Natural Sunscreens and Vitamin D

Did you know?

The body makes vitamin D from sun exposure. For many years now we have heard the warnings of stay out of the sun or wear sunscreen at all times because skin cancer.

Do you know what regular sun exposure without sunscreen will do for your body?

Nearly every cell in our body has receptors for Vitamin D and Vitamin D is crucial for our innate immunity.

* side note… Innate immunity refers to nonspecific defense mechanisms that come into play immediately or within hours of an antigen’s appearance in the body. These mechanisms include physical barriers such as skin, chemicals in the blood, and immune system cells that attack foreign cells in the body.

So far we’ve learn the sun isn’t bad.

The use of sunscreen every day limits our Vitamin D intake. Limiting Vitamin D leads to bad skin and poor bone strength. Now of course if you’re a surfer this looks a little different but for the day to day of walking into work, enjoying lunch outdoors and getting out of the car after work it may not be all that necessary.

My general rule of thumb is to expose as much of my body to the sun as possible and once I start to turn the slightest shade of pink I grab that natural sunscreen. I’m also becoming quite a fan of sun hats. I mean they are just so cute!

Let’s talk about sunscreens real quick.

We are told to use sunscreens because they are meant to decrease our risk of skin cancer and allow us to enjoy the sun. Did you know most modern day sunscreens may actually increase your risk of cancer and not to mention the impact they have on our hormones. There have been numerous studies on the hormone disruptions of sunscreen. One compared one full body application of chemical sunscreen as being equivalent to one daily hormone replacement therapy. Y’all this isn’t okay. Infertility and hormonal issues are on the rise and this is one leading cause.

Grab the zinc oxide. Look a little like casper if you have to but protect those reproductive systems. Seriously. I personally use Young Living’s 50 SPF sunscreen. I find it doesn’t leave me as white as most zinc oxide sunscreens.