Summer is that time of the year where everybody loves to be at the beach to cool off. Lying on the sand, feeling the breeze and listening to the waves as you doze carefree in the sun is one of the best things you can enjoy summer. Picnics and BBQ’s outside is pretty fun, too. There’s nothing more enjoyable than enjoying good food while you watch the people playing at the beach.
Although sunlight is essential, it also has a dangerous side. The sun can be really harsh to your skin. Too much exposure to the sun can cause sunburn. Ultraviolet rays penetrate the layers of the skin where they can damage or kill the cells. People with light skin are much more likely to have sun damage, but darker-skinned people can be affected too.
The usual protection that we have is to apply sunblock. Sunblocks and sunscreens work by blocking and absorbing the harmful UV rays through a combination of physical and chemical particles. The physical particles reflect UV radiation from the skin while the chemical ingredients react with radiation before it penetrates the skin.
But there are ways you can protect yourself from within, and you will be surprised that you have been ignoring it for some time now. Vitamin C is one of the most common vitamins and you are taking it one way or another by food or part of your multivitamins. But a high-dose vitamin C daily has several benefits as well, such as boosting your resistance from diseases and, yes you guessed it, protect your skin from sun damage.
Vitamin C increases the production of collagen in the skin. It is also the most common antioxidant naturally found in our skin. Constant exposure to UV rays can speed up the ageing process by letting free radicals interfere with collagen production, thus cause wrinkles and discolouration. Vitamin C works as an antioxidant to protect against this damage.
