Hey, y’all! Remember a couple of issues back I wrote about sunscreen? Well, just recently I found a great article on foods that help protect you from the sun—sort of a natural sunscreen you might say.

These are food items that are suggested to help block some of the sun’s harmful rays. I’m not pulling your leg when I say that tomatoes, pomegranates, salmon, green tea, and dark chocolate have been scientifically shown to bolster resistance to damage from the ultraviolet light that promotes sunburn, wrinkles, and skin cancer. Eating certain antioxidants can help stabilize skin cells, preventing and repairing damage.

Now, before you all rush out to the supermarket or local fruit stand, let’s delve into these "natural suncreens" a little more.

First, everybody’s favorite: chocolate! Who knew? A new German research report says that women who drink a hot cocoa high in flavonol antioxidants daily for three months had 25% less reddening after UV irradiation, and more moist, less scaly skin than women drinking low-flavonol cocoa. Another source of flavonol is dark chocolate. Uh-oh, there seems to be a slight catch: it can have a lot of calories. But wait, seems M&M Mars makes a flavonol rich bar, Cocoa Via, with just 100 calories.

Then come tomatoes. The same German research team also discovered that lycopene (the antioxidant in tomatoes) reduces sensitivity to sunburn. Taking in 10mg of lycopene daily for three months cut signs of sunburn from a UV lamp 25% to 48%. Drinking tomato juice on a daily basis makes a big difference. Processed tomato products such as spaghetti sauce, tomato juice, tomato puree, or tomatoes crushed, diced or sliced, are all rich in lycopene.

Do you like pomegranates? Good news for you. According to the University of Wisconsin, pomegranate extract inhibited changes in human cells exposed to UV light.

Can I see a show of hands from all you fish lovers? According to a recent Korean study, it was found that EPA, which is an omega-3 fatty acid in fish, reduced signs of UV damage in skin cells. And more good news for fish lovers. A British study says that taking 4,000mg of omega-3 a day for three months cut sunburn damage 30%. So, how do you gauge 4,000mgs of omega-3? Well, it’s equivalent to about 12 ounces of salmon.

And here is a real big discovery for all you green tea drinkers. Drink up! Several studies have shown that drinking green tea helps prevent sunburn and precancerous changes. A study showed that drinking about 2 cups (16 oz) of green tea reduced UV skin damage. Make my green tea with ginsing and honey. Now that is a refreshing drink!

Well, we took care of the skin and now on to your bones. Recent studies have shown that to avoid osteoporosis, we should steer clear of the following: being inactive, smoking, drinking excessive soda, consuming too much alcohol, and having a diet low in calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus. It was recently noted in the national news that women—particularly over the age of 50—are now doing weight bearing exercises to stave off the effects of Brittle Bone Disease. The baby boomers have come home to roost—in the gym! Many are hiring personal trainers to get them started on a regular routine of diet and exercise.

Those who are at risk for osteoporosis should see their doctor to be tested. The condition is commonly diagnosed with an x-ray. If you have lost significant bone mass, you can greatly reduce your odds of having complications by taking prescription medication, calcium, and vitamin D supplements. Making significant lifestyle changes, like those mentioned above, will be of great help to you in the long run. If you don’t have the onset of osteoporosis, prevention remains the smart alternative. Well, that’s all for now. See you at the beach!