is beneficial for your overall health and harmful toxins certainly cannot be good for your heart.

Heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined

Adopt a healthy diet It’s an obvious one but too many people have poor diets. Avoid foods with saturated and trans fat. Stay away from fried food! Eat the bad stuff once in a while but on a regular basis, indulge in fruits, veggies, superfoods, foods high in antioxidants and fiber
Exercise!! Get your heart rate going with some cardio nearly everyday, strength train a few times a week and zen out with some yoga
Do NOT smoke Seriously, do we even have to discuss this?
Keep your alcohol consumption moderate
Keep your weight down That does not mean you have to be some unrealistic size, just stay within a range that is healthy for your height and keep your waist circumference and BMI in the healthy zone (besides, booties are in girls, so don’t bother getting rid of what he likes to grab!). Curious about your BMI? Check it here. If you do have some lbs. to get rid of, click here to book a quick complimentary Eco Wellness consultation with me, my weight loss program just might be the perfect fit for you. It’s easy to follow and highly effective, designed for optimal health making it easy to lose weight fast because it gets your body into fat burning mode and improves heart health.
Go for regular check-ups Start young, even people in their twenties should get physicals
Test your glucose Dr. Roshini Raj recommends that everyone have a glucose test for diabetes every 3 years because diabetes is a major cause of heart disease. She also says it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor about taking the new LDL particle test
Know your blood pressure Have your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar tested. Ideal BP is 115/76 or lower. Your bad cholesterol (LDL) should be lower than 100 and your good cholesterol (HDL) should be higher than 50. Even a slight elevation of any one of these can double or possibly quadruple your risk for stroke but you can lessen that chance with proper care
Know your family health history
Stress Less Anxiety hurts your heart so much that highly anxious types are two times as likely to suffer a heart attack or die that those who take things in stride and stay calm. Want to help ease anxiety? Meditate! Even 10 minutes a day will help. “There are 1440 minutes in a day. They’ll all go better if you take 10 of them to meditate.” ~Marie Forleo
Get busy in the bedroom (I’m throwing in a juicy bonus tip ~ happens to be my personal favorite) Intimate sex and loving affection are very good for your heart as well your over all mental and physical well being. Plus, is there really anything more fun?! Bow Chicka bow wow… 😉
February is National Heart Month

Be sure to enter my latest giveaway for your chance to win Pure & Coco Skincare products and cosmetic bag, my Home Detox Masterclass and a 1:1 Eco Wellness coaching session with me ~ prize valued over $200!