Every now and again we discuss self-care strategies that benefit health, so in honor of summer, this article will dive into 7 natural sunscreen alternatives that do not contain typical toxic ingredients found in traditional sunscreens, plus 5 plant-based foods that work as "internal" sunscreens. [caption id="attachment_5680" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Sunscreen endocrine disruptors[/caption] INTRODUCTION Holistic sunscreens are all the rage, and rightly so! Traditional sunscreen ingredients contain harmful ingredients (e.g., oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor) that can harm fish, coral reefs, and other aquatic organisms. These sunscreen ingredients also harm humans as they disrupt the normal functioning of the body’s hormones (i.e., endocrine disruptors). The most widely used active ingredient found in sunscreens is oxybenzone, which is used in hundreds of sunscreen products. It is an effective sunscreen, as it absorbs ultraviolet (UV) light known as UV-A rays (320 – 400 nm) and UV-B rays