(NaturalNews) Over the last two years, we've witnessed a mass exodus away from agave nectar and a search for more natural sweeteners that are both low on the glycemic index and high in nutrient density. Several candidates have emerged, but my all-out favorite has become coconut sugar, which is really more like a coconut caramel sap.
This sweetener is fast becoming extremely popular among raw foodies, vegans and vegetarians. Many have switched from agave nectar to coconut sugar for all the reasons I'm covering here.
The coconut sugar (sap) I've been using is a 100% pure organic crystallized coconut sap from Thailand. It's harvested from the sap of unopened coconut blossoms, then boiled under controlled heat to drive off the water and condense the liquid to a dark brown sap. There are no additives used, no bleaching, and absolutely no stripping of minerals or other nutrients. It's not a raw food, however. Cooking the sap is a necessary part of concentrating it, just like with maple syrup, which is really a concentration of the watery maple sap.
The result is a thick, liquid "caramel" sap that's brown in color and extremely sweet. It tastes almost like fudge, and some people even eat it like fudge. (Intense sweetness!) I use it in smoothies, where I've found it to offer the most full-spectrum sweetness taste from any natural sweetener I've ever tried. Agave nectar was great, but coconut sugar is so much better -- it actually reminds me of the richness of raw cane sugar juice that I used to drink in South America.
Works in smoothies, recipes and hot beverages
This caramelized coconut sugar is also very handy in its sap format: It melts easily in hot beverages, it mixes easily in recipes, and it blends easily in smoothies. Amazingly, it's only 12% sugar, and it's high in potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron. It's also high in several key B vitamins, so eating it is not just delicious; it's also healthy! (My theory is that the presence of certain trace minerals enhances the sweetness and richness of the flavor without needing high sugar content like you'll find in refined sugar...)
You will be amazed by the taste of this Thai coconut sugar. There's nothing like it in the world of natural sweeteners. I encourage you to actually try it straight! It's an intense, fudge-like taste with an amazing texture that just melts in your mouth. Drop it into smoothies or recipes to give them a taste of heaven.
The claimed glycemic index (GI) of this food is 35 -- which is extraordinarily low for a sweetener. Over the years, however, I've gained a fair amount of skepticism about the GI numbers that sweetener companies claim. However, I've been using it regularly and have had no blood sugar issues at all -- and I used to be hypoglycemic and borderline diabetic, so I'm extremely sensitive to my own blood sugar fluctuations. Try it yourself and I think you'll be surprised at the minimal impact this has on blood sugar (which is probably due in part to the high trace mineral content it contains).
Have a Healthy and Successful Coconut Sugar Day!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
6 Ways to Stop Procrastinating
Plain old garden-variety procrastination is very common. But whether it is related to work, home or personal life, chronic indecisiveness and delay can eventually undermine a healthy lifestyle. The good news is there are simple ways to help overcome these tendencies. You can address procrastination through behavioral workshops, group therapy, individual therapy or with some of the following lifestyle strategies:
1.Break large jobs into small ones. Start with a yearly plan, break it down into months, then weeks, then days. Feel free to specify detailed tasks for the days and weeks only a month or so in advance.
2.Organize your environment. Chaotic surroundings can be distracting and stressful, and pull your focus from the task at hand.
3.Schedule your time. If you need to, awake an hour earlier or use part of your break time as a temporary strategy to get tasks accomplished.
4.Set reasonable goals. Trying to achieve too much in too little time can actually set you back.
5.Set deadlines to accomplish your larger tasks. When you achieve them, treat yourself - some flowers or a small piece of dark chocolate are appropriate and satisfying rewards.
6.Pace yourself. Work on a task you've been postponing for ten minutes and then decide whether or not to continue. If you discontinue the task, schedule another time to get it done.
Have a Healthy and Successful Procrastination Free Day!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Do you take prescription drugs? This is a must see!
Talk to your doctor about "Drug" today, the revolutionary new pharmaceutical breakthrough.
