6 Sun Protective Skin Foods

With covid-19 surging this summer, it has never been more important to get your daily dose of sunshine to boost your immune system. Along with applying natural broad spectrum SPF, eating these 6 foods prior to sun exposure will help your skin protect itself from photo-aging:

1. Blueberries

These sweet babies are an anti-aging powerhouse, specially if they are wild or organically grown. A great source of vitamin C and loaded with antioxidants, they help your skin repair itself and recover from free radical damage caused by sun exposure. Eat them daily or throw them in your smoothie as an antidote for wrinkles. 

2. Cauliflower

This rather boring food can taste amazing if sliced and baked in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, crushed red peppers and sea salt. It contains histidine, an alpha-amino acid that stimulates the production of urocanic acid, which absorbs UV radiation. It is a cruciferous food, so always eat it cooked to protect thyroid function and hormone balance. 

3. Green Tea

The healthiest beverage on the planet. It is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, with about 30% polyphenols and large amounts of a catechin called EGCG, which helps prevent cell breakdown, wrinkles, cancer, tumors from UV radiation, and increases memory. 

4. Leafy Green Veggies & Carrots

Beta-carotene found in dark green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, collards, chard and also carrots is a must for youthful, healthy glowing skin. Our bodies convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, which stimulates cell-turnover, healing response and collagen production. 

5. Omega 3

Found in nuts, seeds and salmon, omega oils are an essential building block for our skin, brain, nerves and body. We cannot produce this skin-loving fat, so it has to be part of our diet. Flax seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds all contain omegas. However, a supplement such as Udo's Choice 3-6-9 oil is helpful to get enough to hydrate skin from within. 

6. Watermelon

This delicious super summer food contains more skin rejuvenating lycopene than cooked tomatoes. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant with many health benefits, including sun protection, improved heart health and a lower risk of certain types of cancer. Though it can be found as a supplement, it may be most effective when consumed from lycopene-rich foods like watermelon and tomatoes.

Have yourself a sun-protective smoothie daily for breakfast with all 6 of the above ingredients to give your skin a beautiful summer glow while building up a healthy dose of immune-boosting Vitamin D.