In recent years we have been told that the sun is harmful, and that every time we step outside, we need to apply sunscreen. I have even heard it said that we ought to start putting it on when we use the computer. Not everyone agrees, including myself. According to the Weston Price Foundation, . . . “the chemicals used in sunscreens are actually more harmful to us than the sun; indeed they are harmful to all life on the planet.” Over the years I have had several people reach out and ask us if we used sunscreen, and while I always responded to them, I have been hesitant to share this publicly for some reason. Because everyone deserves to hear both sides of a subject, I need to share this, but I must encourage you to do your own research and make up your own mind.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Plourde sunscreen gives us . . .  “a false sense of security. You’re not burning but you’re absorbing all the infrared rays, which go deeper and cause damage to the skin. It’s like a fool’s errand. It’s the wrong thing to do because it allows you to sit in the sun 2, 3 or 4 times longer than you would normally do because you would be out and turning pink and burning. This is the problem. This is why melanomas climbed since they were introduced.”

While we never use sunscreen (or zinc oxide) anymore, we do protect ourselves from getting sunburned. I applied sunscreen to my kids for a few years as a new mom, until one day I read the label that said it was a poison. From that day on, I decided that we would stop using it and figure out other ways of protecting ourselves. Anything we put on our skin gets absorbed into our bloodstream, and I’m not going to put poison on my skin and especially not on my children’s skin.

My approach to protecting our family is very simple. The most important thing we do is gradually exposing ourselves to the sun. This happens quite naturally with our lifestyle, since we spend more and more time outdoors in the spring when the sun is not as intense. By the time summer rolls around we are usually adjusted quite well and rarely burn. I truly believe that our traditional diet has helped to protect us as well, and there’s a lot of science out there to support this. When we go swimming in our little pool or at the dam, we wait until after 2:30. The sun is most intense from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. While this may sound inconvenient, it has worked for us. Our kids have built cabins in the trees and spend a lot of time playing there, so that breaks up some of the time in the sun as well. Umbrellas and hats have come in handy on long canoeing trips or outings where we are exposed to more sun than we are used to.

There are so many well documented benefits to getting out into the sun. I strive to spend at least two hours a day soaking up the sun and have found that my energy improves significantly when I do this. I notice this with my husband too. My newborns benefit from sun exposure, and I have observed that as long as they get their sun, they don’t get jaundice in those first few weeks. All of my kids are so happy and easy when they get plenty of outside time in the fresh air and sun. We have also found that it’s easier to get a good night’s sleep when we get plenty of outdoor time.

I have heard so many healing stories from people that prioritized sunshine, that you can’t convince me that it’s bad for us, but we should always avoid getting sunburned. Recently a family member reported that he was using my salve and getting plenty of sunshine on his psoriasis, and it was improving greatly. I really believe the sun was helping the most in this case, but I can’t say for sure.

If you are using sunscreen today and would like to hear another side to this story rather than just believing the narrative of “wear sunscreen,” then I highly encourage you to listen to this podcast on the Weston Price Foundation here. I don’t agree with everything mentioned in this podcast, but there’s a lot of good information here that I didn’t know. Since I don’t have a lot of time to read, I love to listen to podcasts when I’m doing mindless tasks to encourage me in what I’m doing and to learn new things.

While it might seem like a lot of work to think through how to avoid getting sunburned rather than just slathering on that sunblock, I have learned that taking a little more time to think this through and look to traditional wisdom, has given me peace of mind and no regrets. When I feel inconvenienced by this, I simply remind myself that the extra work is worth it. I leave you with this last thought. There is a lot of money to be made in the sunscreen industry and often times money corrupts.

Do you use sunscreen? We love to hear from you!!