Adapting to the Sun - A Summer Guide

We're in peak summer and it's been incredibly warm so far in the south of England. The blazing sun is a hot topic of conversation as we all try to find ways to manage the heat and avoid sun damage. Slather on the sun cream, stay indoors, and drink plenty of water are the common suggestions, but if we want to truly protect ourselves and build a good relationship with the sun and our environment, that's just the start of the story. 

When sunlight hits your skin, the ultraviolet (UV) radiation can stimulate free radicals to form. Free radicals are unstable molecules in your body that can cause inflammation, cell damage, collagen breakdown and even DNA alteration. Wearing a good mineral SPF is always a good idea, but it's a topical solution. Luckily there are plenty additional ways to build solar resilience inside our bodies. 

Eat Your Skincare 

Antioxidant rich foods can neutralise the oxidative stress caused by free radicals, reduce inflammation and protect our precious collagen. Think dark, juicy berries, fresh green herbs and tasty orange veggies - colourful seasonal plates. 

• Blackberries and Blackcurrants, full of anthocyanins and flavonoids 
• Parsley, one of the most nutrient dense garden herbs
• Carrots and sweet potato, contain beta-carotene which your body converts to Vitamin A 
• Tomatoes, packed with lycopene. Pair with fats to increase absorption and bioavailability. Few things better in summer than a tomato straight from the garden glugged with good olive oil.

The blackberries at the end of my garden are ripening. Cue purple stained fingers. Pair with a healthy fat like yoghurt to help uptake the fat-soluble nutrients. Don't believe the media - fats ARE good for you!  

Drink More Than Water 

Unfortunately 8 cups of water a day or whatever the recommendation for optimum hydration is, simply isn't enough to fully hydrate our body cells. 

Incorporating herbal infusions into your daily routine is a great way of taking on nutrient-dense plants and essential hydration. An infusion is simply a herbal tea left to steep overnight to extract the compounds and minerals from the plant cell walls into the brew. Strain and drink throughout the day at room temperature.

Eat hydrating foods like watermelon with a good pinch of salt and lime juice for a delicious snack. No need to buy those silly expensive electrolyte sachets. 

Linden flower floating in a herbal infusion. A herb that is cooling and soothing to the body and mind.

Recover Topically 

If you happen to get caught out in the middle of the day, or be kissed by the sun a little too much, work with antioxidant-rich oils and herbs topically to soothe, nourish and repair the skin. 

Calendula is revered as one of the best skin herbs for good reason - the flower heads are full of resins and carotenoids which help neutralise free radicals, stimulate cell-turnover and repair the damage when it's too late. Organic, cold-pressed plant oils like rosehip and apricot kernel are naturally dense in Vitamin E, forming a direct line of defense to stop residual free radicals from continuing to destroy healthy skin cells overnight. The Garden Flower Serum is packed with antioxidants, massage onto damp skin in the evening once the sun has gone down and wake up feeling renewed and nourished.

The sun gives life, power and energy to the earth and all its beings. Wearing mineral suncream goes without saying, cooling down in water to regulate body temperature and seeking shade in the hottest part of the day under your favourite tree. These are all essentials. 

Whole plants develop their own defenses to the environment, including the sun. By working with them, we can support our own resilience to the external environment. Pretty cool. The point is to not fear the sun, but instead learn how to thrive alongside it. View sun care in a holistic way because it is holistic. Everything is.