Summertime…and the Living is…Complicated

It has been months since the coronavirus made its way to US shores, and while much that was once part of daily life has been re-opened, many of us are still living a life of relative caution.

Eating well is often a centerpiece of a same-old, same-old day. A brand to consider for superior beef products is Vermont Wagyu, which now ships beyond-prime beef directly to homes in the U.S. This family-owned farm, raises expertly bred Wagyu cattle, descended from Japanese seed stock and prized for its superior buttery flavor, intensely marbled cuts and for being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

The farm practices whole animal butchery, making everything from tenderloin, ribeye and strip steaks to short ribs, burger meat, chorizo and marrow bones available to customers online, farm-to-table. Vermont Wagyu is a Michelin Star restaurant supplier and the winner of “Number One for Taste” in the 100% full-blood Wagyu category at the American Wagyu Association’s 2018 and 2019 Triple Crown Steak Challenge.  vermontwagyu.com

“Our farm is ideal for raising Wagyu cattle. There are natural features that protect the animals from harsh wind and snowdrifts,” added Dr. Patinkin. “The ancestors of our Wagyu cows pulled carts up Japanese mountains for many generations, making them very muscular and producing the famous Wagyu marbling. These cows are right at home roaming in Vermont mountains and feeding on the wholesome terroir of our grasses.”

Fresh fruits and vegetables are essential for healthy eating, and in turn, actively supports a well-functioning immune system. Farmbox Direct, a subscription-based service delivers the freshest fruit and vegetables directly from organic farms. Customers can choose between three different seasonal box sizes and then receive weekly, customized packages sent to their homes.  There is also a juicing box for easy and convenient servings.

Created by single mom Ashley Tyrner, the company was founded to address the needs of busy moms, food-challenged families and to eradicate the overwhelming food desert problem in America. As a single mom on food stamps, Ashley didn’t always have time to make a weekly trip to her local farmer’s market to pick up fresh produce, nor did she have the money to do so. She realized that people needed access to convenient and affordable fresh fruit and vegetables. In 2014, she rose to the occasion, leaving behind her job to address this void in the food industry. Farmbox Direct also provides quick and easy recipes on its website, allowing subscribers to maintain a healthier lifestyle. www.farmboxdirect.com

As the virus is making us more health conscious than ever, it’s a good time to pay attention to the cutting boards we use every day. I like the 100% natural antibacterial Fab Slabs from Australia. These individually handcrafted boards are made from single slabs of kiln-dried sustainable Camphor Laurel trees, a type of timber that is naturally and permanently antibacterial. (Tests performed by a NATA-approved lab showed bacteria were unable to survive after a short time, and boards used for the past 7-10 years still showed zero bacteria growth.)

Fab Slabs are lightweight and come in a variety of sizes and shapes, all with beautiful wood grains, to accommodate any décor and use. The larger sizes, for example, can be used as “grazing” boards, to display a variety of cured meats and cheeses.

As spa visits are not high on my list of priorities, I’m doing more skin care at home. Perhaps in response to the drop in spa attendance, StemCell Revive, the first in-home facial and skin treatment kit to use stem cell science to treat skin at the cellular level, is now available online at stemcellrevive.com.

This is an all-in-one skincare solution designed to stimulate cellular regeneration while lifting, tightening, and moisturizing facial skin. The kit includes a StemCell Revive Pen, a nanotechnology used to apply serums to the skin; an Intensive Allograft Skin Serum derived from non-embryonic stem cells that stimulate natural regeneration and repair of complex tissues at the cellular level; a Polypeptide Skin Serum that includes amino acids to tone, lift and tighten the skin, and Hyaluronic Essence, which moisturizes skin for a youthful glowing appearance. The treatment takes 20 minutes to apply at home and is non-invasive, painless and requires no recovery time.

The StemCell Revive Skin Treatment Program was developed by Majara Belisle, founder of Las Vegas’s Espri Laser Med Spa. It is hypoallergenic, not tested on animals, and is a Food and Drug Administration regulated biologic.

The Summer Body package from DMK takes care of all basic body needs. It was carefully crafted and includes the following three best-selling products:

• Maximum Moisture – A deep-penetrating body moisturizer, Maximum Moisture body lotion is a blend of ingredients that will not clog pores or leave a greasy film on the skin. Formulated with healthy skin oils, rich skin-loving lipids, allantoin to soothe and hydrate, as well as antioxidants, this product is excellent for dry or irritated, chapped, or sun-exposed skin. When used in conjunction with Hydra Louffa Body & Bath Wash, it is an effective and nourishing body treatment for very dry skin.
• Hydra Louffa – Newly improved formulation with caviar lime, lemon balm, wild cherry bark, along with a microbiome-friendly blend with green tea and coconut. A non-granular body gel designed to cleanse the skin and exfoliate dead skin cells. It is an excellent exfoliation formulation for dry skin, reactive skin and skin suffering from folliculitis. Used daily at home or in conjunction with DMK Body Treatments.
• Travel SPF 30 Sunscreen

The kit is only available to licensed US DMK clinics at program one or higher. 

