Love Like You Mean It... Then, Always Repeat

As the year comes to a close and I reflect on the brilliant year that is almost behind us, I am thankful for my health, the good health of everyone around me, my new friends, friends that have been faithful and added fullness and the lovely journey that is my life.  Cancer gave me the blessing of seeing myself through others eyes, I have seen who I am through all of you that have been with me through my sickness and recovery.  I've had a beautiful and blessed journey through a messy and down-right frightening time of life.  But, it has been just recently, that I've had some life-affirming moments by seeing my courage through your eyes and the way you do.  When asked how I got through my sickness, I stumble trying to answer. The truth is I just didn't see any other way to live.  

For the 36 hours that followed the words, "You have cancer", I felt terrified and broken.  In an instant, I knew I was labeled as "sick" and that made me feel out of control.  Life, or really my thoughts, were moving at lightening fast speeds.  I quickly started to process the changes that were ahead and I had a profound moment while anticipating my hair loss.  I knew that the days were limited of physically looking the same.  It was in that moment, that I said out loud while on a walk with Kensington, "I will love what I have!"  It was then that the journey of loving myself unconditionally began.  

Within days I embraced a new way of eating, learned to quiet unloving thoughts, found strength in my daily juicing, feared less and focused on kindness and gratitude towards myself and others.  Life magically aligned overnight. I was hopeful, happy and grateful for all that was around me.  Relationships deepened and I recognized divinity and the graceful space of life where everything comes together beautifully.  

This holiday season has a different meaning than it has in years passed.  This time last year, today actually, was the 5th chemo treatment for me.  One that made me the most sick I have been and ever want to be again.  It was in those moments, laying in my parents bed that I learned even more about love.  I was so weak, couldn't do anything for myself and served no physical purpose.  Being the kind of sick that I was, re-affirmed what I was learning about love.  My purpose was to love; love myself and be grateful for the love I was receiving.  That is as simple as it gets, its raw and is naked.  Need nothing else, but to show and receive love.  

While I was deep in the throws of sickness, I allowed myself to focus not on how life changed but what remained the same and found joy in the small things that I could  still do.  

While my cancer was a difficult time for me and my family, I wouldn't want my life to be any different.  I daydream about what life may be like today, if the last year was without sickness and I don't see how life could be any better than it is now.  I know for certain, I would not be living as richly as I am.  Life makes perfect sense now... all of my life experiences, all got me to this divine place of unconditional love for my life.

What I know for sure: you may be given more than you ask for, but never more than you can handle.

You are welcome to share with someone you know who needs the info

Preparing for Chemo:

1.  Buy liter bottled water and set out three bottles to drink per day.  If the water doesn't taste good, add cucumber or mint.  Stay committed to drinking your water!

2.  Get your favorite lip moisturizer and have it ready.

3.  Layer your clothing and be comfortable.  You will be hot then cold, then hot, then cold. 

4.  If you are taking steroids, prepare by taking something to stimulate bowel movement. 

5. Keep ginger tea handy, to soothe your stomach.

6.  Your skin will change after your first treatment, its like having the best facial of your life.  The old toxins leave your body to allow the new ones in. 

7. If you have muscle ache, nothing you take will help, just let it pass and try and be comfortable.

8. If you have neuropothy; wear gloves and socks and take a B vitamin. 

9. Sleep when you want to sleep.  When you feel well, do as much as possible.

10.  Load up on fruits and veggies. 

11.  Walk whenever possible.  

12.  Most importantly, let others take care of you. It is a blessing! 

Radiation Rx: the how-to for radiation therapy

I didn't experience any skin irritation or burn from radiation so I am often asked what I did to prevent the normal burns and skin irritation. If you know someone that will be going through radiation, pass this information along.  I was fortunate enough to have a friend, Ruth, give me her tips and she bought me the Coat's Aloe products and it was a perfect gift as it saved my skin!  

Radiation Remedy:
a) From the very first day, I used Coat's Aloe Vera (paraben-free) lotion, aloe vera and aloe vera spray.  I applied 4x a day. When you're in the market for aloe products, these are the best.
b) Once a day I applied Boiron Calendula Creme.  You can purchase at Whole Foods. I love, love the Biorin line for lots of helpful products when you're not feeling well.
c) Stayed hydrated
d) Did not use any other products on my skin in the radiation area or soap in the shower.
e) Kept skin out of the sun
f) I didn't want to wear a sports bra for 7 weeks so I took the underwire out of my bra on the left side. Worked perfectly.

