Summer is around the corner and for all you die-hard tennis players, that means being outdoors at least a few hours a day. If you’re lucky, you play early morning or late afternoon when the sun is weakest, but for those of us who play on-call (mid-morning, midday, midnight…just call my name and I’ll be there) it can be brutal on the skin. Although sunscreen can be a good block, it’s not always good to slather it on everyday. See this article from Dr. Oz, he says that most commercial sun blocks contain chemicals that can actually do more harm than good, get into your blood stream and mess with your “estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid. Endocrine disruptors, like some ingredients in chemical sunscreens, can cause abnormal development of fetuses and growing children.” He says you should use a micronized zinc oxide containing SPF 15 broad-spectrum sunscreen.
According to Dr. Maizes, “when choosing a sunscreen, look for the following active ingredients: zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (safe mineral sunscreens) or 3 percent avobenzone. Avoid products with oxybenzone (an endocrine disruptor) and vitamin A (or retinyl palmitate), which paradoxically may increase your skin cancer risk. And choose one without fragrance, as some fragrances can also act as hormone disruptors.”
Here are some organic options to consider Acure Organics http://www.acureorganics.com/product-p/042.htm or Babo Botanicals http://www.babobotanicals.com/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=96.
So there you have it, don’t believe the hype…its your body, do some research before putting anything on it.
Be wise and have fun out there this season!
Let’s play,
cg