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Jessica Boyette-Carter, DNM
Sun Safety for Healthy Skin
A few weeks ago my daughter went to a friend's house for a playdate. I quickly realized when I saw her that afternoon that she had been playing outside all day without sunscreen protection. If you or your child gets a sunburn, don't waste money on over the counter sunburn relief products. Many of these products contain lanolin as the active ingredient which actually stings when applied. I recommend you head for your kitchen and look for the following common household products to use instead. Yogurt can be used by spreading it on the areas sunburned. It will cool and re-hydrate the skin. After 15 minutes, rinse off the yogurt. Follow with a bath using two cups of apple cider vinegar and soak for 15 minutes. Use a brand such as Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar that can be found in health food stores and has been wood-aged and contains the "mother" as opposed to store bought vinger that has been chemically aged. If you don't have wood-aged apple cider vinegar you can take a bath with baking soda instead. After the bath, pat the skin dry and genetly rub in olive oil. A friend of mine who is an herbalist promotes olive oil as being one of the best remedies for healing sunburns. There are studies showing oleuropein which is derived from olive oil and olive oil leaves, reduces pain and swelling induced by a sunburn. Aloe vera gel is widely used by hospitals for burn victims because it is antibacterial and contains aloectin B which stimulates the immune system. If you own an aloe vera plant, pinch off a stem, squeeze the juice and gently apply to the skin. If you don't have an aloe vera plant, you can buy pure aloe vera gel in most health food stores. Lavendar oil can be used to take the sting out of burns. You can mix10 drops lavender oil into 4 ounces of water in a spray bottle and lightly spray the sunburn. Lavender is also one of the only essential oils that can be safely applied to the skin without diluting it in a carrier oil so you can apply it to the skin directly or have the option of adding a few drops with olive oil. Lastly, you can use black or green tea. If you have mint flavors such as peppermint or spearmint, use those instead. Teas contain tannins which help soothe and heal a sunburn. Specifically, green tea applied to the skin has been shown to decrease the direct effects and inflammation caused by sunburn. To use properly, make a pot of hot tea of your choice, let it cool, then soak a towel in the tea and apply to the skin.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you know you will be spending time in the sun, make sure your clothing is sun proof. There are various companies that sell this type of protection. (see Exofficio.com). Clothes that are dark and contain tightly woven fabrics protect the best (UV radiation can penetrate light colored clothing). Also, hats should be sun-proof and have at least three-inch brims. You can find such hats online at tilley.com.
When it comes to sunscreens, look for sunblock sunscreens containing at least 20% titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide (perferably both). Many sunscreens advertise as being sunblocks when they are not. Sunscreen absorbs UV light before it reaches your skin whereas sunblock physically blocks by reflecting UV light. Sunblock is better for sun protection because it protects from both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen only blocks UVA light. UVB light causes sunburn but UVA light causes aging and wrinking of the skin.
If you are looking for another good reason to eat five servings of vegetables and fruits a day, look no further........specific foods have been found to be photo protective meaning they help repair the UV damage caused by the sun. These foods can heighten the body's natural SPF to about two or three and the cumulative effect may be significant over time.
Consider eating the following foods for sun protection: Blueberries and raspberries. They are high in vitamin C, prevent skin cancers and reduce the signs of aging. Other foods rich in vitamin C are bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, brussels sprouts and strawberries. Tomatoes and watermelon both contain lycopene which has been shown to reduce skin cell damage and redness caused by the sun. Watermelon has 40% more lycopene than raw tomatoes but when tomatoes are cooked in olive oil, studies have shown that the oil actually extracts the lycopene from the tomatoes. This essentially protects the skin from sunburns and has the same protective impact as sunblock with SPF of 2 or 3. Drinking green tea is beneficial for skin because it has powerful anti-cancer properties. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which decrease inflammation and provide moisture to the skin as well as prevent UV damage. Choose light tuna instead of white albacore tuna because it is is lower in mercury and wild salmon instead of farmed salmon because it is lower in chemical pollutants called PCB. Foods rich in Vitamin E are great skin protectors because vitamin E helps prevent our skin cells from becoming sunburn cells. Foods rich in vitamin E are sunflower seeds, almonds, olives and dark green leafy vegetables. Beta carotene helps to reduce the redness and inflamation of a sunburn by accumulating in the skin. One small sweet potatoe contains enough beta carotene to provide protection for 24 hours against sun damage. If you are heading out to the beach soon with your family, I recommend serving sweet potatoes the day before!
Dr. Jessica Boyette-Carter received a bachelors of arts in psychology from the University of Louisiana. After college she became interested in natural and holistic remedies and pursued a Doctor of Natural Medicines from the Yamuni Institute of Healing Arts. She graduated with honors and is board certified in Clinical Bionutrition and is a member of the International College of Bionutrition. She completed the clinical internship program offered at the Jester Nutritional Consultants Clinic in Maurice, La.
Doctors of Natural Medicine (DNM) teach individuals how to live healthy lifestyles and prevent the onset of diseases. DNM's do not diagnose or treat illnesses. Natural Health programs may include herbalism, natural hygiene, naturopathy, bionutrition and how these approaches may be used as complementary treatments to modern day medicine. Bionutrition teaches how to use nutrition to build your immune, antioxidant defense and repair systems. These are you first line of defense. Supplements are subsequesntly used if needed and medicine should be the last resort. Many people take supplements without knowing their interactions with other supplements and medications. Dr. Carter promotes balance and respect of the strength of traditional medicines when applying complementary therapies.
Presently she resides in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband and their five children.
You can email Dr. Carter with any questions/concerns regarding natural health at DrJess_earthwellnessgroup.com.
References:
Preventive effect of antioxidant on ultraviolet-induced skin cancer in mice; Authors: Ichihashi M.1; Ahmed N.U.; Budiyanto A.; Wu A.; Bito T.; Ueda M.; Osawa T.; Source: Journal of Dermatological Science, Volume 23, Supplement 1, March 2000 , pp. 45-50(6); Publisher: Elsevier
Iurin, V. O., I. u. A. Kim, et al. Structural changes in lipid membranes and collagen irradiated with UV light and the protective effect of plant extracts. Biofizika 49, no. 4 (2004): 666-73.
BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR ACTION OF NUTRIENTS: Wilhelm Stahl, Ulrike Heinrich, Sheila Wiseman, Olaf Eichler, Helmut Sies, and Hagen Tronnier Dietary Tomato Paste Protects against Ultraviolet LightInduced Erythema in Humans J. Nutr., May 2001; 131: 1449 - 1451.
Van Laethem, A., S. Claerhout, et al. The sunburn cell: Regulation of death and survival of the keratinocyte. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 37, no. 8 (2005): 1547-53.
Stahl, W., et al. 2001. Dietary tomato paste protects against ultraviolet light-induced erythema in humans. J of Nutrition 131(May):1449.
