How to Safely Protect Your Skin from the Inside and Out

What’s going on?  The use of sunscreens and the spf factors have both increased, yet the rate of skin cancers is also increasing.  There are lots of theories about this.  One is that we are just not applying them properly or that we are overestimating their ability to protect our skin. 

Another theory is that some of the chemicals found in many sunscreens are actually harmful and may be contributing to skin damage.  For example, vitamin A (listed as retinyl palmitate) applied topically has been shown to actually accelerate the development of tumors.  And several additional ingredients found in very popular sunscreens actually generate free radicals themselves when they absorb the sun’s UV radiation.

Then there’s the issue of blocking our bodies’ ability to produce vitamin D when we’re not letting in the sun’s rays.  Vitamin D is so important for a strong immune system and bones, and it’s thought to help prevent several types of cancer.  In addition, there is still no compelling evidence to suggest that when used properly, sunscreens reduce the risk of skin cancer. 

From someone who has had melanoma, this is something I’m particularly interested in.  To take matters in my own hands, here are the things that I do and recommend for you and your family.  You’ve heard many of these before, but it’s always nice to get a reminder…

Avoid direct sun at its hottest - You know that the sun is hottest when it is at it’s highest–usually between 10 am and 2 pm, depending on where you are.  Try to stay out of the direct sun during those hours. If you can get your yard or garden work done or your bike ride in early or later in the day, you’ll need less cover-up and the temperature will be more bearable. 

Cover up - We’ve all experienced tan lines from a bathing suit, so we understand how effective clothing can be at preventing sun exposure.  If I’m at the beach these days, you’ll find me wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a long-sleeve, linen cover-up.  Alternatively, I’m under an umbrella.  Avoiding the direct sunlight is the best way to prevent sunburn.  Also remember that an overcast day won’t prevent the sun’s rays from reaching you, so cover up on a cloudy day as well.

Wear sunglasses - Many people don’t realize that like the skin, UV radiation can also damage the eyes.  An “eye sunburn” from excessive amounts of UV radiation over a short period of time can cause photokeratitis–a condition that can feel like grittiness or a foreign object in the eye.  This is something that usually clears up.  However, excessive, long-term exposure to the sun can increase the risk of cateracts or macular degeneration.  

For the safety of you and your family (even small children), wear sunglasses that block out 99 - 100% of both UV-A and UV-B radiation as well as 75 - 90% of visible light.  For more information, check the American Optometric Association’s website.

Wear a safe sunscreen - Although there is still no compelling evidence to suggest it prevents skin cancer, keeping your skin burn-free is certainly one way to lower the risk. When choosing a sunscreen, the Environmental Working Group recommends choosing one that is free from several ingredients, including oxybenzone or vitamin A. 

Of all the products they’ve evaluated, they recommend non-mineral sunscreens with avobenzone or mineral-based formulas using zinc or titanium (however, not in spray or powder form).  Check their site for a list of the safest bets to choose from.

Don’t forget to apply it to the feet and the ears–this is actually a common spot for skin cancer.  For women, it’s the back of the legs, which is where I had it.  Reapply after going into the water or after sweating. 

Eat your fruits and veggies! -  Studies have shown that carotenoids and flavonoids, which protect plants from photo damage, also help prevent UV damage in humans and animals.  One study showed that mice who were fed the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin had a reduction in the UV-B induced inflammatory response and also exhibited less cell death and less inappropriate cell development.

Lycopene, which is abundant in tomatoes (and is found in watermelon), has been shown to decrease the sensitivity of UV-induced erythema (redness of the skin).  In addition, a meta analysis of seven studies also concluded that beta-carotene supplementation protects against sunburn.   And the longer the duration of supplementation, the better the protection.

What better way to protect ourselves from the damaging rays than from the inside out?  A strong arsenal of internal antioxidants will help to offset the damage that sunscreens don’t prevent and a consistently healthy diet that includes lots of vegetables and fruits will ensure that we’re getting the best natural protection.

I wish you all a happy and healthy and sunburn-free summer! 

Hold the Tomato

I’m forever going on about plant-based foods such as vegetables and why they should be the bulk of our diets; however, I am also the first to acknowledge that there are no perfect foods and for many of them, how they’re prepared will make a big difference in what we gain from them.  Here are some things to be aware of:

Cruciferous vegetables - This wonderful bunch of vegetables in the genus Brassica, including bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and many others, contain something called goitrogens which suppress thyroid function by interfering with the uptake of iodine.  In their raw form, they are mildly goitrogenic; however cooking inactivates their thyroid suppressing activities.  Culturing or fermenting also works.

Legumes - Legumes such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas are all high in fiber and protein, but they also contain enzyme inhibitors that block the digestion of proteins as well as phytic acid that prevents the absorption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc.  To reduce these antinutrients, soak the legumes for several hours in water and replace the water for cooking.  Also, skim any foam off the top of the pot that accumulates from boiling.  Sprouting will also reduce both forms of toxin. 

Grains - Similar to legumes, grains such as wheat, rye, barley, brown rice, and oats contain enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid and should be soaked for several hours and rinsed before cooking.

