Healthier Summer Skin
Now that summer is here, we want to share some information with you that we believe will keep your skin safer and more protected than it's ever been. Below you will find some lesser know tips on how to decrease the risk of sun damage and maintain healthy dermis for life!
Alcohol & Sun Exposure
Not many people know this, but alcohol can lower the antioxidant levels in your skin within eight minutes of consumption. As a result of this, your skin becomes more susceptible to sunburns, and over a continued period, potentially more severe skin ailments. I'm sure we sound like total party poopers right now, but we feel it is important for you to know the facts. Alcohol, especially pared with intense UV rays, can cause the skin to age faster and can significantly increase the odds of developing skin cancer. But what if you can't avoid alcohol? What if alcohol is just part of your ritual and eliminating it from certain events is simply out of the question? Of course, avoiding it completely will always be the healthiest option, but there are precautions you can take that will help. There are foods you can and should eat on beach days that will decrease the excess damage that alcohol consumption causes. In addition to that, please consider the snack suggestions we provided below as something to bring with you to the beach in addition to your sunblock!
Protect Your Skin From Within
Every day we learn more about the healing and protective properties of plants. We are in a constant state of awe when we see studies showing us how positively plants interact with our bodies and how they help our organs function to the best of their abilities. With an emphasis on antioxidants, and in addition to a plant-based breakfast and lunch, we encourage you to choose the food you eat on sunny days wisely. Eating whole, plant-based foods has been associated with a 40% reduction in damage from sun exposure. How amazing is that? Antioxidants are incredibly powerful, they occur in the highest concentrations in plants, and the only reason some animal products contain small amounts of them is because of the plants the animals eat. All this time we thought sunblock or becoming a vampire was our only hope, but thankfully there is so much more we can do to protect ourselves! Yet another reason to eat more plants!
Beach Snacks
Smoothie To Go!
Did you know Organic produce contains higher antioxidant levels than produce grown conventionally? It's true, and it's absolutely something you should take advantage of! Start your smoothie off with some delicious plant milk and one scoop of 22 Days Nutrition Organic, plant-based protein powder. In addition to that, adding plenty of organic blueberries will boost antioxidant levels big time! Kale is another high antioxidant, nutrient-dense food that will contribute so much to your health. Keep the sugars low and add ingredients like a banana or dates for extra sweetness. Don't forget the cinnamon for blood sugar balance and even more antioxidant power! The high antioxidant content in certain plant foods will increase the levels circulating in your bloodstream and being carried to your skin. Plants have compounds that protect them from sun damage that they ever so kindly pass on to us as a reward for eating them. You heard that right, plants are the sunscreen to your cells and they really do love us after all! Eat up and remember the mason jar!
Raw Veggies & Hummus
This super simple snack can be thrown together in minutes and is incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day. Purchase your favorite hummus from the store, or make it yourself at home. Chop up some carrots, red bell peppers, and whatever other raw veggies you enjoy with hummus for a perfectly light beach snack.
Berry Bowls
Sure, fruit is an excellent snack to take with you on a day out, but remember, we are focusing on berries for a reason. Berries contain some of the highest levels of antioxidants of all foods. Making a nice bowl of them for yourself to snack on during sun time will keep antioxidant levels high and smiles wide!
Dark Chocolate
As long as it is kept somewhere cool, dark chocolate can make for a delicious, post-lunch dessert that will lift you oxidant fighting abilities to the next level and keep your tastebuds in a state of bliss. Avoid bars that contain milk and that are high in sugar. The higher the percentage of cacao, the better- this is the best source of antioxidants on the planet! Just be sure it's not high to the point that it's too bitter for you to enjoy.
Green Tea
Maybe this doesn't belong in the snack category, but it is certainly a tasty and refreshing beverage to sip on throughout the day. Green tea is a powerhouse of antioxidants and a delicious way to beat the heat. Try it sweetened with date syrup, stevia, or leftover blueberry juice!
Water
Hydration is so important for skin health, especially when spending long periods in the sun. So many customary beach snacks are loaded with sodium and void of nutrition. We have to make an emphasis on rethinking what we eat and drink in it's relation to the activities of the day. As body temperatures elevate, we sweat more and as a result, become dehydrated. Even if you don't feel thirsty, you must be drinking water regularly throughout the day to ensure proper hydration. We strongly suggest bringing a reusable water bottle with you to avoid single-use plastic bottles.
The Beaches You Don't See
It is so important to remember the impact we all have on the world we live in. The only other thing more unpleasant or disheartening than a used plastic sandwhich bag docking itself on your shoulder during a refreshing swim in the ocean is an ocean whose plastic population outnumbers the fish that inhabit it. It is estimated that by 2050 that will be the sad reality for the massive bodies of water that make up more than 70% of our earth's surface. We all have the power to use Tupperware, biodegradable sandwhich bags, reusable water bottles, paper bags, and reusable cutlery when taking trips in nature to lessen the amount of waste we produce- it's time we put it to use!
Enjoy your time outdoors this summer. Stay healthy and always do your best to leave the world cleaner than you found it!
