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The Skinny on Skin! by Terry Ryan
Terry Ryan and sister-in-laws
They have been warning us for years…the skin police. Don’t go outside without SPF50 on your skin. Blah, blah, blah. Where were they when I was pouring iodine into the baby oil and slathering it on my body to enhance the perfect burn? Nowhere, that’s were they were. Now I look at the skin of my peers who all used to lay on the Million Dollar Beach and burn until our skin peeled off in sheets. Some of them are wrinkled and some not so wrinkled. Hey, they said we would be wrinkled, old prunes by the time we turned 60. As I now gaze into the gorgeous tanned skin of one of my BFF’s whose lazy, summer days are spend floating around her pool with absolutely no sunscreen on I say “ha!” to all the experts.
What I am most happy about is that my generation was not berated into using mass quantities of sunscreen with god knows what ingredients. Yikes! I personally am more afraid of slathering chemicals on my skin than sitting out in the sun. However, I don’t sit out in the sun anymore because I believe pale is the new tan. Yeah, you heard me. I like not having tan lines.
Last year I went to my husband’s dermatologist for an itchy spot on my shoulder which proved to be 
harmless and she called it something I can’t even repeat. She did say, “You have amazing skin.” So, here we are, two different specimens who have great skin: me and my BFF sunning in the pool. What separates us from the rest of the population who have not so nice skin? Is it genes alone or did we do something different way back then?
In spite of drug store shelves lined with sunscreen products, skin cancer is on the rise. (Here is a good place to look up the facts. http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts) When I was in high school and college, nobody ever died from skin cancer. Now, I hear sad stories of friends of friends or their relatives dying from skin cancer, mostly the dreaded melanoma: the mother of all skin cancers.
Here is a list of all the skin cancers you have should be knowledgeable of:
Types of Skin Cancer
(source: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin/page4)
Skin cancers are named for the type of cells that become malignant (cancer). The three most common types are:
- Melanoma: Melanoma begins in melanocytes (pigment cells). Most melanocytes are in the skin.
Melanoma can occur on any skin surface. In men, it’s often found on the skin on the head, on the neck, or between the shoulders and the hips. In women, it’s often found on the skin on the lower legs or between the shoulders and the hips.Melanoma is rare in people with dark skin. When it does develop in people with dark skin, it’s usually found under the fingernails, under the toenails, on the palms of the hands, or on the soles of the feet.
- Basal cell skin cancer: Basal cell skin cancer begins in the basal cell layer of the skin. It usually occurs in places that have been in the sun. For example, the face is the most common place to find basal cell skin cancer.In people with fair skin, basal cell skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer.
- Squamous cell skin cancer: Squamous cell skin cancer begins in squamous cells. In people with dark skin, squamous cell skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer, and it’s usually found in places that are not in the sun, such as the legs or feet.
What is the best defense?
I strongly recommend shade. Yep! Something as simple as that. While my neighbors in Florida are chopping their trees down (they are messy was the reason given to me) I cherish the trees that I have shading my lawn. The couple across the street, removed the old oaks in their front yard as soon as they moved in, but then would park in front of my house when the mister of the house was cleaning his car because he wanted the shade! Yes, shade is a good thing. Seek it.
Staying inside during the sun’s zenith is a good idea. I walk in the early morning or the late afternoon. I also always wear a hat and sunglasses. I never NEVER use tanning booths. Ugh! No way Pass.
Use a sun umbrella. Yes, a sun umbrella was in vogue during the Victorian age as ladies in their long dresses walked through flowery fields yielding parasols to protect their fair skin from the sun. Fair skin was “in” because it meant that you were not of the working class, heaven forbid. Tan faces were the norm for the farmers. Then, as time progressed, and the working class switched to factory work and became sun-deprived, a tan was a sign that you were part of the upper class; yachting on your boat off the coast of Cannes or playing tennis in Malibu. Then in my generation, a tan was kind of sexy. We lined up on the sand and soaked in the rays saying things to each other that tanned thighs looked thinner. Got to say that none of my friends I baked with on the beach has yet to come down with skin cancer, knock on wood.
