Summer is in full swing, and with it comes more BBQs, more time outside, and an increase in our skin’s exposure to UV rays.
Historically, we’ve been instructed to cover up, avoid the midday rays, and slather on sunscreen. But despite these warnings, the incidence of skin cancer is still on the rise. In fact, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer today, according to the CDC.*
So what’s going on?
More recent research shows that what we eat can greatly influence our skin health. And that is good news because it means we can do something about it!
So what is the secret? If you guessed Omega-3 fatty acids, you are correct!
Omega-3 fatty acids are the anti-inflammatory part of fat we find in plants and animals. Most people are severely deficient in omega-3, which is why we recommend supplementation across the board.
Now that we know what they are, how do Omega-3’s protect our skin?
They help the flexibility and fluidity of your cell walls. This enables your skin to exchange nutrients, which allows your skin to stay hydrated, full of vitamins, minerals and protected.
Omega-3’s also help regulate your skin inflammation. When you expose your skin to the sun for too long, you risk getting a sunburn. Something I am sure we have all experienced at least once in our lives. Unfortunately, sunburn is one of the risk factors for skin cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Trends Progress report, “Previous sun burning, particularly experienced at younger ages, is a strong predictor of future skin cancer and especially melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.”** Since omega-3’s help prevent inflammation processes, they can help reduce the tendency to sunburn.
Helping your body fight sunburn and skin cancer is only one of the reasons why we recommend supplementing your Omega-3 intake. For more on all of the outstanding benefits of Omega-3s, check out our blog post here.
* https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/statistics/index.htm
** https://progressreport.cancer.gov/prevention/sunburn