How to Protect Your Skin from Sunburn Its important to understand that the benefits of sun exposure completely outweigh its risks, which is why totally avoiding the sun is unnecessary, and unwise. To continuously enjoy the positive effects of sun exposure without getting burned, I recommend following these safety tips: • Protect your face and eyes by wearing a wide-brimmed hat or a cap. The skin around these areas is much thinner than other areas of your body and is more at risk for cosmetic photo damage and premature wrinkling. • Moisturize your skin naturally. Before sunbathing, apply organic coconut oil on the exposed areas of your skin. This will not only moisturize your skin to prevent dryness, but will also give you additional metabolic benefits. • Limit your initial exposure and slowly work your way up. If you are a fairly light-skinned individual who tends to burn easily, limit your initial exposure to a few minutes, especially if it is in the middle of summer. The more tanned your skin will get, and/or the more tanned you want to become, the longer you can stay in the sun. If it is early or late in the season and/or you are a dark-skinned individual, you could likely safely have 30 minutes on your initial exposure. If you are deeply pigmented and your immediate ancestors are from Africa, India, or the Middle East, it is possible you may not even have to worry about the timing of your exposure. • Build an internal sunscreen with beneficial antioxidants. Astaxanthin – a potent antioxidant – has been found to offer effective protection against sun damage when taken as a daily supplement. It can also be used topically, as a number of topical sunscreen products contain it. Other helpful antioxidants include proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, and lycopene. The amount of antioxidants you get from your diet plays a major role in how you effectively avoid sunburn.5 The more antioxidants you have in your skin, the lower your risk of getting burned. They act as an internal type of sunscreen and allow you to maximize your sun exposure while minimizing the risks. Dietary sources of effective antioxidants include whole fresh vegetables and fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. You may also try goji berries, but avoid the juice. Manage your fruit consumption to avoid the dangers of excess fructose. Vitamins A and C are also important – your cells use them to regulate both light absorption and protection against sun overexposure. Make sure that you have this built-in protection (especially if you are very light-skinned), since you want to expose at least 40 percent of your body to sunlight for at least 20 minutes each day. #Research102
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 02:58:02 +0000
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