Have a Healthy and Successful "DRUG" Free Weekend!!!
Have a Healthy and Successful "DRUG" Free Weekend!!!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Natural amino acids preferable to antibiotics for treating infections?
(NaturalNews) As most NaturalNews readers probably already know, there is a rapidly-growing resistance to antibiotics that has given way to antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), and even the strongest antibiotic drugs available have all but lost their ability to treat even the most common infections that afflict people today.
However, a research scientist from the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI in Leipzig, Germany, has discovered that simple, natural amino acids work better than antibiotics at treating infections, and they do not cause harm to healthy cells in the body.
For their study, Dr. Andreas Schubert and his colleagues from Fraunhofer tested the effects of amino acids in vitro and found that they broke through bacterial membranes and penetrated them quicker and with less of a required concentration than antibiotic drugs. And the best part of all was that the amino acids caused no cell damage, unlike antibiotics which kill off beneficial bacteria in the system as well as harmful bacteria.
"Antibiotic peptides (from amino acids) unlock their microbicidal effect within a few minutes. They also work at a concentration of less than 1 microliter, compared with conventional antibiotics which require a concentration of 10 microliters," said Schubert as part of his test results. "The spectrum of efficacy of the tested peptides includes not only bacteria and molds but also lipid-enveloped viruses. Another key factor is that the peptides identified in our tests do not harm healthy body cells."
The findings are revolutionary, because they show that amino acids work on virtually every infection, including even MRSA and CRKP. And because amino acids occur naturally in various foods like nuts, grass-fed meats and dairy products, beans, seafood, eating more of these foods regularly can help boost levels of these vital nutrients without the need for drugs. Amino acids supplements are also a great way to boost amino acid levels to optimal levels in order to prevent or treat infections.
"We have already identified 20 of these short chains of amino acids which kill numerous microbes, including enterococci, yeasts and molds, as well as human pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, which is found in the human oral cavity and causes tooth decay," said Dr. Andreas Schubert, group manager of Fraunhofer. "Even the multi-resistant hospital bug Staphylococcus aureus is not immune, and in our tests its growth was considerably inhibited."
Have a Healthy and Successful Day!
However, a research scientist from the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI in Leipzig, Germany, has discovered that simple, natural amino acids work better than antibiotics at treating infections, and they do not cause harm to healthy cells in the body.
For their study, Dr. Andreas Schubert and his colleagues from Fraunhofer tested the effects of amino acids in vitro and found that they broke through bacterial membranes and penetrated them quicker and with less of a required concentration than antibiotic drugs. And the best part of all was that the amino acids caused no cell damage, unlike antibiotics which kill off beneficial bacteria in the system as well as harmful bacteria.
"Antibiotic peptides (from amino acids) unlock their microbicidal effect within a few minutes. They also work at a concentration of less than 1 microliter, compared with conventional antibiotics which require a concentration of 10 microliters," said Schubert as part of his test results. "The spectrum of efficacy of the tested peptides includes not only bacteria and molds but also lipid-enveloped viruses. Another key factor is that the peptides identified in our tests do not harm healthy body cells."
The findings are revolutionary, because they show that amino acids work on virtually every infection, including even MRSA and CRKP. And because amino acids occur naturally in various foods like nuts, grass-fed meats and dairy products, beans, seafood, eating more of these foods regularly can help boost levels of these vital nutrients without the need for drugs. Amino acids supplements are also a great way to boost amino acid levels to optimal levels in order to prevent or treat infections.
"We have already identified 20 of these short chains of amino acids which kill numerous microbes, including enterococci, yeasts and molds, as well as human pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, which is found in the human oral cavity and causes tooth decay," said Dr. Andreas Schubert, group manager of Fraunhofer. "Even the multi-resistant hospital bug Staphylococcus aureus is not immune, and in our tests its growth was considerably inhibited."
