Sheesh, as if you needed any more things to worry about! I've written on these pages before about sunscreen and it's nasty chemicals. Many sunscreens contain oxybenzone, which has been shown to cause cancer, neurological damage, and endocrine disruption.
Now, there is a new study out that talks about another ingredient in many sunscreens, zinc oxide, and its ability to generate free radicals in your skin.
Fans of these blog pages have read my famous post about what free radicals do to your body and why you need to eat right. For those of you new to my pages, free radicals are atoms that are missing an electron in the outer shell. We are made up of cells, which are made up of molecules, which are made up of atoms. So, anyway, these free radicals that are missing an electron try to stabilize themselves by stealing electrons from neighboring atoms, causing those atoms to become unstable, so then they start stealing electrons, and the process goes on! This chain reaction causes cellular damage, which over time is what causes many of our degenerative diseases, including cancer.
So, these free radicals in your skin created by sunscreens can actually CAUSE cancer, the one thing that sunscreen companies try and convince you that they prevent! So, NOW what to do?
Skin cancer is a relatively new disease, brought on not just by sunscreens, but by our modern diet. Our diet of processed foods and unhealthy fats has led to our bodies' collective demise. Think of the cavemen. Why didn't they sunburn? How about our ancestors? We really didn't start relying on sunscreen heavily until the last few decades, as we moved further and further from wholesome, natural foods to a diet of processed junk.
So, what can you do?
1. Only wear sunscreen when you are pretty sure that you will be unprotected long enough to get a sunburn.
2. Eat 2-3 heaping platefuls of beautiful fruits and veggies every day.
3. Seek shade during the high times of the day, between 10am and 2pm.
4. Wear light clothing that covers your body and wide brimmed hats if you are out in the heat of the day, say, at a soccer game or whatever. And, take a big, fun umbrella.
5. Don't eat crap. Balance your omega 3 and omega 6 fat intake so that your dietary fat balance can be healthier.
The link to the article I was referencing is here:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507131951.htm
To Your Health,
Tracie
