Join Waitlist We will let you know when the product is back in stock. Just leave your email address below.
Skip to main content
Be WellMake This

Eat Your Sunscreen

Screen Shot 2019-06-13 at 11.36.05 AM

By: Holistic Health Coach and Shop Good Lead Buyer, Juana Diez

Sunscreen on every day? Yeahhhh… most of the time. While we love grabbing for our (non-greasy!) Josh Rosebook and Suntegrity most days, we admit it can be hard to remember to slather on that extra layer of ‘skin love’ on the reg.

But that doesn’t stop el sol from burning bright and emitting year-round rays that penetrate into the skin and have the potential to cause long term skin damage.  Yep… even on cloudy days, up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds and into our skin. (pauses to ponder our daily skincare routine…)

But, in case we happen to skip a few days of skin-protecting armor, there are other ways can optimize our ongoing protection from the sun.

Lucky for us, Mother Nature has provided us with antioxidant rich foods, vitamins and herbs to help naturally boost our internal sunscreen — by increasing our ability to become more tolerant to exposure from UV rays.

 

Read on as Holistic Health Coach and Product Expert Juana Diez breaks down the key ingredients that will add ‘sunscreen’ to your plate!

1. Get your greens on – Loading up our plate with leafy greens on the daily can do more for our skin than give it a nice glow. Leafy greens are high in antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been found to help protect skin against wrinkling, sun damage, and even sun cancer.

Try tossing in a few handfuls of your fave leafy green to a superfood smoothie this AM, or reach for The Beauty Chef Cleanse powder as a quick substitution.

2. Oh-My-Omega! Omega 3 fatty acids are a powerhouse when it comes to reducing inflammation in the body and on the skin. Plus, research has actually discovered that these fatty acids are so effective at protecting skin, they can prolong the time it takes to get a sunburn.

Try Simris Algae Omega-3 our favorite Omega-3 supplement with marine omega-3 EPA and DHA from farmed algae (which means it’s entirely vegan!)

3. Load Up On Vitamin C – This super vitamin is key to prevent against premature aging through its antioxidant activity – and it helps boost collagen production as well!

Try LivonLabs Lypo-spheric Vitamin C (really, this one is a must!) Why? Since Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, our bodies can’t store any excess when it gets left behind in the blood or digestive system – which is why so much of the vitamin content from pills, powders and oftentimes, even food is passed as waste. LivonLabs uses a patented technology that wraps the vitamin C in liposomes – which ultimately protects the vitamin through the digestive system and transports it into the bloodstream for absorption into the cells.

*Available at both our North Park and Del Mar shops only!*

4. Amp Up Your Astaxanthin – Astaxanthin (don’t worry we have a hard time pronouncing this too!) is one of the most powerful antioxidants ever studied and is actually derived from microalgae that gives salmon, shrimp, and flamingoes their characteristic orange or pink coloring (okay how cool is that!?). To give you an idea, it’s 550 times more powerful than Vitamin E, and has been shown to protect the skin and eyes against UV radiation. Since obtaining therapeutic amounts of astaxanthin through food is very difficult, supplementing is recommended.

Try it in Simris Algae Omega-3 for Athletes – This full spectrum omega-3 supplement also contains an added boost of astaxanthin – talk about a win-win!

5. Reach for Raw Cacao – Raw cacao actually contains four times as much catechins and phenols as green tea and berries, and it has been shown to help with decreased inflammation, protect collagen and elastin from UV ray damage, and even improve skin’s hydration levels.

Try it in WoodenSpoon Herbs Rosy Cocoa powder. This luxurious blend is the perfect treat to both satisfy a sweet tooth and boost your internal glow.

6. Pump Up your Probiotics – You’ve heard us say this before… our gut health and skin health are directly correlated. Supplementing with probiotics can help improve (and prevent) a range of skin conditions, from acne to eczema, to even sun damage by strengthening our skin’s defenses.

Try them in Ora Organics Trust Your Gut Probiotic capsules, vegan probiotic with prebiotics that contain 16 billion probiotics per serving and 6 different strains to support optimal digestive function and supercharged immunity. The best part? Unlike many other probiotic supplements, these don’t require any refrigeration because they are freeze-dried!

7. More Matcha, Please! Incorporating matcha as a daily beverage can help protect the skin and body from harmful free radicals (a.k.a the molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, cancer, and some inflammatory diseases). The antioxidant capacity of matcha is 137 times more powerful than regularly brewed green tea – and its high levels of polyphenols, catechins and flavonoids work to protect the skin from future damage and premature signs of aging.

Try House of Matcha Ceremonial and Cold Brew blends!

8. All About The Aloe – You’re probs already aware that aloe for post-sun care is key – but ingesting its juice regularly can provide a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins that protect our skin, neutralize the effects of UV radiation, repair our skin from existing UV damage, and even help prevent fine lines and wrinkles.

*Available at both our North Park and Del Mar shops only!*

//