Is Sugar Toxic To The Body?

60 Minutes has done it again... another great episode on sugar and the toxic effect it has on the body.  The run time on the information is 13 minutes and is so worth watching it all.  As you know, there is no refined sugar in my diet and has been something easy for me to eliminate.  If you want to do the same, let me know and I will happily share everything I have learned.

60 Minutes: Is Sugar Toxic Video Clip

UCLA Survivorship Day

If you or someone you know is a survivor of cancer this link has powerful info.  I went to a survivorship day at UCLA not too long ago and they had a handful of fabulous presentations that address the many differences we face in our life after diagnosis.  UCLA posted the information reviewed at the conference for all to see!       Love, Love  -K

Organic: The Dirty Dozen

Have you gotten your fix of fruits and veggies today?  The EWG just released the most up to date list of the fruits and vegetables you should buy organic.  These are the products that have been found to have the most pesticides known when purchased conventionally.

The EWG (Environmental working group) does make it clear that eating fruits and vegetables (even if only conventional) is better than not eating at all.  Of coarse, when possible, all organic is ideal but that is not always possible due to season, availability or cost.

Take this shopping with you.  If you like, I can email you the image and you can save in your phone as a reminder.  For you mothers: baby food was tested for the first time...buy organic!  The pesticide findings were consistent in baby food in a jar with the Dirty Dozen list.

So what about pesticides are bad for you (info directly from EWG)?

Pesticides are toxic by design.  They are created expressly to kill living organisms -- insects, plants, and fungi that are considered "pests." 

As acknowledged by U.S. and international government agencies, different pesticides have been linked to a variety of health problems, including: brain and nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone disruption and skin, eye and lung irritation. 

For all the research I find on what to buy organic vs. conventional, I can find the same amount of research that says the pesticides found on produce are not at harmful levels.  I choose to buy whenever possible organic, I can't see how pesticides are good for my body.  If you want to do more research to make an informed decision that is right for you here are some good resources: Food News and Safe F&V.

Something else I would like to point out, that during the testing for the Dirty Dozen, all fruits and vegetables were washed before testing.  So although a fruit and vegetable wash is important practice, it does not remove all pesticides.  Something I have been thinking a lot about lately, is that I use tap water to clean my produce, but my tap isn't filtered.  I wouldn't knowingly drink unfiltered water, but yet it is good enough for my produce??  I think that will be changing soon....

Here's what the Federal Food and Drug Administration says about cleaning produce (directly from safefruitandveggies.com):

Washing fresh produce before eating is a healthful habit. You can reduce and often eliminate residues if they are present on fresh fruits and vegetables by following these simple tips:

• Wash produce with large amounts of cold or warm tap water, and scrub with a brush when appropriate; do not use soap.
• Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage.

These washing steps should be followed for both conventional and organically grown produce to remove any pesticide residues, dirt or bacteria. Please remember to clean hands, scrub brushes or colandars before using to wash your fresh 

To healthy eating! Love, Love  - K

Feeling Me

It's been a while... I have had so much to share but didn't know where to start so I guess I took the approach of saying nothing until last night when I had a moment that struck me. A young women was sharing her story and said that today was the day she was starting to loose her hair and she had pulled it back in a bun, to keep it from shedding. I instantly started to cry. I know what she may be feeling becuase I have walked in her shoes.  I remember those moments like they were just ysterday.

For three days, I kept my hair tied back in a bun, holding off on washing and just lightly brushing .  I wanted one more day with it.. And then, I had to get dressed up for an event. I got out of the shower, put my black silk robe on (what I always wear as I am dressing for a night out) and noticed my hair was severly knotted.  I brushed out the knots (ladies if this ever happens to you- stop here) and too many strands came out at once.  I didn't ever have clumps or chunks or lost hair at night on my pillow like stories I had heard.  But the unthinkable happened.  Two minutes later Katye was knocking at my door, I had tears welling up in my eyes and I had to get out the words, "I am loosing my hair".  We tucked what was left of my hair under my wig, put lots of make up on to cover up my puffy eyes and went on with our night and had a fabulous time. So that is the beginning of the story and the end is that I am now Wiggie-free.  It is so liberating, I don't feel like I am hiding an illness any more.  I have eyebrows, eye lashes and hair, I have it all!

