Sunscreen/Sun protection

[Guest guest]

Hi Becky,

I had a book a few years back that said that skin cancer is caused by eating bad oils, being low in good oils, and the skin therefor being less resistant. Going in the sun then burns these bad oils into the skin. The same book said that sunscreen may actually Cause skin cancer. I do not know the answer, but I wouldn't doubt it. Me personally, I'll take the sun before I'll put sunscreen on -- unless I feel at risk for burning, or have already burned. I don't trust the stuff, and I love the sun. But then our family has no history of skin cancer.

Peace,

Cathie

In a message dated 3/28/2003 7:48:26 AM Mountain Standard Time, doodlebugboodles writes:

 

 

So is the sunscreen thing a scam? Or is it really beneficial? I'd love to hear any opinions on this topic. I had an article at one point that suggested that the use of sunscreen affected the DNA, but I can't find it now. Are there herbal or natural alternatives to sunscreen? Thanks

 

Becky

[Guest guest]

St John's worth oil is great sunscreen.

 

Jasmina

[Guest guest]

OK here is one article found.

Sun-Care Chemical Proves Toxic in Lab Tests

 

Mark Henderson, Science Correspondent

The Sunday Times (London)

The main chemical used in sun lotions to filter out ultraviolet light may be TOXIC, particularly when exposed to sunshine.

Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), which is present in 90 per cent of sunscreen brands, was found to kill mouse cells even at low doses in a study by Norwegian scientists.

It is not certain that the effects on mice are repeated in human beings, although the findings reported in New Scientist magazine suggest that human cells could be damaged if a sunscreen containing OMC penetrates the outer layer of dead skin and comes into contact with living tissue.

Terje Christensen, a biophysicist from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, near Oslo, said her research showed that sunscreens should be treated with caution, and used only when it was impractical to stay indoors or to shield the skin from the sun with clothes.

The chemical is used as a filter for the more harmful UVB light. In Dr Christensen's study, mouse tissue grown in culture was treated with a solution of OMC at five parts per million - a much lower concentration than in sunscreens. Half the cells treated with OMC died, compared with fewer than 10 per cent in a control experiment.When researchers shone a lamp for two hours to simulate midday sunshine, more cells died. Dr Christensen suggested that the reaction between OMC and sunlight created an effect that was twice as toxic as the chemical alone.

The Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association, which represents sunscreen manufacturers in Britain, said that OMC "has been thoroughly tested for safety" and was approved by regulatory authorities in Europe and the US.

 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: We ALL need sunshine to stay healthy. It is one of the essential ingredients for staying healthy. It is not the perniciously evil item that traditional medicine suggests that it is.

That does not mean that we should all go out and get sunburned. That should be avoided as it is likely to lead to an increase in skin cancer. However, prudent exposure to the sun, integrating the listening to your body concept, will not.

Adding sun screens is NOT a good way to limit your sun exposure. Staying out of the sun early on in the season and limiting your exposure until your system adjusts by increasing melanin pigmentation in your skin is.

Additionally, consuming many whole vegetables will increase antioxidant levels in the body which will also provide protection against any sun induced radiation damage.

So the bottom line is to avoid the sun screens. They are not necessary and will actually increase your risk of disease.

doodle bug <doodlebugboodles wrote:

 

So is the sunscreen thing a scam? Or is it really beneficial? I'd love to hear any opinions on this topic. I had an article at one point that suggested that the use of sunscreen affected the DNA, but I can't find it now. Are there herbal or natural alternatives to sunscreen? Thanks

Becky

 

 

Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and toprescribe for your own health. We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as they behave themselves. Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of NaturopathyDr.IanShillington

[Guest guest]

Out of the frying pan...NewScientist 21 Apr 01Protecting yourself against the Sunmay expose you to a hidden riskGENDER-BENDING chemicals that mimic the effect of oestrogen arecommon in sunscreens, warns a team of Swiss researchers who havefound that they trigger developmental abnormalities in rats. "Weneed to do more tests to see how they might be affecting people,"says Margaret Schlumpf from the Institute of Pharmacology andToxicology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.Researchers know that chemicals which behave like oestrogen cancause health problems. They can have a dramatic effect onanimals, for example turning fish into hermaphrodites. Someresearchers claim that hormonally active chemicals from the urineof women taking the birth control pill are already swamping theenvironment, and may be causing a decline in sperm counts.Schlumpf and her colleagues tested six common UV screeningchemicals used in sunscreens, lipsticks and other cosmetics. Allfive UVB screens-benzophenone-3, homosalate, 4-methyl-benzylidenecamphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate andoctyl-dimethyl-PABA-behaved like oestrogen in lab tests, makingcancer cells grow more rapidly. Three caused developmentaleffects in animals. Only one chemical-a UVA protector calledbutyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (B-MDM)-showed no activity.One of the most common sunscreen chemicals, 4-MBC, had aparticularly strong effect. When the team mixed it with olive oiland applied it to rat skin, it doubled the rate of uterine growthwell before puberty. "That was scary, because we usedconcentrations that are in the range allowed in sunscreens,"Schlumpf says.Nobody knows if doses are high enough to create problems forpeople, says Schlumpf. "Evidence that they're a real healthconcern is still lacking," says Richard Sharpe from the MedicalResearch Council's Reproductive Biology Unit in Edinburgh. But headds, "It's not good news that we are lathering ourselves withcreams with hormonal activity."The Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association, which representssunscreen manufacturers in Britain, replies that the levels foundby Schlumpf are well below anything that would cause an effectafter a single application. A study by the association, not yetpublished, shows no effect from these chemicals in rats. But, itadds, "If levels are increasing [in the environment] then we'reaware something would have to be done soon."That day may be here since 4-MBC and other sunscreen chemicalshave been shown to accumulate in fish from lakes where peopleswim. More worryingly, they have been found in breast milk atlevels of nanograms per kilogram of fat-about the same as otherknown environmental contaminants. Schlumpf worries that the largeamount of sunscreen used by bathers, especially children, coulddramatically increase this exposure.Schlumpf says the other 25 or so chemicals used in sunscreensshould also be tested for hormonal activity, and she will belooking more closely at 4-MBC to see if the offspring of exposedrats develop health problems. For the moment, she isn't advisingpeople to ditch sunscreens completely, but suggests thatsunblocks like zinc oxide might make a healthier alternative.Further reading:More at: Environmental Health Perspectives (vol 109, p 239)Nicola Jones From New Scientist magazine, vol 170 issue 2287,21/04/2001, page 5...''

