Mad scientist makeup

The longer I work in oncology, the more suspicious I am about everyday items contributing to cancer development.  It just doesn't make sense why young people have advanced forms of cancer or really rare forms of cancer that doctors don't know how to best treat.  You can't blame the patient- it's not like they intentionally messed up their DNA or swallowed the tumor whole- so what gives?
The state of medicine and health seems to prioritize treatment rather than prevention.  I appreciate the advances thus far after reading The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer and understanding the horrific surgeries and excruciating chemical cocktails used to treat cancer in the past.  Yet that big question- WHY- has largely been ignored. 
One reason why I participated in Breast Cancer Fund's hike last month was because they are committed to identifying and advocating for the removal of environmental exposures to prevent the disease.  While we may choose to eat organic foods and watch the alcohol intake, lather on sunscreen, and exercise diligently to take care of ourselves we don't consider the carcinogens found in personal care/beauty products.  Starting with bright purple j.a.n.e. eyeshadow and frosted pink Bonne Bell lipstick in 7th grade, who knows what's accumulated in my body over the years or why I got my period when I was 10 (a risk factor for breast cancer)!
I've spent hours looking up the insanely long chemical names in my beauty products and I am *so* glad that I did.  I've basically scrapped all my hair, nail, shower, makeup, and body products in favor of alternatives that don't contain parabens, phthalates, lead, or triclosan, among other nasty ingredients.  I think the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database should win a Nobel Prize for making this information readily available.  I've searched by brand name (shame on you, MAC!), ingredient (see above list of nasty names), and by product type (i.e. foundation, deodorant) to find the lowest rated health hazards. 
Fortunately, Bare Escentuals is a low risk product line easily found at Sephora and lots of acceptable cosmetic, hair, and body products can be found on drugstore.com and beauty.com.  I've been introduced to the wide array of products from Maia's Mineral Galaxy and Honeybee Gardens by the EWG database.  I am proud to support their company's efforts at making people feel happier and having fun with their appearance without jeopardizing their health in the process.

Lead used to be an ingredient in lipstick.  Not cool.

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork (English proverb)

Today is Food Day, created by Center for Science in the Public Interest, and to a foodie dietitian like myself, it's as exciting as Christmas Eve (even after learning who "Santa" really is!).  These are the six principles of Food Day:
1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting healthy food
2. Support sustainable farms & limit subsidies to big agribusiness
3. Expand access to food and end hunger
4. Protect the environment and farm animals by reforming factory farms
5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing aimed at kids
6. Support fair conditions for food and farm workers
My job is written into principle #1.  However, in school we're not really taught about agriculture systems so the remaining principles- and bigger picture food issues- have been ignored by future nutrition professionals. There's a huge disconnect between the farm and how food ends up on our plate and we're supposed to be the nutrition experts!  Unfortunately we pass along the naivete to our patients and unknowingly perpetuate the drive toward current factory farming practices. 
Modern industrial farming is shameful, in my opinion, and documentaries like Fast Food Nation, King Corn, Food Inc., and Super Size Me got me thinking "I don't want to participate in this anymore" and "I will make a serious effort to find alternatives."  My dream is to one day grow my own fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but I just don't have the land or space to do so.  Thus, I spend my money to support people and companies who do their best to grown food the responsible way.
Living in Northern California I feel so lucky to have fresh produce available year-round that I try not to take it for granted.  I support my local farmer's market for seasonal fruits, vegetables, eggs from pasture-raised hens, and occasionally some grass-fed meats.  It sucks to not eat tomatoes and berries year-round but I prioritize eating locally grown food as a way to minimize the environmental impact of flying produce in from all over the world.  Every now and then, though, the bananas call my name and I can't resist :)
I'm also grateful for Sigona's, a family-run grocery store in town, that also supplies me with organic produce, pasture-raised chicken, and grass-fed beef, with an abundance of products from California.  Sure, I'll probably never be able to afford a house in the Bay Area but the richness of our food supply makes it *almost* worth the financial stress!  
I encourage you to decide for yourself how you'll be a part of Food Day today and everyday hereafter.  Lots of buzzwords are out there if you'd take the time to do your own research:
Local... seasonal... organic... sustainable... food deserts... subsidies... Farm Bill... genetically modified organisms... grass fed... pasture-raised... fair trade... confined animal feed operations... and so on.

Need inspiration?  Browse Food Day Recipes from celebrity chefs!