For many years we have heard the bold warnings to stay out of the sun or wear sunscreen at all times to reduce the risk of skin cancer. The sun is not inherently evil and is not the cause of skin cancer, but it’s important to practice safe sun exposure for your body.

The Importance of Vitamin D

The major cause of vitamin D deficiency is inadequate exposure to sunlight. We need regular sun exposure without sunscreen to produce vitamin D naturally!  According to the Journal of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics, wearing sunscreen with SPF 30 reduces vitamin D synthesis in the skin by more than 95% (source)!

Nearly every cell in our body has receptors for vitamin D so it absolutely drives our innate immunity. It influences the bones, intestines, immune and cardiovascular systems, pancreas, muscles, brain, and the control of cell cycles. Recent research supports the possible role of vitamin D against cancer, heart disease, fractures and falls, autoimmune diseases, influenza, type-2 diabetes, and depression (source).

Vitamin D produced in the skin lasts at least twice as long in the blood compared with ingested vitamin D (source)! Vitamin D is actually more of a hormone than a vitamin because it’s manufactured by the skin with the help of sunlight (source). Your body may not be able to make as much vitamin D in the winter, but it can use what has been stored and studies show there is plenty of opportunity for this in the fall, even in the northern latitudes (source). If needed, you can incorporate sun-exposed mushrooms which are a natural source of vitamin D2 into your diet, supplement with cod liver oil, grass-fed liver, pastured eggs, wild-caught fish, and/or raw milk.

Don’t Wear Daily Sunscreen

Most of us are going from a car or a subway, to an indoor office and then back home, so I don’t recommend wearing SPF daily. One way to balance sun exposure is to find shade every 30 to 60 minutes depending on the intensity of the sun, for 15-minute intervals. 

You can use the dminder app to track your vitamin D exposure, but as a general rule of thumb, you want to expose as much of your body as possible to sunlight until your skin turns the slightest shade of pink.

A combination of the right skincare regimen and a hat / protective clothing are the best ways to get a nice, healthy glow, without overdoing it.

Internal Sunscreen

When skin is exposed to the sun and vitamin D is increased in the body, it will pull calcium out of the tissue into the blood circulation at high levels. This in turn minimizes the tissue calcium concentration, setting up an imbalance. When the increased calcium blood levels are mixed with Standard Process’s Cataplex F, it mobilizes the calcium back into the tissues for balance once again. It takes several tablets, two to three hours before sun exposure, then more with calcium lactate after four hours in the sun.

While on the beaches in Florida, I tested out homeopathy for internal sunscreen and was extremely impressed with the results. I took 5 pellets of Hypericum perforatum 30C dissolved under my tongue in the morning and evening 2 weeks prior to sun exposure. It reduces sun-induced rashes, especially when taken before exposure.

Prep for Sun Exposure

There’s a couple of things I like to do to prep my skin prior to stepping into the sunshine. For a few weeks before summer, I spend 1-3 hours a day outside to start building my sun callus. I also focus on getting sunlight in my eyes early in the morning on a daily basis. Early morning light helps prepare receptors in the eyes to absorb more vitamin D so you’re less likely to burn throughout the day, especially if you don’t wear sunglasses.

I use a few products that support my skin’s ability to absorb vitamin D like ION Skin Support. It strengthens the skin barrier to shield against toxins and reinforces cellular connection which supports a diverse terrain for your skin’s microbiome to thrive. The ingredients are simple yet effective at minimizing signs of skin damage and balancing complexion while delivering a boost of hydration for healthy, glowing skin.

MY FAVORITE SKIN PREP PRODUCTS:

ION Skin Support Use code DRCOURTNEY20 to save 20%  on ION* Skin Support 8oz + 3.4oz bottles (all sizes, one time purchase)
Everybody Loves the Sun
Fatskn Pre-Sun

Mineral Based Sunscreen

The majority of the sunscreens on the market today are more harmful than beneficial. Sunscreens are designed to decrease your risk of skin cancer and allow you to enjoy the sun without worry. Unfortunately, most modern day sunscreens may increase your risk of cancer and disrupt the functioning of your hormones with the toxic sludge of ingredients within.

Sunscreen was first invented in the 1940s by Franz Greiter and the active component consisted of zinc oxide. You won’t find zinc oxide in most conventional sunscreens because it is not absorbed into your skin and you’re left covered with a pasty white substance. You’ll find zinc oxide in many of the #drcourtneyapproved sunscreens listed below and that’s because it offers the same protection as wearing a long sleeve shirt!

But there is also micronized zinc oxide which has the safety profile of traditional zinc oxide sunscreen but doesn’t leave as much of a film, similar to modern day sunscreens. It is not absorbed into the body, does not enter the bloodstream and has no dangerous side effects unless it is inhaled. For this reason, I recommend avoiding any “spray” products containing micronized zinc oxide.

