Is there anything better than Summer? In my book, there is absolutely not! I’ve always loved the hot, long, bright days, slower vibe, lots of time with friends and family, beach days and even a good ol’ summer afternoon storm. I love it all, and this summer I’m relishing in the slower pace with my family.

But, while my love for this season has not waivered since I’ve been a kid, my approach to summer has changed a bit. Now, I’ll never give up a good ice cream, day at the beach or time in the sun, I am more focused on protecting myself and my family as we enjoy all of it.

Remember last summer, when all the news about toxins and potential carcinogens in sunscreens came out? I do, cause I was already on a mission to find the safest sunscreen for my family and I was glad the news about sunscreen ingredients was finally being shared with the masses.

Have you been hearing about the increases in pesticides in our foods (even organic) as well?

I never want to be an alarmist, but I also think that we are all responsible for our own health (atleast until the government starts regulating food and farming practices with our health in mind a bit more – but more on that another day…). So, I’m sharing a quick guide about my favorite go to summer swaps:

Safe Sunscreen: I’m a big fan of getting vitamin D for overall health , so I do try to get a little time in the sun each day without sunblock on. But, in the parts of the day when the sun is super hot, I do cover myself and the kids. Non-negotiable in this area – the sunblock must be natural. I have a long list of ingredients I will avoid at all costs, but it’s easier for me to just share my fave non-toxic brands:

Beautycounter – this liquid sunscreen is what I use on myself and the kids. It works well, keeps our super fair skin protected, and isn’t too heavy.

Pure Haven Suscreen– This suncscreen stick is my favorite for wiggly kids. Many of you know the struggle of getting kids ready for camp in the morning when sunscreen is involved. Mine actually sit still when I apply this, even to their faces. What?!? Best. invention. ever. And I love Pure Haven because it is committed to being 100% toxin free as a brand, and I never have to worry about questionable ingredients.

Pure Haven Fruit and Veggie Wash – Aside from ice cream, the absolute best flavors of summer are all the fresh fruits and veggies, amiright??! Now, I buy organic 90% of the time, but recent research has shown that even organic foods carry some pesticides (think sprays from nearby farms). So, it’s not exactly sufficient to rinse your strawberries under cold water anymore. That’s why I love this natural spray – quick, easy and effective at getting those pesticides off!

Jason’s Toothpaste- After eating all those strawberries and ice cream cones, I’m a bit of a stickler about getting the kiddos to brush their teeth reallllly well. I was buying a brand of toothpaste for the kids that I thought was safe from harmful ingredients (good marketing on their part). But, sadly, I noticed some ingredients that I just can’t get behind (carageeneen, SLS). So, we switched to Jasons. The adults and kids in our household like the flavors, it definitely gives that clean feeling (which other brands haven’t done for me) and again, it’s free of harmful stuff and almost entirely earth sourced.

Isagenix Amped Hydrate – If you live in the Northeast like us, maybe you’ve been struggling in these crazy hot and humid temperatures too? And, with my kids outside in camp all day, I’m really pushing for us all to drink more water. But, if we’re sweating a lot, I’m also a advocate for getting some electrolytes in everybody’s water bottle. Instead of consuming the immense amounts of sugar, dyes and questionable ingredients in Gatorade or other sports drinks on the market, we add this electrolyte mix into our water bottles every afternoon. Try it here with a money back guarantee: https://jessicatreadwell1.isagenix.com/en-us/shop/fitness/amped-hydrate?pid=39fd940dbdf0472ead7e4cd199d10f7a

Scout and Cellar Wines – I’m not much of a drinker (those of you who knew me in college may be surprised by this :/) but, there sure are a lot of get togethers in the summer and I’m all for a good glass of Rose now and then. I love this brand of clean wines for the ingredients they use and DON’T use, and they way they make their wine. You can read more about them on your own, but trust me when I say this is a really good brand and the price point is awesome!

This list is not exhaustive and I know there are so many good products I don’t even know about yet. So, I’d love to have you all comment with your favorites too!

Let’s all make this a fun, safe and memorable rest of Summer!!