To Sunscreen or Not?

Welcome to this month’s BioNews.  We must learn to free ourselves from the control that others exert over us. As we learn we become FREE, we become powerful.  This pursuit of self defense in wellness, I call “The Martial Art of Wellness.” And as we practice we become Wellness Ninjas.

You need to know that I have successfully applied for myself that which I will be suggesting in this article; that one does not need sunscreen protection if one applies basic common sense principles.

I decided to write on this important topic after noticing that one of my friend had applied sunscreen profusely all over his face and arms when getting ready for our golf game on an average sunny day.  I had seen him doing so in years pass, but this time the freshly applied sunscreen cream appeared as a white film layer on his darker olive tone skin.  At that moment I felt a “controlled” rage against this multi-billion dollar sunscreen industry.  I realize that they, along with their partner the Cancer Research industry, had managed to brainwash a man of darker olive tone skin of Middle Eastern roots into applying sunscreen protection for a 4 hour walk in the park.  Have not his father and all their fathers before walked the most sun exposed regions on earth for thousands of years without sunscreen protection and without skin cancers? And are there not hundreds of millions of people on earth in Asia, India, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Europe, and all of Central and South America, that walk this earth without sunscreen protection?  What is wrong with Americans and Canadians, and others too that fall for this marketing media induced trap?

Before I go further, you need to know that I am of fair white skin, that I do get tanned, and sometimes my skin becomes reddish and tingly… but its fine the next morning.   And you need to know that I have not applied sunscreen for the last 17 years of my life.  Many of you will know that I am a long distance runner (half and full marathon) and that means being outside in the sun for hours and hours at a time year after year.  I am also an avid golfer and that means frequent 4-5 hour long walks in full sunlight.  I also care for my vegetable garden and take care of my lawn when needed, all in the bright sunlight.  And yes, as a child / teenager I did get sun-burnt when stupidly staying hours on a beach in direct sunlight in my bathing suit. And of course I would get sun-burnt again if I did it again.  But I would not do it again; I now know that lying bare skin on a beach is not normal… we are not suppose to do that.

Why is it that I do not get sunburn, nor get skin cancers?  I invite you to read on and stop living in fear of our most important friend in the universe… our magnificent SUN. 

Demythifying sunscreens

For decades, and in increasing numbers, we have been dutifully protecting our own bodies and those of our children with sunscreens. Thanks to two monopoly who proclaim to have our best interests at heart; cancer research and sunscreen manufacturers, most people now believe that sunlight causes skin cancer and sunscreen will protect you. Use of sunscreen has soared because the public are doing what they have been guided to do by the medical profession and sunscreen manufacturers.

Yet since 2004 numerous research studies are producing some alarming results. Not only is it becoming clear that exposing our skin to reasonable amounts of sunlight is unlikely to result in skin cancer, but findings also indicate that poisonous chemicals in sunscreens are being absorbed into the skin and are responsible for skin cell death.

The other undeniable truth is that by concealing our skin from sunlight we are actually exposing ourselves to an increased risk of cancer when blocking out the good UV rays which the body needs to synthesize vitamin D3.

The magnificent melanoma myth

The beginning of the bust began back in 2004 when a research study revealed that the chemicals used in sunscreens are, despite previous denials by the manufacturers, penetrating our skin. Some of the chemicals, for example Octyl methoxycinnamate, have been proven to damage cells in mice. The long term effects of this particular chemical and other compounds, which were measured as being present in significant amounts in urine, are currently unknown.

There is now an undeniable correlation between the increased use of sunscreens and the continually rising rates of vitamin D3 deficiency making many people ill, yet few professionals are focusing on this issue.

The real truth is that no matter what industries who profit from myth-making might tell us, our bodies have and will always need exposure to sunlight to be healthy, and now the physical evidence is emerging. There is no doubt that avoiding sunlight and smearing our skin with chemicals inhibits your natural metabolic processes.

The effects of decades of bad advice are now clear. Despite many millions of people avoiding direct sunlight and using ever higher levels of SPF in sunscreens, melanoma rates are on the rise.

While sales and profits of sunscreen lotions are soaring, so are rates of melanoma and other skin cancers?

For American adults in the last 35 years, incidence of melanoma has risen from around 8 people per 100,000 to 24 in every 100,000 (1). Deaths from melanoma in white American adult males have risen by 64% since 1975 and in 2010 accounted for 4.10 people per 100,000.  The increase continues at an epidemic annual rate of around 4% (2).

Yet there is also another rise – revenues for the sunscreen industry. In the US alone these now amount to over $1 billion annually despite research revealing that sunscreens do not prevent melanoma. It would seem that the bigger the myth, the bigger the profit.

Since the beginning of human history man has always exposed his skin to the sun. Absorption of sunlight is necessary for healthy living and survival. This basic biochemical necessity has recently been substantiated when research revealed that outdoor workers suffer less from melanomas than those who work indoors all year. It is true that we should avoid sunburn, but staying in sunlight until skin becomes slightly pink (if you are Caucasian) and a little tingly, is the sensible thing to do. Balance is the key.

Non-Melanoma skin cancers

Outside of the increase in melanoma, the incidence of other skin cancers is also continuing to rise. This is why everyone who is concerned about cancer and cell death should examine the benefits of BAC. Here is a recent example which shows all skin cancers are now reaching epidemic proportions:

“March 15, 2015 (Bloomberg) — Skin cancer types more common and less deadly than melanoma are rising in the U.S. leading to an “epidemic” of the malignancy that requires treatment, researchers said. The number of Americans treated for non-melanoma skin cancer increased 14.3 percent from 2002 to 2006, according to one study of Medicare claims published today in the Archives of Dermatology. The research estimated there were more than 3.5 million non-melanoma skin cancers in the U.S. in 2006 and about 2.1 million people were treated for the malignancy that year.”

