Sun Protection & Coconut Oil

i have changed the way i think about sun and sun protection. i used to love lying out in the sun. when i was younger i would slather on a thick coating of sunscreen and spend hours outside. as i got older i would worry about cancer and put on even more sunscreen and limit my time in the sun. i bought daily lotions that had SPF in them so whenever i was outside i would be protected.

as my view on health has changed i have been thinking more about not only what i'm putting into my body but what i'm putting on my body. we have started to use coconut oil for everything from cooking to skincare. coconuts are one of the most incredible super foods and i am discovering more each day on the benefits of coconut. we have replaced all of our cooking oils with coconut oil. and have started to use it as a skin moisturizer as well. Benefits of coconut oil include: improving digestion, reduced inflammation, supports thyroid function, promotes healthy hair and complexion, etc. we get the bulk of our coconut products from Tropical Traditions, they have a lot more info about the benefits of coconut oil on their site as well as great recipes! another incredible benefit of continuous coconut oil use is providing protection from the damaging effects of UV rays from the sun. If you ingest about 3-4 tbsp of coconut oil a day as well as apply it to your skin after 6 months to a year you can start using it as a sun protector. we tested this out the other day, we were out in the sun for 30 - 45 minutes at the pool and we didn't burn.

Dr. Axe posted an article on his site the other day about sunscreen which drove this point home for me even more.

we'll continue to try the coconut oil as our sun protection throughout the summer and report back.

a note on coconut oil: you can purchase the oil in stores but it's pretty expensive. Tropical Traditions has the best prices and different variations of the oil. more on coconuts and coconut oil later.