Strengthen your skin from the inside before sun exposure

When it comes to the body, I am constantly impressed by how much it’s capable of coping. It is amazing what the mechanisms inside our body can handle, if we just give it a bit of tender loving care.

I always refer to our skin as our leather, and the same way I like to think of the body as a bicycle chain that continuously needs oil and maintenance to function properly. Just like we need to oil the wheels on our bicycle, our body also needs its ‘wheels’ to be nurtured and taken care of from the inside to function and protect itself from what we might expose it to. Our skin reveals how we take care of our bodies, and when the skin is nourished from the inside with great food, it enhances the skin’s ability to protect itself in the sun. *

*External UVA and UVB protection is essential to take care of the skin in the sun and to avoid sunburns.

The most powerful combination in regards of protecting the skin from UV exposure is to protect it with SPF from the outside – while also strengthening the skin’s natural defence from within.

 

Skincare and sun protection from within

Skincare rule no. 1 is to STAY HYDRATED.

On all Karmameju products, you will find our statement “stay hydrated / DRINK WATER”.

Keeping our body and skin hydrated is one of the most important things we can do to maintain healthy skin. Just to make an exaggerated example of how important it is, try to compare your skin with a raisin and a fresh grape – how do you prefer your skin to look? And how would you love your organs to feel?

Hydration is extra important when being exposed to the sun. The sun dries out our skin over time, and dry skin is more vulnerable to UV expose than hydrated skin. Keeping the skin hydrated helps the skin to rebuild its natural, protective barrier before and after sun exposure.

Antioxidants and free radicals

When our skin is being exposed to UV rays, our bodies react by producing free radicals. If the skin is exposed to a high level of free radicals, the skin comes into a stage of oxidative stress. This will damage the collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, accelerating the ageing process and hereby increasing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation.

 

Antioxidants help the body fight free radicals. Antioxidants can be viewed as small soldiers that help protecting against the damages that free radicals can cause. By eating foods with a high content of antioxidants, we can help our body neutralize free radicals and increase our general health. Antioxidants have an anti-inflammatory effect which can help protecting the skin and reduce the risks of sunburn.

 

The best sources of antioxidants are plant-based foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Below you will find a list of foods that are especially beneficial for your skin in the summertime as well as in winter.

 

Foods that strengthen skin from the inside  

Berries
Berries and pomegranate are known for their high content of antioxidants. They are rich in polyphenols which have a protective effect against free radicals as well as being anti-inflammatory. Polyphenols are also to be found in Karmamejus PRE- & AFTER SUN due to their calming and soothing effect on the skin.

Red vegetables
Red fruits and vegetables have a high content of lycopene which is an antioxidant. Lycopene is the colourant giving vegetables their red colour. Two good sources of lycopene are watermelon and tomatoes. While watermelon should be enjoyed fresh, the lycopene in tomatoes is better absorbed in the body, when the tomatoes are cooked - preferably with olive oil. Place some tomatoes on a baking tray with olive oil and garlic and bake it in the oven, and you will have a delicious side dish for the dinner table.

Beetroot
Beetroot is a vegetable with a very high content of different types of antioxidants, which has proven to be extremely effective in protecting the cells in our body against free radicals. As one of the very few vegetables available, beetroot contains betalains, which is a group of colour pigments that act as strong antioxidants and at the same time have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Sweet potato and spinach
Sweet potato and spinach are rich in beta-carotene which helps to reduce redness in the skin when it is exposed to UV rays. Beta-carotene is the precursor of vitamin A, that our body can use to produce vitamin A itself. Vitamin A is known to be an effective ingredient in skincare products. Furthermore, beta-carotene is also an antioxidant that contributes to healthy looking skin. Other great sources of beta-carotene are carrots, mango, apricots, cantaloupe, and kale.

By eating enough foods with a high content of beta-carotene, you might achieve a beautiful, golden tan as beta-carotene contributes to the production of pigment in your skin. However, it is not until the body has consumed the amount of beta-carotene that it needs to produce vitamin A, that the excess beta-carotene is used for the skin.

Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and kiwi have a high content of vitamin C, which strengthens the skin’s immune system and contributes to the production of collagen. At the same time, vitamin C act as a great antioxidant in the battle against free radicals. Another great source of vitamin C is broccoli.

Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds have a high content of anti-inflammatory omega-3. They are great at attenuating inflammation in the skin and help calming the skin.

Green tea
Green tea has a high content of polyphenols and is said to help protecting the skin against sun damage and skin cancer. Green tea also helps to reduce collagen damage caused by free radicals.

All of the foods above you might as well call skinfoods, and you can easily make them a part of your daily diet. Eat them as snacks, side dishes to your other meals - or blend them all together in a daily skinfood SUN smoothie and drink it for breakfast. 

All the best,

Mette Skjærbæk