THAT
BOTTLE OF SUNSCREEN IN YOUR BEACH BAG MAY BE DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
For decades, we’ve been told that slathering on sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays. However, mounting evidence suggests that many conventional sunscreens contain ingredients that may be hazardous to our health and the environment. From hormone-disrupting chemicals to potentially carcinogenic nanoparticles, the risks associated with common sunscreen ingredients are cause for serious concern. By understanding the risks and exploring natural options, you can make informed choices to safeguard your skin and overall health.
The trouble with conventional sunscreens is that they are chemical cocktails with questionable Ingredients. Many best-selling sunscreens contain a slew of synthetic chemicals that act as UV filters, preservatives, fragrances and more. Some of the most concerning ingredients include:
- Oxybenzone: This common chemical UV filter has been shown to disrupt hormones, cause allergic reactions, and damage coral reefs.
- Octinoxate: Another chemical filter linked to hormone disruption and environmental damage.
- Homosalate: An endocrine disruptor that may increase the absorption of pesticides through the skin.
- Octocrylene: Can produce free radicals that may damage cells and accelerate skin aging when exposed to UV light.4
- Parabens: Synthetic preservatives with estrogenic activity, detected in breast cancer tumors.
- Fragrance: Often contains undisclosed phthalates linked to reproductive issues and cancer.
ARE MINERAL SUNSCREENS ANY SAFER?
In response to concerns over chemical sunscreens, many consumers have turned to mineral-based formulas containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. While these ingredients are generally considered safer, the increasing use of nanoparticles in mineral sunscreens has introduced new risks:
Potential for cellular damage: Nanoparticles may be small enough to penetrate skin cells and cause oxidative damage to DNA.
Respiratory concerns: Inhaling nanoparticles from spray sunscreens could potentially cause lung inflammation or damage.
Environmental impact: Like chemical UV filters, nanoparticles can accumulate in waterways and harm aquatic life.
Systemic absorption: A 2010 study found that nanoparticle zinc oxide from sunscreen was detectable in human blood and urine after topical application.
THE SKIN ABSORPTION DILEMMA
One of the biggest issues with conventional sunscreens is their potential for systemic absorption through the skin. Multiple studies have detected common sunscreen chemicals in blood, urine, and breast milk after topical use. This is concerning because the skin is not merely a barrier, but a permeable organ capable of absorbing substances into the bloodstream
. In fact, transdermal drug delivery systems take advantage of this property to administer medications through the skin. When it comes to sunscreen, we’re essentially slathering a chemical cocktail over a large surface area of our bodies, often repeatedly throughout the day.
UNDERSTANDING SPF
Before exploring natural alternatives, it’s important to understand what Sun Protection Factor (SPF) really means. Many consumers believe that higher SPF numbers offer dramat
ically better protection, but the reality is more nuanced. SPF measures how much longer skin covered with sunscreen takes to burn compared to unprotected skin. For example, SPF 2 means you can stay in the sun twice as long before burning compared to wearing no sunscreen. However, the percentage of UVB rays blocked doesn’t increase linearly with SPF numbers:
- SPF 2 blocks 50% of UVB rays
- SPF 15 blocks about 93% of UVB rays
- SPF 30 blocks about 97% of UVB rays
- SPF 50 blocks about 98% of UVB rays
As you can see, the difference between SPF 30 and SPF 50 is only 1% in terms of UVB protection. This reveals a common misconception that very high SPF values are
necessary for adequate sun protection. Even a relatively low SPF of 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, and an SPF of just 2 cuts UVB exposure in half.
While higher SPFs do offer incrementally more protection and may be beneficial for those with very fair or sensitive skin, the difference is not as dramatic as many people assume. This understanding is crucial when considering natural alternatives, which may have lower SPF values but still offer significant protection.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CONSEQUENCES
Beyond personal health concerns, conventional sunscreens pose serious risks to the environment:
- Coral reef destruction: Oxybenzone and octinoxate have been implicated in coral bleaching, leading to bans in reef-adjacent areas.13
- Aquatic toxicity: Sunscreen chemicals can accumulate in lakes and oceans, harming fish and other marine life.1
- Soil contamination: UV filters have been detected in agricultural soils, with unknown impacts on crops and ecosystems.
