Getting enough sunshine is key to health, being as it’s a prime source of vitamin D, which ultraviolet B radiation helps our bodies generate. And D is crucial in that it protects us against cancers, bone diseases, muscle pain, diabetes, MS and other illness and dysfunction. But at the same time, exposure to too much sun can be bad for us, as well – whether through the temporary discomfort of a sunburn or serious conditions such as melanoma.
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Consequently, as we spend more time out in the sun during the summer months, sunscreen becomes a necessary protection. But it can be tricky to find a sunscreen that is both effective and nontoxic.
Enter the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and its recently released 2009 Sunscreen Guide, which ranks sunscreens, moisturizers with SPF claims and lip balms from best to worst.
The media release on this year’s guide notes some key changes in product make-up since last year’s report:
70 percent of sunscreens offered for the 2009 beach season contain strong UVA filters, compared to just 29 percent last year….
Another plus in 2009: 19 percent fewer sunscreens contains oxybenzone, an active ingredient that disrupts the hormone system.
Yet EWG’s investigation also “found that 3 of 5 sunscreens either don’t protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals — or both.”
So how does your preferred sunscreen stack up? Find out now!
