There’s a new and better way to avoid sunburn. It’s not a cream… It’s a pill. And it’s derived from a tropical fern.

It works better than sunscreen for three reasons… It blocks harmful UVB radiation. It doesn’t need to be constantly reapplied. And you can avoid putting dangerous chemicals on your skin.

Want to know more about sunscreen’s harmful effects? Read this week’s NHD Undercover here.

A recent study comes from Dr. Richard D. Granstein. He graduated from MIT. He received his MD from the University of California, Los Angeles. And he was a member of the Department of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School. After leaving there, he joined Weill Cornell Medical College as a professor of dermatology. He’s currently chairman of the department.

Fending Off UVB Radiation Internally

The sun emits both UVA and UVB radiation. UVA doesn’t damage your DNA directly. But UVB can cause direct DNA damage.

UVB interferes with normal immune system functions. That can lead to skin cancer. According to Dr. Granstein: UVB-induced skin cancers in mice “occur, in part, because of UVB-induced immunosuppression.”

Dr. Granstein put an extract version of the tropical fern to the test. It was delivered orally.

He divided mice into two groups. One group was given normal drinking water. The other was given water with the fern extract. All of the mice were exposed to UVB radiation. Then changes in their skin were observed.

The result: The fern extract in the drinking water “significantly reduced the inhibition of contact hypersensitivity (CHS) observed with exposure to UVB radiation.” (CHS is a skin rash caused by an exaggerated immune response.)

He concluded that the extract inhibited UVB-induced immune suppression. That might explain why it’s able to keep UVB-induced skin cancer from forming.

There’s another study on the effect of the extract when taken by mouth. It was conducted at Harvard Medical School. The study was led by Dr. Middelkamp-Hup. It was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Nine healthy participants “were exposed to varying doses of artificial UV radiation without and after oral administration of [the extract].” The team then assessed biopsy specimens of their skin.

The researchers conclude that consuming the extract effectively led to “significant protection of skin against UV radiation.”

Say Goodbye to Greasy Sunscreen!

The fern is Polypodium leucotomos (PL). It grows in Central and South America. And it’s loaded with antioxidants.

You can find several supplements that contain an extract of PL. One is Calaguala. Another is Kalawalla. But Heliocare may be the one to try. It’s been recommended by many dermatologists.

You can get it online or at a health food store. Each capsule has 240 mg of PL extract.

Remember, sun is good for you in small doses. Your body needs it to generate vitamin D. But you should avoid sitting out in the sun all day.

One capsule of Heliocare a day can give you added protection from dangerous UVB rays. That’s especially important if you have fair skin. Or if you spend a lot of time outdoors.

To your best health,

Michael Jelinek,
Managing Editor, NHD “Health Watch”