Safe Summer Sun! Nine Surprising Facts About Sunscreens...

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Are the sunscreens you are using this summer safe? 

Nine Surprising Facts About Sunscreens

Do you depend on sunscreen for skin protection? Millions of Americans do, but they shouldn’t. Melanoma rates are increasing. The consensus among scientists is that sunscreens alone cannot reverse this trend. Yet a good sunscreen can play role in preventing sunburns that are a major risk factor for melanoma – provided you use it correctly.

1. FDA’s sunscreen rules have changed but products haven’t improved.

The federal Food and Drug Administration put new sunscreen rules into effect last December, but they have had little impact on the sunscreen market and could actually make things worse for consumers. FDA’s rules allow most sunscreens to claim they offer “broad spectrum” skin protection and also that they can reduce skin cancer risk. However, EWG’s assessment of 750 beach and sport sunscreens on the market this year spotted significant problems.

2. There’s no proof that sunscreens prevent most skin cancer.

Rates of melanoma – the most deadly form of skin cancer – have tripled over the past 35 years. Most scientists and public health agencies – including the FDA itself – have found very little evidence that sunscreen prevents most types of skin cancer.

3. Don’t be fooled by high SPF

High-SPF products tempt people to apply too little sunscreen and stay in the sun too long. The FDA has proposed prohibiting the sale of sunscreens with SPF values greater than 50+, calling higher SPF values “inherently misleading,” but it has not issued a regulation that carries the force of law. One in seven sunscreens advertises SPF values greater than 50+, so get the most bang for your hard-earned buck. 

4. The common sunscreen additive vitamin A may speed development of skin cancer.

The sunscreen industry adds a form of vitamin A to nearly one-quarter of all sunscreens.
Retinyl palmitate is an anti-oxidant that slows skin aging. But federal studies indicate that it may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions when applied to skin in the presence of sunlight. EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreens, lip products and skin lotions containing vitamin A, often labeled “retinyl palmitate” or “retinol.”

5. European consumers can get better sunscreens.

European sunscreens offer superior protection from skin-damaging UVA rays. In Europe, sunscreen makers can formulate their products with any of seven chemicals that filter UVA rays. American manufacturers can use only three UVA-filtering ingredients. They have been waiting seven years for FDA approval to use Europe’s better filters. Until the FDA approves these ingredients and lifts restrictions on combining certain active ingredients, American consumers will be hard-pressed to find sunscreens with the strongest level of UVA protection.

6. Sunscreen does not protect skin from all types of sun damage.

The sun’s ultraviolet radiation generates free radicals that damage DNA and skin cells, accelerate skin aging and may cause skin cancer. American sunscreens can reduce these damages, but not as effectively as they prevent sunburn. Consumers can run into problems if they pick a sunscreen with poor UVA protection, apply too little or reapply it infrequently. The FDA should strengthen its regulations to ensure that sunscreens offer better protection from skin damage.

7. Some sunscreen ingredients disrupt hormones and cause skin allergies.

The ideal sunscreen would completely block UV rays that cause sunburn, immune suppression and damaging free radicals. It would remain effective on the skin for several hours. It would not form harmful ingredients when degraded by sunlight. It would smell and feel pleasant so that people would use more of it.  No sunscreen meets these goals. Americans must choose between “chemical” sunscreens, which have inferior stability, penetrate the skin and may disrupt the body’s hormone system, and “mineral” sunscreens, made with zinc and titanium, often “micronized” or containing nano-particles.

8. Mineral sunscreens contain nano-particles.

Most zinc oxide and titanium dioxide-based sunscreens contain nano-particles a twentieth the width of a human hair. These help reduce or eliminate the chalky white tint that these minerals used to leave on the skin. Based on the available information, EWG gives a favorable rating to mineral sunscreens, but the FDA should restrict the use of unstable or UV-reactive forms of minerals that would lessen skin protection.

9. If you avoid sun, check your vitamin D levels.

Sunshine serves a critical function in the body that sunscreen appears to inhibit — producing vitamin D. The hormone is enormously important. It strengthens bones and the immune system and reduces the risk of breast, colon, kidney and ovarian cancers, and perhaps other disorders.

About one-fourth of Americans have borderline low levels of vitamin D, and 8 percent have a serious deficiency. Breast-fed infants, people with darker skin and people who have limited sun exposure are at greatest risk. Many people can’t or shouldn’t rely on the sun for vitamin D. Check with your doctor to see if you should get a vitamin D test or take seasonal or year-round supplements.

Whatever you do, please avoid the ingredient oxybenzone.

