Welcome to The Rise – your weekly dose of circadian sunshine, decentralised health wisdom, and actionable tips to help you live healthier, stronger, and more empowered.
Welcome to the Summer Edition: Discover the dangerous ingredient in slushies hospitalising kids, why “mineral” sunscreens aren’t what you think (spoiler: chemicals hiding in plain sight), and how to harness your body’s built-in sun protection system. And for our Northern friends, this is for you too! Summer will be here before you know it.
Have suggestions? Or something you’d like to see here? Help me better serve this vibrant community of health rebels and send me your feedback and message here.
Much love and sunshine, ☀️
Sandy xx
Issue #100 • 28 December, 2025
🌅 Rise Report
The Colourful Drink Sending Kids to Hospital
UK Experts Call for Slushie Ban After Children Lose Consciousness
Slushies seem harmless. Bright colours, sweet flavours, perfect for kids and who doesn’t love a good ol’ brain freeze? But a disturbing pattern has emerged: children as young as two arriving at emergency departments unconscious after drinking them.
A British Medical Journal study analysed 21 children in the UK and Ireland who became seriously ill after consuming slushies. Symptoms included decreased consciousness, dangerously low blood sugar, seizures, and one child who had to be resuscitated. Most became unwell within an hour of drinking.
The culprit? Glycerol (E422), a sugar substitute added to keep slushies from freezing solid. Whilst safe for adults, young children can’t process glycerol the same way because of their lower body weight. Instead, it builds up, potentially causing “glycerol intoxication syndrome.”
UK health experts are now calling for children under eight to avoid these drinks entirely. Currently, the Food Standards Agency recommends they not be sold to children under four, and kids under 10 should have no more than one per day with no free refills.
The decentralised wisdom? I know they may seem like fun but these drinks offer zero nutritional value whilst potentially posing health risks to young children. We can’t rely on our government and Food Standards to do the right thing so a friendly check of ingredients may be worthwhile before saying “yes” to that frosty drink.
What’s Really in Your “Mineral” Sunscreen
Think your “mineral-only” sunscreen contains just zinc oxide and titanium dioxide? Australian researchers at the University of New South Wales tested ten products and reviewed over 100 more—and discovered one in three products marketed as “mineral-only” actually contain hidden chemical UV-absorbing filters.
Here’s the marketing sleight-of-hand: chemicals like butyloctyl salicylate and ethylhexyl methoxycrylene strongly absorb UV light but don’t have to be listed as “active ingredients” because their primary listed function is improving texture and stability. Yet laboratory testing revealed their tell tale UV-absorbing signature.
Even more interesting? The research confirmed what formulators have known for years: mineral sunscreens don’t actually “reflect” UV light as commonly claimed. They work primarily by absorbing UV radiation—just like chemical sunscreens—with only 4-5% reflection.
The takeaway? The “mineral vs chemical” sunscreen debate is more complicated than marketing suggests. If you’re choosing mineral sunscreens to avoid chemicals, read ingredient lists carefully—and know that even pure mineral formulas work by absorbing UV, not reflecting it.
“Mineral” Doesn’t Mean Inert: Zinc and Titanium from Sunscreens Found in Blood and Urine
For years, we’ve been told mineral sunscreens are the safer choice. They don’t contain the long list of endocrine disrupting and potentially carcinogenic ingredients like homosalate, they sit on your skin’s surface and don’t penetrate. Years ago, mineral sunscreens were my go to too! Turns out, that assumption is outdated.
Research using radioactive zinc isotopes found small amounts of zinc from zinc oxide sunscreens appearing in blood plasma and urine samples, with concentrations increasing after five days of exposure. Another study on titanium dioxide (nano-TiO₂) confirmed similar absorption, with particles interacting with skin and light before being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Here’s what manufacturers don’t advertise: both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can dissolve partially into ions, interact with your skin and UV light, and be absorbed through to your blood and urine. The claim that “mineral means inert, passive, or biologically silent” simply isn’t true. And do we know the potential adverse health effects? No, we don’t.
The takeaway? Mineral sunscreens are undoubtably better than chemical alternatives, but they’re not the passive barrier we’ve been sold. The safest sunscreen remains the one your body makes naturally—melanin—built gradually through sensible sun exposure and supported by a nutrient-dense diet rich in antioxidants.
❤️ What’s Hot:
Your Summer Hydration Essential
Summer heat means you’re drinking more water than ever—but are you filtering out the nasties first?
Tap water contains fluoride, chlorine, heavy metals, PFAS “forever chemicals,” and pharmaceutical residues that your body doesn’t need (especially when you’re guzzling litres daily in this heat!). Waters Co filters remove 99.9% of contaminants whilst retaining beneficial minerals your body craves. With over 40 years of Australian expertise and benchtop, jug, and portable options, there’s a solution for every household.
It’s not just a matter of hydrating – you want to hydrate clean.
Shop Waters Co
🤓 Smarty Pants
Melanin
Ever wonder why your skin tans in the sun? Meet melanin – your body’s built-in sunscreen and redox protector.
Melanin (from the Greek melas, meaning “black” or “dark”) is a pigment produced by specialised cells called melanocytes in your skin, eyes, and hair. Think of it as your body’s natural sun protection system – but it’s doing way more than just preventing sunburn.