While I was going through treatments I recognized myself in the mirror but I was not familiar with who was there... like there were missing parts.  For many months I would look at pictures from last summer and so badly wanted to feel like the person in the picture- go back to last summer -where there was an innocence about life.  Now, I don't. The person that is in the mirror today, staring back is me feeling like me.

I am fabously living post cancer. I am working out, living a full life from morning to night, spending precious time with friends and family and being grateful for all that is mine.  I am often asked, "How are you feeling."  My answer has been "back to normal".  Just an automatic reply, but when the words come out of my mouth, I hesitate becuase I am not being honest, I don't feel like I did a year ago.  Quite honestly, I don't remember exactly how it felt to be in my body before diagnosis.  I wont be back to normal, what was a year ago before treatment changed parts of my body, my normal is new.  But, I am back to me!

I feel like there a close coming soon, for me, with my cancer.  It is always a part of my journey, I will continue with my treatments (of course!) and be wide open to more learning. I will write and share becuase I have so many more things I want to tell you about. Understanding the complexities of cancer has been a full time job (and need not apply). I have a deeper undersanding of self, of life and people. I have a greater appreciation for how magnificant the body is and all the hard work it does for me. I have been still with my diagnosis and the moments that have made up the last 9 months.  I have processed and unprocessed, learned and shared but most importantly, I have loved more.

I don't fear reoccurence, but I do respect the disease.  I respect that cancer may be part of my life again one day soon or many years to come, but for always, I have upgraded my lifestyle to take care of my body and mind to do what I can to stay healthy.

You have inspired me!  Your prayer, happy thoughts or meditation has brought me miracles.  I am forever grateful.

P.S. My Dad turned 60 on Sunday, a big birthday to celebrate.

The Definitive

Cleaning Product Favs

I've put cleaning products to the test; on a mission to find good for you stuff that gets down and to the dirty.

rubber gloves: William Sonoma (they have great colors)

sponge: Casabella Microfiber Sponges

for stone: Better Life Take it For Granite

best all-surface floor cleaner: Mrs. Meyers All-Purpose, if you have wood floors I like the Method wood floor cleaner.

vacuum: Dyson Animal DC

for bowls: Seventh Generation Natural Toilet-bowl Cleaner

                                           for wood: Method Wood For Good Polish

laundry: Mrs. Meyers Laundry (they have a baby version as well)

dishwasher: Mrs. Meyers Dish Packs

dish soap: J.R. Watkins and Mrs. Meyers.

surface scrubs: Mrs. Meyers Surface Scrub

smells: Soy candles are the best for you for those of you that want an oh so refreshing scent in the house.

for hands: La Cucina (Sur La Table), Pure and Good (Anthropologie), J.R. Watkins (Target)

daily use for countertops: Mrs. Meyers Countertop Spray (Basil or Geranium).  Addicted!

stains: Citrus Magic Natural Spot & Stain Removal

whites, white: Ecover Non-Chlorine Bleach

rinse-aid: Ecover


Where to purchase: Target, Whole Foods or Soap.com

Your cheat sheet of what to steer clear of: BBP, DEHP, anything with "paraben" in its name, alkylphenols, nonoxynol, nonylphenol, octylphenol.  Use green, natural or European ecolabel products.

To happy, healthy cleaning.

Courage to Live

A year ago today, I was getting on a British Airways flight to Rome, Italy.  Waiting in the airport for two hours before my flight, in sheer panic, worried about being "stuck" on a plane for 10 hours.  Calling my Dad and Eric minutes before boarding, asking, "can I really do this?"  I took off to Rome, with no plan at all.  What I knew for sure; I had a car picking me up at the airport that would take me to the St. Regis.  There I would be for 14 days. No roadmap, no plans.  I just knew, I wanted to go there and would figure it out along the way.  

Before I left, my Dad said to me in an email that the trip would be life changing.  I was offended...was he saying that I needed to change?  What wasn't perfect, already?  As parents always do, they can see into our future. 

His prediction was, well, right on... I came home from my trip less fearful, less anxious, more appreciation for what is different and with a new found courage for my life.  It wasn't even 5 days after I got home that I was applying for an Executive Master's Program...something I had wanted to do for years but the fear of not doing well in the program held me back.  

