Keeping your skin healthy is essential anytime of the year, but the skin is especially vulnerable during the summer months. Here, two experts offer their advice for keeping your skin healthy and looking your best for the remainder of the summer season!
Safe Sun Tips
Dr. John Salerno MD, director of The Salerno Center in NYC, shared these tips for safe summer skin:
• When heading out into the summer sun, do so with caution and make sure you’re always prepared— or your overall skin and health could be affected.
• Believe it or not, the sun in moderation does not speed up aging and can, in fact, reduce it. UVB rays from the sun increase the body’s natural ability to create vitamin D. As long as you tan and have sunlight gradually, you will not increase any risk for skin cancer or premature aging.
• If you do go out into the sun, make sure you bring sunscreen with you and continuously re-apply. By wearing a sunscreen, you block the body’s ability to create vitamin D. If you’re out for more than 20 minutes at a time, it’s important to apply natural sunscreens. When choosing sunscreen, make sure you use titanium or zinc oxide. SPF 30 is suitable for most situations.
• When getting sun, do so safely— or you could suffer from long-term health damage. Effects include basal cell or squamous cell cancer and potentially premature aging if you’re exposed particularly to UVA for long a period of time. You want to tan, not burn.
Summer Skin
New York Times best-selling celebrity nutritionist JJ Virgin, author of the The Virgin Diet Cookbook, has a few strategies to boost your complexion for younger, healthier skin this summer:
• The following foods provide good fat for glowing skin: avocado, olives, coconut milk, raw nuts and nut butters.
• A study in the Journal of Lipid Research found the omega 3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in fish and fish oil could help prevent skin aging.
• As we age, collagen breaks down, leading to wrinkles. The body requires vitamin C to synthesize collagen, so you’ll want to get optimal amounts from fruits and vegetables like broccoli and berries.
• Sugar attaches to collagen in a process called glycosylation. Scientists refer to these sticky proteins as advanced glycolated end products (AGEs). A study in the journal Experimental Gerontology found that skin AGE accumulation contributes to the loss of skin elasticity.
• High-quality protein like wild salmon and grass-fed beef offer optimal amounts of collagen-building amino acids like lysine and proline. Animal protein also contains zinc— an International Journal of Dermatology study found that this mineral provides excellent antioxidant protection for healthy skin.
• Drink plenty of water every day to hydrate your cells so nutrients stay in and toxins get out.
