Sun Safety + Vitamin D!
The sun is one of the best things for our health, driving our immune system, helping our bones, intestines, cardiovascular system, muscles, brain and every cell in our body. It’s important to get adequate exposure to the sun for optimal vitamin D absorption! However, Vitamin D cannot be absorbed with sunscreen on, so it’s important that we know how to get our D, while also staying safe and avoiding skin + cell damage!
Here are my top 4 tips for getting in your vitamin D while staying safe in the sun:
1. Get good vitamin D exposure while protecting yourself from UV damage. I love using an app called “Dminder.” I tell the app when I am beginning sun exposure, and how much of my body is exposed, and based on my location, it can tell how much vitamin D I’m absorbing! Pretty amazing. It will send me a notification when I’ve had enough, letting me know it’s time to apply sunscreen so I don’t get burned.
2. Safe Ingredients: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are physical particles that sit on the surface of the skin to scatter/reflect the sun’s rays away from the skin. These ingredients are far safer and more effective than their chemical counterparts, ingredients like avobenzone, oxybenzone, or octocrylene.
3. Amount of sunscreen matters: According to the FDA, a proper amount of sunscreen is at least 1 oz of product for an average-sized adult to evenly cover the body from head to toe. 1 oz is about the amount to fill a shot glass. For the face, applying about the size of a nickel for the entire face and neck is recommended. Also, reapplying every two hours is important, and definitely after swimming or sweating, if you plan to be in the sun for a prolonged period.
4. Support yourself internally as well! The best offense against sun damage is to support your insides. Homeopathics like Apis mellifica 30C or Belladonna 30C can be helpful when burned. Calcium lactate & Cataplex F can help with avoiding burns if you know you will be in the sun for several hours. These are a must on any long beach day for me!
Here are links to some of my favorite sun supportive products:
Sunscreen for body (20% off for new customers!)
Sun Soothe: Soothing cream if exposed to too much sun. Grab 10% off with code FIRSTTIME (if you have the Beautycounter Cleansing Balm, that also works wonders on a burn!)
Dminder App Would you add any tidbits you have found helpful? Any questions about vitamin D or safe sun exposure?
None of this is medical advice, just what has worked for me and my family!