 

For fresh air and a break from confinement, I go to the beach, socially distanced–and protected from the sun. I have always felt that zinc oxide-based products provided the best protection. That meant gloppy, sticky application. Not this year. I have discovered Sun Shield Clear Spray with a SPF of 30.

This is a zinc-based continuous spray that goes on quickly and evenly for up to 80 minutes of water-resistant UVA and UVB broad-spectrum sun protection. It feels silky and smooth on the skin and a single application is usually enough for my beach outings.

What is also remarkable about the product are the things it does not contain: Retinyl Palmitate or chemical UV absorbers including Octinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone or PABA. It’s made without parabens, petroleum, phthalates, silicones, sulfates, ureas, artificial fragrances and artificial colors. More reasons to love the Sun Shield Clear Spray.

While the beach is one of the great pleasures at this time, humidity, sun and hot tools can be really cruel to the hair. To the rescue is the ApHogee Two-Step Protein Treatment. This is a salon-grade protein treatment formulated with magnesium and modified proteins, which fuse into the hair with the application of heat. The treatment visibly reduces breakage and repairs hair for over a month.

During the process, the ApHogee treatment bonds within the hair shaft. After rinsing and moisturizing with ApHogee Balancing Moisturizer, the result is soft revitalized hair.

ApHogee Two-Step Protein Treatment is effective on chemically treated hair and can be used on fine, weak hair and very porous hair to make perms and color last longer. It’s available at Sally Beauty Supply stores, Walmart, and other beauty supply stores and salons. For more information, visit online at Aphogee.com.

Another terrific company is Soapbox, which makes fragrant, effective products for the hair and skin that reflect the needs of our time. For example, the Coconut Oil Shampoo Bar. Shampoo bars produce less waste/plastic and you can get two to three times more usage out of them than a regular shampoo bottle. Soapbox’s shampoo bars are also gentle on the hair and less stripping than other shampoo bars because they are not made from a cold process soap base, which is drying.

The Coconut Oil shampoo, conditioner and deep conditioner add moisture and protein back into your hair, especially if you processed it yourself during quarantine. After a hot day outdoors, Soapbox’s Tea Tree Oil products can cleanse sweaty and dirty scalps (and help get rid of dandruff) without drying out the hair. If you’re fortunate enough to have access to a backyard pool, the Activated Charcoal Shampoo Bar will remove chlorine from your hair and the Argan Oil Smoothing Serum can be used to style your hair without heat. (If frizz is a problem, the Jojoba Oil will tame it.)

Summer and the beach also mean open sandals, flip-flops and shoes without socks. To keep feet fresh, Arm & Hammer—one of my favorite brands—has a new Talc Free Odor Control Foot Powder, which combines Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with powerful odor neutralizing ingredients. The soothing powder absorbs moisture, keeps feet feeling soft and provides odor protection.

If you worry about running out of hand sanitizer, Guru Nanda’s 12-pack provides hygiene security for a good while–and it smells like a day at the spa. That’s because it’s enriched with true lavender essential oil and coconut oil, while providing 70% alcohol-based protection. Guru Nanda is made in the U.S., manufactured in a FDA regulated GMP certified facility and ships from California.

As I’m washing clothes more often these days, I’m thinking more of some of the nasty ingredients found in some of my detergents. So I was pleased to discover Zum Clean Laundry Soap from Indigo Wild (which is actually #soapnotdetergent, by the way).

This soap uses plant-based simple ingredients–gentle do-gooders, like essential oil blends, baking soda, and saponified 100 percent coconut oil. It is low-sudsing and highly concentrated, so it’s perfect for high-efficiency machines and high-efficiency households that run like machines. With zero parabens, phosphates, cocamidopropyl betaine, or sulfates, Zum Laundry Soap comes in nose-pleasing aromas like Frankincense-Patchouli, Sea Salt, Frankincense & Myrrh, Cedar-Lavender, Tea Tree-Citrus, Lullaby Lavender, and more. So clothes come out of the machine copacetically clean and also smelling like you’d want them close to your body.

And finally, like all sensible people, I’ve been using masks, the simple white ones, every time I leave my home. Unfortunately, these masks make my glasses fog up and breathing becomes uncomfortable after I wear them for a while.

A new mask—the PUR-MSK Nano Air Mask—is a real game changer. American-made and FDA-cleared, the mask is designed with Nanofiber that provides the best filtration, breathability and durability of any fiber ever invented. The mask is comfortable to wear, more secure than the cheap version—and filters more than 95% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns, including aerosolized particles, bacteria, ultrafine dust and cigarette smoke.

At 4.38g, it is lighter than a sheet of paper. One nanofiber strand (0.1 microns) is 1,000 times smaller than a strand of human hair (100 microns), enabling PURE-MSK’s mask to block out harmful contaminants such as pollutants, smoke, allergens, aerosols, bacteria, and even water, while allowing for relatively unobstructed airflow through the mask. It costs $45 for a 10-pack.

Stay safe!

 

Feature Image by Patrice Audet from Pixabay