Did you know that what you put INTO your body is almost as important as what you put ON TO your body (sometimes even MORE important), even when it comes to beauty and even preventing sun damage?
We are at a time and age where BEAUTY matters, where self-care is self-love, and where we just honestly want to look good (and feel good!). We will do almost anything possible to get glowing, blemish-free, wrinkle-free, smooth skin - from DIY masks to expensive serums and creams, facials, fillers, Botox, you name it. And that is all amazing. There is nothing wrong with investing in our beauty, but it’s imperative to understand that spending on creams/facials/Botox etc is only part of the beauty solution.
You can spend all you want on improving your skin from the outside, but to get the best results, you also need to focus on improving your skin health from the INSIDE.
If you want beautiful skin, you need to start ADDING BEAUTY-PROMOTING FOODS into your daily diet (as well as reduce the foods that lead to oxidative stress and contribute to aging and inflammation).
This also applies to SUN-CARE. You can literally use food as sunscreen (in combination with your physical/mineral sunscreen of course).
Apart from applying a good nontoxic sunscreen daily, it helps to consume certain foods that can help to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun's UV rays. (P.S. Read more HERE for simple tips on reducing your toxic load).
Here are eight foods rich in phytonutrients that may help protect your skin from sun damage, and promote healthy, beautiful skin:
Leafy greens 🥬: Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are rich in vitamins and minerals (as well as antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin) that can help protect the skin from sun damage, wrinkles and even cancer.
Orange root veggies 🥕: Carrots, sweet potato and butternut squash are high in beta-carotene, which can help protect the skin from sun damage and may also help prevent skin cancer.
Tomatoes 🍅: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that can help protect the skin from sun damage.
Citrus fruits 🍋: Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are high in vitamin C, which can help to protect the skin from sun damage.
Berries 🫐 like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, goji berries and açaí- are rich in antioxidants anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol that protect your cells against cell damage.
Green tea 🍵 : Green tea (I personally love and recommend organic matcha) contains antioxidants called catechins, which can help protect the skin from sun damage.
Fish 🐟: Fatty fish (ex. salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines) are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to reduce inflammation in the skin and protect it from sun damage. Taking a good quality fish oil or cod liver oil supplement helps, too!
Dark chocolate 🍫: My favorite! Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which can help to protect the skin from UV damage.
Start prepping your body now so you have plenty of good phytonutrients in your body when you’re out in the sun, and of course, don’t forget to continue with your CLEAN BEAUTY routine and always, always, wear your nontoxic sunscreen daily.
P.S. Please also check out my blog on “How to Stay Safe in the Sun” for more tips!
Love and Skin Protection,
Mariana