The Olympic Games, a testament to human athleticism and international camaraderie, trace their origins back to ancient Greece. It all began in the sacred valley of Olympia, where, in 776 B.C. the first recorded Olympic Games took place. These early Olympics were dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, and were held every four years as part of a religious festival. At its core, the ancient Olympics were more than just a sporting event; they were a celebration of Greek culture, religion, and unity. The Games served as a platform for city-states to showcase their prowess and vie for pre ..read more

Ever wonder what determines the labels on your medication, food, cosmetics, supplements and pharmaceuticals? For many people, it’s just assumed that these things are safe for consumption. Some make that assumption without thoroughly reading them, or better yet, understanding them.   The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA for short, regulate dietary supplement products under a different set of regulations than those covering "conventional" foods and drug products. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA): Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements ..read more

According to a study put out by the American Academy of Dermatology, skin-cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. With one in five Americans developing skin cancer within their lifetime, it’s no surprise that the age old debate of organic vs engineered is not limited to the food we eat. It also applies to hygiene products, cosmetics and even the sunscreen we use. In this article, we'll aim to highlight the key differences and let you be the judge of which one is right for you. The first key difference is the method by which these sunscreens block the sun. According to the websi ..read more

Winter is back again bringing with it ice and snow.  Which means the perfect conditions for dog sledding. This ancient sport can be traced back to 6000 BC when it was used as a means of transport to cross snowy tundra. Today it’s more commonly done for sport and recreation. The crisp winter air, the beautiful white snow and the thrill of being pulled along in the snowy wilderness is exhilarating. While most people imagine the sport taking place in Alaska, but recently Dog Sledding races have gained popularity in Wyoming and Montana. Other regions where the sport is prominent include: Fin ..read more

Have you heard of Ice swimming? Crazy I know, if you’re anything like me you probably asked yourself, “What would motivate someone to go take a dive in frigged waters in the middle of Winter?” Turns out, it’s one of the oldest sports out there beginning as far back as the first century in the UK and Russia. Members of the Eastern Orthodox Church would actually undergo submersion in frozen waters as a part of religious celebrations. Nowadays most who practice ice swimming do it for more secular reasons. It’s been reported that benefits of ice swimming include reduced stress and fatigue, better ..read more

Sailing is such a great experience. I learned to use my core to stay balanced on the small boats we used (Sabbots, Lazers and open-bics), and my arm muscles (biceps and triceps) and chest (pectorals) to work the ropes and keep the sails in line. I would often find myself jelly-limbed at the end of the day with a fierce appetite from burning so many calories and working all those muscles. Beef Jerky was my food of choice because of its high protein content. Due to my scrawny build, big appetite, straw hat, blue swimming trunks and red life vest, the other students at sailing camp often compare ..read more

Team Engagement Podcast hosted by Shawn Richards interviews leaders that share their insights. Brought to you by Blue Sky Business Consulting, Shawn interviews Melissa Allen, Co-Founder of Active Life Company and Kovr Sunscreen. Shawn: Hello again everyone, and welcome. We're glad that you could take some time to join us for the podcast today. Happy Thursday to everyone, and I'm pleased to welcome our guest today. This is Melissa Allen. She is the co-founder of Active Life and also the Cover Sunscreen product, and she's out of El Cajon, California. Melissa, thank you so much for taking time t ..read more

WHAT IS A SPF Quite simply, it is a Sun Protection Factor. SPF for short. This sunscreen layer helps your biggest organ against a constant bombardment of UV rays. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines this as “a measure of how much solar energy (VR radiation) is required to produce sunburn on protected skin. As the SPV value increases, sunburn protection increases (1).”   The FDA explains that the SPF number does not equal the amount of time that your skin will be protected. For example, you will have the same amount of radiation exposure during an hour at 9 am and fifte ..read more

Over exposure to the sun can be devastating for anyone. No matter the color of your skin, sunscreen and sun protection are important not only to protect yourself from sunburn, but to protect yourself from skin cancer. With skin cancer on the rise, a good broad spectrum sunscreen is vital to minimize exposure. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) recommends using sunscreen on exposed skin when outdoors, and reapplying as directed to decrease your risk of developing skin cancer. How Sun Can Affect Skin Sun emits different types of UV rays that can be really harmful to body. There ar ..read more

With Summer approaching there's no better time to think of skin cancer, even though it's something that should be thought about all year long. May was skin cancer awareness month, and skin cancer is what inspired us to start Kovr Sunscreen in the first place. It's been 5 years this year since our dog Bodie identified skin cancer on the top of Lonnie's head. Even though he was only a pup and not a trained cancer sniffing dog, it was enough to cause us to take notice. That led to a visit to the dermatologist and a diagnosis of Basal Cell Carcinoma. Thank God it could be removed, but that is wha ..read more