I want to talk about working with your intuition when it comes to sun exposure- and the key is to start in the spring.
I shared a little bit last week about my feelings on delegating our health to an outside authority. This is a problem because it shuts down our intuition. Every time we flex our intuitive muscle, it gets stronger. Skincare is a fun place to play with this.
I will go ahead and give you my pro-claimer for this article- none of this is medical advice. The purpose of this is to share education and my thoughts. We each have the autonomy to take the information we read online, consider the nuance, and decide what suits our unique situation.
I have thought for some time that sunscreen is the modern margarine- the thing that everyone thinks is so good for you but is actually poison.
(Sunscreen generally means chemical sunscreen, which chemically absorbs and disperses UV radiation, and then there is sunblock, a physical block utilizing minerals.)
Chemical sunscreens disrupt hormone function, have potential links to cancer, and, as they wash off of your skin and down the drain or directly into the ocean, are toxic to aquatic life. This is dangerous to our health and has been banned in many places because it bleaches and kills the coral reef. As the coral reef continues to deplete, this has many far-reaching implications for ecosystems and even for small communities and large industries dependent on ocean life. It is a very complex issue!
You will know if something is a chemical sunscreen if it has these ingredients in the active ingredient list: avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone. The only sunblock ingredient I choose to use is non-nano zinc oxide.
Sun exposure has a multitude of benefits, like vitamin D, which keeps inflammation in check, and helps to protect from viral infections, among many other things, but sun exposure also improves blood circulation to the skin, this is one of the absolute must-haves for healthy skin. In addition, it helps to maintain your circadian rhythm, assists in proper sleep, aids in wound healing, and supports the nervous system. Indeed the list of benefits is very long.
Too much sun is also harmful- burning is dangerous. You are more likely to develop skin cancer if you hide indoors until mid summer when you get invited to the beach and you go and burn. Each individual has a different safe level of sun exposure, and learning and paying attention to what yours is, is essential. This is where your intuition comes in! Intuitively wearing hats and layers and seeking shade will always be my first go-to when considering sun protection when it is needed.
In the spring, I like to gradually get more exposure with tiny, frequent doses, developing my natural defense. This is part of living seasonally and intuitive skincare. Repeated short exposure is the key, exposing as much of the body as makes sense for the temperature. This gradual exposure is without SPF and sunglasses. The pituitary gland is responsible for the melanin response that protects our skin from the sun. It receives its message through signaling in our eyes from sun exposure. Sunglasses disrupt this signaling leaving the skin more vulnerable to the sun.
Hydrated, healthy skin is less likely to burn than dried-out and dehydrated skin with a broken-down barrier.
Now is a great time to support your natural hydration and skin’s barrier.
Eat to protect from the sun and not cause oxidative stress:
Foods that build our natural defense include foods high in carotenoids- like yellow, orange, and red produce. Conversely, foods that increase our long-term oxidative damage (making us more susceptible to sun damage) include refined sugar, highly refined seed and vegetable oils, and packaged foods.
Increasing your vitamin C intake:
Excess sun exposure does degrade the vitamin C that is present in the skin. Ingestion of vitamin C is essential, and topical application of vitamin C-rich items is also important. My favorite vitamin C products include the Vitamin C balm from Apoterra and the First Light Brightening Oil Serum with vitamin C
This is a fantastic time to start considering how you will enjoy that big star we know as our life force and start building habits to optimize skin health.
I hope you find this helpful, and I will be back soon with some more skin-formation to help you feel radiant and vibrant in your skin.
This feels so much more reasonable and realistic instead of slathering sunscreen 24/7 all year.