MY FAVORITE MINERAL SUNSCREENS:

Suntegrity
Badger Balm Mineral Sunscreen
Badger Balm Kids Mineral Sunscreen
Badger Balm Kids Sunscreen Stick
Raw Elements
Babo Botanicals
Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream
Kair Gran Essential SPF
Raw Elements Tinted Facial Moisturizer
Kypris Heliotropic Facial Sunscreen  
Love The Sun

Pool Prep

Your skin absorbs about 64% of the chlorine it comes into contact with. Chlorine competes with iodine in the body and displaces iodine uptake in the thyroid gland which can lead to thyroid issues such as hypothyroidism. There are a few simple ways to put a barrier on your skin prior to taking a dip! I love to use a swim spray that contains sodium ascorbate (a form of vitamin C) as it helps to change chlorine to an unharmful compound that can be easily rinsed from the skin and hair.

You can also support your skin by applying tallow as a moisturizer which puts a barrier between your skin and the pool water.

MY FAVORITE POOL PREP PRODUCTS:

Whipped Tallow Code: DRCOURTNEY
Swim Spray Code: DRCOURTNEY
Pre-swim Aqua Therapy Lotion

A few years ago, we converted my parents’ pool to a mineral pool. You can learn more here.

Sunburn Relief

We don’t want to admit it, but it happens. It’s been awhile since I’ve burned but here are some tried-and-true natural remedies that usually work overnight:

• Supplements:
  • Cataplex F: taken as recommended above
  • Calcium lactate: taken as recommended above
• Homeopathy:
  • Apis mellifica 30C (relieves pink, swollen skin with itching improved by cold compresses): dissolve 5 pellets under your tongue every hour and decrease frequency with improvement
  • Belladonna 30C (relieves red, hot and painful skin from burns or sunburn): dissolve 5 pellets under your tongue every hour and decrease frequency with improvement
  • Natrum muriaticum 30C (reduces sun-induced rashes/sun allergy): dissolve 5 pellets under your tongue 3 time a day during the period when you are exposed to the sun
  • Hypericum perforatum 30C (reduces sun-induced rashes, especially when taken before exposure): dissolve 5 pellets under tongue morning and evening 2 weeks prior to sun exposure
• Badger Aloe Vera Gel
• Joette Calabrese’s Sunbrun Protocol and Joette Calabrese’s Sunbrun and Dehydration Protocol
  • Canthatis 30C (match the potency to the severity of the burn, so 6, 12 and 30 would be potencies appropriate to minor or moderate burns. A more severe burn with symptoms such as fever and chills might require a higher potency, such as 200 or even 1M. If you’ve not adequately studied homeopathy, contact your homeopath)
  • Calendula Tincture (is also wonderful for these compresses because it promotes cell healing and repairs skin quickly. A tincture means the medicine is made in alcohol instead of pillules. When in this form, use the ratio of 1:4. That is, use one drop of Calendula to 4 drops of pure water for burn management. Distilled, filtered or spring water are all good for this use.)
  • Urtica urens 30C (For burns with a stinging or prickly feeling.)
  • Belladonna 30C (For red hot sunburn, perhaps with a pulsing sensation in the skin. This is for the sunburn that is REALLY red and hot.)
• Joette’s Dehydration Protocol
  • Dehydration can also occur around the time of too much sun. The best treatment is rehydration with water and electrolytes. The following concoction is my favorite for rehydrating or avoiding dehydration altogether. It is purer than sports drinks or Gatorade, and it’s tasty, too
    • 16 pills of Bioplasma
    • 1/4 cup acidophilus bifidus yogurt or kefir
    • 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
    • Maple syrup or raw honey to taste
    • 1 teaspoon Celtic salt
    • 1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
      • Combine all ingredients in a gallon container and fill to the top with ice water. Shake well. This tasty beverage is mildly sour with a hint of sweetness. Always shake well before each drink.
  • If dehydration becomes extreme, try one of these remedies. Administer every 15 minutes until the symptoms diminish in intensity, then every 1-4 hours until significant improvement is seen.
    • Cinchona officinalis 30C  (For exhaustion and debility from loss of fluids. Indicators include digestive bloating, headache, sensitive scalp, flushed face, sensation of sand or pressure in the eyes and buzzing in the ears)
    • Phosphoricum acidum 30C  (For mental and physical exhaustion, apathy, listlessness, pale face and sunken eyes, stumbling and milky urine)

We have some serious summers in Texas… Like over one hundred 100°F days in a row and it’s not safe to be outside until you’re in a pool and even then our pools start feeling like hot tubs. So, all these recommendations are tried-and-true from one survivor of over 25 Texas summers. Leave a comment if you have any other things to add to this list!

Hope you enjoy your summer!

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is for educational purposes only.

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