I now use an umbrella (parasols are still popular as a wedding accessory) when I know I am going to be standing in the sun for a long period of time let’s say for a grave-side service or for a summer outdoor concert. I am ten degrees cooler than the non-umbrella user, and I’m blocking out the harmful rays. Get into the habit of storing an umbrella in your car and you will thank me later. Here are some great sun umbrella’s.
Be extremely careful of what you rub on your skin. Years ago I was substitute teaching in a cosmetology class and on the wall was a sponge cut in the shape of a hand with a message below that said, “Your skin is a giant sponge.” Meaning that your skin will absorb everything you put on it, good or bad. If you don’t want to put it in your mouth then why would you put it on your skin? So, now I read just about everything that is in the cosmetic department on the drug store shelves, and I look up ingredients that I am not certain of. Hey, the Internet is a wonderful thing. Let’s take a well-know sunscreen and read the list of ingredients:
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate (7.5%), Octisalate (5%), Zinc Oxide (14.5%) Inactive Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, C12 15 Alkyl Benzoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl/PEG/PPG 10/1 Dimethicone, PEG 12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice, Ethyhexyl Palmitate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Chloride
Chemical and physical
There are two major types of sunscreen: chemical and physical. Although the terms “sunscreen” and “sunblock” are often used interchangeably, chemical sunscreens absorb UV rays while physical sunscreens, or sunblocks, reflect them. Aha!
Chemical sunscreens contain UVB or UVA absorbing ingredients and create a thin film on the skin that reduces ultraviolet radiation (UVR) penetration to the skin. These ingredients include chemicals like avobenzone and benzophenone, which absorb UVR [source: Environmental Protection Agency]. Chemical sunscreens often contain UVB-absorbing chemicals only; however, there are some chemical sunscreens that contain both UVB and UVA absorbers [source: American Melanoma Foundation].
Because they contain ingredients that physically block UVR, sunblocks provide broader protection against both UVA and UVB light [source: American Melanoma Foundation]. Physical sunblocks reflect UV radiation back into the atmosphere using ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide [source: UCSF School of Medicine]. These ingredients scatter both UVA and UVB rays, which provides your skin with full protection from sun damage. There are also sunscreen products that contain a combination of chemical and physical sunscreens, which ensure that your skin is completely protected.
Is sunscreen poisoning us?
Some of the chemical sunscreens are considered endocrine disruptors. Those are chemicals that interfere with the normal function of hormones. The hormones most commonly disturbed are estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid. Endocrine disruptors, like some ingredients in chemical sunscreens, can cause abnormal development of fetuses and growing children. They cause early puberty and premature breast development in girls, and small and undescended testicles in boys. They cause low sperm counts and infertility. Endocrine disruptors that act like estrogen can contribute to the development of breast and ovarian cancers in women, and other endocrine disruptors may increase the chance of prostate cancer in men. (Source: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/your-sunscreen-might-be-poisoning-you)
Now, do you really want to be rubbing that on your child? I cringe when I see a parent, who is thinking they are doing the right thing, rub sunscreen on their baby. The child is usually crying so I think they know more than the parent. What the mom or dad should be doing instead is limiting the child’s swim time to early morning/late afternoon, and making sure they wear long sleeves and a hat if possible. (I should point out that my parents sent us to the beach to bake all day in bathing suits with maybe a towel to lay down on and told to come home when the beach closed. It was only when we started working as teenagers that we were able to buy baby oil to intensify the suns rays. Yet, we survived.)
What was different?
Was it the thicker ozone layer or was it the food we eat? I think it is the food we put into our bodies. I lived in a simpler time when junk food was a rare occurrence. Why? Junk food was not a necessity and expensive, and few of our mother’s worked so we always had prepared from scratch meals. Drinking soda was a luxury and you never sat around eating a bag of chips. Our snacks were mostly vegetables and fruit because it was readily available in our house and picked from the local farms. Chemicals in food were non-existing and free radicals were kept under control, I am assuming. It was a wholesome and healthy time? Do I think that is what ultimately protected our skin, the largest organ in the body? Possibly. That and some good genes. Think before you apply and be sun safe.
