Natural Sun Care - 5 Tips to Protecting Your Skin Naturally

Heading to the beach this summer for your vacation? Well, myself, most likely I will head up north to the mountains for some cooler temperatures and rain as I live in the sunny desert southwest where it will get to 110 degrees and above and stay there! However for those of you who are heading to a beautiful sunny beach somewhere, did you also know that in addition to using a good sunscreen, you can also help protect your skin naturally through what you eat and drink?

So while you're on vacation, here are a few quick tips to help you protect your skin not only from the outside with a good topical sunscreen, but also from the inside as well with what you eat and drink.

1. Eat lot's of colorful fruits & vegetables:

You can help protect your skin from the harmful UV rays, the free radicals that cause sun damage, by eating lot's of colorful fruits and green leafy vegetables which are high in antioxidants. Colorful fruits such as blueberries and strawberries as well as vegetables such as tomatoes and red and green bell peppers are very high in antioxidants which help protect the skin from the sun's damaging UV rays. As well, eat green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach which contain powerful antioxidants and vitamins known to protect the body from cancer including, recent studies have shown, skin cancer. Broccoli helps the body produce enzymes which help protect the skin from the sun.

2. Eat Fish:

Another excellent way to protect your skin from the inside out is to eat fish. Fish such as salmon or trout contain the omega 3s fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, which are the "good fats" you should have in your diet, and much like antioxidants, the omega 3's are known to help sooth inflammation of the skin as well as defend the body against free radicals. Health experts recommend at least two servings of a cold water fish per week. I am not a huge fish fan. I don't like anything "fishy tasting" with bones, skin or the head still there. However, I have come to really enjoy eating salmon filets and it is one of my very few fish favorites. A couple of tips for you if you are not a fish lover like me, at your favorite local market ask for a mild fish which is also fresh, the catch of the day, and see what you think. As a general rule, the fresher and milder the fish, the more accepted it usually is amongst us "non-fish loving people".

3. Eat Dark Chocolate:

For dessert or a light snack, fresh fruit is really your best bet, however, experts also suggest that eating chocolate is actually healthy for you as well. Good news if you are a chocolate lover! Yes, they say dark chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids which have shown to help protect the skin. Experts recommend no more than 2 ounces a day of dark chocolate but not milk chocolate because milk chocolate actually absorbs the polyphenols needed to help protect the skin.

4. Drink Green Tea:

There are four types of tea: black, oolong, green and white. But of the four types, green tea contains the most health and skin care benefits because it contains the highest level of anti-oxidants. The reason for this is that green tea contains high levels of polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants that target and fight free radicals such as those from the sun's UV rays. These polyphenols not only work to fight free radicals and cleanse toxins from within the body, they also work to improve the body's own anti-oxidant system, and improve the skin. Studies show that individuals who drank at least two cups of tea a day were 30 percent less likely to have carcinoma than those who didn't drink tea. Experts suggest drinking at least 1-2 cups of tea daily, and letting the tea steep for at least 5 minutes first before drinking in order to obtain a higher polyphenol level.

5. Drink Lot's of Water:

With hot summer temperatures and increased outdoor activities, the chances for dehydration and the need for staying well hydrated increase. So drink plenty of water. Water is a natural diuretic and helps the kidneys filter out toxins and free radicals from within the body. Having a sufficient amount of fluids in the body is essential to the overall health of all the body's organs as well as the health and protection of your skin. Experts advise drinking only natural pure water in order to limit or decrease the intake of any additional chemicals which may be in the water and can add to and contribute to the toxin level already in the body. Nonetheless, it is generally agreed that maintaining proper hydration is vital and will result in greater health for the body as well as for the skin. Experts recommend drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day.

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Written by Laura K. Halik, expert author and internet marketer specializing in natural products and solutions for a healthier life and environment.

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