A high SPF and a moderate price tag—that’s how Americans typically choose a sunscreen. We see 50+ on a label and trust it to be effective in protecting our skin. Here’s a surprise: Consumer Reports, the Food and Drug Administration and many other credible resources have found that our beliefs about SPF, and sun protection in general, aren’t the most reliable measure of how much protection we are actually getting. In fact, we are putting our faith in products that may be doing more harm than good.

Many people wouldn’t think twice about not protecting their skin, especially in spring and summer months. There is a wide variety of products and options for anyone in the market for sun protection; however, we hardly question what’s behind the label. Ever see SPF on a label and just think, “Yeah, I know I need to be using that”? What about, “Okay, so what is actually in this?” or “What the heck am I putting on my skin?” Maybe some of us don’t even know what “SPF” stands for or how it works. Let’s take a look.

What Does “SPF” Mean?

“SPF” stands for sun protection factor. This is the familiar number we see on things like sunscreen, makeup and lotion. The number is a rating used to measure the amount of time it takes for exposed skin to burn. SPF ratings are given to products as a measure of how well a sun protection product guards against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, the main cause of sunburn and a contributor to skin cancer. All sunscreens are tested and then labeled with the appropriate SPF value. Higher SPF values are supposed to provide greater sunburn protection. It is important to note here that SPF is only relating to the effectiveness of a product to protect against UVB rays. UVA rays pierce the skin more deeply than UVB—we will touch more on this later.

Higher SPF Numbers Don’t Mean “Safer”

A popular misconception is that the higher the SPF, the more effective it is at protecting your skin from sun damage. However, because of the variety in types of products as well as intensity of sun, there is a natural variance in levels of protection. Ultra-high SPF claims are frequently used on packaging, but the U.S. FDA hasn’t approved modern sunscreen ingredients that would do a better job of broad-spectrum protection. A lot of us would be surprised to find out that in other developed countries, SPF is usually capped at 50.

As far as labeling, we tend to skim over the term “broad spectrum.” It is intentionally included for a very important reason that we should not overlook. Remember the distinction between SPF ratings and UVB rays? Well, products that pass the broad-spectrum test can demonstrate that they also provide UVA protection. Therefore, under the label requirements, sunscreens labeled “Broad Spectrum SPF [value]” indicate protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. Not all sunscreens are broad spectrum, so it is important to look for it on the label. Broad spectrum provides protection with a chemical barrier that absorbs or reflects UV radiation before it can damage the skin (again, we will get to those chemicals in a moment).

The FDA recommends using broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed. In the same vein, as of July 2019, Consumer Reports—which has tested a multitude of sun protection products—has its SPF recommendation at SPF 40. Again, recommendations vary between sources; this is to show that “more” doesn’t always mean “better” when it comes to SPF.

How Sunscreen Works

We know that there are two forms of sunrays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays are present throughout the daylight hours, even on cloudy days, while UVB rays are strongest from 10AM to 4PM. So how do we protect our skin against radiation? You guessed it—sunscreen!

Sunscreen helps to filter out UV radiation using a combination of two main types of active ingredients: inorganic particles (which form a physical barrier, reflecting or scattering UV waves) and organic components (which are responsible for the absorption of UV rays, releasing their energy as heat).

Ingredients

The basic ingredients in sunscreens are often similar. Just like any drug, there are active ingredients and inactive ingredients in sunscreen. Typically, active ingredients are the ones protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, while inactive ingredients are all the other ingredients that may be used in formulating sunscreens.

Some commonly found ingredients are:

• Aminobenzoic acid
• Avobenzone
• Cinoxate
• Dioxybenzone
• Homosalate
• Meradimate
• Octocrylene
• Octinoxate
• Octisalate
• Oxybenzone
• Padimate O
• Ensulizole
• Sulisobenzone
• Titanium dioxide
• Trolamine salicylate
• Zinc oxide

Price has almost nothing to do with the effectiveness of the product you choose when it comes to sunscreen. High price tags are normally associated with the cosmetic nature of a product, or how it feels on your skin. Although most of these ingredients sit on the surface of the skin, reflecting harsh UV rays, there is evidence that at least some active ingredients may be absorbed through the skin and enter the body.

Chemical Concerns

On the topic of ingredients, a few commonly used chemicals have brought up questionable reviews. As of 2019, the FDA has called for more research on the safety and effectiveness of 12 common chemical sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone, avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octisalate and octocrylene. Of these 12, the one most often flagged as potentially worrisome is oxybenzone.

Oxybenzone has been widely used in sunscreens because of its effectiveness in protecting against both UVA and UVB rays. There are concerns about it because of its absorption rate into the bloodstream. When absorbed, it acts like estrogen in the body and in studies has been linked to abnormal sperm function in men and endometriosis in women. Oxybenzone also acts as a skin allergen in a significant number of people.

