Love The Skin You're In - Protecting Your Skin From the Sun
Love The Skin You’re In
Check out our best tips for protecting your skin from UV rays during the summer and how to eat for skin renewal.
With the warmer weather comes longer days outside with more glorious sun exposure. As much as we need to enjoy our time in the sunshine to make vitamin D, we also need to remember that too much sun can be damaging to our skin. ☀️
UV rays can damage skin cells and promote the development of skin cancers. UV rays can come from the sun, tanning beds and sunlamps. In fact, protection from UV rays is important year round. UV rays can reach you on cloudy and cools days, and reflect off surfaces such as water, cement, sand and snow. In North America, UV rays tend to be strongest from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
We want to make sure we get 15-20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure daily. However, anything beyond this can risk skin damage. My general rule of thumb is: if the UV index is 3 or higher, make sure to protect your skin from too much sun exposure.
How Can Your Protect Your Skin This Summer?
Find Some Shade - Find a place in the shade (a tree, umbrella or shelter) to reduce sun exposure especially if you aren’t able to apply sunscreen.
Wear the Right Clothing - When possible, wear thin long-sleeved shirts and pants to help protect your skin from UV rays. If that is not feasible, wear sunscreen and clothes that are certified as offering UV protection to help reduce your exposure.
Sport a Hat - A hat can help protect the top of your head which is prone to sun exposure and possible cellular damage. For the best protection, wear a hat that has a brim all the way around. It should shade your face, ears and back of your neck. Look for tightly woven fabric for the best protection. If you opt to wear a baseball cap, make sure to apply sunscreen on your ears and neck.
Apply Sunscreen Regularly - Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen that filters out both UVA and UVB rays that has at least an SP15. In Manitoba, a minimum of SP30 is highly recommended. Mineral sunscreens block UVA and UVB rays without any chemicals and have become more readily available in recent years. Chemical sunscreens are also a good option. Choose what works best for your family and is easiest to remember to apply every 2-3 hours, or more if you’ve been swimming or sweating significantly. Don’t forget your lower half! Make sure to get your legs and feet if you are wearing shorts and sandals.
Wear Sunglasses - When it comes to sun exposure, we shouldn’t forget our eyes! Sunglasses can protect your eyes from UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the skin round the eyes which can be quite sensitive. Most sunglasses sold in North America block out both UVA and UVB rays offering good protection from the sun.
Enjoy Skin-Protective Foods - Eat lots of watermelon throughout the summer to enjoy the benefits of lycopene - a phytonutrient that can act as natural sunblock overt ime. Watermelon also contains vitamin C (an antioxidant) which helps repair cellular damage. Berries also contain powerful antioxidants that fight off free radicals and can help repair damaged skin after sun exposure. Eat lots of good quality omega-3 fats such as salmon, tuna, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, herring, walnuts, hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds and algae to support the skin’s integrity. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and can help your body cope with the effects of spending too much time in the sun. Eat lots of orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, peppers) that contain beta-carotene, a vitamin that can help protect our skin from sun damage.
Courtney Rae Jones is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. She is also a Culinary Nutrition Expert having completed her certification in alternative & specialized diets through the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. She specializes in digestive health and balancing women’s reproductive hormones. Check out Courtney’s website at www.crjnutrition.com.