Summer is coming and most of us have to worry about what the sun is to make our skin when we are enjoying the outdoors. Besides doing the obvious things such as using the right sunscreen and keep falling as much as you can see (when it’s hot who wants to be covered up?), How you eat can help reinforce the natural protection that the body needs from harmful UV rays.
Free radicals are the biggest foe in this battle, because they cause damage to cells, both inside and out. The best way to deal with them is to eat plenty of foods that are rich in antioxidants (yes, they come up again and again, no matter what health care we’re talking about). There are many varieties of antioxidants, but only three types; enzymes, vitamins and phytochemicals. The body produces none of this.
Enzymes are found in the food we eat, and require co-factor in order to do its job properly. Other factors are things like iron, copper, selenium, magnesium and zinc. Enzymes will still give the benefit of non-factor, but one will benefit most. Enzymes antioxidants are súperoxíðdísmútasa (SOD), glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase.
Vitamins are also found in food, but do not get benefits from the parallel elements. Antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, and folic acid (B9).
Vitamin C protects skin from ultraviolet radiation contribute to better absorption of iron. Foods that have vitamin C are bell and chili peppers, citrus, tomatoes, beans, papayas, leafy greens, kiwi, broccolis, berries, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bok choy, pineapples, avocadoes, Persimmon.
Vitamin E reduces some of the energy from UV rays, helping to prevent free radical happens. You can find vitamin E in chili, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, peppers, toasted almonds, almond butter, roasted sunflower seeds, sunflower, peanuts, peanut butter, wheat germ, sockeye salmon, tuna, tomatoes, oatmeal, broccoli, green olives, asparagus, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, rice, mangoes, kiwi, dried apricots, butternut squash, red pepper bell, and avocados.
Phytochemicals are something that plants use to protect themselves from the sun, and people who eat them get some of these benefits. Whole grains contain phytochemicals, and processed grains have nothing. Phytochemical antioxidants are Allyl sulfides (onions, leeks, garlic), carotenoids such as lycopene and beta-carotene (tomatoes, orange vegetables, dark green), flavonoids (berries, fruit trees, vegetables, nuts, beans), and polyphenols (black or green tea, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates). Beta-carotene is a particularly good job against free radicals. Skin tomatoes are packed with lycopene, which not only protects the skin from harmful UV rays, but also reduces how red you get.
Melanin provides very strong protection against UV rays, and there are ways to increase the melanin levels with food. There are two main factors that help produce melanin, elastin and copper. Foods that help promote melanin production are organ meats (liver, specifically), shellfish, nuts, dark chocolate, beans, whole grains and seeds.
Omega-3s are important to good health for so many reasons, and good skin is one of them. It provides a healthy layer of fat under the skin that helps to protect against UV rays. Omega-3s found in flax seeds, oatmeal, black or kidney beans, almonds, walnuts, fatty fish, fish oil, eggs, crab, lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, conch and octopus.
The body produces melatonin naturally, it does not only protect the skin from UV damage, but also helps to repair the damage already done, with new cell generation. Eating cherries, pineapple, oranges, bananas, sweet corn, barley, oats, rice and tomatoes can increase melatonin production.
So avoid the sun when you can, pick up when possible, and eat with the skin in mind. The future self will thank you.