Other concerning chemicals include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are used in mineral or “natural” sunscreen products. These don’t warrant the same health concerns as chemical sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone because they sit on the surface of the skin and aren’t absorbed. However, Consumer Reports and the FDA both note that they don’t necessarily protect the skin as well as sunscreens with chemical ingredients. Most concerns with these have to do with the safety of inhaling particles, but researchers say the benefits of sunscreens “outweigh potential risks from their ingredients.”

Application

A surefire way to get the most out of any sunscreen you choose is to use it correctly. Regardless of the SPF, it is recommended by the FDA and the Skin Cancer Foundation to follow these guidelines when applying sunscreen:

• Apply the sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside.
• Use 2 or 3 tablespoons to cover your body.
• Make sure you reapply every 2 hours (and more often if you’re sweating or jumping in and out of the water).
• If you use a sunscreen spray, spray yourself twice to get the spots you missed.
• Avoid storing sunscreen in a hot car, as it may become less effective more quickly.
• Everyone, including babies six months and older and people of any skin tone, needs to use sunscreen.

Types

There are many different forms of sun protection on the market, including lotions, creams, sticks, gels, oils, butters, pastes and sprays. It is important to note that nonprescription sunscreen products in the form of wipes, towelettes, powders, body washes and shampoos have not been authorized by the FDA. It is also important to note that there is no such thing as “waterproof” sunscreen. All sunscreens eventually wash off. Per the FDA, “Sunscreens labeled ‘water resistant’ are required to be tested according to the required SPF test procedure. The labels are required to state whether the sunscreen remains effective for 40 minutes or 80 minutes when swimming or sweating, and all sunscreens must provide directions on when to reapply.”

A great way to find out if you are using a good sunscreen or if you are in the market for a new product is to check for the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. The seal is widely accepted as a symbol of safe and effective sun protection that is recognized by consumers worldwide. If you can’t find one of these products, Consumer Reports has done extensive testing to put together a buying guide for consumers to use for free.

There are so many different products out there, which is why it is so important to do your research before putting something in or on your body. This post is just one more step in the right direction toward your healthiest and happiest skin! We hope you found it useful.

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More and more research is being done to help us understand the true impact of gut health on other systems in the body. Commonly reported symptoms like weight gain, weakened immunity, anxiety, depression, changes in mood and energy levels, aches and pains are being reported alongside inflammation, digestive issues and other diseases. Do you see the pattern here? They all stem from the gut!

Anxiety in particular is something a lot of us carry with us and thus is an important topic of conversation. Out of all mental health diagnoses, it is the number one issue in the United States, affecting 40 million adults every year. Maybe you fall into this category or know someone who does. Health journals have been reporting on anxiety for years. And recently, scientific reviews of these journals have been suggesting thatyour gut could be a major factor playing into your mental health.

In a review published in General Psychiatry, researchers from the Shanghai Mental Health Center looked at over 20 studies, examining more than 1,500 participants, to see if gut bacteria had any effect on anxiety. Some people might say this is out of left field, but in fact, a growing amount of research indicates that bacteria found in the gut play a role in brain and mental health—namely, the gut-brain axis, which facilitates communication between the nervous, immune and endocrine systems.

As soon as we heard this, we had to know more! After all, Dr. Jennifer Noonan recently sat down with our co-founder Morgan Kline for the Coffee & Kettlebells podcast to talk about how important a healthy gut really is. So, there must be something to this whole “gut health” thing. When your gut is out of balance, everything else in your body is too. Balancing your gut is essential to living your life with greater vitality.

First things first: What makes a gut healthy? There are trillions, yes trillions, of microorganisms in the gut. We call them microbiota. These little guys perform important functions in the immune system and metabolism by providing essential inflammatory mediators, nutrients and vitamins. When intestinal flora is affected, a series of changes in physical and/or mental symptoms can occur. Here’s where we hear about the ever-so-popular IBS, IBD, GERD and a number of other acronyms related to gastrointestinal (GI, in case you needed another one) issues.

If you’re unsure whether your gut is healthy or not, here are some symptoms that might indicate bad gut health. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list but does address some of the most common symptoms.

1. Gas, bloating and bowel movement changes

The number one telltale sign of gut dysfunction is digestive issues like bloating, gas or bowel movement changes. This is due to the number and diversity (or lack) of bacteria living inside your gut, intestines, stomach and colon. Gas in particular should signal to you that food is fermenting in your gut because your stomach acid is falling down on its job. This leads to an imbalance of bacteria, resulting in the inability to break down the food you’ve eaten…and, yes, gas.

