I look forward to the summer – longer days and more time outdoors. The sun changes your mood, putting a smile on everyone’s face. During the summer months it’s important to consume more water. It’s not just about drinking: I believe that we can “eat our water” with a diet fresh fruit and vegetables. I take advantage of having less appetite and opt for salads and vegetable juices, not stodgy grains and hard-to-digest meats.
Many factors can take a toll on the skin during the summer: greater UV exposure, higher temperatures and dryness from air conditioning can result in sun damage, dehydration, oiliness from extra sebum secretion and breakouts.
Select foods rich in selenium, zinc and vitaminss C and E, nature’s protectors against free-radical -producing UV rays. Lycopene, for instace – a phytochemical present in some red fruits and vegetables is believed to increase protection against UV by boosting levels of pro-collagen. Of course, it’s important to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen, too, especially for UVA protection. The damage caused by overexposure to these long-wave rays of ultraviolet light, such as premature aging or increased risk of skin cancer, may not appear for years. UVB short-wave rays are the type of ultraviolet light that causes burning. But as we all know, it’s easy to get caught up in other activities; often it’s not until you take a shower that you realize you’re sunburned. Rather than getting unattractive pigmentation on your face, which is really tough to get rid of, it’s better to be safe than sorry. So apply a good sunscreen, regally topped up, and eat generous quantities of rehydrating fruit and veg!
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