Commonly used in sunscreens, the chemical oxybenzone penetrates the skin, gets into the bloodstream and acts like estrogen in the body. It can also trigger allergic reactions.  Please take my advice and don't use any sunscreen with this ingredient.

Here's how to make your own:

Many common oils offer a natural source of SPF protection without the harmful toxins. These include red raspberry seed oil (SPF28-50), carrot seed oil (SPF38-40), wheat germ oil (SPF20), soybean oil (SPF10), macadamia oil (SPF6), and jojoba oil (SPF4). Other oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, hempseed oil, and shea butter offer low SPF protection but are still valuable additions in your homemade sunscreen, as they are moisturizing and fragrant.

This recipe allows you to enjoy the sun without toxic chemicals.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce oil with SPF listed above (or any combination of them)
• 1 ounce coconut oil, cocoa butter, or shea butter
• 1 ounce beeswax (offers waterproof protection)
• 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oils

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a glass jar. Fill a saucepan a couple inches high with water and turn the heat to medium. Put a cap on the glass jar without sealing it closed, and place the jar in the pan filled with water. As the ingredients in the jar get warm and soften, mix until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Apply as a sunscreen throughout the summer.

Checkout the  2013 Guide to Safe Sunscreens from EWG if you want to pick a safe brand!

MTHFR gene mutation... What's the big deal about Methylation?

UPDATE POST OF MTHFR BLOG

Do you have a genetic defect in the MTHFR gene??

Maybe you've have a family history of heart attack or stroke... maybe you've suffered through multiple miscarriages.  Or maybe you struggle with chronic migraine headaches or irritible bowel syndrome or depression.  Perhaps your child or a sibling has autism.  What do all these things have in common?  Well, these are just some of the conditions liked to a faulty enzyme called MTHFR.

What's up with MTHFR?

MTHFR stands for methyl-tetrahydrofolate reductase, an enzyme that is responsible for the process of methylation in every cell in your body.  MTHFR is a common genetic variant that causes this key enzyme in the body to function at a lower than normal rate.  This can lead to a variety of medical problems.  Although there are over fifty known MTHFR variants, the two primary ones are called C677T and A1298.  Your doctor can order a blood test to determine if you have these genetic variants. Better yet, you can order a complete genetic profile yourself through 23andMe.

What's the big deal about methylation?

Methylation is a core process that occurs in all cells to help your body make biochemical conversions.  When people with genetic mutations is MTHFR are exposed to toxins, they have a harder time getting rid of them which can cause some very serious illnesses.  The methylation process is responsible for:

• Cellular Repair: synthesis of nucleic acids, production & repair of DNA & mRNA
• Detoxification and Neurotransmistter  Production:  interconversion of amino acids
• Healthy Immune System Function:  formation & maturation of red blood cells, white blood cells & platelet production

The 677T variant is most commonly associated  with early heart disease and stroke and the 1298C variant with a variety chronic illnesses, but either anomaly can cause a wide variety of health problems.  The MTHFR anomaly is reported out as heterozygous or homozygous.  If you are heterozygous that means you have one affected gene and one normal gene.  Your enzyme activity will run at about 60% efficiency compared to a normal. 

If you are homozygous or have 2 abnormal copies, then enzyme efficiency drops down to 10% to 20% of normal, which can be very serious.   The worst combination is 677T/1298C in which you are heterozygous to both anomalies.  Many chronic illnesses are linked to this anomaly.   Fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, chemical sensitivity, frequent miscarriage and frequent blood clots are all conditions associated with MTHFR anomaly.  For a great diagram of more methylation related health problems, check this out: 

MTHFR Related Health Problems 

Glutathione is the body's primary antioxidant and detoxifier.  One of the ways that MTHFR gene mutation can make you susceptible to illness is by lowering your ability to make glutathione.    People with MTHFR anomalies usually have low glutathione, which makes them more susceptible to stress and less tolerant to toxic exposures.  Accumulation of toxins in the body and increased oxidative stress, which also leads to premature aging.

Some conditions that may be associated with MTHFR gene mutations

• Autism
• Addictions: smoking, drugs, alcohol
• Down’s syndrome
• Frequent miscarriages
• Male & female infertility
• Pulmonary embolism and other blood clots
• Depression & anxiety
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Chemical Sensitivity
• Parkinson’s disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome  
• Stroke
• Spina bifida
• Migraines
• Hyperhomocysteinemia
• Breast cancer
• Atherosclerosis
• Alzheimer’s
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
• Methotrexate Toxicity
• Nitrous Oxide Toxicity

 

Treatment for MTHFR

Fortunately, you can easily be tested for the MTHFR mutation.  If you find out that you have one or more of the gene mutations, you can supplement with methyl-folate  and methyl B12, the active forms of these B vitamins.   You can also supplement with liposomal or acetyl-glutathione, the end product of the pathway.  Glutathione is poorly absorbed so either the liposomal form or a precursor, called n-acetylcysteine (NAC) may be used. Some of my favorites are Thorne Research Methyl Guard Plus and 5-MTHF 1mg and 5mg.