Sunscreen gifts from nature

Unfortunately this kind of dramatic coverage is not new. For the last couple of decades, as with melanomas, we hear that these kinds of cancer are on the rise – but what is one to do about it? We cannot all become scientists, study sun exposure, skin biology and skin protection treatments.

The Cancer Research society tells us that by increasing our consummation of carotenoid rich foods we can assist our bodies in building defense mechanisms against skin cancer and many other cancers. Carotenoids, which are natural sunscreens for plants and humans alike, are antioxidants that continuously scavenge harmful free radicals within the body keeping levels to a minimum protecting our skin – and every other organ too.

Visit for natural alternatives to sunscreens at http://www.lovelivehealth.com/5-natural-oils-that-protect-your-skin-as-well-as-sunscreen/

If you are looking for a natural internal sunscreen here is a partial list of foods containing carotenoids. These will build your antioxidant levels and offer maximize your protection:

• Apricots
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Butternut squash
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cacao
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Citrus (especially peel)
• Cocoa
• Coconut oil
• Collard greens
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Garlic
• Guava
• Goji berries
• Grape seeds
• Green Tea
• Kale
• Kiwi
• Oregano
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Peas
• Peppers
• Persimmons
• Pink grapefruit
• Pink guava
• Pumpkin
• Raspberries
• Red cabbage
• Rosemary
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Sweet potatoes
• Thyme
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

Other foods which are thought to protect against sun damage include:

• Coconut oil
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Olive oil,
• Avocado oil
• Grapeseed oil
• Flax seed oil

Now, isn’t eating at least some of the above more appealing than covering yourself in chemicals which penetrate and arm the very skin you are trying to protect!

This published NCBI study shows how, by exposure to sunlight, you can actually protect yourself from cancer. What you should try to achieve is a healthy balance between exposing yourself to sunlight and protecting yourself from damage which can occur through overexposure. To put it more simply; avoid sunburn, eat lots of carotenoid/antioxidant rich foods, and if you want to put anything on your skin why not try aloe vera?  To learn more on the endless benefits of sunlight, read my previous article Truly the sunlight is sweet

And did you know that by eating the foods suggested above you can actually improve skin color! At the University of St Andrews in Scotland a small study revealed that people who ate only three additional servings of foods containing carotenoids had an increase in their skin tones and coloration in only six weeks. Those who didn’t became paler and less attractive. The glow you would like to achieve when on holiday can be done all year round simply by changing your diet to include more healthy foods.

And in case you do get sun burnt, one of the most powerful remedy/foods is organic virgin coconut oil. This is what Polynesians and other Islanders have used for years and is a must have for severe sunburn or even a kitchen burn. All the redness will disappear in a few minutes, leaving no blistering. And its great for beautiful skin and hair.

Take it to the next level with Bio-Algae Concentrates (BAC)

After reading this, and with summer coming many of you will want to maximize your protection without the usual chemical sunscreens offered. What more can you do to ensure you get protection while still being able to enjoy the benefits of sunshine? Well, one convenient way is to maximize your immunity by consuming Bio-Algae Concentrates or BAC on a daily basis. When included in your diet, BAC is an extraordinary ‘sword’ in your arsenal of self-defence because of the dramatic increase in biochemical cellular protection to all cells of the body, including those of the skin.

BAC, a bio-photonic power plant contains the algae; Spirulina Pacifica, Spirulina Platensis, Dunaliella, and Astaxanthin

BAC offers simpler, yet superior protection:

Although exposure to sun is both necessary and natural, getting sunburned is not. It is therefore important to maximize our resistance to sun damage and to do this as naturally as possible. Outside of cancer we also want to make our skin resistant to the less severe, but nonetheless distressing impacts of aging. Adding BAC to your diet will immediately increase skin protection, and help you stay healthier and younger looking without putting your health at risk.

Each capsule of BAC is a bio-photonic power plant and the algae contained in BAC; Spirulina Pacifica, Spirulina Platensis, Dunaliella, and Astaxanthin provide not only nourishing effects but have powerful rejuvenating and healing support properties. The ingredients in BAC are 100% grown in clean habitats free of mercury and air born pollutants, where they are harvested with great care before being preserved with the highest standards of quality.

BAC: Safety and validation

The three BAC formulas (F1, F2 and F3) are certified under Health Canada Natural Product for safety and purity, and authorized to use the claim “a source of antioxidants for the maintenance of good health”.

BAC contains thousands of naturally occurring nutrients including:

• Alpha-carotene
• Beta-carotene
• Lutein
• Licopene
• Astaxanthin
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B complex including B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin D
• 20+ amino acids
• All known minerals and trace elements
• More than 4000 food enzymes
• Omega 3
• Omega 6
• Omega 9
• Chlorophylls
• Phycocyanin
• Proteins

BAC as a wholefood is loaded with chlorophylls and carotenoids known to be the best anti-oxidative agents in our diet: it contains the mighty Astaxanthin which is now understood to be the most powerful antioxidant of all with its free radical quenching activity hundreds of times superior than that of vitamin E and C. The BAC combination of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene enables optimum protection for the skin when exposed to sunlight. It prolongs the tanning process while protecting the body from the harmful effects of UV damage and free radicals which are responsible for premature aging. In short, to enjoy a safe and carefree summer in the sun, make sure to consume your BAC daily.