posted
Women in hijabs 'need sunlight or risk illness' 18.07.07
Add your view
Hijab
The traditional hijab could be preventing some women from receiving enough sunlight on their skin
Muslim women who wear the hijab are at risk of serious illness because they do not get enough sun, doctors have warned.
They said an alarming number of women who cover their skin are suffering bone deficiencies over a lack of vitamin D.
Most of the body's vitamin D - which prevents rickets - is obtained through sunlight acting on the skin. Only a little comes from food.
Doctors told a London conference today that people with dark pigment are at risk because of "cultural reasons" and because they are less efficient at producing the vitamin.
The bone disorder rickets has now broken out in young Muslim children as babies are not getting enough calcium from mothers' breast milk.
The National Health Service is launching a campaign aimed at Muslim women, particularly Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Somalis, to encourage them to increase their vitamin D intake.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "For ethnic groups there is an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency as people with dark and pigmented skin are less efficient at making vitamin D in their skin.
"They need to spend longer outside to make similar amounts and those who wear concealing clothing are unlikely to make enough.
"Studies have shown low vitamin D levels in Asian women in the UK - particularly among those who cover most of their skin for cultural reasons."
The problem first came to light in Bradford, which has one of the highest Muslim populations in Britain.
Community leaders and doctors will today warn a conference in Acton that women in London are also in danger of passing vitamin deficiencies to their children. The Department of Health project - called Healthy Start - comes after studies show Muslim children lack vitamin D.
Officials are concerned it is driven by mothers who are not getting enough of the vitamin because they are fully covered by the hijab.
This is because vitamin D helps calcium get absorbed from the intestine and pushes the calcium into the bone.
The Government is calling on community leaders to warn Muslims they need more sunlight and better diets. Pregnant women are also advised to take vitamin D supplements and folic acid.
A spokeswoman said: "People may be at risk if they are South Asian, African or African-Caribbean and have low exposure to sunlight, for example if they observe Hijab or do not spend much time outside."
She said a poor diet or restricted diet such as veganism, also posed dangers. "Breastfeeding is recommended for all babies, however a baby may be at risk if breast-fed and the mother has a low vitamin D level herself."
Through the Healthy Start scheme qualifying families and pregnant women will be given vouchers for fruit and vegetables as well as milk and infant formula, plus free vitamin supplements.
One official said: "We are not interfering in a Muslim woman's right to wear the hijab, but we are stressing that we all need sunlight on our skins. If you have your head and skin covered, then you risk stopping these natural rays from topping up vital vitamins."
posted
Oh for crying out loud you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. For the past 20 years I've heard of the damage sun exposure on the skin can cause and I personally have had two suspicious moles removed from my body directly due to being out in the sun.
posted
hahahahahaha now u will get skin cancer for wearing one geeez what they wont come up with to make a name for themselves
-------------------- your ass is so tight when you fart only a dog can hear it.when you queef only a cat can hear that one. Posts: 9776 | From: You like If only mosquitoes sucked fat instead of blood. | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have actually heard this before about not getting enough vitamin D. I guess it's like the old saying...everything in limits, not excess.
