The best natural alternatives for sunscreen

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We all know the importance of protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays, but many of us don’t realize that conventional sunscreen contains harsh chemicals and toxins. Fortunately, there are natural alternatives to sunscreen that can help provide an effective shield against UVA and UVB radiation without exposing your body to potentially dangerous ingredients.

Some of the healthiest people I know DO NOT USE sunscreen, but they also don’t eat, wear, use, or drink chemicals. So we are talking about a lifetime of education and discernment. It’s very difficult to debunk something that is a widely known lie, a normalized DIShealth. 

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best natural alternatives to traditional sunscreen so you can enjoy a safe and healthy summer in the sun.

DOES THE SUN CAUSE CANCER?

Why would God create the sun (which HE called GOOD) with the ability to cause cancer, and then create man originally to work in the sun all day. 

We have been fed a lie that the sun is dangerous and life threatening, when in fact, the opposite is true. The sun is healing and life-giving. The sun does not cause cancer, but actually has the ability to prevent and reverse many sicknesses and diseases, including cancer.

UV rays have the power to protect against:

• Pathogens
• Kills viruses and bacteria
• Reverse cancer cells
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower High blood sugar
• Lower cholesterol
• Improve arthritis
• Improve eczema and acne
• Improve anemia
• Improve heart function and kidney problems
• Strengthens the immune system
• Removes sickness from the body and draws out toxins

In 1933, over 165 diseases were proven to be successfully relieved or cured by sunlight. Cancer cells have been shown to begin dying within hours of light treatment and on average 75% of tumors responded after just one treatment. Even more surprising, light treatment was ineffective when sunglasses were worn.

We have been lied to. Lathering our bodies with toxins, chemical sunscreen, staying inside to “protect” ourselves from the sun and wearing sunglasses only keeps us from receiving the very benefits God designed us to receive from nature. Sunlight is NOT dangerous, but actually crucial and essential to our health and well-being.

Dr. Richard Hobday writes in his book, The Healing Sun, that documents in multiple studies actually show that the sun protects us from breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, as well as prostate cancer. It can also prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, psoriasis, MS, diabetes, and seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD.

The book “Heal yourself with sunlight” by Andreas Moritz goes into this whole topic in much greater detail and is so worth the read!

THE TRUTH ABOUT SUNSCREEN

Sunscreens are widely used to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. But not all sunscreen products are created equal, and many contain potentially hazardous chemicals that may be damaging to your health.

Many commercial sunscreens contain a variety of potentially hazardous chemicals, including oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate, homosalate, octocrylene, octisalate and/or ensulizole. These ingredients have been linked to endocrine disruption, cancer risks and other health hazards.

Sunscreens contain hormone-disrupting ingredients that contribute to endometriosis, eczema, and low sperm count. They also contain synthetic vitamins that are known to trigger skin cancer. As many learned by the Great 2021 sunscreen recall, most sunscreens contain unsafe and cancer-causing ingredients.

What if I told you 60% of everything you apply to your skin like makeup, skincare, and sunscreen is absorbed into your body? What if I also told you that when it comes to the personal care industry, the U.S has only banned 2% of the harmful ingredients banned by the EU.

The United States has not passed a major federal law regulating the safety of ingredients used in personal care products in over 80 years. In that time, tens of thousands of new chemicals have been released.

Almost forty years after the beginning of sunscreen promotion as essential skin cancer protection, researchers stated:

“Evidently. Use of sunscreens is effective in prevention of sunburns in various models. However, evidence for their protection effects against melanoma skin cancer is less conclusive.”

Sunscreens: The Dark Side of Avoiding the Sun – The Weston A. Price Foundation (westonaprice.org)

So if the safety regulations of sunscreen are proven not to be  safe, are adding increased risk, being recalled, and have stated there is no conclusive prevention of melanoma, then why are we not questioning their standard, marketing, and motives?

CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR SKIN NATURALLY FROM THE SUN WITHOUT SUNSCREEN?

Yes, absolutely! Just like anything too much of a good thing can be a bad thing and TOO much sun exposure “can ” cause skin damage due to a toxic lifestyle with toxins and low quality oils stored in the body’s tissues. But too little or none of a good thing can be worse as we will lack the immune boosting and disease fighting health benefits of pure sun exposure.

This is the best natural alternative to sunscreen. It’s important to practice unprotected exposure incrementally. Once your body builds up melanin, it will naturally protect you against burning. Practice slow and mindful sun exposure.

If your skin is FAIR/SENSITIVE/BURNS EASILY:

• Start with 10-15 minutes morning and evening light. The infrared light will safely prepare your skin and ease you into the UV index.
• Avoid midday sun in the beginning.
• Gradually build up your time in the sun by a few minutes each day.
• Open the shades, maximize your time in indirect sunlight which will help your body adapt.

If your skin is MEDIUM TONES/BURNS OCCASIONALLY:

• Start with a good amount of morning and evening light.
• Limit midday sun in the beginning to around 10-15 minutes and gradually increase time until you have a nice base line.