I share with you my Rome experience, because it is something I come back to often.  Would I have walked willingly into my cancer diagnosis and treatments, without Rome?  I am not so sure...  I wonder if I would have been debilitated by the fear of the medical treatments and what was to come of the physical changes.  As with Rome, the same with cancer.  There is no one size all fits, roadmap.  You take the diagnosis day by day and can't predict where you may be in the coming days or weeks.  Appreciation for life being different, makes all the difference in the outcome and outlook of each day.

From diagnosis to discovery was 5 long days.  The day I was diagnosed is still somewhat of a blur to me.  I found out around 10:30am, had the drive to work to call those closest to me.  My Dad, Eric and then Eric to tell Ofer, Ashley and a few close friends.  Didn't have much to say, but that "I have breast cancer and I would share more as I know more".  On D-day I knew nothing about my diagnosis (my doctor didn't handle the situation well and I didn't know any better).  Went to work for a meeting then headed home to talk to my Mom for the first time.  Hugged her and didn't let go.  All I knew was I would see an oncologist in 5 days and find out more.  What I came to find out on my own, was that I had a fast-growing and aggressive cancer.  Those two words...not ones you want to hear.  I didn't know what was to come... but I did have the courage to walk through those 5 days with love for my life.  As I have been looking back, those 5 days from diagnosis to discovery were, for me, the most important.  I made the decision in those moments, with knowing nothing, how I wanted to live through this.  With grace, ease, clarity and courage.  To appreciate what I have and not be negative and fearful of what I might loose. 

If you were to ask me to define the last year using two words, those words would be:  Courage and Survivor.  That goes for the sum of my life over the last year and for my family as well.  I have co-survivors in this journey. I have had friends and family put their life on hold to save mine.  I am so grateful to have an amazing cheerleading squad all around me.  You all are fabulous on the side-lines cheering!  

As for Rome, I miss the gorgeous chandelier above my bed, the 1500's wooden floors that were beneath me as I walked to breakfast every morning, the history of the city, the oh-so-delicious espresso, the almond gelato I indulged in daily, the back streets that lead to nowhere that were as gorgeous as ever,  the craziness among the streets, the simple yet fabulous tomato sauce, the crisp air that would wisp into my room through the windows and lovely Italians that were different than me, that I learned from.  

If you wish to see the full blog or comment on the blog post, visit kristinmburk.blogspot.com.

10 Things I Learned from People Who Survive Cancer | Crazy Sexy Life

Blog searching- love reading other survivors stories. Finding inspiration from their journey. This is a great read, please pass along to anyone close to you.

10 Things I Learned from People Who Survive Cancer | Crazy Sexy Life

So Sweet

As many of you know, I have completely cut out refined sugars in my diet.  I only, on rare occasion consume agave nectar.  Here is the skinny on sweeteners: 

The pink – saccharin: With the information I have read, I think it is the least offensive of the artificial sweeteners. 

The blue – aspartame:  I have read that aspartame is terrible for you.  However, the FDA does not report any safety issues and it is sold and added to over 6,000 products.

The yellow – sucralose:  Sucralose is made by taking a sugar molecule and adding chlorine to it. Not good for you, at all!

The green – stevia:  Stevia is 100% natural, extracted from a plant in South America, it has a low glycemic index and there are no controversial reports on the health or safety of this natural sweetener.

The real stuff - raw sugar, honey, white sugar: All are accepted by the body as sugar. All cause increases in insulin, our fat storing hormone. Controlling this hormone, so that our food is burned as fuel rather than stored as fat. Much better choices than artificial sweeteners. I think honey is the best of the three. 

Agave – 100% natural.  It’s the consistency of honey, but is not supposed to spike insulin, like honey.  Agave is 20 on the glycemic index as opposed to sugar which is 100! 

Before my diagnosis, I didn't know that the GI was.... here is a basic overview, in case you're like me and don't know either: The GI ranks specific carbohydrates from zero to 100, based on how they affect your blood sugar levels after eating them. Typically, eating foods that have a high GI (such as white bread and soda) causes a spike in blood sugar levels. High GI foods have been linked to an increased risk for cancer, type 2 diabetes, acne, Alzheimer's, and weight gain. 

