Preventing Sunburn Naturally

At the peak of the northern hemisphere summer season we still need to protect our skin from sunburn. And sunscreen isn’t the only answer. In fact it may be detrimental in some ways because we need some sun exposure to the skin for the production of vitamin D.

We shouldn’t be so sun-phobic that we look like pale faces all summer too. Actually people with tans look healthy, probably because they have the immune and other health benefits of good levels of vitamin D.

Slathering on a lot of sunscreen exposes us to the absorption of more chemicals too. One of my former patients told me this story. All of a sudden her husband was sleeping in his chair a lot during the day. Concerned, she searched her mind to try to figure out what had changed.

Then she remembered. His dermatologist had prescribed a new sunscreen because of his proclivity for skin cancer. So, he stopped using the sunscreen and sure enough he was wide awake again.

I tell you that story to demonstrate the effects of absorbing chemicals through the skin.

On the other hand we have to be wise about our sun exposure. Twenty to thirty minutes of exposing most of your skin to the sun on a daily basis is enough to produce good levels of vitamin D for most people. After that you may need some type of healthy sunscreen product to protect your skin if you want to stay outside longer or better yet wear protective clothing and a hat.

But there’s more than sunscreen in the skin protection story. There’s sunscreen in a pill and in your veggies!

Astaxanthin – Sunscreen in a Pill

Astaxanthin belongs to the carotenoids, the pigments found in plants and animals that protect them from the sun. Scientists have discovered that astaxanthin is one of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature. Only a tiny microalgae produces this colorful antioxidant in nature to protect itself from the ultraviolet radiation when its water supply dissipates.

Salmon turn pink from eating this little microalgae. (That’s probably why the corn fed farmed salmon meat is pale yellow, no microalgae to eat.) Fueled by astaxanthin salmon swim up rivers and waterfalls.

When we eat astaxanthin it acts as an internal sunscreen protecting out skin from damage from the sun and delaying the development of wrinkles. And more than that it protects your other organs from free radical damage too.

Since you can’t eat enough salmon to get enough astaxanthin to give you this powerful protection you will have to take it in a pill.

For more details and summaries of research studies on astaxanthin you may review this article:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/25/sunscreen-and-wrinkle-prevention-in-a-pill.aspx

I have been taking astaxanthin daily since learning about it 2 years ago.

Eat Your Veggies

Veggies just seem to always come up when we talk about healthy measures. Veggies contain lots of good carotenoids too that will help protect your skin. Carotenoids give the veggies their bright colors. They are absolutely necessary in the photosynthetic process and protect the plant from damage by light and oxygen. When you eat these beautiful rich colors, green, orange, red, yellow veggies they protect you in the same way.

Read the Info that Comes with your Medication

Some medications sensitize your skin to the sun which can cause your skin to burn quickly. So be very familiar with the literature that comes with your medication and cover up your skin if this medicine causes photosensitivity.

Avoid Perfumes

Perfumes in the lotions and potions that you rub on your skin can make your skin more sensitive to the UV irradiation causing skin irritation. Perfumes may also cause a sun allergy that leads to lasting redness, itching, pain, and blisters or hives. So skip the perfume.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E another powerful antioxidant aids in sunburn prevention because it protects cell membranes and enzymes associated with the cell membranes. Taking vitamin E in capsules and rubbing lotions or oils containing vitamin E on your skin helps protect your skin from sunburn damage.

With all of these precautions if you still get sun-burned vitamin E lotion rubbed on the skin will help reduce the redness and skin swelling.

So have fun in the sun but protect your skin from sunburn.

Blessings,

Dr. Jo