Our 'Sunshine' Vitamin
Proof our skin is working overtime for us? Vitamin D! Reducing depression, empowering our immune system, strengthening our bones - we love our “sunshine vitamin”.
While our skin can more readily produce it during the warmer months we still fall short of adequate supply and during the winter it's a struggle. Which is why most turn to D3 supplements, however, not all vitamin D is made equally.
While our skin can more readily produce it during the warmer months we still fall short of adequate supply and during the winter it's a struggle. Which is why most turn to D3 supplements, however, not all vitamin D is made equally.
The most common external source for vitamin D is Lanolin - which we get from sheep!
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Sheep secrete lanolin from their glands to make their woolly coats water-resistant and this grease also happens to contain vitamin D. In theory, as long as you don’t suffer from a wool allergy, Lanolin is naturally occurring and can mimic our bodies vitamin D benefits.
Here’s where it gets tricky; sheep are often sprayed directly with pesticides to fight off mites. Lanolin can legally contain up to 40 parts per million of pesticides to be FDA-compliant. Not to mention sheep are essentially fed a diet of genetically modified and chemically-sprayed grain. All those chemicals, therefore, make their way into your store-bought D3. Yikes. |
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Safer vitamin D alternatives include those made of fish oil (like cod liver oil) or from Lichen (a vegan alternative derived from algae).
While D2 supplements can also be used they often come from yeast which may cause sensitivity in some. When we need to up our “sunshine vitamin” intake we turn to Young Living's Super Vitamin D - made of Lichen extract and premium essential oils. |
Fun & Sun(screen)!
We are fortunate to have a wonderful alternative but during the warmer months we crave vitamin D the old-fashion way: quality time outdoors! Whether on your patio or relaxing on a tropical beach this is your reminder to grab a clean, toxin-free sunscreen and slather it on!
Skipping sunscreen? Consider this - your skin is your largest organ and when too much fun in the sun is had, the burn mutates the skin cells. Your body mobilizes the immune system to clean up the mutations. Essentially you now have an infection - this is why sunburns often lead to fevers, chills, nausea, fatigue, and overall lethargy. But it's not all about the heat! Wearing sunscreen year round protects your skin barrier from UVA and UVB rays.
Don’t go through all that effort to protect your skin from nature’s offenders just to slather on a cocktail of chemical, man-made culprits.
Don’t go through all that effort to protect your skin from nature’s offenders just to slather on a cocktail of chemical, man-made culprits.
An 2019 study published by the US Food and Drug Administration shows that 6 of the commonly used chemical sunscreen ingredients get into your bloodstream and greatly exceed the levels considered safe by the FDA.
This is not the case for physical sunscreen ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide - switching to physical/mineral sunscreens can help you avoid oxybenzone ( the main toxic ingredient in thousands of store bought sunscreens) while still protecting yourself from UVA and UVB rays.
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Another reason to make the sunscreen switch?
A 2015 study of coral reefs in Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Israel determined oxybenzone, "leaches the coral of its nutrients and bleaches it white. It can also disrupt the development of fish and other wildlife." Even a small drop is enough to damage delicate corals
Next time you’re stocking up, choose reef-safe designated mineral sunscreens, especially lotions containing non-nano zinc dioxide as the primary active ingredient - we use and love Young Living’s Mineral Sunscreen.
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While convenient, forgo the use of aerosol sunscreens to avoid inhaling the product which ends up coating your lungs furthermore, when used the particles often end up in the sand before being washed back into the water.
