Best Health And Wellness Info

An extract from a species of fern plant is proving to provide sun and skin cancer protection when used either topically or orally.  Polypodium leucotomos (say that ten times fast!) - which from here on out, I’ll be calling “PL” for short, is a Central American plant that has been used for centuries to treat tumors, skin disases, and sunburn. 

Modern research has discovered that oral ingestion of this fern not only decreases the skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s ultraviolet rays and reduce the tendency to get sunburned, but also helps maintain special immune cells in the skin that fight cancer, AND inhibits collagen-destroying enzymes that contribute to skin aging. 

“PL” contains strong antioxidants, but it also appears to have a much greater affinity for the skin than most antioxidants.  In addition, “PL” extracts appear to act as an ultraviolet absorbing material that blocks UV radiation. 

Even better, studies indicate that this oral “sunscreen” works quickly - a single 500 - 750 mg dose of “PL” provides moderate protection against the sun’s rays that same day!  It should be noted that the amount of UV protection from “PL”, while significant, is not enough by itself to prevent sunburn from prolonged, intense sun exposure.  Studies suggest that it increases the skin’s resistance to sun damage by three to seven times what is normal for a given individual (in topical sunscreen terms, that would be an SPF of 3 to 7).  So, by itself, “PL” is not likely to keep you from getting burned on a day at the beach.  It will; however, give you extra protection when combined with a topical sunscreen, and because it inhibits collagen-destroying enzymes, it will also help protect your skin’s elasticity and youthfulness. 

“PL” will be of particular benefit for those who are unusually fair-skinned, and/or are on medication that increases ultraviolet sensitivity.  In fact, the sun protection it provides is probably enough to protect such individuals for casual sun exposure, such as when having to walk across a parking lot to get to one’s car, and other short sun exposures that occur in the course of normal daily activities.  For such individuals, a daily dose of “PL” will provide a much more convenient form of sun protection than having to take the time to apply topical sunscreen.  And at a retail cost for most “PL” supplements of about $1.00 per day, it’s a relatively cost-effective form of sun protection as compared to topical sunscreens too. 

Polypodium leucotomos is not yet widely available, so if you are interested in using it but have trouble finding it locally, feel free to contact me for assistance. 

Stay tuned to my natural remedies blog for more healthy lifestyle tips.

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