Check this site out for more natural sunscreen protection ideas. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/8-natural-ways-to-prevent-a-sunburn-and-sunscreens-not-one-of-them/#axzz3AIO09tOx
Terry Ryan
Terry Ryan is a health blogger and lives in Sarasota, FL.
Is Vitamin D Really Important? by Terry Ryan
Is vitamin D really Important? You bet it is! What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D is one of the many fat-soluble vitamins important to the body. This vitamin however, is more than just a vitamin and in the body acts more like a steroid hormone. This hormone affects over 2000 genes and is found in cells throughout the entire body. These genes and cells affect many of the processes carried out daily. Our levels of Vitamin D are affected by the foods we eat, amount of sunlight exposure and supplements we take. Sunlight exposure is the best source for Vitamin D however supplements also work well to alter our levels.
- Enhances absorption of calcium & phosphorus, which helps to maintain strong bones
- Strengthens Muscles
- Immune system health, which helps to fight infections
- Anti-Cancer effects
- Prevention of the seasonal Flu
- Helps regulate blood sugar levels in the pancreas
- Improved cardiovascular function
- Protection against Autoimmune disease
- Improved mood with depression
- Periodontal Disease
- Prevention of Hypertension
- Reduces muscle aches and pains
- Aids in restful sleep
There is a BIG difference to vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. If you are looking for a whole food based Vitamin D supplement remember that Plant sources provide you with D2. The more beneficial D3 can only be had through animal-based source.
Vitamin D supplements are available in 2 forms:
- Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)
The natural form our body makes from sun light exposure and the form found in foods. - Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol)
The synthetic form is derived from fungus and plant matter
Did you know?
- Preferred form of supplementation is Vitamin D3.
- As always watch out for Fillers, Additives, Binders, Artificial Flavors etc.
- Use of Ergocalciferol (D2) should be avoided if possible.
- Check the expiration date — Avoid expired products.
- If you are allergic to certain ingredients make sure they are not found in your
Here are my picks for great D3 supplements!
Please speak to your doctor about writing a script for a blood test to test for your vitamin D levels. The test will give you a range where they believe your number should be. (Labs differ in the range.)
I personally take 5k a day of D3 and my levels have improved and I like to keep the range optimal because I have an autoimmune disease. It has greatly improved my health.
Thanks for reading. Here are some books on Vitamin D for more info.
Terry Ryan
Terry Ryan is a health blogger and lives in Sarasota, FL with her husband, Kenan.
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Yes, that’s a mouthful. I told someone I had that once and they burst out loud laughing. I guess they found the name funny. It wasn’t funny to me or to anyone who has been diagnosed with HT but unfortunately that is what I have. What is it? It is an autoimmune disease that is attacking my thyroid and making me hypothyroid. You have heard of that, I am sure, and of all the symptoms such as :
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Hair loss
- Infertility
- Dry skin
- Sore throat
- Aches and pains
- Panic attacks
- Depression
- Insomnia
It was discovered by a Japanese physician named Dr. Hakaru Hoshimoto in 1912. It occurs between eight and fifteen times more often in women than in men. Though it may occur at any age, including in children, it is most often observed in women between 30 and 60 years of age.
Terry Ryan
For years I suffered with the symptoms but went undiagnosed as having an under-active thyroid until it finally showed up on a lab test about 10 years ago. I thought now that my doctor knows what I have they can cure me. No! Sorry. That, unfortunately, is not the way it has played out.
After taking hormone replacement therapy as in the form of Armour, Synthroid and then adding Cytomel, I still wasn’t seeing any relief from my symptoms. What the heck? I remember one day after I had taken more blood work done for a checkup with my endocrinologist, my doctor called with the results. He said I was so hypothyroid that I was close to going into a coma. “You must have felt horrible. Why didn’t you call me? he said.