Sugars & Substitutes with their Glycemic Index

Artificial Sweeteners	N/A	Never a Healthy Sugar Alternative All artificial chemical sweeteners are toxic and can indirectly lead to weight gain, the very reason many people consume them. They should be avoided. In fact, given a choice between high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, we recommend high fructose corn syrup by far (though it's essentially asking if you should consume poison or worse poison).
Stevia	0	Best Healthy Sugar Alternative Though it is 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar, stevia is not a sugar. Unlike other popular sweeteners, it has a glycemic index rating of less than 1 and therefore does not feed candida (yeast) or cause any of the numerous other problems associated with sugar consumption. Read more about stevia at Organic Lifestyle Magazine (OLM). Please note that Stevia and Truvia are not the same thing.
Xylitol	7	Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol sweetener found in the fibers of fruits and vegetables which can cause bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence with initial consumption. It's said to be safe for pregnant women, and is said to possibly treat ear infections, osteoposis, respiratory infections, candida, and is it even helps fight cavities. In fact, in Finland, virtually all chewing gum is sweetened with xylitol.
Agave Nectar	15-30	A sweet syrup made from the Blue Agave plant, Agave Nectar is obtained by the extraction and purification of "sap" from the agave plant, which is broken down by natural enzymes into the monosaccharides (simple sugars): mainly fructose (70-75%) and dextrose (20-26%). Read more about agave nectar at OLM.
Fructose	17	Though fructose has a low glycemic index rating, fructose consumption should be limited. Fructose is linked to heart disease as it raises triglycerides and cholesterol. It is devoid of nutrition.
Brown Rice Syrup	85	It is not recommended for diabetics, since its sweetness comes from maltose, which is known to cause spikes in blood sugar.
Raw Honey	30	A Healthy Sugar Alternative in moderation        With antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and phytonutrients, raw, unprocessed honey is considered a superfood by many alternative health care practitioners and a remedy for many health ailments. Choose your honey wisely. There is nothing beneficial about processed honey. Read more about honey at OLM.
Coconut Palm Sugar	35	Originally made from the sugary sap of the Palmyra palm , the date palm or sugar date palm (Phoenix sylvestris). It's also made from the sap of coconut palms. With a relatively low glycemic index, Cocnut palm sugar is the new rage among health nuts. It's often called "coconut nectar sugar" or "coconut sugar".
Apple Juice	40	Fresh apple juice is good for you, though we recommend eating fresh raw whole apples. Concentrated apple juice (sometimes used as a sweetener) is closer to refined sugar than fresh apple juice.
Barley Malt Syrup	42	Barley malt syrup is considered to be one of the healthiest sweeteners in the natural food industry. Barley malt is made by soaking and sprouting barley to make malt, then combining it with more barley and cooking this mixture until the starch is converted to sugar. The mash is then strained and cooked down to syrup or dried into powder.
Amasake	43	This is an ancient, Oriental whole grain sweetener made from cultured brown rice. It has a thick, pudding-like consistency. It's not easy to find in the U.S., but it is a great alternative to refined table sugar.
Sugar Cane Juice	43	Healthy Sugar Alternative in moderation Sugar cane juice has many nutrients and other beneficial properties and is said by some health practitioners to be almost as medicinal as raw honey.
Organic Sugar	47	Organic sugar comes from sugar cane grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides. It is usually darker than traditional white sugar because it contains some molasses. (It has not been processed to the degree white sugar is processed).
Maple Syrup	54	Maple syrup is made by boiling sap collected from natural growth maple trees during March & April. It is refined sap and is therefore processed.  It has a high glycemic index, and though it is much more nutritious then refined table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, there are better choices.
Evaporated Cane Juice	55	Evaporated cane juice is often considered unrefined sugar, but juicing is a refining process, and evaporating refines further. Though better than turbinado, cane juice (unevaporated) is a better choice as a sweetener.
Black Strap Molasses	55	White refined table sugar is sugar cane with all the nutrition taken out. Black strap molasses is all of that nutrition that was taken away. A quality organic (must be organic!) molasses provides iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, and is alkalizing to the body.
Turbinado	65	Turbinado sugar is partially processed sugar, also called raw sugar. Raw Sugar
Raw sugar	65	Raw sugar is not actually raw sugar. It is processed, though not as refined as common white table sugar. Therefore, given a choice between raw and white, choose raw. There are many different variations of raw sugar with many different names depending on how refined it is.
Cola (and most other sodas)	70	Though cola has a lower GI ranking then some might expect, there are many other reasons to avoid cola, or any type of soda. There is nothing beneficial to the human body inside a can of soda (not to mention we should avoid drinking out of aluminum cans!).
Corn Syrup	75	Corn syrup has very little nutrition and should be avoided.
Refined, Pasteurized Honey	75	The nutrition is gone, and there is often high fructose corn syrup added to processed honey. Refined pasteurized honey is no better than white table sugar.
Refined Table Sugar	80	Conventionally grown, chemically processed, and striped of all beneficial properties, many health advocates believe that refined sugar is one of the two leading causes (high fructose corn syrup is the other) of nearly every health ailment known to man (or woman or child). Not only does it have a high GI ranking, but it also is extremely acidic to the body causing calcium and other mineral depletion from bones and organs (sugar is alkaline but has a very acidic effect on the body).
High Fructose Corn Syrup	87	Many health advocates believe that high fructose corn syrup and refined sugar are the two biggest contributors to health ailments in our society. High fructose corn syrup is a combination of sucrose and fructose.
Glucose (AKA Dextrose)	100	White bread was the benchmark, but for consistency glucose now holds the rating at 100.
Maltodextrin	150	Foods that have maltodextrin often say "Low Sugar" or "Complex Carbohydrate", but this sweetener should be avoided!

