What you need to know

About sunscreen and sun bathing...

1. The SPF on the bottle is not a reliable number. The problem? Most people do not apply enough to get the amount of protection the sunscreen claims.  You should apply about 1 -2oz of sunscreen - (1oz = 1shot glass)

2. Environmental Working Group has come out with some new information suggesting that Vitamin A (or its derivatives ie. retinol) can actually promote burning. This is very preliminary information and the studies have only done on mice.

However, it is something to think about when buying sun screen

(read more here and here)

3. Even in the shade you can be reached by UV rays - so put sunscreen on either way. Same goes for sheer or thin clothing.

Now that its getting sunny and hot out we are spending more time outside. It is important to apply sunscreen before you go out, after swimming or sweating, and apply liberally. Most dermatologists (mine included)  suggest anything below SPF 15 is useless. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen so it blocks burning and cancer causing rays as well as those that cause tanning and wrinkling.

-remember to use enough of your spf containing makeup to be protected. - re-read this post

image from Bittersweet Life

did you know...

Yogurt with live cultures can actually reduce your allergy symptoms.

Now its not for immediate relief of symptoms but an italian study has shown that people who suffer from hay fever who ate 2 cups of yogurt every day for 4 months, had half the amount of histamines in their bodies.

Histamines are released from your immune cells to help protect your body from pathogens. And with the case of allergies, your body interprets harmless pollen as dangerous and releases histamines.

This causes inflammation in the tissue - which is responsible for your stuffy, runny nose.

Helpful tip: there is no need to pay the extra money for probiotic yogurt. All yogurt has live cultures because it is a product of fermentation. Most of the extra "probiotics" in the fancy yogurt are actually dead and not therefore are no help to your body. So save your money and just buy the yogurt you like best.

anti-oxidants have also been shown to help reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies, so load that yogurt up with lots of fruit like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
Enjoy this healthy, yummy, natural allergy relief!

update:  here is an article I found that gives some information on yogurts effects of seasonal allergies. As well as other foods that can help treat allergies.

get crackin

eggs are such a yummy breakfast.. or dinner for that matter. im sure everyone can find at least one way they like their eggs cooked. sunny side up, over easy, eggs benedict, egg in a hole (also referred to by some as a one eye sandwich) hard boiled, soft boiled. the opportunities are endless!

eggs are also good for another reason besides their yummy-ness. one egg contains all of the essential amino acids in all the right proportions for your body. amino acids are the building blocks your body used to build new protiens. and protein is essential for all cell growth, division, and repair - and that is all cells, red blood cells, white blood cells (hello immunity), skin cells, liver cells you name it.

if you are short on one type of essential amino acid (meaning, your body can't make it, you need to consume it in your diet) then all production of new proteins STOPS. this is bad news.

if that isn't a good enough reason for you to increase your consumption of eggs then maybe this will help

there is nutrient called choline is essential for normal cell function (including repair and division). it is found in eggs (yolks, not whites) and some recent studies have found that women who consumed 455mg of choline a day reduced their risk of breast cancer by 18-24%. thats huge! while one egg only contains a quarter of the recommended amount of choline, it is a good way to boost how much you are getting. other sources include skim milk and coffee.

eat up!