“Because I always feel terrible,” I replied. And I did no matter if I was on Synthroid or not on Synthroid. It may be changing the numbers on my lab tests but it wasn’t changing my fatigue or constant weight gain. I knew I needed more answers so I started to research the Internet and that is where I found most of my answers.
HT is caused by an autoimmune disease and until you take care of the cause you will not find the cure. How do you know you have HT and not just hypothyroidism? You have high antibodies. That’s right have your doctor run a test called an TPO test. If the test comes back high…you have HT.
- Now, what to do about HT.
- Take D3 as much as 10K a day.
- Take selenium and magnesium
- Do not eat gluten (It’s protein mimics the thyroid protein further causing inflammation.)
- Avoid dairy.
- Eat 10 to 15 servings of veggies and fruit per day.
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat organic as much as you can.
- Skip sugar.
To learn more about Hashimoto’s thyroiditis please read my ebook which you can order here. Hashimoto’s Thryoiditis: What is it! What causes it! How to manage it!
Thanks for reading!
Terry Ryan is a health blogger and lives in Sarasota, FL with her husband, Kenan.
Meditation by Guest Blogger Bobette Stanbridge
I asked Bobette Stanbridge to be a guest blogger. I can tell just from talking to her that Bobette has had an interesting life; once living in California and then upstate NY and now in Sarasota, FL, where she has a sprawling beautiful home and a large art room where she creates her wonderful paintings and children books: Bunky Books. Http://www.thebobetteartco.com. Here is what she wrote.
You asked me to explain how I got on the path I am on so here goes.
In 1967 the Maharishi came to America to teach meditation. The Beatles had gone to India, met him and sang about him so the young people of the world became interested. My friends and I were on a path to expanding our consciousness and were told that meditation was the way. Everyone was experimenting with mind altering drugs and I was one of the lucky ones who decided that meditation was a good path instead. That’s not to say that I didn’t try them too but I chose to give them up. I think meditation helped me make that decision.
A man named Jerry Jarvais came to UCLA in Southern California to initiate many of us. We were given mantras, which were sounds to use as our focal point in our meditation. Each of us was given our own sound. I definitely felt something when I meditated. I remember going to a group meditation at one of the halls on campus. Everyone was meditating in a large auditorium and I started laughing uncontrollably. I don’t know why but I couldn’t stop so I left. I didn’t want to disturb the otherwise very quiet room of mediators.
I meditated but not regularly for years but was always wondering where God was in all of this. After my son was born in 1974 we moved to Oregon. My husband got a job at the Steamboat ranger station up in the mountains. We moved there since it was 40 miles away from Roseburg, which was the closest city. There I met my friend Cathy who turned me onto the book The Autobiography of a Yogi by my now guru Paramahansa Yogananda. After reading his story I knew he had found God and so I read everything I could that he had written. I have been meditating ever since. George Harrison handed out the book to everyone and Steve Jobs had it given to all of his employees at his funeral. I recommend it to anyone seeking God.
Meditation is amazing. It is very difficult to understand the effects of it because they can be very subtle. One of the things I have become aware of is a sense of knowing. I have quoted the bible but have never read it. I have learned to move energy and have watched burns disappear. I have had my own super natural experiences and even though I have had some very difficult lessons, I have thrived.
A successful life is all about choices. We are always presented with a new experience to which we must respond. It is how we respond that counts. If we experience something that is extremely difficult we can either fold or pick ourselves up and continue on. If we start to get depressed, it is extremely important to fight it any way we can because if we go into the negative it is a path that just gets more negative and we feel bad. When we are positive, we feel good. It’s a harder path to get into the positive once we are in the negative.
Our thoughts are so powerful that they can actually “throw ourselves under the bus” daily. When we let them happen without responding, we will have a life that flows. If we let them direct our actions, we need to think about the consequences before we act. Will the action be something we chose to experience? We have the ability to choose and design our lives but sometimes we let the outside circumstances direct us to a place we don’t really want to be. Do we want to spend our time fighting or grooving? Sometimes the answer is fighting. There is no right or wrong choices. Everything we experience will teach us something.
