The skin is one of our body’s most direct contacts with our environment— it is the largest organ of the human body and it consists of two layers. The upper-layer is called the epidermis and it consists mostly of dead epithelial cells that continually flake and fall off, the lower-layer is called the dermis and it consists of hair follicles, oil & sweat glands, muscles, nerves and blood vessels. The skin plays the vital role of the protection of our internal organs, as well as a means of thermoregulation. (Campbell, Reece 864)
Having healthy skin is having a healthy body, and that includes having a healthy relationship with the life giving, vitamin D providing sun. According to a study done by the Annals of the New York Academy of Science in the Netherlands,
Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium from the gut and facilitates bone mineralization… It is produced in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet irradiation from the sun and is also absorbed from food… The most important source of vitamin D is sun exposure… Sun is far more important for vitamin D status than food. When sun exposure is low, nutrition becomes more important.”
Keeping our skin hydrated and nourished with vitamins, both topically via emollient application, and internally via water intake and proper nutrition, are the most important things we can do to maintain healthy and protected skin that can readily uptake vitamin D from the sun without adverse affects such as burning.
Having healthy skin is having a healthy body, and that includes having a healthy relationship with the life giving, vitamin D providing sun. According to a study done by the Annals of the New York Academy of Science in the Netherlands,
Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium from the gut and facilitates bone mineralization… It is produced in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet irradiation from the sun and is also absorbed from food… The most important source of vitamin D is sun exposure… Sun is far more important for vitamin D status than food. When sun exposure is low, nutrition becomes more important.”
Keeping our skin hydrated and nourished with vitamins, both topically via emollient application, and internally via water intake and proper nutrition, are the most important things we can do to maintain healthy and protected skin that can readily uptake vitamin D from the sun without adverse affects such as burning.
As for diet, we protect our skin by eating essential fats including omega-3,5, & 9, as well as eating a wide variety of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables which are high inantioxidants, specifically flavonoids,
Antioxidants possess a unique ability to neutralize free radicals by donating an electron without themselves becoming damaged, so they can stop the chain reaction of oxidation. By doing this in the skin, they reduce predisposition to skin cancer. Plants contain many different types of antioxidants but one specific type—flavonoids—is particularly beneficial for skin.” (Tweed)
There are over 4,000 flavonoids in nature, eating a variety of colors in your diet ensures that you ingest a wide variety of flavonoids, as they are what gives fruits and vegetables their bright colors. For example, Carotenoids are a type of flavonoid found in orange and yellow plant foods including carrots and have been shown to counteract UV damage to skin.
Essential fats necessary for healthy hydrated skin can be found in such plants foods as flax seed, chia seed, hemp seed, pumpkin seeds, beans, olive oil, leafy greens. “Some research suggests that essential fatty acids may be preventative for skin cancer,’ says Alschuler. A balance of fats helps reduce the chronic inflammation that triggers oxidation.” (Tweed)
Having vegan diet choices and proper water intake as your basis, your skin is innately protected in exposure to sun, however for optimal sun protection, keeping your skin externally coated with hydration and nutrients is also necessary.
Dry skin isn’t a cause of cancer, but it does weaken our natural defenses” (Tweed)
We have been lead to believe sun protection can only be found in synthetic sunscreens that contain heavy metals, carcinogenic compounds and hormone disruptors, including parabens and titanium dioxide.
More recently, results of a randomized controlled trial of adults who used sunscreen daily found increased risk of basal cell carcinoma. A case-control study from southern Sweden of 571 patients diagnosed with malignant melanoma showed significantly increased risk for having developed the disease after regular sunscreen use. The possibility remains that these products may be contributing to skin cancers. This is supported by the fact that the toxic chemicals used in sunscreens could very well constitute a potential mechanism for the development of skin cancers.” (Dingle)
Regardless of the current standard beliefs, the earth actually does provide a plant for every need and disease; therefore, there are several organic alternatives we can use as a skin protectant in the sun that do not contain any one of over 50 known toxins used in conventional SPFs.
The same foods we can eat for optimal skin health, we can also apply topically, especially during sun exposure, for the same purpose. We can use a combination of fatty-oils with oils high in flavonoids— for example, we can mix hemp oil with carrot seed oil, or red-raspberry seed oil with flax seed oil and apply to the skin. Other beneficial oils to be used as skin protectants include jojoba oil, wheat germ oil, shea oil, coconut oil, olive oil, black seed oil.