There are prescription medicines, that also contain methyl-folate: Deplin, MetanX, CerefolinNAC are a few.   Methyl B12 can also be given as shots, nasal sprays, and sublingually.  The intramuscular shots are by far the most effective method and must be prescribed by your physician.  The choice of nutrients will vary from patient to patient and should be done under a doctor's supervision.  There is a bell-shaped optimal curve so you may not feel well with too much or too little of the appropriate supplements.   Other B vitamins, such as riboflavin and vitamin B6 also play an important role.  As you may have surmised, this can be quite complex and I suggest you find a functional medicine trained physician to help you sort through your needs for the different nutrients if you have a chronic health condition related to the gene mutations.  It is not uncommon for patients with these genetic polymorphism's to be very sensitive to supplementation.

Patients who I recommend screen for MTHFR mutations:

• Pre-conception care: test both man and woman
• Mental dysfunction including but not limited to depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, schizophrenia, bipolar
• Infants and children of parents with MTHFR mutations
• Family members related to someone with MTHFR mutations
• Elevated folate (not processing to active 5-MTHF due to inability to methylate)
• Elevated homocysteine (due to low active 5-MTHF and methylcobalamin)
• Elevated s-adenosylhomocysteine (due to low active 5-MTHF and methylcobalamin)
• Elevated serum cobalamin (due to inability to methylate cyanocobalamin to methylcobalamin)
• Elevated methylmalonic acid (due to methylcobalamin deficiency)
• Patients with syndromes: IBS, Chemical sensitivity, Fibromyalgia, Down Syndrome, Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Neurological disorders: Multiple sclerosis, Autism, Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, Parkinson’s to name a few
• Cancer: family history of cancer or undergoing cancer treatment
• Cervical dysplasia
• Infertility
• Cardiovascular risk: family history of strokes, embolisms, heart attacks, clots, essential hypertension
• Birth defects: cleft palate, tetralogy of Fallot, spinal bifida, midline defects
• Drug sensitivities: methotrexate, anti-epileptics, nitrous oxide, anesthesia

If you are interested in knowing more about your genes, the 23andme gene test will be the best $99 investment you've ever spent !

Check out Health Tips for Dealing with MTHFR Gene Mutations...

Want more great content like this?  Sign up for my FREE Newsletter here!

For more reading

Holistic Primary Care 
Genetics Home Reference
Molecular Biology of MTHFR
Genetics of Homocysteine Metabolism
Homocysteine and MTHFR mutation
23andMe Gene Test

Does This Chemical Make Me Look Fat?! More on Obesogens...

Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Obesogens are chemicals that can inappropriately alter fat storage and change metabolic set-points. This disrupts energy balance and modifies your appetite to promote fat accumulation. Chemicals in your environment can certainly have an impact on your health and often your weight. Some of these exposures may occur before you’re born but there is still a lot that you can control! Exposure to obesogens don't necessary doom you to become overweight, but it's all the more reason  to consider ways to avoid exposure and regularly use neutraceuticals and whole foods to aid our body's natural detox mechanisms through our liver, kidneys and bowel.

Here's some easy ways to do a quick check of your home a to determine where your greatest exposures may be coming from.

Here's 12 simple changes that will significantly reduce your risks:

1. Eat organic foods, especially the "dirty dozen" Researchers have found that it takes just five days of eating organic to rid the body of virtually all pesticide residues.
2. Rather than eating conventional or farm-raised fish, which are often heavily contaminated with PCBs and mercury, supplement with a high-quality purified krill oil, or eat fish that is wild-caught and tested for purity.  My personal favorite is Wild Alaskan salmon.
3. Avoid any flexible plastics whenever possible, especially in children's toys.
4. Stop drinking out of plastic water bottles to avoid BPA.  Buy a reusable stainless steel or glass one instead.
5. Use a good quality reverse osmosis or carbon filter in your home.
6. Avoid using plastics with food or beverages
7. Choose glass jars instead of storing your food in plastic containers.  Especially don't make the mistake of freezing or microwaving in plastic.
8. Use natural toiletries and personal care items, cleaning supplies, laundry detergents and other household products.  Start by cleaning up your make-up and body lotion... a good rule of thumb is if you wouldn't put in in your mouth, don't put it on your skin.
9. Replace your non-stick pots & pans with ceramic or glass cookware
10. Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of fabric or install a glass shower door 
11. Get rid of your indoor plug-in air fresheners, candles and fabric softners.  These seemingly pleasants scents are often toxic chemicals and contribute to poor indoor air quality and may even cause breathing problems, such as asthma.
12. Look for natural, chemical-free clothing, furniture, flooring, paint and other building supplies to use in your home

Could These Seven Foods Be Causing Your Weight Gain?!

