Broccoli sprouts, better than sunscreen

We all know that sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage skin, increasing skin ageing and cancer risks.  However, regular sunscreens might not be a better option.

Regular “commercial” sunscreen contains oxybenzone, a chemical that contributes to your toxins load.  Sunscreens also contain fragrances and petro-chemical substances that could increase cancer risks.  Constant application of sunscreen also promotes vitamin D deficiency.

Hopefully, there are natural solutions.  Antioxidants found in various fruits and vegetables have the power of boosting the body’s natural resistance to UV damage.  But the most promising discovery on the subject probably comes from broccoli sprouts.

Researchers at the John Hopkins School of Medicine published a study that shows promising results for broccoli sprouts.”If you apply an extract of broccoli sprouts that contains high levels of sulforaphane to regions of human skin, you can protect them very substantially,” said study co-leader Paul Talalay. “We believe, to the best of our knowledge, that this is the first demonstration of protection against a known human carcinogen in humans.”

Sulfurophane is a potent antioxidant found in cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, Brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower, broccoli and radish. The power of sulfurophane comes in its ability to boost the liver detoxification process.  By activating the phase 2 of the liver detoxification, it enables glutathione S-transferase to neutralize the DBA damaging compounds produced by the skin when struck by the sun’s UV rays.

Unlike sunscreen, broccoli sprouts extract could activate the body’s own defense mechanism naturally without interfering with vitamin D absorption. When exposed to sunlight, the skin synthesizes vitamin D, an essential nutrient to prevent cancer, depression and osteoporosis.

Are you concerned with skin cancer or cancer risks associated with sunscreen? What do you do to protect yourself?