After eight months of consistent rain, Washington decided to give us a little sun to enjoy. And hanging outside in the sun truly makes me smile!
I get outside as much as I can. It is a stress reliever, a way to get in some movement, and allows me to take a break from working! But as a cancer survivor, sun protection is essential to me.
But there is a delicate balance between getting “some sun” and getting “too much sun.” Many of the medical experts I’ve interviewed on my podcast recommend getting a bit of sun on your skin daily (many experts recommend about 15-20 minutes) without sunscreen. It’s the most impactful way to get vitamin d, plus it just feels great!
The key takeaway for me was to enjoy some sun on my skin daily and then shift to sun protection mode by using non-toxic sunscreen, wearing a hat, and avoiding the sun at the peak of the day.
I posted about my favorite non-toxic sunscreen on my Instagram and got a few questions regarding sun protection.
Since the sun is shining and we are heading into a holiday weekend, I might as well share some of my favorite tips for sun protection!
Find a non-toxic sunscreen: If I haven’t stressed the importance of low tox living enough yet, here it is again! Applying toxic sunscreen to your skin directly affects your cells and bloodstream. If there are chemicals in it, it can affect hormone health, reproductive health, allergies, skin irritation, etc. Disrupting your hormones can cause cancer, so find a safer alternative!
Reapply sunscreen + take breaks from the sun: Although sunscreen is important, reapplying it is critical to be protected from the sun. If you plan on sweating or swimming, find a water-resistant sunscreen and reapply it often. On top of that, ensure you are taking breaks from the sun and protecting your skin by staying in the shade!
Wear sunglasses or a sunhat: Protect those eyes from UV radiation! Prolonged exposure to UV rays may impact your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, photokeratitis, and skin cancer!
Check out these non-toxic sunscreen brands!
Switching to non-toxic shopping can be tricky, but I suggest downloading the EWG healthy living app! You can search any product on there and see if it is low tox or not! Click here to download the app.
As we head into the weekend and gather for the 4th of July, remember to stay safe and have fun! Wishing you a great weekend ahead!
If you enjoy the free content I am sharing; I’d love for you to help me reach more people! If it’s not too much to ask, please leave a rating or review on my podcast, “Why Did I Get Cancer,” on the Apple podcast app!
If you've read these last few newsletters, you've seen my call for help to reach more people.
Stress is something that builds until we snap, even when we ignore it.
We have many choices in life, including how to react to life’s curveballs.