Posts: 210 | Registered: Dec 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Skin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin which can have many causes. Skin cancer generally develops in the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, so a tumor is usually clearly visible. This makes most skin cancers detectable in the early stages. There are three common types of skin cancer, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises. Cancers caused by UV exposure may be prevented by avoiding exposure to sunlight or other UV sources, wearing sun-protective clothes, and using a broad-spectrum sun screen. Skin cancers are the fastest growing cancers in the United States and in the USA represent the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, surpassing lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. More than 1 million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in 2007Posts: 2728 | From: جمهورية مصر العربية | Registered: Sep 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Batman, non-stop, righteous machine: Skin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin which can have many causes. Skin cancer generally develops in the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, so a tumor is usually clearly visible. This makes most skin cancers detectable in the early stages. There are three common types of skin cancer, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises. Cancers caused by UV exposure may be prevented by avoiding exposure to sunlight or other UV sources, wearing sun-protective clothes, and using a broad-spectrum sun screen. Skin cancers are the fastest growing cancers in the United States and in the USA represent the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, surpassing lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. More than 1 million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in 2007
Actually you are right batty.. I rarely stay in the suns for long periods, and when Im out I usually wear sunblock. This is why I still look like a girl of 20 . Seriously, wearing a hijab in the sun or any kind of hat is better for woman..Most woman that I have seen wearing hijab have such beautiful young skin. My friends mother is absolutely beautiful for her age. The worry about not getting enough vitamin D can be relieved by taking a D supplement and natural indirect sunlight. Good post batty!! Posts: 1121 | From: Too crazy to look at a freakin map to find out.. | Registered: Sep 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was going to ask -- would vitamin D supplements help that? I know getting it from sunlight is the easiest way, but are additional vitamins effective?
There have been reports that American kids are suffering from vitamin D deficiencies too, because all they do is stay inside and play video games.
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have a neice here who was suffering from Vitamin D deficiency and her doc told her to get some kind of sun every day - that vitamins don't do it as efficiently as the Sun does. He told her to take off her hijab when inside, and sit by the window every day exposing her skin to the sun. Thought it was a little strange of a diagnosis at the time, but maybe he is right. hmmm
Posts: 1103 | From: 6th of October | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
the skin needs a certain amount of sun to produce vitamin D - that doesnt mean you have to go out and roast and burn in the mid-day heat.
early morning or early evening sun is OK.
I work in Research & Development (health and social care settings) and have just asked a colleague about this, she informed me that recent research suggests, due to the different types of skin and strength of the sun around the world, to be in the sunshine for approx a third of the time it would normally take you to burn, i.e. if you would burn after being in the sun for 1 hour, then have your skin exposed for 20 minutes. Not necessarily lots of skin, but face and arms. You dont have to stand or sit there, but something like out walking etc.
Posts: 1056 | From: UK, Middle East & Europe | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Trollin': because all they do is stay inside and play video games.
I can totally verify that part; at least from what I see on base here.
Very extreme case is in my hallway; a family moved in and they had a little boy around 4 months old. This was two years ago. The boy never sees the playground, nothing, neither mom (who's a housewife) nor dad are taking him out. He can call himself extremely lucky when he gets to see the sunlight once a week on the way to a fastfood restaurant. All what he basically knows is his appartment.
They also have a 10-year-old boy who seems to have only two pair of pants and goes constantly outside barefoot even in December (and this is officer housing).
There is something really weird going on upstairs. Luckily they move next month....
But to come back to vitamin D supply:
Here in Germany kids up until the age of three get daily a tablet - because we are not blessed with too much sun throughout the whole year. But then again it's up to the parents to make sure the kids get the proper dose - and daily fresh air as much as possible.
Posts: 30135 | From: The owner of this website killed ES....... | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
Vitamin D is vital to help the body absorb calcium. The main source is the sun through our skin which the body converts into Vitamin D and stores in our fat. In this way it can manufacture and store enough of the vitamin to see us through the winter months when the sun is not strong enough to have an effect. Most of us will get enough sun to help our bones if we get out and about in the summer without even thinking about it. But be careful not to burn.
Older people, those who do not go out much and people who cover up for religious or cultural reasons may become deficient and 400 iu (international units), or 10mg, a day is recommended. http://www.nos.org.uk/about/bone-health-for-all.htmPosts: 4576 | From: Cairo | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
Vitamin D is a hormone, the roles of which are still being unravelled today. Osteomalacia/rickets and secondary hyperparathyroidism are just some of the diseases people put themselves at risk at by simply not getting enough sunlight. Vit D deficiency has been linked to heart disease, colon cancer, and other diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Vitamin D in your diet:
Vitamin D is not widely present in food; it is found only in some fish and liver. Neither is milk a good source of the vitamin. It is only supplemented milk/dairy products that help prevent vit D deficiency. Not all countries have vitamin D supplemented dairy products (Australia and most countries in Europe do not). Therefore, it would be unusual for people to obtain adequate vitamin D from their diet alone, without supplementation or enrichment, i.e, if they are sunlight deficient. So it is wise to check what the case is in your locality before relying on milk to keep your vit D stores up.
