Summer Rays Crashing Your Plans?

By Kai Colvin - Senior Medical Research Editor | July 18th, 2012

You’ve waited a long time to party in the sun—so, how do you help prevent summer rays from crashing your plans?

Three ways to get you started:

1. Ellagic Diet. Raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, pecans and pomegranates contain ellagic acid— a compound that protects against UV radiation by reducing the release of molecules associated to inflammation.

2. Shades. No, not the ones covering your eyes…shades of green. Excessive sunlight can trigger cataracts and macular degeneration. Introduce spinach or kale to your summer diet which contain lutein and zeaxanthin— compounds that can filter out harmful blue-light rays.

3. Green Tea. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the polyphenols contained in green tea are dominant antioxidants— shielding the body from damage and guarding significant cells against DNA damage from UV radiation.

Have fun in this summer while keeping an eye on the clock. Skin cancer is often or usually caused by too much sun exposure.

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