skin_cancer_picture Not long ago, I developed skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, the most common form) from years (decades?) of worshipping the sun at Coney Island and Jones Beach.

Back then, simply basking wasn’t enough for me. To make sure my fair skin got the maximum number of rays, I slathered on baby oil mixed with iodine, and then held a reflector up to my face.

Smart.

It’s a miracle I have any skin left at all.

Since then I’ve been ultra-vigilant about the sun and uber-knowledgeable about the latest research and ways we can take better care of our skin.

One of the most important things we know, and which we hopefully take quite seriously, is we must protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays.

There are myriad ways to do that, such as:

  • stay out of the sun (especially between 10am and 4pm)
  • wear sunscreen all year long, rain or shine (at least 30 SPF) carmex-strawberry-lip-balm-spf-15-0-15-oz-balm (DON’T FORGET YOUR LIPS! Try my favorite: Carmex Click Sticks with SPF 15)
  • don a delightful hat
  • sport sexy sunglasses
  • for goodness sakes, get out of that tanning bed!

But is that enough? Probably not.

Even worse . . . experts now warn that even after you’re safely out of the sun, the assault on your skin does not stop.

A new study by Yale University cancer researchers shows that the cell-damaging effects of ultra-violet rays may continue for many hours . . . even after the sun goes down.

So, what else can we do?

Arm yourself with ample ammunition like you’re entering a war zone.

We’ve long been aware of the role that antioxidants play in protecting skin from UV damage–a groundbreaking study in 1996 proved antioxidants like vitamins C and E can boost the power of sunscreen and help make skin more resistant to damage–so it’s no surprise that many experts are zeroing in on new ways to incorporate essential antioxidants in the war against skin cell damage.

HeliocareBut, we’ve got to go beyond that. Companies like Origins and Ferndale, among others, study plants to see how they can be used in the fight against skin damage on a cellular level.

Consider doing what I do:

Every day when I pop my vitamin D capsule, I also take HELIOCARE–a supplement that relies on the power of the Polyodium leucotomos, a tropical fern which acts as a scavenger to mop up free radicals.

(HELIOCARE is designed to be used in conjunction with other forms of sun protection.)

Europeans have known about the medicinal and healing power of PLE (polyodium leucotomos extract) for decades, and the U.S. finally caught on. Now, in addition to using common sense to protect my skin on the outside, I’m also doing what I can to protect it from the inside, too.

Check out this info and get a money-saving coupon, too! 

2 comments

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Did you ever figure out what the iodine part was supposed to do? LOL We did the same in Atlanta (baby oil and iodine wise) and with the broiling summer sun. Thankfully it felt so bad to me to feel like I was baking in an oven that I did much less than my friends (much less). Even so, there was a basal cell on my face in my very early 30’s (that didn’t get caught until years later). Scary stuff.

I read an article the other day (Huff Post I think) that talked about the increase in skin cancer rates in younger generations… the assumption that they are already “covered” by built in sunscreens is leaving them very vulnerable and the rates are rising.

I will check out this Heliocare – once bitten, twice shy? Good luck on avoiding that nastiness again for yourself 🙂

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