We all know that it is important to limit exposure to the sun, especially during the summer months when the sun’s rays are more direct and days are longer. However, we do need some sun to help the cholesterol convert into vitamin D under our skin. Vitamin D is important to our bodies, but too much sun is harmful and can affect immune responses.

Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is responsible for 50 percent of the free radical damage that causes the skin to age and form wrinkles. This sometimes leads to severe abnormalities within the cell and negatively affects the formation of collagen and elastin, which give the skin its thickness and smoothness. In addition, free radicals may lead to inflammation, which seems to play another role in the aging of the skin.

The body possesses defense mechanisms that enable it to help combat free radical damage by producing its own internal antioxidants. It also utilizes other antioxidant molecules obtained from the diet, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, and CoQ10, which protect the cells from free radical damage by neutralizing them.

However, some of these antioxidant defense mechanisms can be inhibited by ultraviolet light. As part of the natural aging process, these internal antioxidant defense mechanisms decrease, while the production of reactive oxygen species increases, resulting in accelerated aging of the skin.

What Can You Do To Counteract Sun Damage to the Skin?

Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen and neurotransmitters. Humans have to obtain vitamin C from fruits and vegetables or in tablet form because we cannot produce it ourselves. In order for collagen fibers to remain connected and hold their structure, vitamin C cross-links them.

Bioflavonoids support this cross-linking function and give skin its thickness, elasticity, and smooth appearance. Overexposure to the sun can destroy these systems almost beyond repair and causes accelerated aging of the skin. As we age, the skin becomes thinner, partly due to hormonal changes and other internal and external stressors.

Vitamin C has also been shown to help protect skin cells against UV damage and additionally when red and orange pigments found in certain fruits (flavanones and anthocyanins) were included. Supplying the body with rich sources of antioxidants from citrus bioflavonoids, anthocyanins and polyphenols may help counteract free radical damage. These antioxidants can be found in red-orange fruits, such as camu camu, acerola, and pomegranate. All of these natural sources of antioxidants are found in the IMMUNE+++ formula.

What Can You Do To Slow the Aging Process of the Skin?

We recommend that you cover yourself with sunscreen, wear hats and long sleeves when possible and reduce sun exposure between the hours of 11 am and 3 pm. Keep in mind that you can be sunburned even on cloudy days. Also, take LifePharm Global dietary supplements. Here’s why:

• Vitamin C taken orally with a fish oil supplement and two other antioxidants was shown to help increase the deposit of new collagen fibers in the dermis of post-menopausal women. With long-term use, there was a clinically measurable improvement in the depth of facial wrinkles. Take IMMUNE+++ and OMEGA+++ together and see how you look and feel this summer.

• Another study evaluated the radical scavenging and physiologic antioxidant ability of various amounts of vitamin C in the skin of 33 human volunteers. Radical scavenging ability increased by 22 percent when consuming 100 mg per day of vitamin C and 37 percent when consuming 180 mg per day. A single tablet of IMMUNE+++ contains 500 mg of vitamin C.

• Physicians publishing their work administered daily dosages of 500 to 3,000 mg of vitamin C (about eight to 50 times the recommended daily allowance) to subjects recovering from various types of wounds. These clinical studies have provided evidence that vitamin C helps rebuild injured skin much more quickly in subjects than without it.

There are so many clinical studies that point to the importance of vitamin C, omega fatty acids, and gut health in the maintenance of healthy, youthful looking skin. LifePharm Global has the highest quality supplements:

• IMMUNE+++ (for vitamin C)
• OMEGA+++ (for omega fatty acids)
• DIGESTIVE+++ (for gut health)

In addition, Laminine enhances the benefits of all three. This upcoming spring, why not personally experience what combining the four LPGN powerhouses can do for your appearance and overall health?