Have a Healthy and Successful Day!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Potatoes: The Most Fattening Food
If you've gained weight as an adult, blame it on potatoes - chips, fries and other potato dishes seem to be the foods most directly responsible for the pound per year the average adult gains. That news comes from a Harvard School of Public Health Study that examined the diet and lifestyle factors that appear most related to long-term weight gain. The researchers reviewed three separate studies that included data from nearly 121,000 men and women who were followed from 12 to 20 years. None of the participants were obese or suffered from any chronic disease when they joined the studies. The researchers assessed changes in consumption of specific foods and drinks, physical activity, TV time and time spent sleeping to help identify what contributes most to weight gain. All told, the researchers found that diet was the primary culprit and that the foods linked to the greatest weight gain were potato chips, other potato-based foods, sugar sweetened beverages, and unprocessed and processed meats. Increased consumption of some foods (vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and yogurt) were linked to less weight gain.
My take? Here's another example of how specific foods that rank high on the glycemic index can contribute to weight gain. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates on the basis of how quickly they raise your blood sugar. Rapid elevations in blood glucose set in motion a series of physiologic changes that induce the body to store calories as fat. Foods scoring higher than 60 (on a scale of 100) are considered high glycemic index foods. These include potatoes as well as most pastries and snack foods, most bread (both white and whole wheat), raisins and watermelon. Regular consumption of high glycemic index foods increases your risk of developing insulin resistance, an underlying cause of obesity, high cholesterol and adult-onset diabetes. In that respect, high glycemic index foods - including potatoes - can be considered "bad carbs."
Have a Healthy and Successful Potato Free Day!
My take? Here's another example of how specific foods that rank high on the glycemic index can contribute to weight gain. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates on the basis of how quickly they raise your blood sugar. Rapid elevations in blood glucose set in motion a series of physiologic changes that induce the body to store calories as fat. Foods scoring higher than 60 (on a scale of 100) are considered high glycemic index foods. These include potatoes as well as most pastries and snack foods, most bread (both white and whole wheat), raisins and watermelon. Regular consumption of high glycemic index foods increases your risk of developing insulin resistance, an underlying cause of obesity, high cholesterol and adult-onset diabetes. In that respect, high glycemic index foods - including potatoes - can be considered "bad carbs."
Have a Healthy and Successful Potato Free Day!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Pine bark, CoQ10 together improve physical fitness and heart health
(NaturalNews) A new study conducted by researchers from Chieti-Pescara University in Italy has revealed that taking pine bark extract in conjunction with Coenzyme Q10 helps improve heart health in heart failure patients by bolstering blood pressure regulation, strengthening endothelial function, reducing hypertension, and improving overall physical ability.
For their single-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers tested the effects of Pycnogenol, a branded version of pine bark extract, and Kaneka CoQ10, which are sold in a combined form as PycnoQ10. The 53 study participants, which were between the ages of 54 and 68, all had mild to moderate hypertension, and stable congestive heart failure. They also had heart ejection fractions lower than 40 percent of their original capacity, which indicates very poor heart function.
When given PycnoQ10 as part of their regular treatment regimens, heart failure patients experienced significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lowered heart rates, decreased respiratory rates, and improved heart ejection fractions, compared to others taking a placebo. The PycnoQ10 group was also able to walk 3.3 miles longer than the placebo group, and experienced an impressive improvement in fitness levels.
"Coenzyme Q10 has been extensively researched for its ability to strengthen the heart muscle, specifically in patients with heart failure. Preclinical trials have suggested that Pycnogenol strengthens heart chamber walls and dilates arteries," said Dr. Belcaro, one of the study authors. "These preliminary observations suggest that the respective contributions of Coenzyme Q10 and Pycnogenol in PycnoQ10 may significantly improve heart health."
And because both pine bark extract and CoQ10 are not patented pharmaceutical drugs, they are widely available from a variety of supplement manufacturers. They also cost far less than prescription drugs, and do not carry with them any dangerous side effects.
Have a Healthy and Successful Day!
