There is a lot of documentation, and one could even just look at the ingredients and know, that sunscreen actually causes skin cancer.  Skin cancer is big business.  Furthermore, if one has skin cancer it needs to be treated systemically as cancer cells are pulled through the skin from the blood stream by way of our marvelous detoxifying sun!  The sun does not cause skin cancer.  If so, how on earth did the pioneers, Natives, and all our ancestors ever survive without sunscreen?!

However, some of us lighter folk don’t necessarily want to look like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at the beach either.  Tanning, or the pigmentation of the skin, is the body’s way of protecting against burning (the natural response from being in the sun, not a tanning booth).  That first bout in the sun can be too much at first after a winter under too many clothes.  Sometimes if you are hiking for a long day or hanging out at the beach you may need something a little stronger.  Infants and young children may need more protection from sun burns too.  Coconut oil is a SPF 16.  The lotion recipe I shared yesterday is a SPF 12.  Red clover, chaparral, comfrey, and other herbs create their own SPF.  Eating a diet primarily made up of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains further increase your body’s own defense against sun burn and skin cancer because those antioxidants keep the blood oxygenated and cancer cannot survive in an oxygenated environment.  All we are really trying to do here is not fry that first day out!

First we will make my anti-cancer oil.  You will add a teaspoon of this to your 4 ounce jar of lotion I taught you how to make yesterday.

In a pint jar add 2 Tablespoons each of chaparral, comfrey, and red clover and cover to 1/2 inch head space with olive oil.  Keep lid real loose and place in window for two weeks.  This kills free radicals on the skin.

For even further protection add 1/2 teaspoon of micronized zinc oxide to that 4 ounces of lotion and blend well.

All of these ingredients can be bought online (or in the shop if you are local).  This takes your sunscreen to a SPF 45 plus.  Great for newborns and any skin type.

Taking back our choices for our own family’s health is empowering and essential.  Making your own body products is just one more way to do so.  You can see other recipes under Beauty/Health and Herbal Remedies tabs on my home page.

Now, I am going to throw my sunscreen into my suitcase and get to the airport!  I’ll be writing you from sunny San Diego tomorrow!