Stacy Kinney

It is interesting how the times change. Not even a century ago, it was considered a faux pas to have tanned skin. People associated tanned skin with laborers and used natural sunscreen methods to avoid the effects of the sun at all costs. Around the mid-nineteenth century things changed and having a tan indicated you were rich enough to have the time to lie around all day.

These days, however, we better understand the dangers of getting too much sun especially in light of the environmental damage that has been done to the planet. It is more important than ever that you protect yourself while outside and wear sunscreen. Unfortunately, this is where things start getting a little complicated. Not all sunscreens are alike. In fact, there is a very real difference between regular sunblock and all natural sunscreen.

Protect Yourself from Sun Damage

Many of the sunscreens available on store shelves actually contain toxic ingredients that can instigate health problems. For example, parabens, which is found in a number of cosmetics, have been flagged as endocrine disruptors that can cause reproductive and developmental problems. In addition to the potential personal health problems these products can cause, the toxins contained in store shelf sunscreen finds its way into waterways and have contributed to hormonal disruptions in fish and other sea animals.

The answer, of course, is to switch to natural sunscreen products. But this is not a silver bullet by any means. Even all-natural sunscreen products contain some toxins although the instance of them is severely reduced. A good way to find the best natural sunscreen for you and your little ones is to visit the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

This database lists almost all of the sunblocks on the market and rates them according to their toxicity and possible side effects. Among some of the best include Karen’s Botanicals and Kabana Skin Care Green Screen Organic Sunscreen. You can find these great products and more at My Green Mall which contains thousands of eco-friendly products that keep you and your family healthy.
Besides making good use of natural safe sunscreen, here are few tips for protecting yourself when you go out in the sun:

* Wear sun protective clothes such as hats and long sleeves that block the harmful rays of the sun. Companies, such as Solar Eclipse and Solartex, actually make clothing using fabrics that screen out harmful UV rays.

* Avoid being out in the sun during peak hours when the radiation is at its worst. Generally between 10am and 2pm you’ll want to stay indoors if you can.

* Use natural methods to handle sunburns such as using aloe vera gel to calm burned skin.

* Keep skin healthy by drinking lots of water and eating red, green, and yellow vegetable. Healthy skin can recover from damage a lot better than skin starving for nutrients.

There are many things you can do to help yourself and the environment. Using natural sunscreen is just the start. To maximize your green living, read other articles on the site about living greener, visit my green mall to start switching over to healthier organic products, or learn about building a profitable environmentally-friendly business.

(photo credit: Photos 8)

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