Natural sunlight is essential to maintaining good health, it improves our mood and helps to avoid conditions such as depression and seasonal affected disorder. It's a great source of vitamin D and allows the absorption of vitamin D3 calciferol which is essential for strong teeth and bones. The balance between enjoying the sun and protecting ourselves from sun damage is crucial for our health and for looking our best. It is estimated that we only need 10 minutes of unprotected sun exposure every day in order to obtain an adequate amount of vitamin D3, so if we wish to stay in the sun for longer than that it is important to protect ourselves.
It is increasingly well known that too much sun can have detrimental effects and age us prematurely. This is especially true at a time when environmental factors have exposed us to larger amounts of UV radiation. There are dangers in too much sun exposure and overuse of sunlamps and most people know it’s a good idea to use a sunscreen now. What is not so widely known is that there are other things we can do such as having acupuncture treatment and using supplements to improve our natural protection and resistance to the sun. Supplements may help in preventing damage or in repairing damage which occurred years ago when the dangers were not as widely known. Supplements and creams can also help to repair the skin if we inadvertently burn ourselves causing damage at any time.
The amount of sun protection we need is dependant on our skin type. Those of us with darker skin have more melanocytes which produce melanin, the bodies way of trying to protect us from the sun. People with fair skin particularly those of Irish descent have very little melanin so therefore have very little natural protection.
I treat people with skin problems like rosaria or acne with a combination of acupuncture, diet and supplements. But I also help people who do not have a specific skin problem to retain or recapture their youthful glow using facial revitalisation acupuncture. I have found that diet and supplements are a good way to help maintain and support the improvements. The most common skin complaints I see in patients for facial acupuncture are: Premature fine lines and wrinkles, Hypergigmetation, A leathery texture to the skin and a crepe like texture of the neck and decleotage.
I often to use the following supplements in conjunction with treatment to help my patients to achieve their beauty goal:
Pycnogenol
Helps to prevent further damage of skin by preventing free radical damage protecting our collagen. It also helps to repair the skin by improving delivery of food and oxygen to skin cells thus stimulating the skins growth and repair. Good food sources include berries, grapes and cherries..
Coenzyme Q10
Especially important if you are female as women tend to have lower levels of this antioxiadant in their bodies and this is especially true if ones diet is lacking in protein. It concentrates in our cells protecting us from free radical damage. Unfortunately only small amounts of COQ10 are available in foods where the most common sources are sardines and peanuts
Alpha lipoic acid
Increases the positive effects of other antioxidants such as vitamin C and E giving the skin more protection. Affects the skins cell metabolism, a higher energy level allows the skins cells to remove more wastes, absorb more nutrients and replace damaged parts of the cell.
Vitamin C
Improves the immune system by strengthening the bodys white blood cells and helps to heal inflammation including sunburn. Inhibits the production of a chemical called arachdionic acid which can lead to skin inflammation.
The best supplement for a person is dependent upon their individual needs and the information here may help you to prioritize a suitable one for yourself. I try to asses each persons skin type and overall health situation in order to make a recommendation. For overall improvement and protection almost anyone will benefit from a regular low dose of these. Quality is important and I usually buy from either Higher Nature or Biocare both of whom have good web-sites enabling you to order online.
Note: Supplements are categorized as food so they are generally very safe and available over the counter. However, If you are taking prescribed medication or suffer from any serious health condition such as diabetes you are still advised to consult a health professional as a precaution before taking them.
Regards, Stacey.