Blog Posts by FourGreenSteps.com

Written by Melanie Kozlan, Four Green Steps.com

At this point most are well aware of the dangers of tanning- but what about spray tanning made popular by the tanning advocates on Jersey Shore? Before lathering yourself in orange-tinted paint, read this:

From Planet Green:

The Mayo Clinic reports that the main ingredient in most sunless tanning sprays and lotions is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). DHA reacts with your top layer of skin which causes the darkened color. After this skin layer is sloughed off in about a week to ten days the tan wears off.

According to MedicineNet, DHA has been listed with the FDA since 1973 and has been used in cosmetics for over 30 years. That said, DHA is restricted to external use only. This means it shouldn't be ingested. If you go to spray tanning booths make sure you tightly close your eyes, mouth, and ears so that you don't ingest the stuff. Better yet, have a practitioner spray it on so it's a more controlled application. Or if you want to play

Written by Lauren Sigler
Many of us want to go green, but are not sure how. Whether you're hosting a baby shower or throwing one for a friend, it's always useful to get some advice. When attempting to create an eco-friendly baby shower, there are five categories to focus in on: invitations, gifts, décor, menu and party favors!
Invitations

• Print them on recycled paper
• Send e-cards
• Reuse household items
• Make your own invitations

• Skip out on traditional wrapping paper
• Recycle previous gift bags
• Use brown paper bags or reusable shopping bags
• Register with eco-friendly boutiques
• Recycled thank you notes

• Have the party outdoors (in a backyard, on the beach, at a garden, etc.)
• Use natural or biodegradable items for decoration
• Use flowers and plants
• Use fruits as centerpieces
• Place cards with eco-friendly facts/tips on them
• Use dishes

Written by Madiha Boolani, Four Green Steps.com

Your lips are one of the most sensitive parts of your body. To ensure healthy lips, proper care needs to be taken to protect them and provide the nourishment that they need. Read our five step guide to healthy lips!

Step 1: Stop licking your lips. Sometimes the lip balm tastes good, other times we lick our lips to moisturize them. But most people don't realize is that licking their lips cause them to dry out even faster. Use lip balm/lipstick to avoid this habit altogether.

Step 2: Go green. Use organic and natural lip products which contain SPF and stay away from harmful chemicals. Look for plant derived oils such as shea and aloe vera that truly nourish lips.

Step 3: Drink lots of water! Dry lips are caused by internal dehydration so make sure to drink a glass of water every 3 hours.

Step 4: Oil is the way to go. Vitamin E oil helps in keeping our skin soft and healthy. Either take Vitamin E capsules or apply the oil

Written by Melanie Kozlan, Four Green Steps.com

Vegan sushi isn't just a great seafood alternative for Vegetarians, it is also a delicious dinner for anyone uneasy about eating raw fish. Seafood may seem like a Green alternative to eating red meat, but beyond popular belief, there actually aren't a lot of fish in the sea. 70% of the World's fisheries are harvested at capacity or are dramatically declining. Even aquaculture (fish farming) may seem sustainable but have a large ecological impact. Vegan sushi is not just sustainable, it's delicious! Seaweed offers a variety of nutrition including calcium, iron and folic acid. Sushi is a fun dish to serve since it appears exotic, or fancy but is actually quite simple to make. Try one of these healthy recipes for Meatless Monday (Especially if you had an weekend of heavy eating!)

Tofu Seaweed Roll

Avocado Sushi

Vegetarian Summer Roll (Goi Cuon)

Try out more Vegan and Vegetarian recipes in our recipe section!

Written by Melanie Kozlan, Four Green Steps.com

Commonly referred to as 'Mushroom Tea', kombucha is a fermented tea and the new 'it' drink among celebrities and health enthusiasts. It's said to do everything from increase your energy to better your eyesight, some believe it has intense healing powers. The best way to enjoy summer's hottest drink? Making it yourself! Try out this simple kombucha recipe:

From Planetgreen:

The Necessary Ingredients:

• 1 kombucha culture (this can bought online or at a local health food store. The culture will restore itself with every batch you make, so it's a one-time buy.)
• 2 litres of water
• 3 or 4 tea bags/teaspoons of loose tea (Black works best but green or white can be used)
• 160 grams of white sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar

The Necessary Equipment:

• 1 three liter glass Pyrex bowl (or something close to 3 liters)
• 1 tea towel for covering the bowl (this can be found at a local tea shop or health food

Written by Laura Sigler

Interested in healthy, glowing skin? Many products promise younger looking, healthy skin but can contain harmful chemicals that do the opposite (Watch the Story of Cosmetics for more information). Here are some natural eco-friendly suggestions of healthy, inexpensive ways to achieve perfect skin:

Pure Water

Try to avoid tap water which can contain chloride, fluoride and pollution and opt for filtered water or spring water. By drinking a lot of water, you remove the toxins and waste from your body. In addition, it helps make your skin appear to be more youthful.

Antioxidants

Eating more antioxidants will help rejuvenate your body. Antioxidants keep your body and skin looking young. Foods that contain a bunch of antioxidants are blueberries, raspberries, grapes, leafy greens, sprouts and raw nuts.

Exercise

The most helpful tip is to exercise as often as you can. Weight training is a great way to work out as it burns fat and helps you

Written by Madiha Boolani, Four Green Steps.com

Have you ever gotten a pimple a few days before that big party you were waiting months for? Does it seem like all hell has broken loose? Well look no further. We bring to you the top home remedies to make those pimples go away!

1. Fenugreek: Use the leaves of the Fenugreek plant to make a paste. Apply the paste every night before sleeping and wash it off in the morning with lukewarm water. This works especially well for blackheads.

2. Orange Peel: Crush orange peels and mix them with water. Apply the paste on affected areas.

3. Lemon: Apply fresh lemon juice to pimples. This will reduce their size and intensity

4. Garlic: Rub raw pieces of garlic on pimples several times a day or eat three garlic seeds daily for a month. Both help clear up the skin.

5. Mint and Coriander Juice: Mix one teaspoon of coriander juice or mint juice with a pinch of turmeric powder. Apply the paste on clean face every night to rid yourself of

Written by Laura Sigler

In the fast-tracked, technologically advanced world we live in, it's important for us to be alert. With a decent amount of healthy eating and exercise, we should be energized. Sometimes we have too much energy and have trouble falling asleep, luckily there are some foods that can help our insomnia and send us right to sleep (beware this list of food if you need energy!)

• Watermelon
• Honey
• Mashed potatoes
• Saltine crackers
• Graham crackers
• French fries
• Vanilla wafers
• Jelly beans
• Pretzels
• Rice cakes
• Instant rice
• French bread
• Tofu frozen dessert
• Popcorn
• Angel food cake
• Strawberries
• Pasta
• Whole wheat English muffin
• Baked potato
• Oyster crackers
• Canned mandarin oranges
• Bananas
• Warm milk
• Oatmeal
• Almonds
• Flaxseed
• Whole wheat bread
• Turkey
• Chamomile tea

The key is to look at the glycemic index. Those with high numbers are those