Food Allergy "Fat"
"Fat" that comes with food sensitivities is a characterized by bloating and fluid retention that many people experience when they ingest these top seven food allergens.  Eating foods that interfere with our body’s chemistry causes tissue swelling, abdominal bloating or even facial puffiness that may have the appearance of real fat. In fact, it’s not unusual for a person to look ten to fifteen pounds heavier due to these nasty reactions.

The foods that people react to most commonly are also the most prevalent in the Standard American Diet (SAD, for short)  They are dairy, wheat, corn, sugar, soy, eggs and peanuts.  Many patients assume they aren’t “allergic” to these foods because they don’t experience the immediate histamine reaction we associate with an allergy, like hives, throat swelling or vomiting.  Another complicating factor is that these type of reactions often cause delayed symptoms, meaning that you may not feel badly for 12-36 hours. This makes such sensitivities extremely difficult to identify, particularly if your sensitivity is to a food that you eat on a daily basis. If you are constantly consuming wheat or dairy, for example, and having a low-grade reaction, you may not recognize this as your body’s distress signals. Instead you might assume they are totally unrelated chronic problems, like a eczema, migraines, fatigue, joint pain, or heartburn.

Virtually any food can cause these reactions — even “healthy” foods like citrus or bell peppers. Typically an individual will develop sensitivities to the foods he or she eats most often. Unfortunately the top seven - dairy, wheat, corn, sugar, soy, eggs, and peanuts - are the basis for most processed foods so most Americans are frequently exposed to them.   If we eat such foods on a daily basis, we may experience a near-constant state of reaction — including bloating and fluid retention. More serious, it may cause inflammation to the lining of the gut, upset your metabolism, create nutritional deficiencies, and blood sugar imbalances.  This can lead to food cravings, low energy, depression and even PMS!

When you eat reactive foods, they enter your bloodstream incompletely digested... as bigger particles that your body doesn’t recognize as food. This not only causes indigestion and gas within the gut, but may trigger release of cytokines and chemicals like adrenaline and histamine that set off an inflammatory response. As fluids rush into afflicted cells and are held in your tissues, swelling and abdominal bloating occur. Due to the fluctuation in endophrins that occurs in this "flight or flight response, you may find that you crave the foods your are most sensitive to.  The only real way to heal the gut is to eliminate these food triggers from your diet.

Elimination Diet to the Rescue!

One of the best ways to determine if you are having food reactions is an elimination diet.  Plan for a minimum of 3 weeks off all of the most common seven food allergens:  dairy, wheat, corn, sugar, soy, eggs and peanuts.  You will not be cured by that time, but you can determine which of these seven you are reacting to by adding them back into your diet one-by-one and seeing which one(s) you have a reaction to.

Another way to find the food culprits is to have your physician test you for IgG food sensitivities.  The elimination diet is the "gold standard" to determine what foods you are sensitive to but some patients prefer to have the data on paper before they start.  I use laboratories like, Genova Diagnostics, Metametrix, and US Biotek for this type of testing. 

Be aware that avoiding staple ingredients like wheat, dairy and corn syrup may require you to limit restaurant and packaged foods and to prepare most of your meals yourself.  I also recommend drinking plenty of water and getting regular exercise. Exercise will stimulate your metabolism and boost your energy level. It will also help flush excess fluids, burn calories and suppress your appetite, allowing you to experience even faster results.  Finding you have hidden food sensitivities may require you to adjust your eating, but when the inches start coming off and you feel better than you have in ages it will be worth all the effort!

The Gut Immune System Connection - An Animated Video

The gut mucosa connects with the largest population of immune cells in the body!  Is it any wonder that in functional medicine we assess your gut function as one of the initial steps in cases of allergies, asthma, autoimmune disease, eczema, crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, celiac disease, arthritis and more?  

It’s often the first point of exposure to pathogens.   Many microbes use it as a entry point into the rest of the body. The gut immune system therefore needs to be ready to respond to pathogens but at the same time it is constantly exposed to harmless environmental antigens, food particles and commensal microflora which need to be tolerated. Misdirected immune responses to harmless antigens are the underlying cause of food allergies and debilitating conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease. This animation introduces the key cells and molecular players involved in gut immune connection and disease.



