Photo from Dreamstime.

Happy 4th of July from all of us at The Traveling Spa! We wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday! See you soon at your summertime spa party!

EWG 2011 Shopper's Guide

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has issued their updated 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This handy printable reference lists the "Dirty Dozen" (the 12 produce items highest in pesticides and best to buy organic) and the "Clean 15" (the produce that is lower in pesticides and, therefore, OK to buy conventional).

This list can help in making decisions on produce when you are faced with either a limited selection or organic produce that is outrageously priced. And it fits right in your wallet!

Apps For Your Healthy Lifestyle

Enhance your healthy lifestyle with these handy apps for your iPhone :

• SleepStream™ Music Spa - Advanced Sleep Inducer and Energizer - Soothing music to help you fall asleep, relax or energize.
• Organic Spa Magazine's Skin Care Guide - A comprehensive list of companies that offer natural and organic skin care.
• iDetox Daily Detox Tips - Daily "small change" lifestyle tips to help you rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.
• YOGA Free - 200 Poses & Yoga Classes - This app allows you to create your own yoga program based on your experience level with optional video showing you how to complete each pose.
• Dirty Dozen - A list (from the Environmental Working Group) that helps you choose the fruits and veggies with the least amount of pesticides during your shopping trips.
• Locavore - Recommends local farmer's markets, what is currently in season and recipes for using fresh, local produce.

Look for these helpful apps at the iTunes store. Many of them are totally free are also available for the iPad. Happy Apping!

Spa Cuisine At Home: Watermelon Gazpacho



Photo from Dreamstime.

With summertime heading into full-swing, we surely want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the outdoors. This fast, healthy, no-cook Watermelon Gazpacho is loaded with nutrients and will keep you refreshingly hydrated on hot days. This cold soup is elegant enough for a dinner party, but casual enough for a backyard barbecue. You can even eat it for breakfast!

Watermelon Gazpacho

1 large seedless watermelon
3-4 Roma tomatoes
1 large cucumber (peeled)
1 red pepper
6 scallions (green and white parts)
Cilantro (optional)
Feta cheese (optional)

1. Cut the watermelon in half, scooping out all of the flesh. Blend the watermelon well in a blender or food processor.
2. Finely chop the tomato, cucumber, red pepper and scallions (green onions). If you like a chunkier soup, you can chop them coarsely.
3. Using half of the empty watermelon shell as a bowl, add the blended watermelon and chopped vegetables and stir until combined. Chill well in the refrigerator.
4. Serve with optional cilantro and feta cheese on the side as a garnish.

Sunburn Bath Remedy

Ouch! We all end up with too much sun at some time or another, despite our best efforts to be diligent with sunscreen application. Soothe your sunburned skin with this easy bath remedy.

Sunburn Bath

1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup baking soda
1/2 cup aloe gel
1/4 cup honey

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place into a drawstring muslin bag (found in the kitchen section of your local store), cheesecloth tied with a knot or an old sock secured with a rubber band (clean, of course!).
2. Run a tepid bath, letting the water run over the bag full of the blended ingredients.
3. Soak in the tub for 20 minutes and gently pat dry.

After leaving the bath, you can also then apply chilled witch hazel (easily found at your local drug store) with a small bottle to burned areas, followed by a final application of aloe gel.

Repeat this bath as needed to give your skin relief and assist in healing. Ahhhhh!

Safer Sunscreens

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has posted their 2011 Sunscreen Guide! This is a super helpful tool to find sunscreens that are both safe and effective for you and your family. Not only do they offer their picks for the best sunscreens, SPF lip balms and SPF moisturizers, but you can also search the database to see how your current sunscreen stacks up against others.

In this report, EWG also includes important Sun Safety tips, as well as some interesting information exposing the "science and politics" behind the sunscreen industry.

Did you know that sunlight can cause chemicals in some sunscreens to release free radicals that damage skin? Or that there is no real proof that a higher SPF sunscreen works any better than a lower SPF one? This guide is full of information that might surprise you and make you think twice about your choice of sunscreen.

NEW Organic Lotions!

The Traveling Spa is now offering locally crafted, organic body lotions from Mirror Lake Organics, based out of Imlay City, MI!

Mirror Lake lotions are made by hand in small batches, using local ingredients, when possible. They are free of pesticides and commercial fertilizers. They also do not include artificial fragrances, preservatives or dyes and are cruelty-free. All this AND they are priced affordably at $8.75 for an 8 oz. bottle, making it easy to incorporate chemical-free products into your daily lifestyle.

Lemon, is a bright, sunny citrus lotion that is great for everyday use, especially as a kitchen lotion, to use on hands after cooking or cleaning. Mojito is a minty, refreshing lotion great for an allover body pick-me-up or to rub on tired feet.

In addition to being available for purchase, we are also using these indulgent lotions in our nail treatments. Try them out at your next spa party! Your skin with thank you! :)