For their single-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers tested the effects of Pycnogenol, a branded version of pine bark extract, and Kaneka CoQ10, which are sold in a combined form as PycnoQ10. The 53 study participants, which were between the ages of 54 and 68, all had mild to moderate hypertension, and stable congestive heart failure. They also had heart ejection fractions lower than 40 percent of their original capacity, which indicates very poor heart function.
When given PycnoQ10 as part of their regular treatment regimens, heart failure patients experienced significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lowered heart rates, decreased respiratory rates, and improved heart ejection fractions, compared to others taking a placebo. The PycnoQ10 group was also able to walk 3.3 miles longer than the placebo group, and experienced an impressive improvement in fitness levels.
"Coenzyme Q10 has been extensively researched for its ability to strengthen the heart muscle, specifically in patients with heart failure. Preclinical trials have suggested that Pycnogenol strengthens heart chamber walls and dilates arteries," said Dr. Belcaro, one of the study authors. "These preliminary observations suggest that the respective contributions of Coenzyme Q10 and Pycnogenol in PycnoQ10 may significantly improve heart health."
And because both pine bark extract and CoQ10 are not patented pharmaceutical drugs, they are widely available from a variety of supplement manufacturers. They also cost far less than prescription drugs, and do not carry with them any dangerous side effects.
Have a Healthy and Successful Day!
Friday, July 1, 2011
7 surprising things you're not supposed to know about sunscreen and sunlight exposure
(NaturalNews) Ask somebody about sunscreen and you're likely to receive an earful of disinformation from a person who has been repeatedly misinformed by health authorities and the mainstream media. Almost nothing you hear about sunscreen from traditional media channels is accurate. So here's a quick guide to the 7 most important things you need to know about sunscreen, sunlight and vitamin D:
#1) The FDA refuses to allow natural sunscreen ingredients to be used in sunblock / sunscreen products
It's true: If you create a truly natural sunscreen product using exotic botanicals with powerful sunscreen properties, you will never be able to market it as a "sunscreen" product. That's because the FDA decides what can be used as sunscreen and what can't, regardless of what really works in the real world. And there are really only two natural ingredients the FDA has allowed to be sold as sunscreen: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Any other non-chemical sunscreen ingredients, if sold as "sunscreen," would be considered mislabeled by the FDA and result in your products being confiscated... even if they offer fantastic sunscreen protection!
Not surprisingly, this whole monopoly over sunscreen chemicals is designed to protect the profits of the chemical companies while marginalizing the natural product companies which could easily formulate far better solutions. I have personally spoken to the founders of several health product companies who have figured out amazing sunscreen formulations using nothing but natural botanicals, but the FDA won't let them market their products as sunscreen products!
It's just another example of the FDA standing in the way of health innovation.
#2) Nearly all conventional sunscreen products contain cancer-causing chemicals
Read the ingredients list of any sunscreen product sold at Wal-Mart, or Walgreens, or any other mainstream store. I dare ya!
You will not be able to pronounce most of the chemicals found in the ingredients list. That's because most sunscreen products are formulated with cancer-causing fragrance chemicals, parabens, harsh alcohols, toxic chemical solvents and petroleum oils. A typical sunscreen product is actually a chemical assault on your body. That's why research shows that using sunscreen actually causes more cancer than it prevents (http://www.naturalnews.com/023317_s...).
#3) In a nation where over 70% of the population is vitamin D deficiency, sunscreen actually blocks vitamin D production
Vitamin D deficiency is perhaps the most widespread vitamin deficiency in North America. According to the research, 70 percent of whites are deficient in vitamin D, and up to 97 percent of blacks are deficient (http://www.naturalnews.com/030598_v...).
Chronic vitamin D deficiency promotes cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/031560_v...), winter flu and infections, depression, osteoporosis and hormonal imbalances. Depending on whom you believe, vitamin D alone can prevent anywhere from 50% to nearly 80% of all cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/021892.html).
