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Sunburn Basics

Health Nuts

In our opinion there's no better spokesperson for sunburn prevention and treatment than a fair-skinned surfer living in the tropics. Zach Keenan splits his year between Indonesia and Hawaii, searching out some of the best waves on the planet. He hardly ever gets burnt despite spending countless hours in intense sunlight daily. On his last trip to California we caught up with Zach to learn his secrets.

While Zach's views might be a bit controversial and go against some of Western medicine's view of melanoma and skin cancer prevention, it's worth sharing as an alternative take on a global pandemic. Whether or not you fully subscribe to Zach's views, everyone should consider the foods they eat as part of their arsenal against sun damage and invest in natural sunblocks that contain only a mixture of natural oils and oxidized metal powder.

Host:: Zach Keenan
Camera/Edit:: James Campbell
Producer:: Cyrus Sutton
Music:: "Across The Board Again" by Connie Price
Additional Footage:: Logan "Beek" Carr & Justis St. John
POV Camera Footage:: Zach Keenan

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Comments: 15

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Comments: 15

Rich Flynn

Jun 08, 2012 @ 01:05 am

Thanks for posting :) What were the other ingredients in that seaweed avocado wrap?
matt jen jenks

Jun 08, 2012 @ 10:35 am

Tomatoes - there is pretty good evidence in peer reviewed journals that a diet with lots of tomatoes reduces the chance of sunburn
Nick Williams

Jun 08, 2012 @ 03:57 pm

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but a basic understanding of what causes cancer (skin or other) invalidates most of the half-baked health tips this guy is spouting. UV radiation breaks down DNA, unequivocally--which can cause mutations, i.e. cancer. That's why UV lamps are used in research laboratories for sterilization. Some people might have enough melanin naturally occurring (or built up) in their skin to help to protect against UV radiation. However, just because you aren't seeing severe acute damage--sunburn--doesn't mean that your DNA is not being damaged from sun exposure. That said, showing people how to make their own zinc oxide-based sunscreen is great. Zinc can certainly help to reflect a broad spectrum of radiation from hitting your skin. And further, many commercially available sunscreens use nanoparticles--the consequences of which are not well understood. But I think it is a little irresponsible to tell viewers to just put a little on their face and eat some passion fruit and you will be good to go...
Jim Gould

Jun 09, 2012 @ 06:46 pm

Would have to agree with Nick. A friend of mine who is one of the greenest, healthiest people I know, just had a chunk of nose taken off. If you spend alot, ALOT, of time outdoors, I would stick with quality sunscreen. Lots of good natural stuff available. Did look like it was fun to make though.
Mimi Roterman

Jun 10, 2012 @ 11:47 pm

Hey! Any way you can find out what went into that amazing looking Nori burrito he was eating in the video? I got it was avocado but there was something else that looked intriguing. I want me some of that! (good post for another 'health-nuts' perhaps??)
Korduroy Admin

Jun 11, 2012 @ 03:59 pm

Hi Nick and Jim, there are many things that break the down DNA. The body is in a constant state of repair. Healthy bodies can repair more quickly and easily than those who've been stressed, malnourished and aged. We don't condone "eating a passion fruit and slapping a little zine on your nose." But would like the things people put into their bodies be recognized as a factor in the equation. Thanks for your thoughts!
Joseph Robison

Jun 11, 2012 @ 05:06 pm

This is awesome, and I do agree completely that we can prevent most damage to the skin with a mostly raw, rejuvenating diet. Being a whitey myself though I wouldn't want to take my chances. It would be awesome if you could post some links to any other links or some of the science behind it if you know of any!
The Dudemaster

Jun 12, 2012 @ 06:00 am

Rad - however I don't want to make my own sunblock .... Does whole foods or similar natural products store have a good option?
J.J. Pattishall

Jun 14, 2012 @ 06:38 pm

No matter what the situation, it's up to the individual to investigate what's stated more thoroughly. In any case it would be silly to accept something as truth without doing your own research. That being said I appreciate what you guys are doing! I feel somewhat ignorant for not having considered diet in regards to sunburn prevention. It makes sense and the video provides a nice starting ground for further research! Keep up the good work! Peace.
Cyrus Sutton

Jun 15, 2012 @ 12:35 pm

Here's something from our friends at Surfer's Path that sheds more light on the situation- http://surferspath.mpora.com/featured-content/sunscreen-dangerous-check.html
Sue Woledge

Jun 16, 2012 @ 11:04 pm

I had to jump in and comment here. First - most commercial sunscreens are hazardous to your health. They contain chemicals that impact the endocrine system and may be carcinogenic. Second - cancer is not caused by the sun, or smoking or any of the other things that most people believe. Cancer can be TRIGGERED by these things - damage to the skin, damage to the lungs etc. Cancer is CAUSED by the condition of our body and our cells. Lack of nutrients, lack of oxygen getting to the cells, overload of toxins in the body, emotional stress etc - these are the things that cause ALL cancers. If we ensure that our body is getting all that it needs, that the cells are receiving plenty of oxygen via exercise, nutrients via our food, that our gut flora is healthy/balanced (very important and a very common problem these days in Western societies), that our body is not overloaded with stress and chemical toxins and that we are getting sufficient SUNSHINE to create the vitamin D (not a vitamin but a hormone) that is essential for all systems of our body to be healthy - we will remain cancer free or if diagnosed with cancer, implementing these things can reverse cancer. Our body is designed to live in the sunshine - it is essential for health. Nature doesn't make mistakes - human beings do.
Wade Grocott

Jun 28, 2012 @ 02:53 pm

Great video, thanks for the sun block recipe. Any experience or idea of shelf life for this once it's been made? I am looking to make a larger batch but won't if it doesn't last that long. Thanks.
Korduroy Admin

Jul 10, 2012 @ 04:09 pm

The only perishable ingredient in the formula is coconut oil which typically has a shelf life of 1.5 to 2 years at room temperature.
Kris Slager

May 18, 2013 @ 12:32 am

Thanks for the recipe..I completely agree with the dangers of putting chemicals on our skin daily to help stop sun damage to our skin....the recipe and cooking process look easy enough...FYI -I was at the Dermatologist today and after I asked about the dangers of slathering on sunscreen every day....she agreed and told me that the over the counter sunscreen ingredients Avobenzone and Oxybenzone are definitely absorbed into the bloodstream and the reports on the damage this causes is vague.....Zinc Oxide is not absorbed into the bloodstream which makes it the sun-blocking ingredient of choice....Companies are coming out with Zinc Oxide sunscreens that have a tan color tint to them to counteract the 'whiteness' of the zinc, which can be objectionable. I am trying "elta MD" samples to see how effective they are....they are broad-spectrum & seem to have only 2 ingredients (one of which is zinc oxide)
Korduroy Admin

May 18, 2013 @ 05:25 pm

If you are looking for an natural sunscreen that works, check out Surf Yogis. Their formula is top notch and protects unlike any other suncreen we have used - http://surfyogis.com/

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