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[Guest guest]

HI, I thought I would reply. I heard about sunscreen being toxic some time ago and stopped using it.

 

I have also learned that if anyone, regardless of race or skin type has sufficient EFO's that's essential fatty acids in their body/skin they will not sunburn under any sun conditions.

 

My husband when he was a child never sunburned. Ever. I did not believe him as he has a more fair complexion than I.

 

But then we went to Hawaii and spent a lot of time outdoors. In Hawaii the sun is more intense than in North America, as it is closer to the equator.

 

My daughter who is very fair NEVER sunburned. While I, with a light brown complexion (part native american) DID sunburn. I was then convinced of the information I recieved I think on the internet that EFO's play a role in skin burns.

 

That said there are three difficulties in getting enough EFO's. One is having enough in the diet. Pretty basic.

 

The next is having too much bad fat/oil. I.E. cooked and fried oils, too much omega 6's in ratio to the omega 3's (good EFO's)which are less available in the diet.

 

The third trouble is having poor digestion and absorption of the EFO's. If your gall bladder is out of wack, or you don't have enough of the helper nutrients that aid in the absorption of EFO's you may have trouble getting enough EFO's even if you are drinking lots of raw flaxseed oil.

 

The FIX? Use Dr. Shillington's gall bladder cleanse AND schizandra berries from China. Schzandra berries ---A HERB-- aid the adrenal glands as well as other organs and somehow aid in the absorption of EFO's.

 

Also, the brain will "steal" EFO's from the skin if there is not a good supply in the diet. The brain needs a LOT and takes precedence. Maybe why we have skin aging troubles at young ages now.

 

Interesting?

 

Kristine

 

-

doodle bug

herbal remedies

Friday, March 28, 2003 8:23 AM

Re: [herbal remedies] Sunscreen/Sun protection

 

OK here is one article found. Sun-Care Chemical Proves Toxic in Lab Tests

Mark Henderson, Science Correspondent

The Sunday Times (London)

The main chemical used in sun lotions to filter out ultraviolet light may be TOXIC, particularly when exposed to sunshine.

Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), which is present in 90 per cent of sunscreen brands, was found to kill mouse cells even at low doses in a study by Norwegian scientists.

It is not certain that the effects on mice are repeated in human beings, although the findings reported in New Scientist magazine suggest that human cells could be damaged if a sunscreen containing OMC penetrates the outer layer of dead skin and comes into contact with living tissue.

Terje Christensen, a biophysicist from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, near Oslo, said her research showed that sunscreens should be treated with caution, and used only when it was impractical to stay indoors or to shield the skin from the sun with clothes.

The chemical is used as a filter for the more harmful UVB light. In Dr Christensen's study, mouse tissue grown in culture was treated with a solution of OMC at five parts per million - a much lower concentration than in sunscreens. Half the cells treated with OMC died, compared with fewer than 10 per cent in a control experiment.When researchers shone a lamp for two hours to simulate midday sunshine, more cells died. Dr Christensen suggested that the reaction between OMC and sunlight created an effect that was twice as toxic as the chemical alone.

The Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association, which represents sunscreen manufacturers in Britain, said that OMC "has been thoroughly tested for safety" and was approved by regulatory authorities in Europe and the US.

 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: We ALL need sunshine to stay healthy. It is one of the essential ingredients for staying healthy. It is not the perniciously evil item that traditional medicine suggests that it is.

That does not mean that we should all go out and get sunburned. That should be avoided as it is likely to lead to an increase in skin cancer. However, prudent exposure to the sun, integrating the listening to your body concept, will not.

Adding sun screens is NOT a good way to limit your sun exposure. Staying out of the sun early on in the season and limiting your exposure until your system adjusts by increasing melanin pigmentation in your skin is.

Additionally, consuming many whole vegetables will increase antioxidant levels in the body which will also provide protection against any sun induced radiation damage.

So the bottom line is to avoid the sun screens. They are not necessary and will actually increase your risk of disease.

doodle bug <doodlebugboodles wrote:

So is the sunscreen thing a scam? Or is it really beneficial? I'd love to hear any opinions on this topic. I had an article at one point that suggested that the use of sunscreen affected the DNA, but I can't find it now. Are there herbal or natural alternatives to sunscreen? Thanks

Becky

 

 

Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and toprescribe for your own health. We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as they behave themselves. Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of NaturopathyDr.IanShillington