By blocking vitamin D production in the skin, sunscreen products actually contribute to cancer-promoting nutritional deficiencies.
This doesn't mean you should never wear a sunscreen product, of course. If your skin is really pale and you're planning a day on the beach in Hawaii, you will obviously benefit from some level of sun protection using a truly natural sunscreen product. But an informed health-conscious person would try to allow their skin to achieve a natural, healthy tan (yes, a tan truly is healthy if it's combined with good nutrition, see below) through sensible exposure levels that activate vitamin D production in the skin.
#4) You can boost your internal sun resistance by changing what you eat
Here's the real secret about sun exposure that no one in conventional medicine is talking about (because, as usual, they are woefully ignorant about nutrition): You can boost your internal sunscreen by eating antioxidant-rich foods and superfoods.
The supplement astaxanthin, for example, is very well known for boosting your skin's natural resistance to sunburn. Its fat-soluble carotenoids are actually transported to skin cells where they protect those cells from UV exposure.
The more natural antioxidants you have in your diet, the more sunlight your skin will be able to handle without burning. Nearly everyone mistakenly believes that a person's sunlight burn response is purely a genetic factor. They're wrong. You can radically improve your resistance to UV exposure through radical dietary changes.
I'm a great example of this, actually, as I used to burn in just 20 - 30 minutes of sunlight when I was on a junk food diet years ago. But now, as someone who eats superfoods and high-end nutritional supplements every day, I can spend hours in the sun and will only turn slightly red (which fades a few hours later and does not result in a burn or skin peeling).
Except for one time on an all-day visit to a water park, I have not worn sunscreen in over 8 years. I spend a large amount of time in the sun, and I have absolutely no concerns whatsoever about skin cancer. My skin, most people tell me, looks significantly younger than my biological age. That's not from sunscreen; it's from nutrition. Sun exposure does not make your skin "age" if you follow a high-nutritional density diet.
#5) UV exposure alone does not cause skin cancer
It is a complete medical myth that "UV exposure causes skin cancer." This false idea is a total fabrication by the ignorant medical community (dermatologists) and the profit-driven sunscreen companies.
The truth is actually more complicated: Skin cancer can only be caused when UV exposure is combined with chronic nutritional deficiencies that create skin vulnerabilities.
To create skin cancer, in other words, you have to eat a junk food diet, avoid protective antioxidants, and then also experience excessive UV exposure. All three of those elements are required. Conventional medicine completely ignores the dietary influences and focuses entirely on just one factor: Sunscreen vs. no sunscreen. This is a one-dimensional approach to the issue that's grossly oversimplified to the point of being misleading.
The medical industry, it seems, does not want people to figure out they can literally eat their way to healthier skin. It's amazing, actually: Your skin is made entirely out of the food you eat, so how could your diet not affect your skin health? Yet no one in conventional medicine -- not the dermatologists, not the doctors and not the health regulators -- has the intellectual honesty to admit that what you eat largely determines how your skin reacts to UV exposure.
#6) Not all "natural" sunscreen products are really natural
Be careful when shopping for so-called "natural" sunscreen products. While there are some good ones out there, many are just examples of greenwashing, where they use terms like "natural" or "organic" but still contain loads of synthetic chemicals anyway.
A good guide for checking on sunscreen products is the Environmental Working Group guide (EWG) at:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Some of the products that are truly natural include Loving Naturals sunscreen and Badger All Natural Sunscreen. Read the ingredients labels to see for yourself. Don't use any sunscreen product containing ingredients that sound like chemicals:
• Methyl...
• Propyl...
• Butyl...
• Ethyl...
• Trieth...
• Dieth...
etc.
Always buy unscented sunscreen unless for some reason you just enjoy coating your skin with artificial perfume chemicals. A typical sunscreen product is made with over a dozen cancer-causing fragrance chemicals, and they're absorbed right through your skin. Most sunscreens, when applied as directed, are really just toxic chemical baths that heavily burden your liver and can give you cancer.