Vitamin D and lifestyle of muslim women:
Whether we like it or not, Vit D deficiency has been found in muslim women of reproductive age, whether they wear hijab or not at higher percentages when compared to non muslims. Several studies in Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Denmark, Sweden, Turkey, Australia, USA, UK have attested to this. This is because of the typical lifestyle of Muslim women - to stay indoors and have little outdoor activity. The Muslim woman is covered almost entirely when outdoors (that is not free of non-mahrams’ view), so her sunlight exposure is reduced.
Living at higher latitudes is another sigificant factor. e.g., essentially no vitamin D is produced with sun exposure from November to February in Boston and from mid-October to mid-April in Edmonton, Canada. Therefore, muslim women living at higher latitudes put themselves at even greater risk than those living at lower latitudes. One research concluded that the highest degree of vitamin D deficiency in the world is found in kashmir (India/Pakistan) which is located at a very high latitude and the women hardly ever come outdoors.
This is in no way attacking or questioning the concept of the hijab or modesty. In fact by being aware of this problem we solve this misconception that hijab is the culprit. It might aggravate the problem, but it is not the main reason. Its our busy indoor lifestyles either by choice or forced on us by working long hours indoors or living in large apartment complexes that have little direct sunlight.
It is important to note however that women from particular cultural backgrounds, eg African, middle eastern, indian/Pakistani who don’t wear hijab have also been shown to have lower vit D levels. So it is more of an issue of lifestyle than necessarily dress code.
In general, vitamin deficiency only became widespread in the world with the onset of the industrial revolution. Houses no longer had courtyards, lanes were narrow, and people’s time was increasingly spent indoors. This is precisely why countries like America supplement their milk with vitamin D.
Pregnancy/ Lactation and Vit. D:
Pregnant women have a higher daily requirement of vit D and therefore need more sunlight. Children born to women with vitamin D deficiency typically have half the levels of their mothers, so are at an increased risk of rickets. Usually, if the mother is already Vit D deficient, then the baby becomes depleted of his/her body stores in about 6 month's time. Therefore, newborn babies and toddlers should not be kept out of the sun all the time.
Breast milk is a poor source of vitamin D. Formula milk is usually fortified with Vit. D. This does not mean that formula is overall better than breast milk. The best option for a woman is to breast feed her baby and take Vit. D supplements if she is deficient in it. These supplements not only raise the level of the vitamin in her own body, but also in her milk.
Skin color:
Darker skinned people need more sun exposure (as much as 6 times more) to produce the same amount of vitamin D. But this should not raise a false alarm for you if you are dark skinned, because for people with routine sun exposure, the levels of Vit. D in the body is more or less the same regardless of their complexion. It would matter more if you are dark skinned plus you rarely get sun exposure.
Many cultures of Muslim people consider white as beautiful. So women avoid the sunlight for fear of getting a tan. This is a particularly evil view in that not only is it racist, it also can lead to the bad health of women and their children.
Sunblock blocks out UVB and prevents the production of vit D. Therefore it is best to avoid using sunblock for at least 10 min if you are going out in the morning or afternoon.
How much exposure to sunlight is necessary:
Short exposures are more efficient at producing vitamin D. It has not been found out exactly how much sunlight is actually needed, it appears prudent to recommend exposure of hands, face and arms to 5-15 minutes of sunlight 4-6 times a week - with the greatest frequency recommended for the elderly and dark skinned populations. But prolonged exposure not only degrades vitamin D to inactive products, it also increases the risk of skin cancers.
