Holistic Sunscreen Care is a topic not only for you, but also our planet. Skin is your largest organ, where signs of premature aging surface and chemicals absorb into the bloodstream. The best sunscreens for all of us are also “Reef Safe.” Dive in and read about these 7 tips to learn about how to choose the best sunscreen for you and the planet: 1) Mineral Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide- These sunscreens are natural and form a physical barrier, reflecting the sunlight away from your skin and immediately protective. Zinc Oxide is healing for the skin: reducing acne, inflammation and helping the skin to retain moisture. The one downside is it doesn’t spread on the skin as easily (because it sits on top) as chemical sunscreens and leaves a whitish tint. 2) No Chemical Sunscreen with Oxybenzone or Octinoxate- These chemicals are in most traditional sunscreens and various cosmetics. They absorb through the skin, with a chemical reaction causing heat under the skin and more irritation. Latest research links them with negative side effects at toxic levels, almost immediately, because they absorb into the bloodstream as hormone disrupters, increasing estrogen in cells that can lead to breast cancer. According to The Derm Review, Octinoxate decreases thyroid hormones in the blood and can affect the male reproductive system, lowering male sperm count. Hawaii recently banned all sunscreens sold with either of these chemicals due to its toxic affects on our vulnerable coral reefs, causing bleaching. This highlights another important factor in choosing the best sunscreen as being “Reef Safe.” Even though reefs make up only 2% of our ocean floor, their ecosystem sustains 25% of our oceans’ marine life. 3) Broad Spectrum Protection for UVA and UVB Rays- The best sunscreens protect against both the UVA & UVB rays. UVA wavelengths are longer and responsible for tanning and long-term premature aging affects, like wrinkles, age spots & loss of skin elasticity. The UVB wavelengths are shorter, being responsible for the sunburn and long-term effects of damaged DNA and skin cancer. 4) Lotion not Spray- With sunscreen spray, it’s more likely you will inhale the chemicals. 5) Minimum SPF 30- Sun Protection Factor helps to plan how long the protection will last. For example, if you start to burn after 10 minutes in the sun and you put on 30 SPF, then this sunscreen will protect for 10 x 30=300 minutes or 5 hours. If going higher than SPF 30, there is a diminishing return in benefit with increased chemicals, so its important to weigh trade offs when deciding how high in number to apply, but 30 is the minimum for fair skin. 6) SPF Clothing- It’s commonsense to wear SPF clothing when possible: long sleeved shirts, pants and hats. For snorkeling or swimming, there are SPF sun shirts and rash guards, assuring proper protection for challenging circumstances. 7) No Vitamin A aka Retinyl Palmitate with Sun Exposure- Vitamin A is in many skin products, as it’s an antioxidant to help prevent premature aging. However, the sun increases growth of skin cancers and lesion, in combination with Vitamin A on the skin. So, hold off on the Vitamin A skin products with sun. Balancing these 7 tips with getting healthy Vitamin D absorption from the sun can be a challenge. Vitamin D has many health benefits: strengthens bone and lowers risks for many diseases like diabetes, cancer, depression and multiple sclerosis. Just keep in mind the peak time for sun radiation is 10 am to 2 pm, with these 7 tips to help choose what sunscreen is best for you and the planet. #wellness #sunscreen #sunburn #skincare #reefsafe #wellnesstravel #spfclothing #sunprotection #traveltips #skintips #coralreefs #greentravel #responsibletourism