#7) Many "chemical free" sunscreens are loaded with chemicals
Search Amazon.com for "chemical free natural sunscreen" and you'll see a listing for:
Jason Natural Cosmetics - Earth's Best Sun Block Chemical Free, 4 oz cream
Click on the product and you'll find a listing of its ingredients which includes: C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Calcium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Stearalkonium Hectorite
So how are those not chemicals? Ethylhexyl Palmitate is NOT a chemical? Who are these people kidding? The Amazon.com description (title) of this product is false and misleading. In all fairness, however, this product title looks like it was added into the Amazon.com system by the vendor and not the Jason company itself. But it's an example of how the information you see from online vendors can often be misleading.
Always read the ingredients of any sunscreen product before using it. Don't poison yourself with sunscreen!
Beware the disinfo minefield surrounding sunscreen products
Perhaps more with sunscreen than any other personal care product, the "official" information distributed through the mainstream media is hopelessly misleading (if not downright false). Remarkably, no one in the media or the government is even willing to admit that fragrance chemicals are bad for your health. Similarly, no one is willing to admit that the chemicals you put on your skin get ABSORBED by your skin.
Without those two truths being acknowledged right up front, the rest of whatever they say about sunscreen is worthless babble. Any honest talk about sunscreen must acknowledge the simple truth that the chemicals you put on your skin get absorbed into your skin, and that most sunscreen products are made out of a chemical cocktail of cancer-causing substances.
This is the truth about sunscreen that both the sunscreen industry and the cancer industry doesn't want you to hear. It's the dirty little secret of sunscreen: The more you use, the more you CAUSE cancer in your body! (And the more money the cancer centers make "treating" your cancer with yet more deadly chemicals known as chemotherapy.)
So buyer beware. Sunscreen products are a minefield of lies, fraud and disinformation designed to keep you ignorant of the importance of sun exposure as well as the health risks associated with using cancer-causing chemicals on your skin.
Stick with truly natural sunscreen products (when needed) and try to build up a healthy tan while consuming large quantities of superfoods and antioxidants in your diet. Consider taking astaxanthin or other fat-soluble nutrients on a regular basis. Engage in daily juicing of fresh fruits and vegetables which are loaded with living nutrients. Time your sun exposure to build up a healthy tan so that you don't need sunscreen at all. Contrary to all the misinformation we've all been fed, a healthy tan is actually a good sign that you're achieving adequate vitamin D synthesis in your own skin.
Learn more about sunlight and vitamin D with these two resources:
FREE report: The truth about sunlight and vitamin D (http://www.naturalnews.com/rr-sunli...).
FREE video: The Truth About Sunlight, Cancer and Vitamin D
http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=5A62F...
Learn more: Vitamin D the MIRACLE vitamin? Click here for the best vitamin D on the market
Have a Healthy and Successful Summer!
#1) The FDA refuses to allow natural sunscreen ingredients to be used in sunblock / sunscreen products
It's true: If you create a truly natural sunscreen product using exotic botanicals with powerful sunscreen properties, you will never be able to market it as a "sunscreen" product. That's because the FDA decides what can be used as sunscreen and what can't, regardless of what really works in the real world. And there are really only two natural ingredients the FDA has allowed to be sold as sunscreen: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Any other non-chemical sunscreen ingredients, if sold as "sunscreen," would be considered mislabeled by the FDA and result in your products being confiscated... even if they offer fantastic sunscreen protection!
Not surprisingly, this whole monopoly over sunscreen chemicals is designed to protect the profits of the chemical companies while marginalizing the natural product companies which could easily formulate far better solutions. I have personally spoken to the founders of several health product companies who have figured out amazing sunscreen formulations using nothing but natural botanicals, but the FDA won't let them market their products as sunscreen products!
It's just another example of the FDA standing in the way of health innovation.
