Here Comes the Sun


hands heart in sun

Safe Skin

Exposure to sunlight can be an instant mood booster and is a major source of vitamin D for both children and adults. But too much exposure to the sun can have detrimental, long-lasting effects on your skin’s health. Many over the counter sunscreens are filled with chemicals and fillers, not good for us. At least one filler is a hormone disruptor. What is a hormone disruptor? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines them best.

I found this information from Emerson Ecologics helpful:

“Sunscreens contain both organic and inorganic chemicals, creating a physical sunblock that reflects UV rays or absorbs UV radiation through their chemical bonds, then releases them as heat. Not all sunscreens are created equal, as different brands use a wide variety of active ingredients to achieve UVA/UVB protection. According to the EWG’s 2019 Sunscreen Guide, they assessed more than 1,300 products with SPF, including 750 currently available beach and sport sunscreens, and found that about two-thirds still offer inferior sun protection or contain ingredients that raise concerns, such as oxybenzone, a potentially hormone-disrupting chemical that is readily absorbed by the body. Oxybenzone is the main ingredient found in most big-brand sunscreens and although additional data is needed, it has been found to be an endocrine disruptor. Another common ingredient, methylisothiazolinone, was named contact allergen of the year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society.

Luckily, there are safer options—zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are two ingredients the FDA has recognized as safe and effective. Zinc oxide is a natural mineral that creates a barrier on your skin, blocking UVA and UVB rays. Titanium dioxide is also a mineral that has a high refractive index and is used in sunscreens to reflect and scatter UV rays. Brands like Badger and Goddess Garden use these minerals in their sunscreen, both of which have received a score of 1 by the EWG and are recommended as top choices for sun protection. MyChelle Dermaceuticals and Babo Botanicals are EWG verified, and their sunscreen products rank high on the EWG skin deep safety scale.” (full article)

Purchase the sunscreen products recommended on my Emerson Wellevate page. Also check out some of my previous blog posts on safe sun exposure:


flowering tree

Spring Allergies or …?

Now that spring has sprung, you may be wondering how to distinguish seasonal allergy symptoms from more serious infection symptoms, especially COVID-19. Visit the CDC website for up to date information about COVID-19 symptoms. The chart below (from the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America) is meant to be a guide as you compare sickness symptoms to help determine spring allergies from more serious infection symptoms.

Chart of symptoms

I am available to answer any questions about this information.


sleeping baby

Stress and Sleep

Consistent hours of nightly sleep allow the body to restore certain functions. Increased stress and lack of sleep go hand in hand, especially with the uncertainty of prolonged stress. It is important to focus on solutions for your sleep by changing habits to create relaxation. But often, this is not enough when sleep hormones like Cortisol or Melatonin are out of balance. This may require short term nutritional supplementation to restore balance.

This does not mean sleeping pills. This means supporting the body naturally to the point of balance and improved sleep. I can assist your body to choose the supplement your body needs at exactly the correct dose. This Energetix article explains stress and sleep. Especially interesting is the chart of circadian rhythms and how your body clock works in a 24 hour cycle.


arm stretch

Why Feldenkrais®?

Why have I chosen Feldenkrais® bodywork to assist me with my healing journey?

Since I broke my back in 2010 and have had 2 more incidents since, I have not been able to return to Yoga or Pilates for healing beyond massage. But Feldenkrais does feel like a deep massage. It is profound bodywork through small, guided, professionally directed movements that anyone can do.

Hard to believe? Small body movements? People with stress, surgery, car accidents, frozen shoulders, etc. benefit from Feldenkrais®. This bodywork also releases tension through the entire spine. I did not live without restrictions in movement, walking, etc. until I started Feldenkrais®.

This practice is complimentary to all other healing modalities. Want to know more? Visit www.rolfiowa.com.


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As a Certified Holistic Nurse, I am here to help you with any health concerns by offering guidance and recommendations to move forward on your journey to well-being. Also, I have written over 200 blog posts in the last 10 years that offer holistic health information to educate people on their healing journey. Visit my blog home page to see more! Contact me anytime.

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