If we want to feel and look fabulous in Summer and I mean healthy, we need to learn not only how to protect our skin from sun damage and sunscreens full of chemicals/toxins (I talked about it in How to Protect Our Skin from Sun Damage Part I), but also how to help our body to deal with the damage occurred.
Unfortunately, most of us don’t realize that the ultraviolet rays do significant damage by forming free radicals in the skin cells which can lead to serious health problems - recent research indicates a strong link between free radicals and the risk of disease.
Fortunately, our bodies naturally produce some antioxidant compounds to neutralize free radicals before they can harm biological processes. But we also need a diet rich in antioxidants, because antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E and D as well as selenium and omega-3 significantly reduce the inflammation and skin damage caused by sun.
Here are basic steps to protecting our skin in Summer:
1. Incorporate in our diet more Super Foods That Can Save Your Skin from Sun Damage = foods rich in antioxidants.
bright-colored fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, watermelon, berries to get more Vitamin A;
oranges, lime, kiwi, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, berries, tomatoes to get more vitamin C;
walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, green leafy vegetables, barley, millet to get more vitamin E;
incorporate more lycopene rich foods, such as cooked tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, apricots to protect our skin from sun damage;(I mentioned it in How to Safe Skin from Sun Damage-Part I )
Shellfish, oatmeal, barley, buckwheat, eggs, legumes, chicken and garlic to get more Selenium;
Wild salmon, walnuts, flax seed to get more Omega-3 fatty acids;
2. Have moderate sunshine -a healthy suntan (before 10:00am and after 5:00pm)-every day because this is the way we get easily vitamin D which is required for the absorption of calcium, necessary for protecting muscle weakness, important for preventing and treatment breast and colon cancer, and osteoporosis, necessary for normal function of thyroid and normal blood clotting. We also can find vitamin D in:
fish liver, dairy products, dandelion greens, oatmeal, salmon, sardines, sweet potatoes, tuna and vegetable oils.
3. As I mentioned in How to Safe Skin from Sun Damage – Part I, avoid eating carrots, celery, parsley, parsnips and limes before going to the beach-they might make – your skin very sensitive to the sun;
As for me, I always try to obtain antioxidants from whole foods instead of supplements and get a healthy suntan (very early in the morning) instead of using sunscreens full of chemicals to feel and look healthy.
A healthy life style and a healthy diet are the keys to a younger and healthier skin as well as to a younger and healthier You. Let us be Sun Smart, shall we?
If you feel that it is the right time to have your “ME” TIME to take care of yourself with one of my Holistic Health and Nutrition Programs or my unique and affordable eCoaching Program for Women, contact me and let us talk….
Breathe, smile and be happy.
© Irina Wardas, HHC
Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert
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Ascorbic acid does a lot of things inside and outside the body. It boosts the immune system, protects the cells from free radical damage and it also smooths out the texture of the skin when used topically. I see to eat that i get my daily Vitamin-C from natural fruits juices plus ascorbic acid supplements.
Thank you for sharing, Jennifer. have a fabulous day: breathe, smile and be happy