#2) Nearly all conventional sunscreen products contain cancer-causing chemicals
Read the ingredients list of any sunscreen product sold at Wal-Mart, or Walgreens, or any other mainstream store. I dare ya!
You will not be able to pronounce most of the chemicals found in the ingredients list. That's because most sunscreen products are formulated with cancer-causing fragrance chemicals, parabens, harsh alcohols, toxic chemical solvents and petroleum oils. A typical sunscreen product is actually a chemical assault on your body. That's why research shows that using sunscreen actually causes more cancer than it prevents (http://www.naturalnews.com/023317_s...).
#3) In a nation where over 70% of the population is vitamin D deficiency, sunscreen actually blocks vitamin D production
Vitamin D deficiency is perhaps the most widespread vitamin deficiency in North America. According to the research, 70 percent of whites are deficient in vitamin D, and up to 97 percent of blacks are deficient (http://www.naturalnews.com/030598_v...).
Chronic vitamin D deficiency promotes cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/031560_v...), winter flu and infections, depression, osteoporosis and hormonal imbalances. Depending on whom you believe, vitamin D alone can prevent anywhere from 50% to nearly 80% of all cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/021892.html).
By blocking vitamin D production in the skin, sunscreen products actually contribute to cancer-promoting nutritional deficiencies.
This doesn't mean you should never wear a sunscreen product, of course. If your skin is really pale and you're planning a day on the beach in Hawaii, you will obviously benefit from some level of sun protection using a truly natural sunscreen product. But an informed health-conscious person would try to allow their skin to achieve a natural, healthy tan (yes, a tan truly is healthy if it's combined with good nutrition, see below) through sensible exposure levels that activate vitamin D production in the skin.
#4) You can boost your internal sun resistance by changing what you eat
Here's the real secret about sun exposure that no one in conventional medicine is talking about (because, as usual, they are woefully ignorant about nutrition): You can boost your internal sunscreen by eating antioxidant-rich foods and superfoods.
The supplement astaxanthin, for example, is very well known for boosting your skin's natural resistance to sunburn. Its fat-soluble carotenoids are actually transported to skin cells where they protect those cells from UV exposure.
The more natural antioxidants you have in your diet, the more sunlight your skin will be able to handle without burning. Nearly everyone mistakenly believes that a person's sunlight burn response is purely a genetic factor. They're wrong. You can radically improve your resistance to UV exposure through radical dietary changes.
I'm a great example of this, actually, as I used to burn in just 20 - 30 minutes of sunlight when I was on a junk food diet years ago. But now, as someone who eats superfoods and high-end nutritional supplements every day, I can spend hours in the sun and will only turn slightly red (which fades a few hours later and does not result in a burn or skin peeling).
Except for one time on an all-day visit to a water park, I have not worn sunscreen in over 8 years. I spend a large amount of time in the sun, and I have absolutely no concerns whatsoever about skin cancer. My skin, most people tell me, looks significantly younger than my biological age. That's not from sunscreen; it's from nutrition. Sun exposure does not make your skin "age" if you follow a high-nutritional density diet.
#5) UV exposure alone does not cause skin cancer
It is a complete medical myth that "UV exposure causes skin cancer." This false idea is a total fabrication by the ignorant medical community (dermatologists) and the profit-driven sunscreen companies.
The truth is actually more complicated: Skin cancer can only be caused when UV exposure is combined with chronic nutritional deficiencies that create skin vulnerabilities.
To create skin cancer, in other words, you have to eat a junk food diet, avoid protective antioxidants, and then also experience excessive UV exposure. All three of those elements are required. Conventional medicine completely ignores the dietary influences and focuses entirely on just one factor: Sunscreen vs. no sunscreen. This is a one-dimensional approach to the issue that's grossly oversimplified to the point of being misleading.
The medical industry, it seems, does not want people to figure out they can literally eat their way to healthier skin. It's amazing, actually: Your skin is made entirely out of the food you eat, so how could your diet not affect your skin health? Yet no one in conventional medicine -- not the dermatologists, not the doctors and not the health regulators -- has the intellectual honesty to admit that what you eat largely determines how your skin reacts to UV exposure.