We are creatures of habit. We do things repetitively by nature and so we would be wise to watch our 
habits. Habits can become addictions and addictions control us and take away our freedom to choose the habit. When we lose our balance our lives can become quite chaotic. It is a good idea to do things in moderation. We can become addicted to anything. This includes food, sports, hobbies, sex, games, gambling, drugs, alcohol, art, music or having too many babies. Anything that we have to do, takes away our freedom to choose.
I love to create and paint most of all but I choose to balance my activities daily. I write, read, clean, cook, and do many different tasks in between my art. It also helps to have a more balanced perspective. Stepping away from something allows it to be viewed from a different perspective.
We are on this planet for such a short time. What do you want to experience? What do you want to learn? Who is the authentic you? Meditating helps to bring our focus back to ourselves because most of the time we are outwardly focused. We reflect who we are in all experiences that present themselves to us. We are all the center of our own universes and see things from our own perspectives. When we meditate, we shut out the chatter and let our spiritual aspect download a higher perspective. It allows us to have a more intimate relationship with ourselves. It helps us to love ourselves, which is my ultimate goal. Everything we put out we get back. Everything is in equal measure and love is no different. We can only love others in equal measure to the amount we love ourselves and we can only feel love from others the same.
Everything in life has atoms, movement, and consciousness and is alive. It is all a piece of God. Each of us is a piece of the puzzle and therefore important. We are all expressing God. Our job is to love ourselves because if we don’t, we do not love God. I hope that one day all of mankind will be able to love one another. We are all one.
What a wonderful post. Thank you, Bobette!
Juicing Made Easy!
Juicing Myths and Myths About Juicing
Eat your veggies!
Juicing Myths? There are many myths surrounding the juicing industry that often confuses consumers. There are those that say it’s a waste of time and money and others that claim it’s just another craze. But yet, there is no denying that juicing is good for you. There’s also no argument that it’s often difficult for most people to eat enough fruits and vegetables in a day that is needed for optimum health.
So let’s separate the juicing truths from the juicing myths:
1. It tastes bad!
This is one of the top juicing myths. Many people assume that when they try a green colored juice, they will essentially be drinking something that takes like their backyard. But this is not true! Even the pickiest of eaters are surprised at how fresh and delicious a nutritious juice tastes! Adding an apple, mint, ginger or a lemon can naturally sweeten a juice to make it taste even better. Want the benefits of kale but don’t think you can stomach the taste? Try this:
1/2-cup pineapple
4-cups kale leaves
1 large cucumber
1/2 squeezed lemon
1/2 mint
Add to juicer and blend. This recipe is rich in enzymes and tastes terrific. Make sure your drink your juice right away, as vegetable juice is highly perishable.
2. Juicing is a fad!
Once you give juicing a try, you will find that it will be a staple to your healthy diet. Not only is it easy, but it’s an excellent way to lose weight safely while increasing your energy level and improving your overall mood. It doesn’t take long to notice a huge difference in how you feel.
3. I won’t get full!
This is one of the most inaccurate juicing myths! Juice fresh from your juicer is a natural supplement that can actually make you feel fuller longer. When your body is getting exactly what it requires, it feels satisfied.
4. Juicers are too expensive:
There are several very high end juicers available on the market, however, if you are new to juicing, then start with a mid-price machine. Because you will be saving on those expensive pre-made supermarket juices, as well as those packaged foods that aren’t always healthy anyway, it will pay for itself in no time.
5. Juicing takes up too much time:
People are surprised at how easy juicing really is. Many chop up their vegetables and fruits and keep in the refrigerator so that everything is ready to go when a juice craving hits. Not only that, many parts from juicing machines are dishwasher friendly. A good quality juicer should produce a delicious, satisfying drink in less than five minutes from start to finish, often shorter than brewing a cup of coffee.
There seems to be plenty of Juicing Myths floating around but you’ll be surprised to find that juicing is healthy, it tastes great, it saves you time and money, and has a positive impact on you.
Source: http://www.justonjuice.com/juicing-myths/
D5 Creation