The sun is there, we think of weekends on the terraces and soon to vacation in heavenly destinations !!
© Photo credit: Philipp Zach
We think of the white sand, the traces of tan, the cocktails on the beach and all those vitamins D and E lost miserably during the winter.
You know this vitamin D, the one that helps the body to absorb calcium and to thwart the onset of diseases such as osteoporosis, cancer, and even the seasonal flu.
So, we start to prepare for our sun destination, we think of bikinis and board shorts (for some of the swimsuits) and inevitably of sunscreens for those most attentive to their sun capital!
But did you know that this wonderful cream that just cost you half a North bar is a real disaster for the seabed and its environment?
When choosing our sunscreens for the summer, we look for the most informed, its highest UV index and those that do not contain parabens and other chemicals that have an impact on our health.
But who cares about their ecological impacts?
There is a real lack of information here. Even if we suspect that this famous protective cream is necessarily found in water, we are far from imagining the considerable damage it causes on organisms and living species found in water.
However, there are several methods to reduce their ecological impact!
The main cause of the destruction of the seabed via these creams is the presence of nanoparticles and benzophenone-2 which are particularly intrusive for coral and health. By themselves they have already destroyed more than 10% of the coral reefs in the world.
Nanoparticles are a disaster for the aquatic environment destroying plankton (essential for the production of the oxygen we breathe) and coral reefs, disrupting fish reproduction.
A simple splash in the water can therefore have major consequences on the environment!
Each year, between 4,000 and 6,000 tonnes of sunscreen are introduced into the sea, damaging ecosystems.
An alarming situation, but one which with a little common sense can decrease with simple actions which, in addition, will promote your health.
So what to do?
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1 / Favor the hours when exposure to the sun is less dangerous and therefore does not require cream
2 / Adapt your nutrition and your skin before and during your stay
Fruits and vegetables contain anti-free radical and anti-oxidant vitamins and minerals that can help your skin defend against some devastating UV rays. Some contain beta carotene which prepares your melanin production.
Foods that are fatty and containing too much sugar, fried foods and meat clog our pores. Oxidation of these fats damages tissue and leads to the development of tumors and premature aging of the skin.
Two weeks before leaving, it is therefore recommended to consume organic food supplements such as vitamins E, A, C and B and against cell oxidation, Oemine E and astaxanthin.
To be effective, these vitamins must be of natural origin. You will find them in pharmacies, on the net or in organic stores.
You should also drink lots of water to recharge your skin, which tends to become dehydrated in the heat and the sun.
Remember to oil it before and after your sun exposure. Natural coconut oil is great for hydrating your skin and giving it natural protection.
3 / Train your skin to defend itself
Before leaving, expose yourself to the sun for a few minutes every day during the least sunny hours in order to prepare your skin.
Your skin will slowly tan, the melanin which produces the tanning effect is the best protection against sunburn.
The sun is not inherently harmful if you don't expose yourself to it anyhow. He is even the protector of certain diseases.
Once your skin is tanned, expose yourself to the hottest hours but not more than 5-10 minutes in order to reap the maximum benefits from UV rays but without putting yourself in danger.
Your skin will begin to begin its second phase of tanning.
Then expose yourself a little longer during the less intense hours.
Do the same once you arrive at your spot. Take it easy at first, UV rays are much stronger in the tropics.
4 / Use protective clothing
Use protective clothing during the hottest hours and / or if you need to stay in the sun for a long time.
Lots of brands compete to offer you beach or water sports outfits, take advantage of it!
5 / Use creams that are less harmful to the environment
Tanning is a phenomenon that protects the skin from the sun. The body produces melanin so that the skin is less damaged. When the exposure is too violent, and the skin is not prepared, the production of melanin is insufficient and it is sunburn!
We must therefore protect ourselves at the peak of hours, but not at any cost!
There are certified organic non-toxic creams. Eco-labels are used to identify them: the German label BDIH, which guarantees that the components do not have petrochemical or animal origins, or the French label Cosmebio, which certifies a minimum of 95% natural ingredients.
The main difference between a traditional cream and an organic sunscreen is UV filters: this is what will protect you from the sun's rays. Traditional creams contain synthetic filters like octyl-methoxycinnamate and 4-methylbenzylidene, as well as petroleum product residues and nanoparticles. They are the ones who are suspected of being endocrine disruptors.
They are found in particular in breast milk. It is therefore important that pregnant or breastfeeding mothers be particularly vigilant about the creams used. These chemical sunscreens are also involved in the development of cancers linked to changes in the hormonal system (breast, prostate and testicular cancer).
For organic sunscreen, these are mineral filters, and therefore natural, such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Where synthetic filters convert UV rays, mineral filters reflect them so that they cannot penetrate the skin.
Likewise, synthetic perfumes, parabens and synthetic preservatives are prohibited in organic sunscreens.
Small lists of substances to avoid:
Benzophenone-1 (BP-1), Benzophenone-2 (BP-2), Benzophenone-3 (BP-3 or BZ-3 or oxybenzone), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), 3-benzylidene camphor (3- BC), Octyl- (OMC), Octocrylen, Ethylhexil methoxycinnamate, butil methoxidibenzoilmetane, octyl salicylate, octinoxate, Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3), Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC), PABA and Pad Oimate
You will understand, sunscreens can be more dangerous than the sun, beware of them!
And why not make your own sunscreens?
By purchasing your organic ingredients from AromaZone, for example, you can compose your own sunscreen yourself.
Here's an easy recipe:
13 g of beeswax, 30 g of sweet almond oil, 20 g of evening primrose oil, 30 g of rose water, 3 g of starch, 1 g of walnut stain, 1 g vitamin E 1 g salt
Melt the wax with the oils and vitamin E. At the same time, heat the rose water with a fluid extract of walnut stain or propolis, salt and starch until the starch dissolves, then incorporate this solution into the oily part, stirring during the cooling phase, until a homogeneous cream is obtained. You are now ready for the sun!
What to do if you have sunburned?
Your skin is only renewed 70 times in your life!
Cells are only able to divide 70 times in a lifetime. Every time you get sunburned, you are reducing your skin life. If you get 2 sunburns per year, your dermatological life will be exhausted in 35 years and you will be all wrinkled before you age. If your skin is red and sore, you've wasted a life. Take the count and think about it.
Treatment with garden plants
Aloe Vera is the plant par excellence to reduce your sunburn in record time, try to get it in the form of a branch if you are spending your holidays in Africa, Asia and South America. It is easy to find some, if not, plan to buy some organic tube before you leave. Natural coconut oil is also great for skin and burns.
Homeopathic treatment:
Apis mellifica (specific for edema), Belladona (specific for redness and congestion), Rhus toxidendron (specific for blisters and vesicles). Take 4 granules of one or more of these 5 CH drugs, 2-3 times in a row. Space the outlets as soon as they improve.
Herbal medicine treatment:
You can apply to the burnt area compresses soaked in boiled water and 10 drops of Calendula TM, 3 to 4 times a day .... You can also help yourself with Cicaderma, which contains among other things Calendula (tube of Calendula). 30 grams): one application twice a day.
Treatment with essential oils:
Apply locally a few drops of the mixture of 5 drops of H.E. of lavender and 10 ml of St. John's Wort 2-3 times in a row a few minutes apart, then 2 times a day for 2-3 days.
Two grandmother's recipes:
1 / Mix a tablespoon of brewer's yeast with a little sweet almond oil. Coat the burnt area, leave on for 15 minutes.
2 / You can also apply potato or cucumber slices to the burnt area.
Here ! You know everything, you can go in the sun!
Happy holidays, take care of yourself & our wonderful Planet!
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