#6) Not all "natural" sunscreen products are really natural
Be careful when shopping for so-called "natural" sunscreen products. While there are some good ones out there, many are just examples of greenwashing, where they use terms like "natural" or "organic" but still contain loads of synthetic chemicals anyway.
A good guide for checking on sunscreen products is the Environmental Working Group guide (EWG) at:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Some of the products that are truly natural include Loving Naturals sunscreen and Badger All Natural Sunscreen. Read the ingredients labels to see for yourself. Don't use any sunscreen product containing ingredients that sound like chemicals:
• Methyl...
• Propyl...
• Butyl...
• Ethyl...
• Trieth...
• Dieth...
etc.
Always buy unscented sunscreen unless for some reason you just enjoy coating your skin with artificial perfume chemicals. A typical sunscreen product is made with over a dozen cancer-causing fragrance chemicals, and they're absorbed right through your skin. Most sunscreens, when applied as directed, are really just toxic chemical baths that heavily burden your liver and can give you cancer.
#7) Many "chemical free" sunscreens are loaded with chemicals
Search Amazon.com for "chemical free natural sunscreen" and you'll see a listing for:
Jason Natural Cosmetics - Earth's Best Sun Block Chemical Free, 4 oz cream
Click on the product and you'll find a listing of its ingredients which includes: C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Calcium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Stearalkonium Hectorite
So how are those not chemicals? Ethylhexyl Palmitate is NOT a chemical? Who are these people kidding? The Amazon.com description (title) of this product is false and misleading. In all fairness, however, this product title looks like it was added into the Amazon.com system by the vendor and not the Jason company itself. But it's an example of how the information you see from online vendors can often be misleading.
Always read the ingredients of any sunscreen product before using it. Don't poison yourself with sunscreen!
Beware the disinfo minefield surrounding sunscreen products
Perhaps more with sunscreen than any other personal care product, the "official" information distributed through the mainstream media is hopelessly misleading (if not downright false). Remarkably, no one in the media or the government is even willing to admit that fragrance chemicals are bad for your health. Similarly, no one is willing to admit that the chemicals you put on your skin get ABSORBED by your skin.
Without those two truths being acknowledged right up front, the rest of whatever they say about sunscreen is worthless babble. Any honest talk about sunscreen must acknowledge the simple truth that the chemicals you put on your skin get absorbed into your skin, and that most sunscreen products are made out of a chemical cocktail of cancer-causing substances.
This is the truth about sunscreen that both the sunscreen industry and the cancer industry doesn't want you to hear. It's the dirty little secret of sunscreen: The more you use, the more you CAUSE cancer in your body! (And the more money the cancer centers make "treating" your cancer with yet more deadly chemicals known as chemotherapy.)
So buyer beware. Sunscreen products are a minefield of lies, fraud and disinformation designed to keep you ignorant of the importance of sun exposure as well as the health risks associated with using cancer-causing chemicals on your skin.
Stick with truly natural sunscreen products (when needed) and try to build up a healthy tan while consuming large quantities of superfoods and antioxidants in your diet. Consider taking astaxanthin or other fat-soluble nutrients on a regular basis. Engage in daily juicing of fresh fruits and vegetables which are loaded with living nutrients. Time your sun exposure to build up a healthy tan so that you don't need sunscreen at all. Contrary to all the misinformation we've all been fed, a healthy tan is actually a good sign that you're achieving adequate vitamin D synthesis in your own skin.
Learn more about sunlight and vitamin D with these two resources:
FREE report: The truth about sunlight and vitamin D (http://www.naturalnews.com/rr-sunli...).
FREE video: The Truth About Sunlight, Cancer and Vitamin D
http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=5A62F...
Learn more: Vitamin D the MIRACLE vitamin? Click here for the best vitamin D on the market
Have a Healthy and Successful Summer!
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