UV light does not pass through glass or plastic:
Sitting in a well lit room does not prevent vitamin D deficiency. The UV rays must hit your skin directly.
Wearing black does not facilitate the absorption of UV light by your skin:
The UV rays are absorbed into the material and does not reach the skin. Although black blocks out more UV light than light colors do, neither sufficiently allow enough light to reach and penetrate the skin. Therefore, try to sit in your backyard or at a window where direct sunlight reaches you. Or prolong your exposure when you are in hijab outdoors.
Vit D deficiency in old people:
Older people need more exposure than younger people because skin is both thicker and also loses ability to form Vit D. Older people are less active and many are hospitalized for other diseases which further causes Vit. D deficiency.
A note to responsible, God fearing brothers:
When picking a house to buy or rent, choose one that gets as much direct light as possible through its windows or in a courtyard/backyard. You should be able to open windows to allow direct light in. Flyscreens should be removable. If you cannot afford a place with a private courtyard or backyard, then make sure you take your wife/family out at least one day a week, and encourage them to go out the other days of the week.
Do not think that your wife being home 24/7 and not having to go out for anything, makes you a better man in protecting your wife’s modesty. You are answerable to God if you have any hand in your wife's ill health and consequently your children's health, if you do not provide for or allow them to enjoy direct sunlight. In the time of hadhrat Fatima(as), houses had courtyards and women had to go out to do washing and get water etc. This is how they got enough sunlight, whilst remaining at home most of the time. Sunlight is not just necessary for Vitamin D production. Sunlight deficiency is known to be linked to seasonal depression and other psychological problems. Please keep this in mind for the well being of your wife and children.
Do not express a preference to lighter skin to your womenfolk. Whether it be through your actions or words. This is like expressing a preference for being very thin women. It can be unhealthy for them.
Final Note:
- Anyone with limited sunlight exposure is at risk for Vit. D deficiency. And if your exposure is limited, you maybe unaware that you are deficient in this vitamin. That is because the deficiency does not produce any noticeable symptoms early on. So get your vitamin D level checked. Many hospitals have routine screening programs for this - you can ask your local doctors and get more information from them.
- Vit D. is necessary to maintain the required calcium level in the body, but a normal calcium level does not rule out Vit. D deficiency. The body has other mechanisms to bring the calcium level back to normal. But these compensatory mechanisms have their own problems, therefore Vit. D is necessary.
- Tell your friends, family and community about vitamin D deficiency.
Posts: 102 | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Over 80% of Sunscreens Ineffective and Dangerous
As “experts” encourage the American public to slather on sunscreen before heading outdoors this summer, an investigation of 785 name-brand sunscreens by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has called into question the safety and effectiveness of these widely used products.
Most notably, 83 percent of the sunscreen products EWG evaluated either did not provide adequate protection from the sun, or contained potentially dangerous ingredients. The EWG report found:
* One in eight high-SPF sunscreens do not protect against UVA radiation, the type linked to skin damage, immune system problems and skin cancer.
* Many contain nano-scale ingredients with potentially toxic properties.
* Sunscreen ingredients may disrupt hormone systems, prompt allergic reactions, build up in your body over time and release skin-damaging free radicals.
* Many sunscreen ingredients break down in the sun and become ineffective.
* At least half of the products made misleading claims.
So how can you protect your skin and avoid these clearly dangerous sunscreen products? First realize that sun exposure is incredibly healthy and necessary for humans.
This is because the sun is what allows your body to create what has been dubbed as “the sunshine vitamin” -- vitamin D. It’s not wise to stay out of the sun entirely, or to only be exposed with chemicals on your skin, because you risk becoming deficient in this crucial vitamin.
What is wise is to get some sensible sun exposure on your bare (sunscreen-free) skin, while always avoiding getting sunburned. You can do this naturally by using clothing to cover up when you’ve had enough or using an umbrella for some shade.