Greens - We love leafy green vegetables for their health promoting qualities; however, a few greens, including beet greens, Swiss chard, and spinach, contain fair amounts of oxalic acid, which binds calcium and interferes with its absorption.   To eliminate the oxalic acid from these vegetables, boil, steam, or sauté them before eating.

Nightshade vegetables - This group includes vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and most peppers (except black pepper), including cayenne, as well as paprika.   They contain relatively small amounts of compounds called alkaloids, which plants produce for protection, so in that way they act as pesticides for the plant.  There are several types of alkaloids; a well known one is nicotine. 

At high levels, the steroid alkaloid solanine, in potatoes have been shown to block the activity of an enzyme in the nervous system called cholinesterase, which is normally responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.  Inhibition of this brain chemical results in a loss of control of muscle movements, including twitching, trembling and difficulty breathing.   And although there is no solid scientific data to back it up, it’s often recommended that anyone with arthritis, gout, or GERD avoid nightshade vegetables.   In potatoes, alkaloids will accumulate around potato sprouts and green potato skins, so they should be removed completely, or simply not eaten.  And they should also never be eaten raw.

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane

Color Me Healthy

Have you taken a good look at the food on your plate lately?  What color is it?  Is it mostly brown, tan, and white or are you seeing colors found in the rainbow?  If your answer was the first choice, then you’re likely eating a diet consisting of highly processed foods that lack fiber and a wealth of nutrients.  On the other hand, if you’ve got bright colors on your plate in the form of fruits and vegetables, this is good news because you’re giving your cells a workout that’s going to keep them fit, healthy, and young. 

The color I’m referring to is the pigment in fruits and vegetables.  Besides the abundance of vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in vegetables and fruits, they all contain unique compounds termed phytonutrients.  More than simply antioxidants like vitamin C, phytonutrients provide information to our cells that help to regulate our genes.  What’s fascinating, is that they do this by hitting our cells with small amounts of stress that cause them to undergo an adaptive response called hormesis.  I like to think of it as keeping our cells on alert so that they don’t fall asleep on the job.

According to America’s Phytonutrient Report, 76% of Americans have a phytonutrient gap, meaning that they are getting below the median levels of fruits and vegetables determined to be prudent as set within governmental guidelines.   

Numerous studies have shown that eating the recommended 5-13 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday can reduce the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancer, and dementia.   And certain colors will target certain tissues or organs in the body.  For example:

Red phytochemicals protect the heart and circulation, lower the risk of prostate, breast, and skin cancers, protect the liver and gastrointestinal tract, and strengthen the immune system. Sources include tomatoes, watermelon, red raspberries, strawberries, cherries, beets, red beans, salmon, and trout.  

Orange foods target the immune system, vision, reduces the risk of cancer and heart attacks, as well as healthy skin, bones, and teeth.  They include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, mangos apricots, oranges, lemons peaches, pineapple, and nectarines.

Yellow-green helps with vision, cell growth, and reduces the risk of cancer.  Sources include leafy green and cruciferous veggies, honeydew melon, kiwi, green peas.

Blue-Purple foods lower the risk of cancer, age related memory loss, heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes complications, and Alzheimer’s disease.  They include blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, prunes, raisins, and eggplant.

White phytochemicals target high cholesterol and blood pressure, lower the risk of heart attacks and cancer.  They can be found in garlic, onions, leeks, onions, and chives.

There are numerous ways to get your phytonutrients, including the recipe below for confetti quinoa.  Just remember, as long as you’re eating from the colors of the rainbow, you can’t go wrong… 

Image courtesy of Michelle Meikleljohn

Time-saving Tips to Stay on a Healthy Track

You’ve probably been there before. You begin with every intention to lead a healthy lifestyle by eating right and exercising and then life gets in the way. The kids get sick, or you have to work late to meet an unexpected deadline, or a friend calls and needs help. Whatever the reason is, it often doesn’t take much to derail you from your eating plan and you suddenly fall into the trap of eating convenience foods on the run rather than the healthy meals you had planned.

One of the primary strategies to staying on track is planning ahead. This can mean having meals prepared, or ingredients ready to put together something quick. Here are some tips to making that happen on a regular basis so that eating health becomes more of a habit and a priority. Many of these you’ve heard before, but I find that it’s always nice to be re-inspired because it gives me a renewed sense of empowerment along with the reminder that it is possible to live a healthy life even in the midst of chaos. The key here is that if you've decided to make it a priority, you'll take a no excuses approach and do it.

Plan ahead and have a list. Have you ever just walked into the grocery store without a plan and spent way too much time trying to decide what you want and need? I have for sure and it’s always a waste of time and often money. To save both, make a list and stick to it. This way, you can be in and out in no time and won’t be as tempted by impulse purchases that can be costly and unhealthy (any vegetable would be excluded from these categories : ).

Block out time to cook and prepare for the week. This is often a Sunday morning or afternoon when it may be easier to spend several hours in the kitchen. Plan a few dishes that can be cooked and then refrigerated for several days, or split and frozen for a few meals. Good ideas include soups, stews, grain dishes, quiches or frittatas, and cold salads.

