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Internal Sunscreen?
You can protect sun-damaged skin with vitamin A supplements, according to a study I told you about in yesterday's e-Alert "Damage Control" (11/30/06).
Of course, the best skin protection begins before sun exposure, which is the topic of a Healthier Talk community thread titled "Internal Sunscreen."
HankwithanH: "Recently, I visited Costa Rica (which was wonderful). One of my concerns, prior to the trip, was how I'd do with the increased sun exposure and the increased intensity of the sun. I should mention that I'm a fair-skinned individual. Well, I did just fine. No sunburn at all. The remarkable part about this is that I hardly used any sunscreen. So, in essence, I was 'unprotected' the vast majority of the time.
"I attribute my burn-avoidance to an increased intake of antioxidants - both as supplements and in the food choices I made. For instance, I upped my CoQ10 intake (to 400mg a day) and I often drank tomato juice and ate guacamole (rich sources of carotenoids). Also, I drank iced tea (with lemon juice) and red wine with most meals."
Howard: "Were you also taking Vit D supplements? They can be a potent 'sunscreen' if you have been taking them prior to sun exposure."
HankwithanH: "Howard, I do take supplemental vitamin D - about 2,000 IU a day. Perhaps this was a factor."
Sally B.: "Maureen Salaman, Nutritionist, talks about an experiment that was done with pigs in her book. They chose pigs because they have very sensitive skin. Really! They applied vitamin C topically to the pig's skin and left them out in the direct sun for over a week. None of the pigs got sunburn or any other damage from the sun!"
HankwithanH: "That does not surprise me. Topical vitamin C appears to be a valuable tool in maintaining healthy skin. There are also a bunch of other natural substances that seem to protect the skin from sun-damage. Green tea, grape seed extracts and Pycnogenol, CoQ10, milk thistle are but a few of the natural extracts that help protect from inside and out."
Nolan: "Tyrosine is the most effective nutrient to help prevent sunburn. Pinto and other brown beans contain plenty as do many other foods. Sunscreens are really counterproductive as they also interfere with Vitamin D production."
Howard: "We had a similar experience last winter while visiting Florida for a week. We supplement with 2000IU's of Vit D/day during the winter months here in Minnesota, starting about the October time-frame. When we went to Fla. in January, we did not take any particular precautions with the sun, just common sense. (If you're getting red, cover or get in the shade…Duh!) No lotions, potions, sunscreens or other OTC remedies. Both my wife and I just got a light tan. Previous visits, without the Vit D supplementation, resulted in sunburn."
Sally B.: "Before you go out in the sun add some vitamin C, crystal or open up a capsule, and add it to your moisturizer before applying it. You can also add vitamin D and other vitamins to the mix. You can add some coconut oil to the mix, too. This works for my husband who works outdoors doing landscaping. We also take 2000iu vit D and lots of other vitamins daily."
Other topics being discussed this week in the Healthier Talk community forums include: - Headaches/Migraine: Celery juice cure
- Dr. Wright's Nutrition & Healing: Cell therapy
- Diabetes: Improved circulation and decreased neuropathy
- General Health Topics: Sublingual B-12
- Hormones: Peri-menopause
- Dental: Teeth fracturing due to drugs
To reach the HSI Healthier Talk community forums, just go to www.healthiertalk.com. |
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