Lately, scientists in the sunscreen industry have been in the metaphorical hot seat. Sunscreen use is at an all time high (good) but so are skin cancer rates (bad).  'Sunscreen causes cancer' would've made a much more sensational title for this post but it's actually misuse of sunscreen that's adding to cancer's success. People have a false sense of protection with sunscreens. Instead we should be getting smaller doses of sun and covering up more.

common misconceptions

 

• my high SPF sunscreen blocks the sun's radiation

  There are different types of radiation from the sun. SPF (the sunscreen measurement we're most familiar with) refers to the level of protection against Ultraviolet B rays (UVB). This is great for stopping the burn because UVB rays are the ones that damage the skin and cause sunburn. Unfortunately, roughly 95% of the sun’s rays are the dastardly UVA rays that cause wrinkling and sagging. More importantly, they also trigger cell mutations that may initiate skin cancer. Sunscreens offer such minimal protection against UVA rays that in most cases is not even indicated on the bottle.

• I'm not burnt so I'm fine

  Sunscreen provides a filter allowing us to spend all day in the sun and moderate the rate of tan, from beige to brown sugar. But the sun's rays that burn you are different from the ones that contribute to cancer. Think of sun burn as a smoke alarm. If you've been in the sun long enough to get burnt, you've been out long enough for UVAs to do damage. If you turn off your smoke alarm (aka putting on sunscreen) you won't know if the kitchen's on fire.

• the sun is bad for you

  Staying out of the sun all day could be as detrimental to your health as staying in the sun all day. When sunlight touches your skin, your body makes vitamin D (you may not have heard about it because no-one's worked out how to make money out of it). Vitamin D plays an amazing role in preventing osteoporosis and breast cancer. Try to get small doses, often. Don't try to cram a year's worth of sun into one day at the beach.

   

   

   

   

protect yourself against uva

Sunscreen messes with your body's natural defenses against the sun's radiation: a sunburn is a gentle reminder to get out of the sun before the bad radiation shows up. The best way to protect yourself from UVA radiation but still get a good dose of vitamin D is to adopt the philosophy of “everything in moderation”. Go out in the sun (sans sunscreen) but don't stay out too long. When determining 'how long is too long' take these factors into consideration:

• your skin tone
• the heat of the day, cloud coverage etc.
• the time of day (burn time will be longer in the evenings and early mornings)
• location (In New Zealand the burn time is announced as part of the weather report and is usually under 10 minutes)

Make the most of hats (to protect the delicate skin around your eyes), shady trees or a shirt to enjoy the outdoors without putting yourself at risk. Maybe we can even bring back the parasol.

avoid wrinkles (& the big C) with this gear

Our Sunbeam and Sun Blocker tops have a UPF rating of 45- 50 (the top rating possible). This means that they block upwards of 97.5 of UVA & UVB rays.

• Sunbeam Pullover
• Sun Blocker Long Sleeve
• Women's Cross Training Cap
• Women's Reflection Run Visor

you asked

My mom is very spiritual and loved yoga. This year she was diagnosed with colon cancer and had to undergo emergency surgery. She currently has a colostomy bag attached to her, and always complains how she would like to do gentle meditation and yoga, but can't twist or do many of the poses. I was wondering if you could recommend any dvds that my mom could do at home that were more about breath and breathing vs poses. She has to stay at home a lot so I thought this would help her have some positivity in her life. Thanks! - Tara

a yogi answers

Hi Tara,

Thank you for your email. There are many ways to support your mom with her yoga practice during this transition in her life. One of the blessings that yoga offers is that there truly is a practice for each and everyone of us no matter where we are at. Asana, posture practice, comprises about 5% of what the teachings of yoga have to offer. The true benefit of yoga lies in the deeper practices of pranayama (breathing) and meditation.

Pranayama practice is a powerful emotional support for body, mind, and more importantly the energetic connection to life (spirit). Breathing is the sutra (thread) that connects life into our cells. Healing occurs on a cellular level and their is nothing more revitalizing to our cells than plenty of conscious breathing. Meditation being a higher form of practice helps to calm the mind of mental chatter and channels that focus and energy into healing and courage to live from a place of possibility and acceptance.

There are many forms of yoga practice that are less movement based and more energetic and breathing based. A favourite of mine is kundalini yoga. If you can get past the traditional dress and a bit of sanskrit there is a whole other domain of bliss and spiritual practice on offer.

There are many videos available and because kundalini yoga is a formulaic practice, which means it's consistent in its teachings, you could choose any video and benefit greatly. Each teacher is schooled in understanding the energetic benefit of the kriya, which is like a posture but a breathing posture with a specific mental focus. Gormukh Kaur Khalsa, a popular Kundalini teacher, has many videos available in book stores and on Amazon. The secret to benefiting from any practice is consistency. A little bit of breathing and meditation in the morning and evening is much more effective than doing a lot once a week.

Kind regards,
Claire, lululemon Burlington ambassador

a bit about claire

Claire has always been in awe of the incredible regenerative and healing powers that the human body possesses. She has seen this first hand with her 20 years experience as a critical care/emergency nurse in dramatic situations as well as her own personal experience of serious back issues that she had to deal with at one point in her life. It was the powerful physical aspects of her vinyasa practice that firstly connected her to the power of yoga. She has come to understand that this was just the tip of the iceberg. She teaches from a place of delivering an intelligent, rigorous, and kind physical practice that accesses the vast terrain of our mental and emotional domains that in turn allows us to come to terms with who we are as human beings. Claire is Certified Baptiste Master Teacher with degrees in Anatomy and Physiology, Kinesiology, and committed study in Ayurveda she facilitates Teacher and Assistant trainings, as well as life transformation programs in the US and abroad.

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column. If you have a yoga question for a lululemon yoga ambassador, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.