In the video above, Dr. Joseph Mercola explains that UVB rays from sunlight produce vitamin D in the skin. Sunlight is the ideal source for vitamin D. See Sunlight Exposure, Allergies & Asthma to learn about the role of vitamin D in allergic disease.

Most sunscreens block beneficial UVB rays, but many do not filter harmful UVA rays.

On top of that, most sunscreens contain toxic chemicals. Octylmethocycinnamate (OMC) is in 90 percent of sunscreens, and when it is exposed to sunlight, it undergoes a chemical reaction that makes it extremely toxic!

Besides OMC, Dr. Mercola warns that the following chemicals have been found to easily penetrate your blood stream:

• 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone


• 2-ethylhexyl-p-methoxycinnamate


• 2-ethylhexylsalicylate (octylsalicylate)


• salicylic acid 3,3,5-trimethcyclohexyl ester (homosalate)

When choosing a sunscreen, Dr. Mercola advises to "make sure it's screening for UVA and doesn't have these toxic chemicals - because otherwise, you are defeating the purpose and actually making the situation worse."

Vanicream Sunscreen is a safe, non-toxic sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.