Magic Mineral Broth

If you or someone you isn't feeling well, whether it is a cold or cancer this soup is magical!  Will get anyone filled with nutrients right away.  http://rebeccakatz.com/recipes/magic_mineral_broth.html

Recipe is from the book, "Cancer Fighting Kitchen".  A must have for any one in the fight.

Cosmetics 101

Part of my quest for having a healthy body involves the cosmetics and toiletries I use.  There are many chemicals that are in common products that we all use that are not good for us.  I have spent some time researching and am excited to share with you what I have learned....

When you have estrogen-positive breast cancer, estrogen is your enemy (because it is your cancer's best friend) and so are pseudo-estrogens.  A pseudo-estrogen is easily mistaken by the body for a true estrogen and actually turns them into virtual copies of estrogen.  Pseudo-estrogens are: soy, lavender,  tea tree, dairy and verbena.

Avoid: Phthalates and Parabens.  Phthalates to avoid include: BBP and DEHP.  Parabens to avoid include methylparabens, polyparaben, isoparaben, butylparaben.  If these are in your products, they will be listed on the ingredients list.  Most often the parabens are towards the bottoms but not always.  Typically when you see that a product is Vegan or Organic they are likely free of both the bad things.  But, not always so check.  Other things to stay away from are sulfates (commonly found in hair products), mineral oil and petroleum oils.

If you use these products they are not going to give you breast cancer, however, research shows that they may be playing a part in the rise of breast cancer cases.  They help create the right environment for a tumor and are not suppose to be good for the overall health of the skin.  I have come to appreciate the skin much more, it is one of the largest organs.  Everything we put on it, is absorbed into our body.  Research has suggested that tumors biopsied have large amounts of parabens.  My disclaimer: within my research there are some who say that any products are good products (for example my oncologist) and many that say that natural is important.

Here are some tools I have found and use: Cosmetic Buying Guide and Sunscreen Buying Guide

I stressed out when I was first diagnosed, wondering if I should go through my toiletries and throw everything out that listed a ingredient that wasn't good for me.  So that it wouldn't be so overwhelming I have been changing things out one-by-one.  Finding something I love and starting to use it has been a fun experience.  I will share with you what I have found that I LOVE and I promise to share along my journey. If you have a product that you love, please share.  I would love to try it.  There are some things that I am not going to give up, but most all I have.  For example; La Mer has ingredients that aren't great for me, but I have been using it for years and am choosing to continue to use it.

My Favorite Products:

I use Aveda lip balm and have the Neutrogen Naturals handy. 

L'Occitane Almond Body Oil.  I use this instead of lotion and truly am in love with it. 

L'Occitane Hand Cream.  A staple.

Yes to Cucumber Facial Towlettes.  You can get these at Target which I love. 

La Roche-Posay Sunscreen The only deodorant worth trying.  LaVanilla from Sephora J.R. Watkins Lotions which you can get at Target Tom's Toothpaste For those of you with little ones.  Aveeno Wash and Shampoo Burt's Bee Baby Bee Apricot Body Oil