Have you ever wondered if there are more natural ways to lower your high blood pressure,

guard against Alzheimer's, loose weight, feel better? Well, it turns out there is. Welcome to

the Nutrition Facts podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Michael Greger. Today we take a deep dive into the

best way to choose the safest and most effective sunscreen.

Consider the single most important practices for maintaining youthful skin,

the daily application of sunscreen, and taking other protective measures like wearing a hat.

All the other things you can do for your skin pale in comparison, especially for those with pale skin.

Up to 90% of visible facial aging among people with lighter skin tones is due to exposure to sunlight.

Those with darker skin are relatively protected due to their built-in melanin sunscreen,

but they're still affected.

Sun damage and darker skin tends to be less about wrinkles and more about pigmentation

issues, such as uneven skin tones, dark patches, and small dark bumps on the face.

Either way, dermatologists now agree that there is nothing more important to slow the signs

of aging than to protect your skin from the sun.

Factors like sun exposure and smoking can make us look up to 11 years older.

Compare that to extensive cosmetic surgery, a facelift and a neck lift,

and removing excess skin from both upper and lower eyelids and a forehead lift,

which combined can make us look about eight years younger,

so a healthy lifestyle may work

even better.

Protecting your skin from the sun should be a lifelong endeavor.

This can involve applying sunscreen, wearing sun protective, clothing, hats, and sunglasses,

...