Sunscreen: Why it doesn't protect you as much as they want you to believe

You've probably heard many times about the need to cover yourself from head to toe in a good sunscreen. Of course, it's necessary to avoid sunburn, but no one tells you, the dangers of using sunscreen.

Of course, the best sunbathing strategy isn't to slather yourself in sunscreen. If you do this, you're unlikely to burn, but paradoxically, you're taking risks that no one wants to tell you about.

THE BEST SUNSCREEN

Most sunscreens only protect against UVB rays, not UVA rays. and although the skin is not burned, it is damaged.

UVB rays are precisely those associated with increased vitamin D production, and as this study suggests, people who overuse sunscreen have up to 10 times less vitamin D. It's true that 30 to 40 minutes in the sun are enough to produce the vitamin D we need, but with the trend of smothering ourselves in sunscreen, we're not giving our bodies the daily time they need.

Furthermore, not all sunscreens are created equal. Some have a chemical barrier and others have a physical barrier.

Chemical protectors

Many of the compounds they contain are harmful. since they cross the skin barrier.

The oxybenzone, he octinoxate and the homosalate They are the most used and there is a lot of talk about them retynyl palmitate as it is associated with an increased risk of developing tumors. In addition, many of these compounds They are endocrine disruptors and in the body they replace hormones.

These chemical sunscreens prevent sweating containing an acid, which is a protection natural. They also remove the alarm natural of our body, when your body turns red, it tells you that you have had enough sun.

As if that were not enough, the icing on the cake is that they pollute a lotMost are petroleum derivatives, and aside from the polluting nature of this industry, they end up in the oceans and pose a serious threat to coral reefs.

Physical Protectors

They are based on minerals that reflect UVA and UVB rays away from your body. The most common are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They tend to leave the skin very white, which is why the term is used: full screen.

To be effective, you need to ensure that the active ingredient is greater than 22%. Some markYes, they have started replacing chemical components with these minerals, but make sure that apart from these, they do not also contain chemicals.

We highly recommend those containing zinc oxide, although titanium dioxide also appears to be safe. In both cases, make sure it doesn't contain nanoparticles.

You can tell if a sunscreen uses nanoparticles if it has the word nano in parentheses on the label. The Law EC 1223/2009 requires specifying it.

Sunscreen natural

The best sunscreen is to listen to the signals our own body gives us, without masking them with chemical or physical protectors.

If you want to get a tan, do it gradually. Don't try to go from not sunbathing at all to lying on a towel for eight hours. Try to spend 30-40 minutes a day and protect yourself with a hat and sunglasses.If you overdo it or find yourself doing it too much, a simple t-shirt can solve the problem.

If you want any recipe for protector with ingredients naturalis, in This article you can find some.

WE NEED THE SUNYou just have to improve your relationship with him. In Spain, we have the lowest vitamin D levels in all of Europe.

In This study It is said literally that Avoiding the sun is a “mortality risk factor equivalent to smoking”

The sun is not bad, but rather the new way we relate to it.

EAT THE SUN CREAM

Aside from protecting ourselves externally, we can also do something internally to make sunbathing a truly healthy experience. Diet has a greater impact on our health than any other factor.

• Eat foods rich in beta-carotene. Yes, carrots have a lot of beta-carotene, as does sweet potato, but I'm sure you didn't know that other foods like spirulina They have it too; but we had an ace up our sleeve, too, the matcha teaAnd if not, look at this comparison between these two foods.

Comparison of beta-carotene between Matcha Tea and carrots.

You are not going to drink 100g of Matcha Tea, but by taking between 1-3g you are taking a significant amount of beta-carotene.

• Eat foods rich in antioxidantsHere, we show you a comparison of different foods on the scale ORAC that measures the absorption capacity of reactive oxygen species.

As you see, The açaí wins from afar.

• Eat foods rich in omega 3 and omega 6The current imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 is responsible for many current chronic diseases, but it also influences our skin's ability to protect itself from the sun.

• Drink green tea: Studies link the consumption of this type of tea with a lower incidence of tumors. Another point for the Matcha tea.

We hope this article has been helpful to you. Help and open eyes regarding sunscreen.

It seems that, once again, the naturaleza us Help and protects us, if we know how to make good use of it.