The French Riviera’s sunshine coastline is the perfect place to soak up warmth and enjoy long summer days. While the sun provides essential vitamin D and supports overall wellbeing, excessive exposure can lead to oxidative stress and skin damage. Here’s how to nourish and protect your skin naturally while enjoying your time in the sun! Written by Naturopathic Nutritionist Erica.
Nourish Your Skin from Within
The foods we eat play a crucial role in protecting our bodies from sun damage. By reducing oxidative stress through a diet rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients, we can strengthen our skin’s natural defence ability.
Key Nutrients for Summer Sun Protection for your Skin
- Resveratrol – Found in raspberries, blueberries, red grapes, peanuts, and chocolate, resveratrol helps combat free radicals and reduces inflammation.
- Lycopene – Tomatoes, guavas, apricots, watermelon, and grapefruit are rich in lycopene, which has been shown to improve the skin’s resistance to sunburn. (More lycopene is released when tomatoes are cooked or in fresh tomato sauce vs raw tomatoes.)
- Chlorophyll – Greens like kale, microgreens, spinach, and celery support detoxification and skin health.
- Beta-Carotene – Carrots, sweet potatoes, melons, and mangoes provide beta-carotene, which converts into vitamin A and supports skin renewal.
- Vitamin E – Avocados, sunflower seeds, almonds, and peanuts help protect the skin’s lipid barrier and prevent oxidative damage.
- Vitamin C – Found in red peppers, citrus fruits, mangoes, papayas, strawberries, and kiwi, vitamin C helps with collagen production and repairs skin cells.
The sun is an incredible source to our wellbeing, you should not completely avoid it. It’s important to be mindful of how and when you expose your skin to the sun. It is a powerful source of Vitamin D which is essential for:
- A strong immune system
- Bone health and calcium absorption
- Glowing, healthy skin
- Improved mood and mental wellbeing
- Better sleep quality
Protecting your skin isn’t just about applying sunscreen – it’s about an overall lifestyle approach. The combination of a nutrient-rich diet, mindful sun exposure, hydration, and natural skincare will help you maintain healthy, radiant skin long-term.
Enjoy your summer on the French Riviera with ease, knowing you’re taking care of your skin the natural way!
Sources if you’d like to read further:
- https://karger.com/spp/article-abstract/14/1/11/383352/Protective-Effects-of-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1751-1097.2007.00253.x
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/2/8/903
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523065978
Health disclaimer: I do not claim to diagnose, cure or treat diseases, symptoms or illnesses. The information and service provided through the platform/consultations are here to provide individuals with an alternative holistic method if you choose to make changes in this direction. Please contact your medical practitioner if you have any medical issues.
Follow Erica on Insta here.
Read more posts from Erica on Wondergreens here.
