sunshine is your friend

Old fashioned alternatives to synthetic chemical laden lotions and potions.

I sat in our garden today with a cup of tea enjoying the sunshine. Daily fresh air and sunlight being vital for a radiant woman. Learn why..This lily was flowering and to me it looked like it was enjoying the sunshine. Do you agree?

The last twenty years has seen many become very fearful of the sun, which I feel is a shame as having a sensible relationship with the sun is one of the great joys in life.

Is it fear-based marketing, a desire to sell more lotions and potions or is the sun really as dangerous as many say?

I used to use oodles of sun cream. I am sure we can all remember being slathered in cream by a well meaning adult?

Sunshine is your friend

It was not until a decade ago that I even stopped to think what was in the thick sun cream that smelt so strong! Curiously, whilst wearing sun cream I still burnt. I was staying in the sunshine for hours and hours hoping that the cream would protect my pale English complexion.

Have you ever stopped to read the ingredients of the tubes of cream we, and our children, slather liberally on the skin?

Sunscreen often contains synthetic chemicals

There are many synthetic chemicals which are not beneficial for the skin. Learn what you can do to avoid them today.

I avoid oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate. A growing number of manufacturers use nanoparticles [1] and this is an area of much controversy and there is still more testing and research needed.

Sunscreen is only a relatively recent invention but we spend millions and millions of dollars and pounds each year on it. The sun is an emotive subject of much debate, does it cause harm or not?

Years gone by we used to just stay in the shade or wear long sleeves, perhaps a parasol!

Enjoy some shade

I would rather wear a shirt and enjoy the shade of a peaceful tree than slather on strong-smelling lotion, do you agree?

Skin care needs to be good enough to eat! learn why

Vitamin D

The sun actually helps us make Vitamin D and according to The New Home Encylopedia (written in 1932) exposure to sunlight is best done in a hot, shady spot. So it seems sun-bathing was not in direct sun, yet is it any wonder we burn by lying on a sun bed by the pool?

Vitamin D levels have fallen in Europe in recent years, is this due to our use of sun cream? Rickets cases are now more common in Great Britain [2] [3] Rickets is a serious condition and one that sunscreen potentially has exacerbated. [4]

Could our desire to avoid the sunshine and the fear-marketing surrounding skin care have back fired?

Is it due to children having computers and not wanting to play outside?

Sun wise tips:

Get some sun shine but just be sensible! Don’t be afraid of enjoying the sun. Just be sensible- don’t lie on a sun lounger (sun bed) at 12pm with only baby oil on!
I go out in the sun before 12pm or after 3pm for gardening or a brisk walk where I will be out for longer than 20 minutes.
I am mindful of how long I have spent in the sun. I seek shade after 20 minutes if it is extremely hot.
Before I go into the sun I put shea butter on my skin- be aware this is not a sun cream! Yet, I find shea butter is nourishing and soothing for my skin in summer. Shea butter is also thought to be rich in vitamin E. If you buy shea butter please buy fair trade.
Clothes are a safe way to enjoy being outside on sunny days, so are hats and shady trees! Look at animals they rarely lie out in the blazing sun at midday.

If I have to be in the sunshine all day, and it is blisteringly hot, I wear this outdoor balm made by Miessence rich in shea butter, zinc oxide and antioxidants but more often than not I merely seek shade!
If you are in the United States you will need this link for Reflect Outdoor Balm
For those that simply must have sun cream: another option is Eco Logical skin care this is available in most good health food stores in Canada and throughout the world.

Antioxidants, naturally

In very hot weather, curiously I find a cup of tea very refreshing.

Tea contains antioxidants. As do fresh fruits (including tomatoes) and vegetables and they have a role in healthy skin.

Professor Mark Birch-Machin, Professor of Molecular Dermatology at Newcastle University in Great Britain, says ‘We know an antioxidant-rich diet is important as part of overall sun protection, but eating tomatoes will not make you invincible’ says Birch-Machin.

So common sense prevails; eat your fruits and vegetables, put on a long sleeved shirt – I never did like bikinis anyway. Here is to balmy and restful summer days with a cup of tea!

What are your top sunshine safety tips? Are you a ‘yes’ for lotions and potions in summer, or a ‘no way’ shady tree kind of girl?

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