Melanin: A Master Antioxidant
Melanin is essentially a master antioxidant with sophisticated light-sensing abilities. When UV light hits your skin, your melanocytes ramp up melanin production as a protective response.
But melanin doesn’t just absorb UV rays – it acts as your redox guardian, directly scavenging free radicals before they can deplete your cellular antioxidant reserves. It’s literally preventing oxidative damage at the frontline, preserving your precious redox capacity for the cellular work that matters.
The decentralised health wisdom: Over recent decades, tans and “healthy glows” have been increasingly frowned upon – looked up as reckless behaviour rather than your body’s intelligent adaptation.
But your relationship with sunlight is far more nuanced than “avoid it” or “slather on SPF.” Melanin production is part of your body’s sophisticated response to light exposure. Getting appropriate sun exposure helps build your melanin defense system naturally, while also supporting vitamin D production and circadian rhythm regulation.
The key? Gradual, regular exposure that builds your solar callus and your melanin base without burning – respecting your skin’s individual capacity and building resilience over time.
You’re not fragile – you’re designed to adapt to your light environment. Melanin is proof of your body’s sophisticated relationship with the sun.
☀️ Sandy’s Sunshine
How to Build Sun Tolerance Naturally
In a world where we spend more time under artificial lights than under open skies, it’s easy to forget that we were designed to live in sync with nature. Our ancestors didn’t hide from the sun—they thrived under it. But somewhere along the way, we’ve lost our way.
For years, we’ve been told to fear the sun, to cover up, to slather on chemicals and to stay indoors. But what if avoiding sunlight is actually harming your health? Because it is.
Meet Your Solar Callus
A solar callus is a tan that develops safely and gradually, through healthy, consistent exposure to full spectrum natural light. It’s your skin’s natural way of adapting to sunlight, and just like muscles grow when we use them, your skin gradually becomes more
resilient to the sun with safe and regular exposure. This means you can enjoy the full health benefits of sunlight without burning.
Why It Matters For Your Health
A solar callus isn’t just about aesthetics and looking sun-kissed; it’s a powerful tool for your health. Studies have shown that insufficient sunlight exposure is associated with significant health risks, including higher incidences of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, certain cancers, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. In fact, regular sun exposure has been shown to reduce all cause mortality, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of a free resource, that requires no fancy equipment, gear or membership but just for you to step outside your front door and spend a little time getting to know the sun again.
Preparation is Key!
Getting adequate sunlight exposure is incredibly important but doing it safely, is just as critical. When our ancestors spent their days out in the sun, they didn’t have to contend with the modern day external factors we do today, including medications, processed diet, sunglasses and artificial light to name a few. All these factors can increase our photosensitivity and phototoxicity which means we need to be aware and proceed
carefully.
Your 4 Step Solar Callus Plan
Building a solar callus is about training your skin to handle sunlight safely and effectively—just like strengthening a muscle. Gradual, intentional sun exposure allows your body to adapt, increase melanin production, and maximise the health benefits of sunlight while minimising risks like sunburn and skin damage.
This process isn’t about “toughing it out” in the sun — it’s about timing, consistency, and aligning with nature’s light cycles. Here’s how to do it the right way and your friendly step-by-step guide. Let’s go!
- Step 1: Prepare Your Body for Safe Sun Exposure
- Step 2: Follow the Phases of Sun Exposure
- Step 3: Assess Your Skin Type & Location Match
- Step 4: Long-Term Maintenance & Smart Sun Habits
Your skin was designed to handle the sun—after all your ancestors have evolved under the sun for thousands or millions or years. Start small, be patient, and embrace the process—because a well-developed solar callus is one of the best investments you can make for your health.
Inside The Rise Circle
This week, I’m sharing my complete Solar Callus Blueprint exclusively with all Rise Circle members—a comprehensive 60+ page guide that takes you from sun-shy to sun-savvy!
This is your step-by-step roadmap to safely building your skin’s natural sun protection whilst unlocking the profound health benefits our ancestors enjoyed naturally.
This comprehensive guide includes:
- Sunny Fundamentals: The science of how sunlight truly affects your health
- Your Personal Sun Health Assessment: How medications, diet, and lifestyle impact your sun tolerance
- The Complete 4-Step Solar Callus Plan: to build a solar callus safely
- Smart Sun Strategies: Skin type and ancestry matching protocols
- PLUS Two Bonus Resources: Solar Callus Checklist (your daily companion), & Healthy Brand Guide (vetted products that support your journey)
Most people get sun exposure completely wrong—either avoiding it entirely or burning repeatedly. This blueprint shows you the third way: working with your biology to unlock sunlight’s profound health benefits whilst building natural protection.
Ready to transform your relationship with the sun?
For just $10/month, Rise Circle members get exclusive access to in-depth guides like this one, plus monthly content you won’t find anywhere else.
🔢 Number Crunch
50% – The reduction in all-cause mortality associated with regular sun exposure compared to sun avoidance, according to a 20-year Swedish study of 29,518 women. Avoiding the sun carries similar mortality risk to smoking.
When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome. – Wilma Rudolph
The information in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for personal health decisions. This post may contain affiliate links for Daylight computer, and I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.your
Leave a Reply