Love the sun without the damage

Q:  “I love the sun but I am worried about getting too much. What are my options?” 

Dr Allegra says….

I used to sunburn easily and often. I learned to avoid the sun, which over time made me even more sensitive to burning. As I rebuilt my health, I found I could handle more sun exposure without burning.

Getting out in the sun without anything blocking the sun from touching your skin is important. This allows you to make your own Vitamin D from the sun. At the same time, it is also important to avoid sunburns. Everyone is different in how they respond to the sun. Some might have just a few minutes and others hours before they begin to burn.

Here are some general tips to enjoy your time in the sun and reduce your risk of sunburns:

1. Build up slowly: Start slow with your sun exposure and gradually increase your time out. This allows you to find your personal sun limit and minimizes your risk of burning.

2. Nourish from within: Increase your intake of healthy fats. Healthy fat helps you build and maintain strong flexible skin that heals quickly.

Some examples are:

• Butter from pasture-raised cows, goats, and sheep
• Tallow from pasture-raised beef and lamb
• Lard from pasture-raised pigs
• Chicken, duck, and goose fat from pasture-raised poultry
• Cold pressed olive oil (ideally eaten raw)
• Cold pressed coconut oil
• Cold pressed sesame oil
• Cold pressed flax oil (eaten raw only)
• Fish, wild
• Cold pressed cod liver oil

3. Reduce oxidation: Oxidation stress happens where there is too much stress and not enough antioxidants in and on your body. This part of the damaging reaction of the sun on your skin. Eating more antioxidants like dark berries, green leafy veggies, and green tea can help reduce oxidative damage to your skin.

4. Choose the right sunblock: Avoid chemical sunblocks and sprays, which are highly toxic, interrupt hormone function, and damage our water’s ecosystem. If you need sunblock, seek versions with zinc oxide or titanium oxide. These do not absorb through the skin and will not interfere with your hormone balance.  Find a good non-toxic sunblock at the EWG’s Skindeep Database.

5. Cover up: After you have reached your sun limit, consider moving to the shade, and putting on sunblock or clothing. Wear large hats, long sleeved shirts and pants.

6.  Stay hydrated: Dehydration makes your skin more susceptible to damage and slows your ability to heal. Aim to consume at least half your body weight in ounces of water every day- more if you drink coffee, alcohol, or are out in the sun.

If you know someone who can benefit from becoming more sun-savvy, please pass this information along.

Now get out there and enjoy the sun responsibly!

Want more ways to boost your health?

Start here with Dr. Allegra’s Self-Care Starter Pack!
This pack includes the tools you need to amplify your health!
1.  Dry Skin Brush
2.  Organic Cotton Cloth for a castor oil pack
3. Organic Castor Oil to apply to your pack.
4. Dr. Allegra’s bestselling book, Nourishing Space Within: Essentials of Self-Care, to teach you how to use these tools easily and effectively!

We all can use healthier options.

When will you start?

In Health,

If you have a question for Dr. Allegra you would like considered, please submit it to info@naturaeclinic.com with the subject “The Doctor Is In Question”.