Using these simple organic mixtures, you can protect your skin and also leave out the toxic chemicals from your body and our environment.
Sources
1. Campbell, Reece, Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky & Jackson. (2008). Biology (Eighth Edition). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
2. Lips, van Schoor, de Jongh. “Diet, sun, and lifestyle as determinants of vitamin D status.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Issue: Steroids in Neuroendocrine Immunology and Therapy of Rheumatic Diseases I. 30 May 2014.
3. Tweed, Vera. “Skin Salvation: Surprising natural ways to reduce skin cancer risk.” Better Nutrition. July 2012.
4. http://www.organicauthority.com/health/8-fish-free-vegan-omega-fatty-acid-rich-foods.html
5. http://plenteousveg.com/vegan-sources-omega-3/
6. Peter Dingle, BEd, BSc, PhD. “How Toxic is Your Sunscreen: Toxic Sunscreen Ingredients Exposed.” Australasian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine Journal. Vol 28 No 2. June 2009
Antioxidants possess a unique ability to neutralize free radicals by donating an electron without themselves becoming damaged, so they can stop the chain reaction of oxidation. By doing this in the skin, they reduce predisposition to skin cancer. Plants contain many different types of antioxidants but one specific type—flavonoids—is particularly beneficial for skin.” (Tweed)
There are over 4,000 flavonoids in nature, eating a variety of colors in your diet ensures that you ingest a wide variety of flavonoids, as they are what gives fruits and vegetables their bright colors. For example, Carotenoids are a type of flavonoid found in orange and yellow plant foods including carrots and have been shown to counteract UV damage to skin.
Essential fats necessary for healthy hydrated skin can be found in such plants foods as flax seed, chia seed, hemp seed, pumpkin seeds, beans, olive oil, leafy greens. “Some research suggests that essential fatty acids may be preventative for skin cancer,’ says Alschuler. A balance of fats helps reduce the chronic inflammation that triggers oxidation.” (Tweed)
Having vegan diet choices and proper water intake as your basis, your skin is innately protected in exposure to sun, however for optimal sun protection, keeping your skin externally coated with hydration and nutrients is also necessary.
Dry skin isn’t a cause of cancer, but it does weaken our natural defenses” (Tweed)
We have been lead to believe sun protection can only be found in synthetic sunscreens that contain heavy metals, carcinogenic compounds and hormone disruptors, including parabens and titanium dioxide.
More recently, results of a randomized controlled trial of adults who used sunscreen daily found increased risk of basal cell carcinoma. A case-control study from southern Sweden of 571 patients diagnosed with malignant melanoma showed significantly increased risk for having developed the disease after regular sunscreen use. The possibility remains that these products may be contributing to skin cancers. This is supported by the fact that the toxic chemicals used in sunscreens could very well constitute a potential mechanism for the development of skin cancers.” (Dingle)
Regardless of the current standard beliefs, the earth actually does provide a plant for every need and disease; therefore, there are several organic alternatives we can use as a skin protectant in the sun that do not contain any one of over 50 known toxins used in conventional SPFs.
The same foods we can eat for optimal skin health, we can also apply topically, especially during sun exposure, for the same purpose. We can use a combination of fatty-oils with oils high in flavonoids— for example, we can mix hemp oil with carrot seed oil, or red-raspberry seed oil with flax seed oil and apply to the skin. Other beneficial oils to be used as skin protectants include jojoba oil, wheat germ oil, shea oil, coconut oil, olive oil, black seed oil.
Using these simple organic mixtures, you can protect your skin and also leave out the toxic chemicals from your body and our environment.
Sources
1. Campbell, Reece, Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky & Jackson. (2008). Biology (Eighth Edition). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
2. Lips, van Schoor, de Jongh. “Diet, sun, and lifestyle as determinants of vitamin D status.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Issue: Steroids in Neuroendocrine Immunology and Therapy of Rheumatic Diseases I. 30 May 2014.
3. Tweed, Vera. “Skin Salvation: Surprising natural ways to reduce skin cancer risk.” Better Nutrition. July 2012.
4. http://www.organicauthority.com/health/8-fish-free-vegan-omega-fatty-acid-rich-foods.html
5. http://plenteousveg.com/vegan-sources-omega-3/
6. Peter Dingle, BEd, BSc, PhD. “How Toxic is Your Sunscreen: Toxic Sunscreen Ingredients Exposed.” Australasian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine Journal. Vol 28 No 2. June 2009