For everyone ALWAYS:

• Skip sunglasses, they block rays that produce melanin which is the skin’s mode of protection from overexposure. 
• Stay hydrated and well nourished.
• Minimize blue light after dark. It will help you absorb light more efficiently.

Adding a Vitamin E Supplement can be helpful, particularly in the weeks leading up to a large amount of sun exposure, as it helps rid the body of PUFAs and provides incredible support to the skin.

DIETARY CHANGES TO PREVENT SUNBURN

The consumption of PUFAs is the biggest contributor to skin damage from the sun because of their oxidation in our cells. So many people who cut out consuming those find they have no sun burns/damage in the sun. 

According to cancer research, cancer does not occur unless there are unsaturated (PUFA) oils in the diet. The research of Dr. Weston A. Price found that a diet rich in Vitamins A, D, and K found in healthy fats decreases chances of sunburn and certain cancers

Minerals provide an abundance of health benefits, including natural SPF. As Dr. Weston A. Price found, diets rich in calcium and other minerals seemed to provide some protection from sunburn.

Natures skin protecting foods:

• Egg yolks
• Grass-fed butter
• Coconut oil
• Tallow and lard
• Oysters
• Green Tea
• Watermelon and red fruits
• Avocados
• Dark coloful vegetables

Antioxidant rich foods provide powerful protection to the skin. Antioxidants are the molecules capable of reducing inflammation and free radicals, which are the cause of many diseases and are especially problematic when baked into the skin.

When we eat man made junk food, sugar and synthetics found in processed foods, your body becomes burdened with toxins. The body will eliminate these toxins in every way it can, one of them being the largest organ in your body, the skin. Unhealthy skin is not able to properly absorb the sun and leads to sunburn. Change up your diet as one of the best natural alternatives to using sunscreen.

Consuming herbs are also a powerful way to protect yourself naturally from sunburn. Several studies have shown that extracts made from these herbs, when taken orally or applied directly on the skin, were associated with a reduction in the amount of damage caused by UV light and an increase in the amount of exposure necessary to cause a burn.

WHAT FACTORS SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A SUNSCREEN?

The biggest culprit is the ingredient list. Read the label to make sure your sunscreen does not contain any irritants or allergens such as fragrances or preservatives like parabens and oxybenzone. These can cause skin irritation or allergies in some people. Also, check if your sunscreen contains natural ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which provide better protection from the sun’s harmful rays than chemical sunscreens do.

Check out EWG’s annual guide to sunscreen for some guidance.

THE BEST NATURAL SUNSCREEN ALTERNATIVES

I’m still all for no sunscreen at all, while practicing safe sun exposure to build up your tolerance. If you really want an alternative, you definitely want to swap out your carcinogenic sunscreen and try something more natural.

When choosing your sunscreen, choose wisely. EWG’s guide to sunscreens rates the safety and efficacy of sunscreens to help you choose better products.

Natural sunscreen alternatives:

• Coconut oil and Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is a good active ingredient to reach for in your homemade sunscreen arsenal. It’s been proven to both treat and prevent burns on your skin. Add it to some coconut oil, any of the plant oils mentioned below, and some shea butter. Now you have a fantastic DIY natural sunscreen alternative.
• Plant oils: Red raspberry seed, carrot seed, grapefruit seed, and cranberry seed are all great alternatives at reducing inflammation while also protecting against free radical damage to the skin. Cranberry seed oil is a rich source of vitamin E and contains naturally occurring UV filters. This helps to passively shield the skin from sun damage.
• Vitamin E oil: This is a fat-soluble ingredient. Tt’s able to penetrate deep into your skin and preserve the lipids (fats) on your body. It’s best to find a sunscreen with this ingredient in it like this one here
• Cocoa butter: It will provide UV protection against UVA and UVB rays and the fatty acids present in cocoa butter can help improve uneven skin tone by lightening dark spots caused by sun exposure or scarring from acne breakouts.
• Babo Botanicals: They have an entire line and I personally love this brand and their mission. They are a family owned company started up by a mama. 
• Two peas organic: Another great small company. Two Peas sunscreen is chemical free, reef safe and perfect for everyday use for your entire family. 
• Thrive: They have awesome ingredients, one being pine rosin which provides natural water resistant protection. They also use a globally approved preservative system which meets ecocert, cosmos, nature and soil associate standards.

CONCLUSION

Natural alternatives to sunscreen are an effective and eco-friendly way to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. With a wide variety of natural ingredients that can be found in everyday items, there is no reason why we should not use them as a supplement or even replacement for chemical-based sunscreens.

 Natural sunscreen offers protection without the potential health risks associated with traditional chemical-based products. This makes it an ideal choice for those looking to protect their skin while also being kinder to the environment. As more people become aware of the dangers of using conventional sunscreen, natural alternatives will become increasingly popular as people take control of their own health and well-being.

It’s time we start looking at the deeper hidden issues that man caused, rather than believing man’s lie to blame nature and continue coming out with more unnatural man-made solutions that only make us sicker.

I hope you found this post helpful! Please comment and pin for later 😉

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional, and this post should not be taken as medical advice. Please do your own research. Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.