The cumulative effects of widespread sunscreen use are just beginning to be understood. As these chemicals build up in our bodies and the environment, they may c
ontribute to a range of health and ecological issues:
- Hormone disruption and reproductive problems
- Increased risk of certain cancers
- Allergies and skin irritation
- Coral reef die-offs and marine ecosystem collapse
- Contamination of water supplies
- Natural Alternatives: Herbal Oils as Sunscreen
Considering the risks associated with conventional sunscreens, it is worth seeking safer, more natural alternatives. Emerging research suggests that certain plant-based oils may offer significant sun protection without the drawbacks of synthetic chemicals.
FEEL YOUNGER AND LIVE LONGER
FEEL YOUNGER AND LIVE LONGER
STARTING A MEDITATION PRACTICE
The simplest way to begin is with your body- because you are always with it. To be in tune with your body you must first understand the relationship between the physical body, breathing, emotions and your mental state. None of these acts independently; the breath affects the blood circulation and consequently the amount of oxygen going to all organs of the body. If your body is not working effectively, it influences your mood and thoughts. If you are thinking negative thoughts then you are also feeling them, and the rate of breathing alters accordingly.
Repeat to yourself as often as you can, one or more of the following affirmations:
Transform the senses from a limited consciousness to an expanded awareness. Make a bridge with your mind from the outer to the inner or higher consciousness.
Sit in a quiet place in nature. Close your eyes as you take a long breath out. Imagine you are a deep reflective mirror. Open your eyes and as you breath in absorb all the sensual impressions around you. When you are confident that your mirror holds the picture exactly as you see it, shut your eyes and explore the scene going through each sense in your mind. If you want to reinforce any details, open your eyes for a time before returning once again to your mirror. Do this exercise initially for about 5 minutes increasing the time as you improve your concentration and visualisation.
Sit somewhere inside where there are few distractions. Take a piece of fruit. Concentrate entirely on the fruit, exploring what you see, feel and smell, even taste. Now close your eyes take a deep breath and using the same senses try to go with your mind inside the fruit.
Put lemon juice, then salt, then honey on your tongue and notice the differences between them. Now taking it more slowly, taste each again more deliberately. Take note of the appearance, texture, taste: first on the tip of your tongue, then further back on the palate. See how far you can be aware of the taste sensation as it passes down the gullet and into the gullet and into the stomach. After completing all three, try to recreate by remembering all three using only your mind.
Prepare a vase of perfumed flowers. Sit in front of it, preferably on a straight-backed chair with your spine erect, your head slightly bent and your feet flat on the floor, legs apart. Now breathing deeply, focus intently on the flowers: notice the different colours, shapes and textures, the number and placement of petals and stamens. Absorb the perfume. Now shut your eyes and as you breath in, recall every sensual detail. When you lose the flowers in your head open your eyes and memorise them once more. As you become more expert with this exercise you will find that you are using the five senses simultaneously. You will also learn to coordinate the breath with the senses so that you have the sensation of breathing in the flowers.
Smell:
Take the sense and use it to help you imagine the smell of a rose.
Touch:
By using a memory of touch, make a thing more accessible and real. Touching someone’s heart or soul means we have sufficient empathy to reach through to that person’s very depths. The inner sense of touch will make our outer lives more real.
Taste:
Recall taste so that it is as real as if you were actually drinking.
Seeing:
See different colours the difference between the sky and the trees. Shut your eyes and visualise the exact colour of the trees and sky. Every time you lose the mind picture open your eyes again till you think you have remembered it. Be aware of the changing colours around a person as their mood changes
Hearing:
The inner sense of hearing involves not only the recall of familiar sounds but an opening or freeing of ourselves that we might hear sounds that are not sounds. We need to be both receptive and perceptive to hear behind the words
Body blocks
At the very moment we decide to become quiet within, our body lets us know that it is there. In order to meditate we must move beyond our awareness of the body. The way to lose your body is to fill your mind exclusively with an awareness of it, don’t try to ignore or repress a tickle or a pain. Bring it into the full focus of your mind and concentrate on it alone, you will gradually train your mind to gain control.
prescribed medications
Nearly half to over half of adults in the UK take prescribed medications regularly, with surveys showing around 48% to 56% of the population using at least one prescription drug, and older age groups taking multiple medicines.