Pre-cut veggies for later use. Whether you’ll be making a stir-fry for Monday’s dinner, making salads for lunch, adding vegetables to your morning eggs, juicing during the week, or simply want healthy snacks within reach, having a supply of vegetables washed, peeled, and chopped saves a tremendous amount of time. And adding vegetables to anything is always a positive move towards more vibrant health.

To keep them fresh so that they give you the most flavor and nutritional value, store them separately in air-tight containers and pull them out of the fridge on demand. Chopped red peppers, carrots, and cucumbers make great snacks, either alone or dipped in hummus, guacamole, or salsa, and having them ready to go will make it less likely that you’ll want to grab a bag of tortilla chips.

Make batter ahead of time. If your family likes pancakes or waffles in the morning, prepare your own homemade batters the day before and store them in the fridge. Then prepare what is needed and save the rest. In fact, you can even premix the batter’s dry ingredients and store them in an airtight container in the cabinet so that making the batter takes even less time. Here’s a recipe that I like to use frequently. The nice thing about making your own is that you can control the ingredients since many of the store-bought mixes contain bleached, white flours, trans fats, aluminum, and preservatives.

Prepare lunch while making dinner. If while I’m preparing dinner I know I’ll need lunch for the next day, I will automatically get it ready as I’m cooking dinner. This could mean a piece of salmon from dinner goes into a salad for the next day, or setting aside some quinoa pilaf in a separate bowl, or boiling a couple extra eggs. If you’re already in the kitchen, why not get it all done at once?

When I was commuting to Boston two days per week, I would plan and pack two days worth of food to take with me so that I wouldn’t have to buy less than healthy meals while away. It saved me time and money on the road and when I got home after two very long days, I didn’t miss a beat because my diet kept me strong and energized.

Have healthy snacks available. If you’re someone who likes to have your afternoon snack while at work, rather than resort to the nearest vending machine, cafeteria, or coffee shop, bring healthy treats. These can include fruit, home-made trail mix made with dried fruit, nuts, and seeds, a handful of almonds, or veggies. Yesterday, I made these delicious soaked and seasoned sunflower and pumpkin seeds. A handful of these will satisfy any hunger and keep you energized until dinner.

Being prepared ahead of time takes the guess-work out of eating. If you have healthy food ready, the temptation to grab something unhealthy is minimized. This in itself will save you time, money, and energy, since your home-prepared foods will more likely feed your body what it really needs to function at its best and you’ll be teaching your children important eating habits early on. The more you get into this habit, the more you will appreciate its value and realize the power that your diet has over your performance and well-being. It won't take long for you to see that the time you take to prepare healthy, whole-food meals is time well spent and you won’t want it any other way.

Beating the Heat

It would be an understatement to say it’s hot here. It has been in the upper 90’s for a few days and it is expected to be a couple more before we see some relief. It’s important everyday to stay hydrated, but it’s even more important on days like this because we more easily lose fluids through sweat. And along with those fluids we lose salts like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Left unchecked, dehydration in the extreme heat can lead to heat exhaustion or even worse, heat stroke.

The CDC has an Extreme Heat Prevention Guide that can prepare you for the rising temperatures and explains how to recognize heat related illnesses. Some of the obvious things we can do to prevent being affected by the heat are:

• staying indoors in the air conditioning,
• earing light, loose-fitting clothing,
• keeping outdoor activities to a minimum in the middle of a hot day, and
• wearing sunscreen and protective clothing if you are out in the blazing sun (I like using an umbrella if I need to walk in the sun. You'd be surprised how well it works to keep the heat and rays off!

In addition, it goes without saying that you should stay properly hydrated. Even on days when the weather is less severe, we should drink half of our body weight in ounces of water. This goes doubly on super hot days and we may require more if we’re sweating. To replace electrolytes, it’s a great idea to eat hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables, and foods like watermelon and celery that have a very high water content and are high in minerals may actually be more effective at restoring hydration. Here are 30 hydrating foods to include in your diet with this extreme weather.

I hope you’re all staying cool!!

It's In the Way That You Use It

I talk a lot about the benefits of eating an abundance and a variety of fruits and vegetables. But let’s face it, there are probably a few out there that you may not like so much and simply avoid. For me, believe it or not, one of them is broccoli. I will not eat it raw and it’s OK when steamed with lemon and a bit of butter, but I have to make a conscious effort to buy and prepare it.

Another vegetable over the years that I’ve tolerated but not really had a taste for is radishes. I love the bright red/pink skins and the fact that they’re juicy, but biting into one or having chunks of them in my salad doesn’t excite me all that much. However, for whatever reason, I’ve discovered that I adore radishes when they’re sliced paper-thin. In fact, I could eat an entire plate of them when prepared this way.

What’s the difference between a whole or chopped versus slice of radish? The only thing I can think of is the combination of taste and texture with some foods makes all the difference. I’ve found this with other vegetables as well, such as cabbage and even zucchini which I love raw now. The bottom line is, any ways that I can find to enjoy my vegetables more, I’ll try them and I’m frequently experimenting with vegetables now to find the best ways to eat them. This may be a good strategy to get your kids to try new vegetables as well.

I guess I should get to work on the broccoli! ; )