I MARRIED A NUTRITIONIST Inside Information for Men on Health and Nutrition

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If you’re one of the millions of Americans who use sunscreen, good for you… and bad for you depending on which brand you use.  Like all consumer products, some are good for you while others are slowly kicking your butt down the ally, without you even knowing it.

As always, I try to bring you information, via my nutritionist, that will cut through the crap and give you the facts.  That’s what problem-solving guys want.  So, with that in mind, here we go on Sunscreens:

If your sunscreen contains either OCTINOXATE, OXYBENZONE, HOMOSLATE, PARABENS or OCTISALATE, throw it away.  Don’t stop at the refrigerator to grab a beer.  Trust me, you won’t forget to do that on the way back to the couch.  Okay, more about these ingredients.  Sure, these chemicals help protect you from ultraviolet rays, but the first four are potential hormone disrupters. Not cool for men and other living things.  Oxybenzone can lower your testosterone, which means while you’re out doing studly things at the beach, golf course, or on your bike, you may be losing your manlihood as this stuff soaks into your open, sweaty pores.  Oh, and the fourth one on the list, Octisalate, is known to give some people dry, itchy skin.  Don’t be a flake.

Now, I’m not one to bring up problems without providing solutions, so here goes… There’s a public-health watchdog group based in Washington D.C. called The Environmental Working group (EWG).  Trust me, they’re your friend.  Case in point, they have compiled, without even charging you, an extensive database (785 name-brand sunscreens) to help consumers like you fill in the information gap cased by the FDA’s failure to set meaningful sunscreen standards.  This fantastic database lists products that offer the best combination of safety and effectiveness.  It looks at the safest chemicals, the best sunburn protection, what prevents long-term sun damage that ages and wrinkles you, and what helps you prevent cancer.  Check out your sunscreen on this list.   You’ll probably be surprised.  84% of the 785 sunscreen products with an SPF rating of 15 or higher offer “inadequate” protection from the sun’s harmful rays, or contain ingredients with safety concerns.

Ironically, some popular sunscreen chemicals actually break down when exposed to sunlight.  That’s like having car wax that attracts bird crap.  Okay, not the best analogy but you get my drift.  Other brands simply soak in the skin and cause health concerns.

Okay, here’s what you do.  Log on to:  http://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/ and look around.  It’s a user-friendly site that’s easy to navigate.  There’s no reason sunscreen shouldn’t protect you and be safe for you.  After all, isn’t that the whole idea of protection?

And that’s the scoop from Healthy Spouse.  Task it out. You’ll be glad you did.