Did you know that the foods you eat on a daily basis could be playing a major role in how quickly your skin gets damaged by the sun? I had no idea before I was diagnosed with Melanoma that my diet could be attributing to how I was being affected by the sun (Read more about my story)! Antioxidants and the pigments that give fruits and vegetables their color help prevent sun damage to skin cells. Plants have to protect themselves from UV rays, just like we do, and they use color pigments from carotenoids as a sunscreen. When we eat a variety of fruits and veggies, the pigments act as antioxidants and help protect us from UV rays in the same way they protect the plants. When we consume diets rich in carotenoids from natural foods, such as fruits and vegetables, we become healthier and have a much lower chance of chronic illnesses. [Read more…]
