Natural Ways to Protect
Your Skin Against Sunburn and Sunlight-Related Damage
Skin cancer is now the most common type
of cancer in the United States and in most first world nations.
In the U.S. alone, more than one million new cases of skin
cancer are expected in 2009.
With
growing awareness of the importance of being smart about
sun exposure, how is it that skin cancer is on the rise?
Part of the answer to this question likely
lies in the growing trends of eating heavily processed foods
and failing to acquire restful sleep. Most corners of our
world thirst for convenience and stimulation, and regularly
indulging in both can't be good for skin cancer rates.
Another part of the answer may involve the
potentially harmful chemicals that are found in many commercial
sunscreen formulas. It's true - some sunscreen lotions may
be contributing to the development of skin
cancers that they are intended to protect against. This
hypothesis is partially supported by studies that indicate
that the greatest rise in melanoma has occurred in nations
where chemical sunscreens are heavily promoted and used.
Organizations like The Environmental
Working Group have identified the following common
sunscreen ingredients as being potentially harmful to human
health:
If
you've been using a sunscreen or sunblock product that contains
one or more of these ingredients, there's no need to be
overly alarmed; the potential dangers that are associated
with use of these ingredients are mostly drawn from in vitro
animal studies that don't provide conclusive proof that
these ingredients can cause skin cancer.
But it is prudent to be
aware that sunscreen lotions that contain any of the ingredients
above are not the safest and healthiest choices to protect
you against sunburn and sunlight-induced skin damage.
The vast majority of synthetic chemicals
found in sunscreen lotions can potentially damage your skin
by increasing the number of free radicals that are generated
throughout the many layers of your skin.
Take, for example, octocrylene - a clear,
odorless, and slightly oily compound that is found in many
brands of sunscreen. When applied to your skin, octocrylene
can seep into the lower layers of your skin, where it can
interact with ultraviolet rays from the sun, resulting in
free radical production.
Free radicals have the potential to damage
the DNA found in your cells, and if allowed to create ongoing
damage, can contribute to the development of skin cancer.
Keep in mind that you're exposed to free
radicals just about every moment of every day from the foods
that you eat. Also, all of your cells actually produce free
radicals on a regular basis, partly to help defend you against
toxins, waste products, and microorganisms.
But you definitely don't want to expose
your body to unnecessary helpings of free radicals via sunscreens
that are loaded with synthetic ingredients.
So What Should You Do To Protect Yourself
Against Sunburn and Sun-Related Skin Damage?
First,
be aware that getting some sunlight on your skin can be
immensely helpful to your health, mainly because UV-B rays
in sunlight converts cholesterol found in your skin into
vitamin D.
And ensuring adequate vitamin D status is
essential to experiencing optimal health; every organ system
in your body requires an adequate vitamin D level to function
properly.
Today, vitamin D deficiency is actually
one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in developed
nations, most likely because the general public has been
taught to be afraid of the sun.
The key to using sunlight to promote optimal
vitamin D status is to be mindful of not getting burned.
When your body has enough vitamin D to fuel its needs, it
shuts off the mechanism that allows UV-B rays to convert
cholesterol to vitamin D, so relying on healthy exposure
to sunlight is actually the very best way to ensure healthy
vitamin D status.
Second,
when you're out and about and the sun is strong enough to
cause you to burn, make good use of clothing and a hat that
provide protection against UV rays. A good UV-hat, long
sleeve shirt, and light pants go a long way in protecting
your skin against sun-related damage.
Third, try to limit
the amount of time you spend outdoors on extremely hot days
and when the sun feels hottest - usually between 11 am and
2 or 3 pm.
Fourth, when you have
to be out in conditions that can cause a sunburn and you
can't rely on clothing and natural shade to protect your
skin, use a natural sunscreen that relies on natural physical
(not chemical) blockers and other all-natural ingredients
to protect your skin against sun damage.
The natural sunscreen formula that Margaret
and I use for ourselves and our children consists of the
following ingredients:
Natural Sunscreen Lotion Inactive Ingredients:
Green
Tea Extract - is an excellent source of naturally
occurring antioxidants, and is thought to help protect skin
cells against sunlight-induced damage.
Shea Butter - is a highly
effective, plant-based skin moisturizer.
Eucalyptus Oil - is an
essential oil that moisturizes the skin and facilitates
absorption of other healthy oils into your skin to help
promote optimal skin tone.
Coconut Oil - is rich in
healthy fatty acids that having soothing and moisturizing
properties; coconut oil by itself is a highly recommended
full body moisturizer.
Sunflower Oil - is also
a plant-based oil that aids in moisturizing the skin.
Jojoba Oil - is a natural
plant product that softens and soothes the skin - it's most
commonly used to address or prevent dry or scaling skin.
Lecithin - is a natural
plant compound that helps keep the skin hydrated and also
acts to keep the skin baby soft.
Glycerine - is also a fragrance-free,
natural compound that helps the skin maintain a healthy
balance of water in its cells and cell membranes.
Xanthan Gum - is a natural
plant compound that has hydrating properties and helps keep
all of the healthy oils in this formula together.
Vitamin E (Tocopheryl acetate)
- is included as a natural preservative.
Vitamin A - is also included
as natural preservative. When applied topically, vitamin
A is thought to keep skin cells healthy, optimally hydrated,
and resistant to damage by sunlight and free radicals.
Natural Sunscreen Lotion Active Ingredients:
Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide
- are both mineral compounds that can be found in nature.
They're both fine white powders that act as physical blockers
that prevent UV-A and UV-B rays from damaging the skin.
Both are micronized forms, meaning that they're fine enough
that they don't look goopy on the skin, but not nano-fine
enough to potentially get absorbed into your bloodstream.
Together, all of the natural ingredients
in our all-natural sunscreen lotion combine to form a water-resistant,
hypoallergenic, and highly effective sunblock that's safe
to use on kids and adults alike.
It smells quite pleasant, and is completely
free of harsh chemicals. It's also free of nanoparticles.
The Bottom Line
So long as you don't get burned, it's good
for you to get some sunlight exposure on your skin.
When circumstances require that you stay
outdoors for an extended period of time, your best first
line of defense against sun-related skin damage is a hat
with a wide brim, appropriate clothing, and shade if available.
Whenever you need extra protection against
potentially damaging UV-A and UV-B rays, use a sunscreen
lotion that relies on physical rather than chemical blockers,
and that is free of harsh chemicals that may do more harm
than good to your skin and overall health.
The natural sunscreen lotion that we use
is available at our natural health shop here:
All-Natural
Sunscreen Lotion, 8-Ounces, SPF 30
Please
note: If you're not completely satisfied with how
effective this natural sunscreen lotion is, simply let me
know and I'll see to it that you're given a full refund
minus shipping.
