Kelly Bonanno

Your soulful coach for eco friendly living, clean beauty & wellness Savvy | Sexy | Beautiful | Healthy | You

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How To Find Safer Sunscreen Protection

I love the smell of Coppertone… brings back fond memories of my childhood. Oooh and baby oil… I’d slather that stuff all over my body in hopes of achieving that deep dark tan. If we only knew! Not only were we damaging our skin but that pleasant smell of Coppertone is a highly toxic synthetic fragrance.

file9151265810349In my post, You Know The Sunscreen You’re Using Is Toxic, Isn’t Time To Make A Healthier Choice? I detailed the harmful chemicals that most sunscreen brands contain. Because the FDA does not conduct any safety testing on sunscreen, we consumers have to be savvy about what we use. It’s infuriating, we’re trying to protect ourselves from skin cancer but the damn sunscreen itself contains carcinogens. So what the hell are we supposed to do?!

Don’t worry, there are alternatives. There are brands that offer quality sunscreen without the harmful chemicals that get a good rating on the Environmental Working Group sunscreen report. Look for products that have zinc oxide made without nanotechnology. Zinc is a physical barrier against the sun’s rays that does not get absorbed by the skin. The sun’s rays break down chemical sunscreens and you have to reapply them frequently. The physical sunscreens do not break down so they protect your skin from the sun longer.

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SPF 15 & 30, sunscreen stick and lip balm with SPF 15

California Baby and Badger are good but they do leave a white film on the skin (which my 11 year old won’t tolerate!) , UV Natural is good but a bit greasy.

I like Solar Protective MoisturizerSPF 30 by Devita Skin Care. It’s good for us gals because it contains hyaluronic acid which gives a little anti-aging boost.

I know sunscreen sprays are convenient and easy to use but they are especially harmful because we inhale the ingredients as well as absorb them.

Protect Your Health, Protect The Environment

Lake Arrowhead 009Avoiding sunscreen with toxic ingredients is not only important for our health, it’s important for the environment. After we slather ourselves with it, it washes off into the ocean harming sea life. According to a study conducted by Environmental Health Perspectives in 2008, these chemicals are killing the coral reef.

Research shows that octinoxate, oxybenzone, parabens and camphor derivatives kill hard corals which could have a negative impact on biodiversity and reef ecosystems. Help inform your friends – tweet this, share it on Facebook & send it to friends, especially those with kids. No one should use sunscreen with harmful chemicals and with all the safe alternatives, they don’t have to.

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Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day

Thursday, April 26th is Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day. This year’s theme is “Work In Progress”. The Foundation started this program 20 years ago to help kids learn about the workplace, give them a taste of what their parent actually does in a day’s work and give them a glimpse into what their future might hold and what opportunities are out there.

201212081354966223623064249It gives children a look into the working world and shows them how adults balance work with family and other aspects of their life. Whether you work in or outside the home, it’s a chance to share an important part of your life. Kids love going to work with their parents! It’s out of the ordinary and they get a kick out of seeing us in their ‘alternate environment’.  They have a blast and they certainly benefit from the enriching learning experience.ArcZnnZCIAAE-3n It’s special for mom and dad too. So have your child or grandchild, niece, the child of a friend spend the day with you at your workplace to learn about what you do, you might just inspire a future career. And you’re sure to have some fun!

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4 Healthy Things Moms Can Do To Take Care Of Themselves

Women are busier than ever these days. Whether you’re a stay at home mom or you work outside the home, you’re juggling a multitude of things. We’re working, keeping house, raising our kids and trying to take care of everything and everyone.url

As crazy as our lives get, we must also take care of ourselves or we can’t properly care for those around us. I’m a busy mom, doing it all with no nanny, housekeeper or family to help but I carve out time and look after myself with exercise, proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. There are simple things we can do that really make a big difference… Read entire article at Just Between Friends.

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3 Healthy Alternatives to Kids’ Favorite Foods

When was the last time your child asked you for a plate of steamed vegetable? Never, right?! If they’re like most kids they’re begging for cookies, cheeseburgers, pizza, candy, etc… right?!

Providing our kids with a healthy diet is a constant battle for parents. Our culture is obsessed with junk food, and spends more than 110 billion dollars on fast food every year. Over 30 percent of children in America under age 17 are overweight. Kids are the target market for all the junk food out there. We don’t want to deprive them of the foods they love, but it’s our job to make sure they’re getting proper nutrition. Many of their favorite foods are unhealthy, but fortunately there are some delicious alternatives. Read on to learn about my picks …

1. Healthy pancakes.

Love to make pancakes every Sunday morning? Look for a mix that’s made with organic stone ground whole grain flour, pure raw evaporated cane juice or pure raw sugar, and aluminum-free leavening. I make them even healthier by adding ground flax seeds and wheat germ. (My kids don’t even notice.) The recipe calls for oil, so opt for a healthy option like grape seed oil, then top with a little 100 percent pure maple syrup. My kids love them! Try Bob’s Red Mill buttermilk pancake and waffle mix or organic seven-grain pancake mix from Nuts.com… Read entire article at Parent Society. 

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Seriously Good Cereal

3 Sisters Cereal 007Do your kids beg you for sugary big brand cereal after being bombarded by their commercials? I love how they spin it as “part of a healthy breakfast,” yeah, the unhealthy part. Sure, once in a while I give in and treat them to a box but our pantry is stocked with healthier alternatives. There really are several to choose from. My family loves a line of cereal sold exclusively at Whole Foods called Three Sisters. They do not use any partially hydrated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.  My husband says it’s even better than the unhealthy sugar laden brands!

My kid’s favorites are Cinnamon Sweets, their alternative for Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Marshmallow Oaties, their answer to Lucky Charms. In fact, the ‘oatie’ part is tastier than the non-marshmallow cereal in Lucky Charms. My youngest actually eats it rather than just picking out the marshmallows the way he does on the rare occasions he has Lucky Charms. Three Sisters offers several other varieties including four flavors of oatmeal.  The only con? It’s a bit pricey considering how much is in the bag. They use renewable wind energy in their production and the cereals come in a freshness saver bag, no box saves energy as well as a few trees. This eco girl loves that! Try them and let me know what you think.

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Homework For Parents… A Clever Assignment

Our oldest son just embarked on his final year of elementary school. He’s off to a good start and he really likes his teacher. He is fortunate to have another wonderful educator guide him through 5th grade. It amazes me how fast his grade school years have flown by. How is he not still in second grade?! His teacher gave parents an assignment that I thought was a unique and interesting way to get know students. He asked that we write about why we treasure our child. He read each letter out loud to the class and asked the students to guess the identity of each child through what was written about them. My talented husband crafted a very creative letter:

 Our Treasure

Imagine you find a box buried in the sand. You brush the sand off the lid and inside this box are several small bottles filled with potions. The potions are labeled “kind,” “considerate,” “funny,” “generous,” “athletic,” “talkative,” and “brilliant.” After drinking all the potions you suddenly feel courageous. Your homework is almost effortless. You’re confident and can’t help but look everyone you meet in the eye. You are logical, compassionate and likeable but often love to lose yourself in a book of fantasy. You are almost perfect, but your little brother drives you crazy by copying everything that you do. This is our wonderful son. Who is he?
Hints: He loves football and cheeseburgers