General Medication Use
Specific Common Medications
These numbers above are just bonkers.
Many of the most commonly prescribed medications — statins, metformin, birth control, antacids, diuretics, antibiotics — quietly deplete the vitamins and minerals your body depends on to function.
The fatigue, brain fog, low mood, and muscle weakness that follow are often blamed on everything except the pill.
Statins block CoQ10 production. Metformin depletes B12 and folate. Birth control drains magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. Diuretics flush out potassium and magnesium. This list is not exhaustive — but it covers some of the most common culprits.
Long-term medication use should always be paired with nutrient monitoring and, where needed, supplementation under the guidance of a healthcare professional. And one important note: do not stop taking any medication unless you are under the care and supervision of a healthcare professional.
Any reason why Big Pharma isn’t telling you?
Antibiotics & NSAIDS disrupt your gut microbiome. and may reduce vitamin K and B vitamins, contributing to digestive issues and fatigue.
Ibuprofen and aspirin may cause microscopic gut bleeding and lower iron, which may lead to fatigue and anemia.
It is a known fact that when people are given NSAIDS they are also given PPI’s which as we know stop stomach acid secretion. And you really shouldn’t be on them long term either.
Taken from Dr Mark Hyman, MD, Linkedin.
Working with Back Pain
According to the most recent figures released by the charity Backcare 80% of adults will suffer from back pain at some point in their life:
Back pain doesn’t just invo
Zero Balancing bodywork doesn’t just focus on the physical pain or the symptom; a session aims to provide respite from both the physical pain and the emotional stress caused by problems with the back.
A Zero Balancing bodywork session can be deeply relaxing for both body and mind, particularly because it’s done through clothing. The fact that there is no need to undress can be very reassuring for many people.
Zero Balancing bodywork is also neither manipulative nor painful: its potential lies not in pressing strongly, but instead in the reparative and respectful quality of the touch.lve physical pain. It also causes considerable emotional pain and distress as it can be seriously debilitating on a day-‐to-‐day basis. This is why Zero Balancing bodywork can be a good option for those suffering from back pain.
A Zero Balancing bodywork session involves lying comfortably on your back. The practitioner uses gentle finger pressure and held stretches that offer the body the opportunity to relax, rebalance, recalibrate and reset. Practitioners work principally on the lower back, the hips, the feet, and the upper back, neck and head, with the effects extending widely around the body.
My work encourage tensions to release and areas of looseness to become more energised. Zero Balancing practitioners handle clients in a way that can allow changes to be absorbed by body and mind, and which can then encourage the body to right itself.
Zero Balancing bodywork can offer relaxation to the systems and tissues of the body, which can also help improve flexibility. This can be useful to those who have pushed their body’s physical boundaries through sport or activities like gardening – common causes of back problems. But more than that, Zero Balancing can provide a breather and a feeling of total refreshment for both the mind and body, so beyond the physical pain there can also be relief from the stress caused by pain.
Zero Balancing offers a respite for those caught in hyperactivity – when we have become dislocated from our body’s natural rhythms, or when we feel we can’t switch off – all common problems when dealing with pain day in day out.
I take a broader view, looking at the whole body and at your life in general. I do not just focus on the symptom, in this case back pain, so there is scope for even greater improvements than the relief of back pain.
Zero Balancing bodywork, a gentle yet powerful system of touch, was developed by Fritz Frederick Smith MD, a doctor of osteopathy and medicine. His extensive study of Western scientific models and Eastern principles of energy and healing afforded him a unique insight into the relationship between energy, as a force in the body, and structural anatomy. Dr Smith’s desire to integrate both principles into a single therapeutic system culminated with his developing Zero Balancing in 1975.