By checking your gut's microbial environment and taking a functional medicine approach to health and wellness, we can actually modulate some of the underlying immune dysregulation and eliminate your symptoms!

Nature Immunology homepage: http://www.nature.com/ni/index.html

Paleo Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup (It's grain-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free!)

Here's a delicious way to beat the cold when you are in the mood for a great comfort food.  This version is completely grain-free, healthy, paleo-safe, husband-approved and absolutely delicious!

Dr. Jill's  Paleo Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup

2 chicken breasts baked and cut into chunks (may use whole chicken for more minerals and moisture)
6-8 cups of spring water
2 TBSP organic olive oil 
1-2 gloves of chopped garlic or 1 tsp of freeze dried garlic
1/2 cup of chopped organic white onion
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp fresh chives chopped
2 sprig fresh Basil leaves chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger root
1/4 lime juice squeezed
2-3 tsp REAL salt with minerals (I used the garlic variety)
3-4 colored organic carrots sliced
1/2 cup chopped organic yellow & red bell peppers
For the "noodles"  I use Taylor Organic broccoli slaw  - Add 2 cups

Simmer on low heat for 60-90 minutes or until veggies soft and flavors blended...
Enjoy!

A Quick Start Guide To Paleo Diet...

You may have heard the recent buzz about Paleo Diet... so what's all the fuss about?

There are far reaching health benefits to eating more like our grandparents would have eaten...   That means real food, not the packaged processed stuff that has become norm in the Standard American Diet, or SAD for short.

The Paleo Diet may be beneficial in reducing your risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.   I frequently use the principles of the paleo diet to help patients re-learn how to eat healthy, maintain ideal weight, and feel fabulous!

You shouldn't be surprised to find a lack of packaged foods on the Paleo Diet menu. There were no convenience stores or super-sized grocery chains in the Stone Age.   And if you're one of the 31% of Americans who eats more packaged foods than fresh foods in your daily diet, it could be an adjustment.  What is amazing, however, are the profound benefits to your health that come from these changes.  If you suffer obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, central weight gain, or autoimmune disease, like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis, you greatly benefit from eliminated all processed grains & sugar from your diet.  Plus you will not be eating two of the most common food allergens: gluten and dairy.  If you suffer from a leaky gut or gastrointestinal dysbiosis, the Paleo Diet will naturally restore the healthy microbial balance since there are no refined sugars or grains to feed the abnormal bacteria or yeast.

The Paleo Diet is basically this:  No sugar, No flours, No processed foods, No grains, no legumes (lectins), no dairy.  What you CAN eat is lean, clean (organic) unprocessed meats (chicken, fish, turkey, beef, bison, elk, lamb, etc), all fruits and veggies in moderation.  And coconut, nuts & seeds are to be eaten freely in unprocessed state.  If you need to make something special, almond or coconut "flour" can be used.

CORE PALEO DIET:

• Meat - GRASS-FED, not grain-fed. Grain causes the same problem in animals as they do in humans.  (bison, elk, buffalo are WONDERFUL red meats to incorporate)
• Fowl - Chicken, duck, hen, turkey…things with wings that (try to) fly.
• Fish - Wild caught fish (mercury and other toxins, like PCBs may be an issue in farmed fish)
• Eggs - Look for Omega-3 enriched eggs raised without hormones or antibiotics from free-range chickens
• Vegetables - As long as they’re not deep-fried, eat as many as you want.
• Oils - Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil – think natural.  No soybeans oil or processed oils.
• Fruits - Have natural sugar, and can be higher in calories, so limit if you’re trying to lose weight.
• Nuts - High in calories, so they’re good for a snack, but don’t eat bags and bags of them.
• Tubers - Sweet potatoes and yams.  Higher in calories and carbs, so these are good for right after a workout to replenish your glycogen levels

What's not allowed when following the Paloe diet?

• Grains (including popular cereal grains such as barley, corn, oats, rice, rye and wheat)
• Beans or legumes
• Dairy products
• Refined salt
• Refined sugars or artificial sweetners
• Refined fats
• Canned or processed meats
• Soda and fruit juices
• All chemicals, additives, artificial flavorings, MSG, yeast.

Perhaps the most important thing about Paleo is it encourages you to get back to whole delicious real food!  It will allow you to feel better, lose weight easily and maintain muscle at any age.  I challenge you to give it a try for yourself for 30 days and see if it doesn't change your life!


More Resources for Paleo Diet:

http://paleophysiciansnetwork.com
http://www.marksdailyapple.com
http://www.westonaprice.org/