Are you looking after your skin?

Another quick line this week as I'm off island (again) for a couple of days. This time for a quick jolly to London to (mainly) see 'Paddington the musical'! As a huge fan of the 2nd Paddington film particularly, I've been looking forward to this for ages, & the reviews have been really good, so it's all very exciting.

The main concern around the trip, other than adjusting to the 'people-y-ness' of London, are the temperatures being endured in the South East. Having previously lived there, I know that 30 degrees in London can be challenging.

Here on the IOM we're enjoying days in the mid-20s, which are wonderful for those of us who don't have to graft in the heat, or who aren't praying for their crops to get some rain.

Whatever your response to the sun, are you looking after your skin? If you're not covering up, I hope that you're wearing sunscreen - one that protects against UVB and UVA rays. I know that a tan can look wonderful, but tanning is a sign of skin damage - it's your skin trying to protect itself, so please don't imagine that that only happens if we get sunburn. 

Did you know too that whilst UVB rays are negligible beyond the summer months, UVA rays (the ones that age us) are pretty constant all year round, despite cloud cover? They can also pass through glass, so if you sit next to a window, you can still be exposed to potential damage.

Most of us in menopause are all too aware that collagen production is negatively affected by declining oestrogen. It doesn't make sense to add insult to injury.

Beyond suncream reminders and generally acting as the fun police, are you getting the necessary nutrients for healthy skin?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body, & gives skin its integrity and elasticity. Production reduces with age & it can also be negatively affected by smoking, a high sugar diet and sun exposure. 

Dietary sources of the key amino acid for collagen - glycine - include animal protein, eggs whites, fish, nuts & seeds. The evidence, thus far, for collagen supplements is pretty mixed for skin benefits, although it's solid as far as supporting bone health is concerned.

Vitamin C is crucial for production of collagen. As this isn't a vitamin we can store in the body, it's essential to regularly consume food sources like (most) fruits, peppers, tomatoes, green veg and potatoes. Vitamin C can also be depleted by sun exposure, smoking and stress.

In addition to its role in collagen production, vit C is also a powerful antioxidant so it can help protect against UV damage (although it shouldn't be used as a substitute for a decent sunscreen.)

Zinc is also helpful for skin integrity and strengthening, & it encourages healing. Dietary sources include meat, shellfish, beans, & nuts and seeds.

It's looking like we'll all need our sunscreen - or a large hat & sunglasses - on July 19th. As previously mentioned, this is the date of the Wellness festival and Pilates world record attempt. 

If you haven't heard, & lord knows I've been wanging on about it often enough(!) - it's taking place at the original home of Pilates, Knockaloe on the Isle of Man. 

Please join the other wellbeing professionals and me for what promises to be a fun and inspirational day. Full details are here.

Looking further ahead, I'm planning another Menofest evening on September 15th. If you're hitting the menopause transition or know someone who could do with support, or you'd simply like to be better informed, Menofest is the perfect event for reassurance that you're not alone, & there is LOTS of help out there. More to come on this, but please pop the evening of September 15th in your diary for now.