2. Bad breath

But I swear I brushed my teeth! Sometimes bad breath isn’t just a result of poor dental hygiene. In fact, chronic bad breath, aka halitosis, stems from odor-inducing microbes, which increase when the ratio of good and bad bacteria in your gut is off. This may start as a mild inconvenience for your social life, but if your gut flora is off, you are more vulnerable to health conditions linked to bad breath such as kidney infections and diabetes.

3. Skin problems

Diving further into the realm of vanity and mild inconveniences, another sign of an unhealthy gut might be staring right back at you in the mirror. Your skin can tell you a lot about what is going on inside your body. For many people, food intolerances or poor digestion of foods consumed can cause things like eczema and breakouts. By balancing the microbes in your gut, you might be doing more for your skin than any face wash ever could.

4. Sugar cravings

Scientists have determined that the bacteria in your gut produce proteins similar to leptin and ghrelin, which are dubbed the “hunger-regulating hormones.” Here’s a quick breakdown: Bacteria try to get us to eat foods that they thrive on. So if you eat a lot of sugar, you feed the unhelpful bacteria that love it and they pump out the proteins to make you crave more sugar. It’s a vicious cycle! Not to worry, though—there is still hope! By fixing your gut, you can eradicate the bacteria that cause you to crave these foods in the first place and—boom!—no more sugar cravings.

5. Mood changes and mental health problems

Last but not least, we underestimate the impact our gut function plays on the levels of our “happy hormones,” serotonin and dopamine, as well as vitamin D. Part of the reason people with leaky gut may experience mental health issues is the micronutrient deficiencies that happen when the body is unable to absorb nutrients. The majority of the happy hormones are actually made in your gut. If you are unable to absorb micronutrients that help facilitate these hormones, it is likely you could experience moodiness, anxiety or depression due to a lack of crucial hormones responsible for regulating emotions.

Don’t worry, we won’t leave you high and dry to figure this out on your own! If you are wondering how you can get your gut health back on track (or keep it on track), there are a few things you can start being aware of in your diet that will definitely have in impact.

Like we touched on before with sugar cravings, a diet high in processed foods and added sugars can decrease the number of good bacteria in your gut. High amounts of refined sugars, particularly high-fructose corn syrup, are what the bad bacteria crave, helping them to outnumber the good guys. Cut out the sugar, cut out the bad bacteria, lessen the cravings and make more room for good bacteria to thrive! So stay away from added sugars. Instead, try eating a wide variety of whole foods. A lack of diversity within the gut bacteria limits recovery from harmful influences, such as infection or antibiotics that kill off good bacteria. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains can lead to a more diverse gut flora. This is because the food you eat provides nutrients that help bacteria grow. A diet rich in whole foods provides your gut with a variety of nutrients that help promote the growth of different types of bacteria, resulting in a more diverse gut flora. The adage “the more the merrier” applies here!

Also, if you don’t eat probiotic-rich foods already, now is the time to start! Foods like yogurt, miso and tempeh and drinks like the ever-popular kombucha all have the wonderful microorganisms that make up a healthy gut. One great part about the research we told you about earlier is that they looked into the use of probiotic-rich foods to help address symptoms of anxiety. Their findings indicated that more than half of the studies found that regulating gut bacteria helped to improve anxiety. Obviously, there is still a long way to go with research in the gut-brain axis world before determining direct causation between anxiety and gut health. With that said, eating more gut-friendly foods has been shown to help the bacteria already in your intestines flourish (instead of simply introducing more bacteria, which happens when taking supplements). If your gut is flourishing, the cause-and-effect chain can ripple on up to your brain, improving your mental health as well.

A huge bonus of eating a diverse diet with loads of probiotic-rich foods is that you’re also going to be getting more prebiotic foods! Not to be confused with probiotics, prebiotics are a type of fiber that passes through the body undigested and promotes the growth of good bacteria. Again, many whole foods have naturally occurring prebiotic fiber. Some examples include legumes, oats, bananas, asparagus, garlic, onions and nuts. Including these in your diet will help your body flush out the bad stuff and leave room for more of the bacteria that can absorb all of the micronutrients necessary to help regulate emotions.

Mental health issues like anxiety can be overwhelming, but getting your gut health in check could be just what the doctor ordered to give you some peace of mind. Isn’t it wild that whole foods have the ability to heal such an intricate system of hormones in the body—minus all the extra pills and supplements that can rack up a huge bill and actually have a negative impact on your gut health in the end? The potential for a more accessible solution for mental illness, like anxiety, with small changes in your diet and lifestyle is an incredible step in a positive direction! As always, we encourage you to speak to a doctor before making dietary changes or if you think you may have anxiety. Head to the BE. blog to learn more about prebiotics and probiotics as well as the link between gut health and cravings, and to learn more about the importance of gut health and how to heal your gut, listen to this episode of Coffee & Kettlebells!­­­­

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