BY DR. ANDREA PURCELL
Yippee It’s Summertime! I’m sharing my Sun Protection tips so you can have fun all summer long.
1) Make the right sunscreen choice. When choosing a sunscreen, it’s important to avoid Oxybenzone and Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate). These ingredients are found in conventional sunscreen and have been found to cause hormone disruption. It’s better to choose a mineral based sunscreen that contains zinc or titanium oxide. The mineral based sunscreens will block UVA and UVB rays. You can find natural sunscreen at your local health food store. Lotions are superior to sticks or sprays because they offer better uniform coverage. The sunscreen sprays have an inhalation risk and the coverage can be patchy. While no sunscreen can block all UV rays here are some examples of protection with sun protection factor (SPF).
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 filters out approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB and some UVA rays. SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent.
2) Optimize your Vitamin D level – Having an optimal level of Vitamin D has been shown to be protective against all cancers including skin cancer. Ask your doctor to test your Vitamin D. The optimal range is 50-70.
3) Practice smart sun – Do not depend solely on sunscreen to prevent sunburn and skin damage.
*Cover up – wear protective clothing including sunglasses
*Find shade or bring your own
*Plan your activities around the sun’s peak hours
4) Hydrate Well – Simply drinking water will not replenish electrolytes and minerals lost through perspiration. Try coconut water, lemon or limeade with ¼-½ teaspoon of sea salt added to the pitcher, or my personal favorite celery juice. All of these will replenish essential mineral salts lost through perspiration.
With so much Love,
Dr. Purcell
P.S. I have a yummy pasta salad for you to try out at your next BBQ:
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