Into Healthy Living

I recently attended the San Francisco showing of LUNAFEST, short films by…for…about women.  The event simultaneously promotes women filmmarkers, raises awareness for women’s issues, and supports women’s nonprofit oganizations in the United States and Canada.  Be sure to check the upcoming LUNAFEST calendar as the event is running across the United States through March 2009.  One of my favorite short films was a documentary of the making of mannequins at a factory in Los Angeles.  The 8 minute film illustrates how poor body image can develop from mannequins that have “false” physical perfection with measurements of just 34×25x36.

I recommend arriving to the event at least 20 minutes early in order to sample items and pick up materials from the vendors.  One such tabletop display by PurePrevention.org caught my attention with their messaging: “only 1 out of 10 women who have breast cancer have a genetic history of the disease.”  Pure Prevention raises awareness about the environmental causes of breast cancer.  The campaign urges every woman to commit themselves to making smart choices about known environmental causes of breast cancer and pledge to do the following:

(1) Create a Healthy Home: I will make my home a sanctuary by choosing natural, chemical-free products.

(2) Eat Smart: I will read food labels, choose natural and organic foods rich in antioxidants and purchase hormone-free meat and dairy products whenever possible.

(3) Choose Safe Cosmetics: I will chose safe personal care products by avoiding ingrediants linked to breast cancer like parabens, petroleum distillates, and lead acetate.

(4) Get Outside: I will get outside to walk, exercise, or breathe deeply three times a week for 30 minutes.

One of the best web sites to help you make safe and smart choices about your cosmetics is Skin Deep.  Skin Deep is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products from researchers at the Environmental Working Group.  Conduct a search of your current make-up products to determine their hazard score: 0-2 is low hazard; 3-6 is moderate hazard; 7-10 is high hazard.  If your beauty products are all falling in the “high hazard” range, then its time to start making serious changes in the brands you purchase and support.

Your action item — take the pledge (see items 1-4 above) and learn the hazard score for the cosmetic products you put on your body every single day!

Technorati Tags: lunafest, pure prevention, skin deep, breast cancer

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It is with great pleasure that I begin my first blog on healthy living. While I’m not quitting my day-job as an oncology pharmacist, I do hope to bring to this medium an awareness of eco-friendly products and lifestyle decisions for a healthier self and a more sustainable environment.

Who am I? A 30-something California girl currently living in San Francisco, a vegetarian, an animal lover, a devout dog owner, and a runner when not injured. My husband describes me as a constant state of action-a “go-go-go” lifestyle. My on-paper qualifications: I received my BS in biochemistry from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and my doctorate in pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of California San Francisco.

Why a blog? I am driven by my determination to never be idle on topics that drive my passion. John Sawhill, former president/CEO of The Nature Conservancy exemplifies my feelings perfectly with his statement: “A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy.”

Let the blogging begin…

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