Prevent Sunburn Nutritionally
What Causes Sunburn?
In the beautiful summer sun, the last thing we want is a bad
burn on day 2 of a 7-day vacation! From a nutritional perspective, why
does sunburn occur? Is there something that protects the skin
better than sunscreen??
Besides melanin, which creates darker skin color, Calcium is perhaps the most important protector of the skin against sun damage. Calcium must be in the skin to protect the skin. Calcium in the blood does not protect the skin! So, how do we get Calcium in the skin?
Why Your Skin Needs Calcium
Two important nutrients move Calcium in or out of the skin. Essential Fatty Acids escort Calcium from the blood into the skin. Vitamin D is known for escorting calcium into the blood. We often recognize that Vitamin D transfers Calcium from the intestines into the bloodstream, but is also transfers it from the skin into the bloodstream.
Remember, to protect the skin, we need Calcium in the skin!
We know that sunlight causes us to make Vitamin D, and the more exposure, the more Vitamin D we make. If the amount of Essential Fats in our system isn’t high enough to balance the Vitamin D we create, there will be a strong movement of Calcium out of the skin tissue into the bloodstream thereby leaving your skin without protection from the sun radiation.
Sun Protection Tips
Prepare yourself 7 or more days ahead of planned sun exposure by taking supplements. Here are my favorites: Calcium Lactate is a very usable form of Calcium, and Cataplex F Tablets are perfectly-designed fats for protecting the skin.
Since we’re not an online dales store, please call our office for information on how to order and how to take them.
Get increasing sun exposure from day to day. If you can handle 15 minutes of direct sun exposure one day, add a few minutes on the next day. Work your way up over time. For topical protection, coconut oil is great! Rub it into the skin. If it’s just too oily for you, find a lotion that uses coconut oil, cocoa butter, or some other oil fat. I like Cocoa Butter lotion from Jason brand. If you’re going to be in the sun longer than your skin can handle, put on the Sunscreen with the SPF! Don’t let yourself burn!!! After sun exposure, put on the Cocoa Butter lotion or coconut oil. You skin will recover quicker. If you do get a little burnt, apply the after-sun lotion ever couple hours to recover quickly. It’s shocking how a little oil in the skin can take the edge off of a sunburn.
Enjoy the healthier suntan you will receive from natural sunlight!
Sunscreen From The Inside
The skin is like any other tissue – it needs time to adapt
to new stressors. If you haven’t been in the sun for months, and suddenly
find yourself in the southwest, your skin won’t be ready for all that sun
exposure. But if you supplement yourself with Calcium and Essential Fats,
and slowly work up a tolerance, you can be in the sun with protected skin
regardless of wearing Sunscreen.
How protective is sunscreen?
There’s no doubt, sunscreen helps prevent sunburn. It does so by blocking Ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays that cause sunburns. You need this if you’re going to be in the sun longer than your skin is ready for. But sunscreen does not block all UV rays. UVA rays cause subtle damage to the skin and are not blocked by sunscreen lotion.
Pain Or Health Problems?
If you are you struggling with symptoms and want a non-invasive solution, please call our office for information on how we can help!