Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Breast Cancer Awareness: Go Green to Really Go Pink

We’re surrounded by endocrine-disrupting compounds at every turn, not to mention countless pesticides and other environmental toxins. Could all this chemical crap have ties to rising rates of breast cancer in women around the world? In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Breast Cancer Fund is highlighting its 2010 State of the Evidence report on how the disease is linked to all kinds of toxic substances, and you can’t afford not to read it.

A long string of recent studies cited in the report have linked breast cancer to everything from seemingly omnipresent BPA to air pollution. “Recent data demonstrate that early exposure to BPA leads to abnormalities in mammary tissue development that are observable even during gestation and are maintained into adulthood,” reads one sobering paragraph.

It’s easy to get lost in doom and gloom when the evidence is so overwhelming. For me, as someone who has struggled with hormone-related health problems associated with higher risk of cancer, the data can be downright frightening: who knew that sunscreen is often estrogenic?

Read the report. Get angry. Pass this information on to every woman you know. Then, take action. Don’t just go pink for a single month – go green for life. Your life. Ditch products packed with unpronounceable ingredients and go for natural alternatives. Stop consuming hormonally modified foods.

If you’re a regular Eco Chick reader, chances are you’re already doing a lot of positive things – in particular, reducing your exposure to toxic substances in personal care products and household products from cosmetics to cleaners. It can seem like an insurmountable challenge when you’re first starting out, but it gets easier – stick with it.

And there are plenty of other things you can do to lower your risk of developing breast cancer, even if you have a family history of the disease. The American Cancer Society recommends regular exercise, a healthy body weight and low consumption of alcoholic beverages as important ways to be proactive.

Want more tips? Check out the Breast Cancer Fund’s Twitter feed, which offers up simple ways to beat breast cancer in 140 characters or less.

Photo by Anthony Cain
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Eco-Beauty Consultant Jessa Blade's Recommendations for Dry Winter Skin

During Eco-Chick’s 3rd birthday party last month, I had the chance to meet eco-beauty consultant and make-up artist, Jessa Blades.

Jessa is the founder of Blades Natural Beauty and is a vessel of information regarding all things organic beauty and skincare.  Shortly after learning about the breast cancer and body lotion connection, I had noticed I was almost out of face moisturizer. I had been sampling various brands over the last few months, and since old man winter has stepped up his game, I realized I needed to try a different moisture rich face cream. I contacted Jessa to ask for her expert opinion on the best eco & body friendly facial moisturizers out there for the winter season. Here recommendations are a perfect follow up to my body lotion post last week. 

Mod.Skin Créme Nutri-functional #1 $48.00

This rich and lightly scented cream can either be used during the day or night use. It leaves a moisturized glisten to the skin without feeling heavy. It can be used for all skin types.(Can purchase on-line, specialty beauty stores/section or pick it up at Whole Foods)

Dr. Hauschka Toned Day Cream $39.95

This is Jessa’s favorite. It is a tinted moisturizer that contains therapeutic oils which reduce the appearance of irritation and irregular skin tones for a variety of complexions. It is ideal for normal skin types, but can also be used over-top of a moisturizer in the winter for extra dry skin. Plus, it has a great scent. (Can purchase on-line, specialty beauty stores/section or pick it up at Whole Foods)

Aubrey Organics $16.28

These facial moisturizers come in 5 different varieties according to skin type. The products are available at a wide variety of stores and being that the company was founded in 1967, their heritage is respected within the industry. (Can purchase on-line, at major retailers or pick it up at Whole Foods)

Lip & Skin Balm by makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift $30

Another one of Jessa’s favorite is this dual balm. You can use it on your lips, face or apply it around the eyes at night time. The balm hydrates and protects the skin with food grade, biologically active ingredients and comes in either-Simply Vanilla or Simply Cacao.

Shower for a Good Cause

One With Nature has teamed up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). For every Rose Petal Soap sold from their Dead Sea Mineral Soap collection, 10% of the sales will be donated to the cause. Wrapped in biodegradable artisinanally designed packaging, this 100% vegetable based, mild exfoliating bar is infused with skin-nourishing Dead Sea Minerals.

The soap is a triple-milled, contains 21 minerals, moisture-rich shea butter and contains no artificial fragrances, colors nor animal ingredients.  There are several other varieties in the Dead Sea Mineral Soap collection such as Lavender, Vanilla Oatmeal, Hemp, and Lemon Verbena.

One with Nature helps to fund research efforts and create public awareness with the non-profit environmental organization, FoEME (Friends of the Earth Middle East). It is the mission of this partnership to help preserve the Dead Sea.

Ladies Love Lube!

Guestblogger Wendy Strgar, is the owner and founder of Good Clean Love (they make the above lube) a manufacturer of all-natural love and intimacy products.  Married for over 23 years with four children, Wendy teaches about Making Love Sustainable, a green philosophy of relationships which recognizes the importance of valueing the renewable resources of love and family in our lives.  Her blog is a lively discussion about making love real in your life. 

Lubrication is a Fact of Life

By Wendy Strgar 

Lubrication is a fact of life.   In any relationship where working parts are at play, whether it be an engine, a dinner party or an evening of love, everything works better when it is “well oiled.”   Lubrication allows for glide, ease and effectiveness.  When lubrication is working well, it is invisible.  When it isn’t working, we know it immediately! An engine without oil locks up in minutes; awkward silence and uncomfortable glances can kill an otherwise great night between lovers.
Lacking lubrication in intimacy can take on multiple forms and occur for a myriad of reasons.  Age, childbearing and nursing and some medications are often the cause of vaginal dryness and its associated pain in sex.
Largely, the variety of lubricants on the market break down into three main categories; water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based.  Each category has its benefits and weaknesses and it’s important to be informed about the health and environmental consequences associated with different product ingredients, because after all, you’re putting them in and on sensitive areas.

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What's Up Vogue?

I knew that the October British Vogue was doing a whole green feature, but I had heard nothing about the US version covering any such territory. Lo and Behold, I’m contemplating the resort collections and too many metallic handbags when I come across pages labelled “Earth Days”.

Included under the apple-green corner banner is an health and beauty piece on upscale organic products like Dr. Hauschka’s, John Master’s, Jurlique, Origins and Patyka. Next, a health-based article entitled “Toxic Overload” which analyses the sources of toxins in our everyday life and their possible connection to breast cancer. Finally, writer Marina Rust goes to an outdoorsy spa in Connecticut where $6,700 buys a week of eco-bliss.

So, Vogue, is this Earth Days feature going to pop up randomly in future issues? In every issue? There’s no clue in the editor’s letter, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…