I recently heard a dermatologist recommend that everyone should be wearing sunscreen head to toe every single day and reapplying multiple times a day. Wow. I don’t know about you but I don’t have time for that and I’m not sure it’s completely necessary. However, as a sun sensitive individual and someone who was not so super careful with my skin in my youth, I do want to prevent future sun damage and even more important, repair old sun damage. I know I’m not alone. I have so many friends who baked in the sun for hours, suffered sunburns and religiously visited tanning beds. There are also other factors that contribute to skin damage (free radical damage) as well as inflammation including stress, poor diet, pollution, smoking and lack of sleep and sunscreen doesn’t do anything to protect or repair your skin from those factors. The good news is that there are some simple things you can do protect your skin as well as repair damage. While you should still wear sunscreen when spending long periods of time in the sun, these solutions can do so much more for your skin and they don’t have to applied and reapplied correctly multiple times a day.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids have a multitude of health benefits including the ability to protect our skin from the damaging effects of the sun. Studies have shown that these fats can actually protect the skin from sun-induced inflammation, regulate how we respond to its UV rays and protect our cells from free radical damage. There is also research that suggests that adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids can actually reduce the amount of time it takes for your skin to burn as well as reducing pre-cancerous skin lesions called actinic keratosis caused by significant sun damage. While it’s still recommended you use sunscreen, taking fish oil supplements or eating a diet rich in omega-3s could significantly improve your skin’s response to the sun. Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines, anchovies, flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts.

Polypodium Leucotomos

Say what? Polypodium leucotomos is a South American fern known for reducing the damaging effects of UV radiation. It’s taken orally, safety tested and widely available in products like Heliocare and Sundaily’s The Base Layer. It’s great for people who are fair-skinned or sun sensitive and are looking for extra protection. It has also been shown to help people who suffer from polymorphous light eruption which is a sensitivity to the sun that often results in a rash. It should be noted that it can take up to 60 days to starting working and needs to be taken everyday in order to maintain its effectiveness but people have found it to be very helpful in improving how their skin responds to sun exposure.

Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid with powerful antioxidant activity and is found mainly in marine animals like salmon, shrimp and trout. Astaxanthin’s antioxidant activity has been found to be 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C, 800 stronger than CoQ10 and 550 times stronger than green tea catechins. Wow. It has been shown to reduce inflammation as well as reduce UVA damage to skin cells. It may also help improve overall skin health by increasing cell turnover, elasticity and water retention. You can eat foods rich in astaxanthin like salmon or take a dietary supplement. I like The Back Up by Sundaily which was developed by a doctor and dermatology researcher Dr. Emilia Javorsky.

Food

Yet again, more proof that food is medicine! A healthy, well rounded diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables is a great way to protect and heal the skin, not just against harmful UV rays but other environmental stressors as well. They are also good for your whole body. Here is a list of just a handful of foods that can help protect the skin:

Foods rich in lycopene particularly watermelon and tomatoes. Studies have shown lycopene to be helpful in protecting skin from sunburn.
Green and black tea. Tea is rich in polyphenols, especially green tea and can help protect skin against UV radiation. It’s antioxidant activity has been shown to fight cancer and aids in keeping skin firm and healthy.
Foods rich in beta-carotene like carrots, sweet potatoes and mangos. They are loaded with skin and eye protecting antioxidants!
Dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard. These vegetables contain free radical fighting antioxidants.
Use olive oil in recipes especially dressings. Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E help protect skin cells from the damaging rays of the sun.
Fruits loaded with vitamin C like kiwi, citrus fruits and strawberries. Studies have shown that vitamin C can actually prevent cancer cells from forming in the body and boost collagen production in the skin.
Dark chocolate and the darker the better! Again, those antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the body including the skin from free radical damage. And who doesn’t love a little chocolate?
*Try this delicious watermelon gazpacho recipe that includes three of these skin-loving foods!

Enjoy The Sun

We are meant to be outdoors and in the sun. In fact, lack of sunlight can be just as harmful as too much sun. We just aren’t meant to fry ourselves to oblivion. In addition, the benefits of these supplements and foods are that they are great for your skin overall and can help with signs of aging and improve tone and texture. Who doesn’t want that? Be good to your skin and eat a well-rounded diet for a healthy body inside and out!