Snug Organics Blog
My Sunshine
Tuesday June 8, 2010
Summer hasn’t officially started, but it sure feels like it. I’ve never been one to slather my kids with sunscreen everyday, but I’m somewhat diligent about long days at the pool or park. It’s easy to forget that sunshine can be a very good thing. It boosts the body’s vitamin D supply and regulates at least 1,000 different genes that govern virtually every tissue in the body. This includes calcium metabolism, neuromuscular and immune system functioning, just to name a few. Sunlight also boosts serotonin and melatonin levels, which help regulate sleep schedules, as well as help fight infection, inflammation, auto-immunity, and even cancer. Recent research shows that regions with more sunshine have slightly higher levels of skin cancer, but an even higher level of survival for most other forms of cancer. Ironically, the chemicals in most sunscreens are cancer-causing or hormone-disrupting. Use Skin Deep to find out how hazardous your current sun products are.
The biggest threat is a sunburn. Remember these simple tips from The Healthy Child, by Partners in Pediatrics:
- Apply sunscreen if your child will be outside longer than 30 minutes.
- Start the summer with exposure to the sun in small increments until an underlying protective tan builds up.
- Children with the least skin pigment should use sunscreen throughout the year and avoid sun whenever possible.
- The skin of infants is thin and very sensitive to the sun’s rays. Protective clothing, hats, and shade are essential. Do not use sunscreen containing PABA for infants less than 6 months.
- The sun’s rays are most intense and damaging from 10:30-3:00.
- The sun’s rays reflecting off water, sand, and snow increase risk of sunburn.
- Protect your child’s eyes from the sun. Years of exposure increase the risk of cataracts.
- Preventing sunburn during childhood will help prevent skin cancer in adulthood.
The Environmental Working Group recommends only 39, or 8 percent, of 500 beach and sport sunscreens on the market this season. They also highly recommend avoiding Oxybenzone, Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), and added insect repellent. See the full report here
Sunscreens Exposed: 9 surprising truths
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