HOW SAFE IS YOUR SUNSCREEN
THAT
BOTTLE OF SUNSCREEN IN YOUR BEACH BAG MAY BE DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
For decades, we’ve been told that slathering on sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays. However, mounting evidence suggests that many conventional sunscreens contain ingredients that may be hazardous to our health and the environment. From hormone-disrupting chemicals to potentially carcinogenic nanoparticles, the risks associated with common sunscreen ingredients are cause for serious concern. By understanding the risks and exploring natural options, you can make informed choices to safeguard your skin and overall health.
The trouble with conventional sunscreens is that they are chemical cocktails with questionable Ingredients. Many best-selling sunscreens contain a slew of synthetic chemicals that act as UV filters, preservatives, fragrances and more. Some of the most concerning ingredients include:
ARE MINERAL SUNSCREENS ANY SAFER?
In response to concerns over chemical sunscreens, many consumers have turned to mineral-based formulas containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. While these ingredients are generally considered safer, the increasing use of nanoparticles in mineral sunscreens has introduced new risks:
Potential for cellular damage: Nanoparticles may be small enough to penetrate skin cells and cause oxidative damage to DNA.
Respiratory concerns: Inhaling nanoparticles from spray sunscreens could potentially cause lung inflammation or damage.
Environmental impact: Like chemical UV filters, nanoparticles can accumulate in waterways and harm aquatic life.
Systemic absorption: A 2010 study found that nanoparticle zinc oxide from sunscreen was detectable in human blood and urine after topical application.
THE SKIN ABSORPTION DILEMMA
One of the biggest issues with conventional sunscreens is their potential for systemic absorption through the skin. Multiple studies have detected common sunscreen chemicals in blood, urine, and breast milk after topical use. This is concerning because the skin is not merely a barrier, but a permeable organ capable of absorbing substances into the bloodstream
. In fact, transdermal drug delivery systems take advantage of this property to administer medications through the skin. When it comes to sunscreen, we’re essentially slathering a chemical cocktail over a large surface area of our bodies, often repeatedly throughout the day.
UNDERSTANDING SPF
Before exploring natural alternatives, it’s important to understand what Sun Protection Factor (SPF) really means. Many consumers believe that higher SPF numbers offer dramat
ically better protection, but the reality is more nuanced. SPF measures how much longer skin covered with sunscreen takes to burn compared to unprotected skin. For example, SPF 2 means you can stay in the sun twice as long before burning compared to wearing no sunscreen. However, the percentage of UVB rays blocked doesn’t increase linearly with SPF numbers:
As you can see, the difference between SPF 30 and SPF 50 is only 1% in terms of UVB protection. This reveals a common misconception that very high SPF values are
necessary for adequate sun protection. Even a relatively low SPF of 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, and an SPF of just 2 cuts UVB exposure in half.
While higher SPFs do offer incrementally more protection and may be beneficial for those with very fair or sensitive skin, the difference is not as dramatic as many people assume. This understanding is crucial when considering natural alternatives, which may have lower SPF values but still offer significant protection.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CONSEQUENCES
Beyond personal health concerns, conventional sunscreens pose serious risks to the environment:
The cumulative effects of widespread sunscreen use are just beginning to be understood. As these chemicals build up in our bodies and the environment, they may c
ontribute to a range of health and ecological issues:
Considering the risks associated with conventional sunscreens, it is worth seeking safer, more natural alternatives. Emerging research suggests that certain plant-based oils may offer significant sun protection without the drawbacks of synthetic chemicals.
STRESS
BACK PAIN
According to the most recent figures released by the charity Backcare, 80% of adults will suffer from back pain at some point in their life:
How to reduce your exposure to chemicals
How to reduce your exposure to chemicals
Clothes
Our skin is our largest organ and can absorb some substances it comes into contact with. Yet, we spend the entire day wrapped in fabrics without really questioning what’s in them.
Look for:
Food
We do keep being directed to a whole food plant based diet. But the source of that food matters too.
Water
Tap water in the UK is treated and generally safe by WHO standards, but it can still contain chlorination by products, trace pharmaceuticals, microplastics and, in some areas, PFAS or “forever chemicals.”
