Back To Sun Worship

For 4.603 billion years, the sun, centered in the Milky Way Galaxy, has spun planets into orbit.

For 1,300 million years, the sun has fueled fungi.

For 480 million years, the sun photosynthesized plants.

The first fossil of a homo sapien dates back 200,000 years from the Middle Paleolithic time period.

Planet Earth, the “Goldilocks” of the Milky Way, is situated at the perfect distance between “too hot” and “too cold” for life. It is on this blue-green planet where babies scream for mothers and where fathers cook over blazing fires.

Our sun is our source of life, sending warmth and vitamins intermittently with the moon’s dark night.

Humans have evolved from an ancient practice of sun worship to a modern day fear of skin cancer. What happened?

Skin cancer is a very real, very important issue to be avoided. However, the true culprit may be in question.

The hole in the ozone layer, burned carelessly by modern pollution, has weakened our barrier to the sun; however, this may not be the only crack in the shield.

As the largest organ, the skin plays a huge role in absorption and detoxification. In fact, the skin absorbs upwards of 60% of substances applied to the skin and 100% of substances applied to the underarms and genitalia. Absorption directly enters the bloodstream and lymphatic system, a network of tissues and organs that transport lymphatic fluid (containing white blood cells) and aid in the removal of toxins and waste.

Modern technology and marketing has introduced product after product that claim to be a “necessity” or “essential” for consumer’s bathroom shelves. Men need cologne to attract women. Women need makeup to attract men. Dry skin is solved with lotion and chapped lips with chapstick. Body odor requires deodorant and finger nails need nail polish. Has anyone ever examined the ingredients on all these products? They are mostly chemicals.

Change the tone of the question “How did our ancestors live without deodorant and toothpaste?” from disbelief to curiosity. How did they do it? Body odor can sometimes be offensive, how did people mate? Was their hair always disastrous? Did their breath wreak?

The difference is their inside-out approach versus the modern outside-in approach.

Bad breath arises from a gut imbalance and body odor from detoxification. As toxic exposure grows exponentially with modernity, so do our bodily offenses.

This is not to say throw out deodorant or toothpaste, because hygiene is important. Rather, examine your products and opt for natural substances. Trade conventional toothpaste for baking soda and coconut oil, and swap mouthwash for oil pulling. Alternatives for shampoo include, believe it or not, combining oils such as castor oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, tea tree oil - truly any that work best with one’s particular hair type. Combine 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 8 oz of water for conditioner. There is always a natural option.

Overburdening the skin with chemical-ridden substances prevents the skin’s natural ability to detox these toxins and to produce melanin, the skin’s natural sun protection.

So is it the sun causing skin cancer, or is the skin’s over absorption of harsh chemicals causing skin cancer? In a society that uses conventional sunscreen more than ever, how are the number of individuals experiencing skin cancer still increasing?

If you feel distressed or at a crossroads, on one hand chemicals create skin cancer and on the other, the skin does need some protection from the sun - breathe.

Natural skin protection exists.

1. Avoid extended sun exposure. Evolutionarily, humans did not lounge in the sun greased in oil for hours on end. Humans spent time in the shade and sun intermittently. Opt for umbrellas on the beach, wide-brimmed sun hats and protective clothing, at least when the sun is the strongest.

2. Slowly build the skin’s natural protection. Start by sitting in the sun without protection between 12:00-2:00 PM for 15-20 minutes depending on one’s particular skin type. After a couple days or week, continue to increase the time spent “unprotected” in the sun. Rather than tuning into a timer to know when your skin needs a break, tune into the body. All humans understand the euphoric feeling that comes from sitting in the sun. It's the same feeling that continually lures cats to the windowsill. When that euphoric feeling becomes irritability, dizziness, or exhaustion, it may be time to seek shade. “Unprotected” time in the sun is actually critical for the absorption and synthesization of vitamin D, the catalyst of several bodily functions, including the absorption of calcium.

3. As counterintuitive as it seems, some oils have natural SPF components. Examples include: carrot seed oil (SPF 38-40), red raspberry seed oil (SPF 28-50), wheatgerm oil (SPF 20) and coconut oil (SPF 2-8). These oils are great for daily wear; however, they should be combined with another natural mode of skin protection for intense sun exposure.

4. Find a natural, organic sunscreen or make your own. There are several companies that produce sunscreens made from natural ingredients and minerals and endless DIY recipes online. Traditionally, zinc was used for burns and wounds and now zinc oxide is a main ingredient in natural sunscreens (and even acne treatments).

In our progressing world, characterized by new ideas and open minds, it is time to redirect the fear of the sun into an examination of our current environment. Question the products on the shelf, the water in showers and sinks, and examine who profits from this misdirected fear. Could this fear of the natural world that produces manmade “solutions” be part of a profitable cycle?

It is time to dial back to our natural roots, back to our days of sun worship, and learn what true skin protection means.