The best and safest way to get the right amount of vitamin D is through exposing your body to the right and safe amount of sunshine. Should you need to take a supplement or cod liver oil to get the vitamin D you need, however, please have the vitamin D levels in your blood checked often to avoid overdosing.
At least 21,000 Americans die each year from cancer associated with inadequate vitamin D levels, and that number is probably an underestimate. The real number very likely exceeds 50,000. And those numbers refer solely to cancer; they do not even take into account the many other illnesses associated with a vitamin D deficiency.
The economic cost for treating these illnesses has been estimated as being as high as $56 billion in the United States each year, compared to just $6 billion for treating illnesses caused by overexposure to sunlight.
You might want to think about that the next time someone tells you that sunlight causes cancer -- while there are some cancer risks associated with getting enough sun, they are far outweighed by the incredible cancer-prevention benefits.
posted
Sun Exposure Reduces Your Risk of Cancer By 50%
I have some vital information for you that can literally save your life, save you from dying from cancer; not just from getting cancer, but from dying from it. I came across this absolutely vital information while researching my new book called, Dark Deception, info which is just too important to keep under wraps until the book's release in a year's time.
Cancer is now the number one cause of death in the country, having surpassed heart disease a few years ago.
Please check out the graph in the video that illustrates the relationship between latitude, sun exposure and death rates from cancer. Remember the vertical axis shows the number of cancer-related deaths per 100,000, while the horizontal axis indicates latitude. It clearly shows that cancer-deaths go up significantly, the farther away from the equator one lives.
Here's why. With sun exposure, UVB radiation from the sun converts cholesterol to vitamin D, one of the most potent anticancer vitamins. See the connection? Please keep your vitamin D levels in a healthy range. If you're taking oral vitamin D in cod liver oil or a supplement, you need to measure your vitamin D blood levels to avoid overdosing. Take a simple blood test to help you keep your vitamin D levels in a safe, optimal range, and go to my vitamin D testing page for more details
While in Maui this winter, I heard a number of heartbreaking stories from folks there, who told me of close relatives who either had cancer, were dying from it or had died from it. How tragic! With this new information about vitamin D in mind, I said to them, "I don't know your relative." I asked, "But did they stay in the sun? Do they have a tan?", and even though some of these people lived in Maui, it seems every one of these people did not get much sun and were pale. This was a giant clue, empirically confirming what I was learning about sun exposure.
The best and safest way to get vitamin D is from the sun. The safe way to get sun exposure is to just go out enough so that your skin turns the very lightest pink. You'll also need enough of your skin exposed to sun. Exposing only your face and hands while going from office to car is not enough for conversion into vitamin D. We must remain sensible in our approach to this issue. This means: PLEASE DON'T GET SUNBURNED!
Bear in mind unique risk factors for dark-complexioned individuals. So if you're African-American, from the Middle East or India and live in America or Europe or in a very northern latitude, you're at very high risk for developing these cancers, as high as four times the risk. Darker skin serves as a filter, causing the need for two to five times as much sunlight as someone with very pale skin.
Also be careful about using most sunblocks as they are dangerous. If you are looking for a safe one I have researched this and recommend Active Full Spectrum Sun Block. If you can't easily find it I put it in my store for your convenience.
In light-skinned individuals, overexposure to sun can also be problematic.
Normally, skin cancer is not going to be the melanoma type, for which there are multiple causes. Follow the link below to learn more. But having sun exposure can increase the risk of other types of skin cancers, which while not as dangerous as melanoma, are easily avoided with cautious sun exposure
BOTTOM LINE: NEVER GET SUNBURNED!
Avoid commercial sun blocks, which contain toxic chemicals that enter your bloodstream through the skin, and follow the link below for more info and alternatives to these products.
If you have any questions at all about the relationship about sun and skin cancer please be sure to visit my article on that topic.