I use a Phox filter https://www.phoxwater.com/– which doesn’t remove all contaminants, but certainly some and improves the taste. All UK made and refillable cartridges
Cookware
Try to avoid non-stick for everyday cooking. Usecast iron, stainless steel or carbon steel.
I still use a non-stick pan now and then it’s far easier and requires less oil. it’s just not my everyday go-to
Indoor Air
Is often worse than outdoor air with cleaning products, mould and allergens all building up. I don’t use an air purifier but it helps to cut down on harsh cleaning products, opening windows etc.
Sleep
Sleep underpins pretty much everything, from heart health and hormones to metabolism and brain function. So improving your sleep environment is one of the highest-impact things you can do.
The basics still matter most: morning light, regular movement, eating earlier and keeping your bedroom cool and dark.
But one thing that’s often overlooked is your mattress.
Some mattresses can release volatile organic compounds, particularly when they’re new. The health impact of those exposures is still being studied, but it’s one reason I look for options that minimise synthetic chemicals and flame retardants.
Naturalmat, https://naturalmat.co.uk/ A Devon-based company that makes mattresses using natural materials like latex, wool and cotton, all British made and free from chemical flame retardants
TOFU
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT TOFU v FAKE MEAT
I am often asked if Tofu is ‘Ultra Processed’. The short answer is no. Plain tofu is processed, like cheese or canned fish, but it’s not considered ultra-processed. It looks like a big white cube, but it is made using an ancient method dating back over 2,000 years to China’s Han Dynasty.
Starting with dried soybeans that are soaked, ground and boiled to make soy milk. Salt coagulants like calcium sulphate or magnesium chloride are then added to form curds, which are separated from the whey, pressed into blocks and cut into squares. How firmly it’s pressed gives the different textures:
Tofu is made with minimal steps and just a few ingredients. No emulsifiers, flavourings or protein isolates, and it retains many of soy’s natural compounds like isoflavones.
Ultra-processing goes much further, breaking whole foods down and reformulating them with flavourings, texture enhancers and additives to make them cheap, shelf-stable and highly palatable. That’s why many soy-based fake meats like vegan burgers and meat-free sausages, made with protein isolates, are classed as ultra-processed, while traditional tofu isn’t. Tempeh is even less processed because the soybeans stay intact.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOFU
It is nutrient-dense food and a fantastic way to diversify your protein. It gives you around 10–17g per 100g of protein, with all the essential amino acids; Minerals – like calcium, iron and magnesium and Isoflavones – natural plant compounds with anti-inflammatory effects
One large US study found that people who ate tofu at least once a week had an 18% lower risk of coronary heart disease compared with those who rarely ate it. Soy protein may also help lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure and it can also reduce symptoms of menopause.
HOW TO ENJOY IT
Tofu gets a bad reputation for being bland, but that makes it so brilliant to cook with. It is a flavour sponge, ready to soak up whatever you throw at it! Grate it and bake it crispy for tacos or salads. Crumble it into curries or tomato sauces. Pan-fry cubes until golden and toss with a sticky sauce. Blend silken tofu into dressings or sauces.
SPRING EQUINOX
THE SPRING EQUINOX — which in 2026 falls on Friday, March 20th — is one of only two moments in the entire year when day and night are almost exactly equal in length. The sun crosses the celestial equator, rising due east and setting due west, and for this single day, light and darkness hold each other in perfect tension. After this point, the balance tips. The days grow longer. The light wins.
In pagan and Wiccan traditions, this moment on the Wheel of the Year is called OSTARA. The name comes from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and dawn whose association with fertility and renewal. Eostre gave her name to Easter, and the symbols we now associate with that holiday — eggs, hares, flowers, new clothes — are the direct descendants of her spring festival. Ostara is a powerful festival that celebrates the spring equinox, a time of balance, growth, and the return of light. For women, Ostara is a moment to honor our own cycles of renewal and embrace the feminine energy of creation, fertility, and transformation.
Ostara sits between Imbolc (February’s first stirring of spring) and Beltane (May’s full bloom). Where Imbolc whispers something is beginning, Ostara declares it. The ice is breaking. The ground is softening. The seeds you planted in the dark half of the year — literally or figuratively — are now pushing upward through the soil.