Finally! The beauty industry is waking up to the harmful effects of toxic sunscreen products! Hear me out, I believe whole heartedly that we need to protect our skin from over exposure to harmful UV rays. My personal way of doing this is by exposing my skin to morning sun without sunglasses to optimize my circadian rhythm and heighten my body’s natural UV protection compounds. I wear hats and light weight clothing to fully block sun during the heat of the day and use Protect Oil (SPF20) between the hours of 10am - 4pm. My 1/16 Italian skin is darker in pigmentation and tans easily whether I apply Protect Oil or a natural Zinc SPF. The most important factor for me in protecting against harmful UV rays and environmental toxins is an inside out approach.
Lets think about it, Centuries ago and even 100 years ago our skin cancer rates were very low or non-existent. Given the influx of chemical exposure that has exponentially risen over the last 80 years, it's no wonder the US skin cancer rates are currently so elevated. Indigenous peoples used food and herbs to protect against harmful rays, yet we increasingly rely on harmful, toxic loaded topicals which disrupt our endocrine system and clog our filtering organs. Now more than ever, it is imperative that we use food and herbs to bolster our skins natural defenses with UV absorbing and protective compounds.
The compounds to look for that act as UV absorbents defending the skin from the inside out are: Lycopene, ferulic acid and cartenoids. These compounds are found in foods and herbs and should be consumed to complement topical SPF’s.
FOODS:
Carotenoids and Lycopene: Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, mango, papaya, goji berries, sea buckthorn berries or juice, kale, spinach, dandelion greens, swiss chard, parsley, red pepper, watermelon, spirulina and astaxanthin rich eggs (think bright orange yolk)
Ferulic Acid rich foods: rice bran, oats, brown rice, barley, apples, oranges, tomatoes, eggplant, artichokes, coffee, flaxseed, grapefruit, pineapple
Vitamins A, C, D, E rich foods help to repair DNA and support collagen production: Free range eggs, fatty rich fish (salmon, sardines, anchovies) free range animal protein, citrus fruits
Basically, eating a rainbow colored, plant heavy diet is a surefire way to boost your body’s natural solar defenses.
HERBS that are rich in catechins and antioxidants can neutralize UV generated free radicals and support collagen and elastin production from within. These include: Green Tea, matcha, rose petals, viola petals, borage flowers, holy basil, chamomile, lemonbalm, lavender, calendula, red clover, white tea, rosemary, turmeric, gotu kola, ginkgo biloba, shisandra berry, milk thistle, nettle,
Combining any of these herbs in the form of a tea, tincture or toppings for salads is a great approach to inside out resilience to UV exposure.
While I believe it is important to expose yourself to early morning and early evening sun for the sake of balancing your circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock that helps you adjust to sleep and wake hours, improving sleep and energy throughout the day) and getting vitamin D and red light therapy naturally; I also feel that its important to protect the skin from harmful UV rays caused by over exposure to sun and burning the skin. The inside out approach is a great compliment to topical protection. I hope this helps you enjoy your outside time in the sun and allows you to stay radiant and feeling so alive in your skin!