Did you know that vitamin D deficiency is rampant in America?

And it’s making us sick…

Last week we wrote about non-toxic sunscreens. But what we didn’t talk about was how a little bit of sun exposure is actually necessary to make vitamin D in the skin. So even though it’s really important to use that sunscreen, it’s also important to get your vitamin D.

Just 10 minutes a day of sun exposure, on average, will do it. Not out in the sun baking. Just 10 minutes of being outside. So shut off the computer and get outside for a bit. But, if you’ve had skin cancer, check with your doctor. And use your sunscreen after you’ve have your fill of unprotected sun.

Actually, vitamin D isn’t a vitamin, but really a hormone. It’s active in all sorts of body systems. It helps bones stay strong and seems to have something to do with multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue and even depression.

It is even turning out to be important in breast cancer. Studies have been showing that women with low vitamin D levels have higher incidence of breast cancer and poorer overall prognosis. It may even be important to boost vitamin D levels in the case of prostate, lung, colon and even skin cancer such as melanoma.

The good news is that between a little dab of sun and vitamin D supplementation, you can correct that vitamin D level. It’s only found in foods like oily fish (Salmon - but watch for pollutants - and the much maligned but magnificent, and generally low toxin, sardine) and even eggs, but you can take some vitamin D3 supplements as well. The official recommended dose is only 400 IU, but newer science is recommending 800 to 1000 IU or sometimes, even more. We think it’s best to find a doctor who will work with you on this. Because you deserve it.

Ask you doctor to check your vitamin D level. The test is called 25-OH vitamin D. You can download some study resources and take them to your doctor if they have any questions.

Last but not least, we promised a movie. Ahhh…sunscreen (non-toxic, of course) and the meaning of life, ala Baz Luhrmann. Because we don’t think life should suffer while we’re doing the right thing.

Enjoy! And pass it on!

Sun dude nontoxic sunscreen

Summer is here and what do you have for non-toxic sunscreen?

When you are trying to figure out how to get adequate and safe sun protection, it’s nice to know who’s got you covered.

We are big advocates of trying to do the right thing without stressing about it too much. So in light of that, it’s just as easy to grab a sunscreen that is more likely to be safer than one that is not. We think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

You want safe. but you also want good sun protection with a high enough SPF. Not too chalky or greasy. Maybe waterproof.

Sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide reflect the harmful UV A as well as UV B rays. And you might hear about dangers with nano-scale and micronized zinc. These are unlikely to penetrate healthy skin and cause damage, but it is not so clear about what might happen if they are in spray or powder formulations that can reach the lung.

But, getting real, a lot of us wants something that’s easy to use. After looking into what people say, some of the safest products can be a little hard to use because of greasiness or chalkiness. Give them a try. Products that are a little less “pristine” can still be a good choice if that’s what it takes to use them.

California Baby, Soleo Organics, Blue Lizard and TruKid are just a couple brands out there.

There are more and more brands that fit the bill. What you want to do is stay away from worrisome ingredients like these as much as possible: avobenzone (butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane), octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate), oxybenzone (benzophenon-3), “fragrance” (which is likely to have petroleum derived chemicals and phthalates) and parabens.

Why are these chemicals worrisome? Because they appear to contribute to things like allergy, hormone disruption and release of free radicals in the skin.

Read those labels! Even within the same brand, some products will be better than others.

So get out there and enjoy the summer and the sun.

What do you think? Do you think Mr. sun dude is using non-toxic sunscreen?

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