Stay informed. Have a healthy, careful, appropriate relationship with sunlight.
quote:Originally posted by Rumicrazieluv: Seriously, wearing a hijab in the sun or any kind of hat is better for woman..Most woman that I have seen wearing hijab have such beautiful young skin. My friends mother is absolutely beautiful for her age. The worry about not getting enough vitamin D can be relieved by taking a D supplement and natural indirect sunlight. Good post batty!!
It works much, much better and certainly far safer when you get vitamin D from the Sun, because when you take oral vitamin D there is a very clear and distinct risk that you can overdose on it. (It is VERY easy to overdose on it) So if you are taking oral vitamin D- a supplement or cod liver oil you really do need to measure your blood levels often to avoid overdosing. Getting your vitamin D naturally from safe sunshine exposure is the best way to go, as it works just like a drug to treat all kinds of conditions from Alzeheimer to Cancer.
Remember: Don't Ever Get Sun Burned
It is also important to point out the obvious. Fair skinned individuals need far less exposure to receive their dose of sun to produce vitamin D. Lighter skin allows for greater penetration of UV-B, leading to higher levels of D.
African Americans however, would need considerably more sun to generate vitamin D. This is one of the reasons why breast and prostate cancers are so much higher in Africans who are living in temperate climates. They just aren't able to get enough sun to generate vitamin D. In fact, in the Northern U.S. cities, they will find it impossible to get adequate vitamin D from sunlight in any season.
Elderly individuals will also have a great difficulty getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure, since an enzyme in their skin decreases with degenerative aging and, as a result, their skin has a limited capacity for producing vitamin D.
Interestingly, it is impossible to get vitamin D toxicity from too much sun exposure. Your body just won't let it happen. That is why receiving your vitamin D from the sun is the best option if possible.
Ultraviolet exposure beyond the minimal dose required to produce skin redness, does not increase vitamin D production any further. An equilibrium occurs in white skin within 20 min of ultraviolet exposure, in which further increases in vitamin D is not possible
If you have sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, or lymphoma it would be best for you to avoid vitamin D supplementation. Also, it will be important to make certain that you are taking calcium while you are receiving oral vitamin D, or it will tend to take calcium out of your bones.
Posts: 3188 | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have to agree with Ana Huna... everything in moderation. I don't spend much time in the sun, but I can see that a little time each day soaking up the rays will feel good and maybe be beneficial. I'll be on my deck this afternoon! Posts: 332 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Undercover ~ Thanks for the information about sunscreens. I hate using them. No matter how "greaseless" they are, they still feel gross. I have heard news stories recently questioning the necessity of using sunscreen. Your post repeated the essence of these stories. Thanks!
Posts: 332 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
Danger of vitamin D overdose: When taken oral Vitamin D, is a fat soluble vitamin and can be quite toxic. Once you have vitamin D toxicity you can't easily turn it around.
So don't even think of starting taking supplements of Vitamin D unless you have your blood levels checked. Many of you may choose to ignore this warning, but I am telling you in plain simple English, that while vitamin D has enormous potential for improving your health, it has nearly equal potential to worsen it, if you use it improperly.
*While we all benefit from regular exposure to sun, it is important to recognize that you should always limit your exposure so that you always avoid getting burnt. Sunburn has been clearly related to an increased risk of skin cancer.
Interestingly, if you avoid getting sunburned and actually have regular sun exposure, you will have a decreased risk of the dangerous skin cancer, melanoma.
However, dermatologists will seek to frighten you about sun exposure. Please remember that we were all designed to have regular sun exposure. It is very similar to water. Just because you can drown while swimming, doesn't mean you should never drink water or swim in it. Similarly,as long as you avoid sun exposure that will cause burning, it will help improve your health.
It is a complex issue though. Skin cancer is largely related to the over abundance of omega-6 oils that we have in this country. When sunlight hits these fats it can convert them to cancer-causing molecules, and if one is not healthy, these cells can extend on to developing cancer.
More Vitamin D Facts
* Skin has the natural ability to produce vitamin D when struck by ultraviolet rays in sunlight.
* The amount of vitamin D a person needs depends on factors such as where they live, their skin pigment, age and other factors.
* African Americans and other dark-skinned people and those living in northern latitudes make significantly less vitamin D than other groups.
* Very few people get their vitamin D requirements through their diet.
* Studies showed very low levels of vitamin D among children, the elderly and women.
* One nationwide study of women revealed that almost half of the African American women of childbearing age might be vitamin D deficient.
quote:Originally posted by Gail: Undercover ~ Thanks for the information about sunscreens. I hate using them. No matter how "greaseless" they are, they still feel gross. I have heard news stories recently questioning the necessity of using sunscreen. Your post repeated the essence of these stories. Thanks!
To quote Dr Mercola again:
In fact, using most types of sunscreens may cause you even greater harm and may actually increase your risk of disease.
The vast majority of today's sunscreens are nothing more than poisonous concoctions loaded with suspect carcinogens. Finding a "safe" sunscreen is about as difficult as getting your kids out of the pool on a hot summer day.
Fortunately, I have finally found two truly wonderful sunblocks that are virtually free of all toxic chemicals, made by the leader in natural skincare -- Aubrey Organics.
Titania Full Spectrum Sunblock SPF 25 provides UVA and UVB ray protection with titanium dioxide, a mineral that actually deflects burning rays off your skin, and PABA ester. Both ingredients are the most natural sunblock agents allowed in sunscreen products. It's also made with shea butter, white camellia oil and other emollients to keep skin soft and supple for hours. Those of you with dry or mature skin will be amazed by this sunblock's long-lasting hydrating power. Read customer reviews
Green Tea Sunblock for Children SPF 25 is the best natural sun protection for children of all ages. This exclusive herbal formula provides full spectrum protection with PABA ester and a natural, sun-reflecting mineral. Plus it contains antioxidant-rich Matcha green tea to prevent free radical damage. While not recommended for infants under six months of age - it is perfect for children and adults with sun-sensitive skin. Read customers review
Researchers still recommend using sunscreen as it does protect against basal cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancer that is usually easy to treat, and it slows the wrinkling of aging skin. So, when you can't avoid over exposure to the sun, these sunblocks will give your entire family the most natural and safe protection from dangerous sunburns.
The Toxic Ingredients Concealed in a Typical Bottle of Sunscreen
Sunscreen is regulated by the FDA as an over-the-counter drug because it contains several "active" ingredients. The debate over toxicity of these active ingredients is still a controversy.
One study found that the main chemical used in sun lotions to filter out ultraviolet light may be TOXIC -- and the chemical's toxicity doubled when exposed to sunlight. Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), which is present in 90 percent of sunscreen brands, was found to kill mouse cells even at low doses in a study by Norwegian scientists. When researchers shone a lamp for two hours to simulate midday sunshine, even more cells died.
And a study in the April 2004 Journal of Chromatography found that there is significant penetration of all sunscreen agents they studied into the skin. So, it's a fair to assume that when you use sunscreen your body is absorbing synthetic chemicals.
And if you follow the recommendations on the sunscreen's label to apply generous amounts of the product every few hours, it's likely you will be absorbing your fair share of potentially toxic chemicals. It takes a stretch of the imagination to believe that all of these chemicals will not have any effect on your system.
It's also important to make the distinction between the two kinds of sunscreen agents: chemical and physical. Chemical sunscreen agents protect you from the sun by absorbing the ultraviolet (UV) and visible sun rays, while physical sunscreen agents reflect, scatter, absorb, or block these rays.
Titanium dioxide, which you will find in both the Titania and Green Tea Sunblocks, acts as physical barrier that reflect UV rays, and is considered to be the least problematic in terms of absorption. The only other active ingredient you'll find in the Aubrey Organic sunscreens is Paba Ester (Padimate O), which is among the most natural agents you will find in sunscreen products today.
Posts: 3188 | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic