Thread by @bitcoinand_beef

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE to Never Getting SUNBURNT again.
(This goes WAY beyond seed oils)

I get hours of sun and never burn as a Fitzpatrick Skin Type II

Here's how you can avoid burning and MELANIN MAXX 🌞

(THREAD)

1) Morning Sunlight

Light at sunrise & in the early hours is rich in unobstructed Red and Near Infrared (NIR) wavelengths.

Blue light, a higher energy + shorter wavelength is present but not as directly as mid day.

UV (highest energy) is not present until the sun is 10° high

Exposure to Red/NIR in the early morning primes the body for mid day UV exposire.

"Photoprevention" or "Photobiomodulation Preconditioning" is the bodies natural way to be ready for UV exposure.

If you break this signaling cycle and skip morning sun, you will sunburn easier.

What is even cooler is that "Photobiomodulation Repair" is also a thing.

This means that later in the day/sunset when unobstructed Red/NIR light is rich again, the light can heal/restore some mid day UV damage on the skin.

2) STOP Wearing Sunglasses

In order to stimulate melanin production (aka getting tanner to protect your skin from excess UV), your body needs to be able to "see light"

Sunglasses block your body's main window & most photoreceptor dense area ability to see full spectrum sunlight

Sunglasses block UV light, therefore the photoreceptors in your eyes will not issue the strong signal to your brain to produce melanin to protect your body.

You have photoreceptors in your skin, but the eyes are by far the most impactful input to the melanin production process.

3) Adequate Amino Acids

The melanin producing pathway requires amino acid Tyrosine to kick start the process.

Tyrosinase converts Tyrosine to L-DOPA, which is why man "skin lightening" skincare products include Tyrosinase inhibitors.

Make sure you have adequate Tyrosine levels

Tyrosine is a non-essential aromatic amino acid formed also by the metabolism of phenylalanine (EAA).

In order to maintain adequate levels of these amino acids, eat a healthy portion of animal foods including meat and dairy

4) Avoid Seed Oils, Maximize Saturated Fatty Acids

Removing seed oils, high in PUFAs, will help you avoid sunburn as PUFAs are much more sensitive to oxidation due to their chemical bonding structure.

Saturated Fat is your best option for warmer months + sunshine maxxing.

https://twitter.com/bitcoinand_beef/status/1611045682068221958

I also found that PUFAs can inhibit Tyrosinase...downregulating melanin production.

"Unsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid, linoleic acid, and α-linolenic acid have been demonstrated to accelerate the protein degradation of TYR... leading to anti-melanogenesis activity"

5) Spring Build Up

UV index peaks in early July in the northern hemisphere.

That means you NEED to be spending all the months leading up to this point to build your solar callus.

Even if it is cold, it is imperative to be deliberate March onwards to max your UV exposure. Why?

Building up a solar callus takes time, and its necessary you build a base from 3-6 UV before stepping out into mid summer 8-13 UV.

Just like lifting, progressive overload is important.

If you are very far north, try to get out mid day during Feb/March/April to maximize UV.

6) UV Fluctuations

UV is highest at lower latitudes, the closer you are to the equator. This does not mean that you cant be tan, melanin or Vit D maxxed if you live in the Far North.

Just look at Native Americans who live(d) in Alaska, Canada, Northern Plains (v tan).

Why?

Two things that can increase UV exposure that are common at northern latitudes:

1) Higher elevations
2) Snow

UV intensity increases about 6% per kilometer elevation above sea level.

Snow can reflect up to 90% of UV radiation, so you almost get a double dose.

Quick example:

If you are at 3km of elevation (~9k ft) on a blue sky day skiing/hiking in the snow say in March/April...

Peak UV of 5 = Actual UV exposure of around 10

That is peak summer UV!

Only time i have been sunburnt in the past years was in a situation like this.

Also the amount of cloud cover substantially affects the UV % that reaches your skin.

Clear skies-100%
scattered clouds-89%
broken clouds-73%
overcast skies-31%

Some northern latitude areas are far sunnier than areas closer to the equator. Its all a factor in total UV exposure.

7) CoFactors/Supplements

COPPER

All tyrosinases use copper as a cofactor & this enzyme is also used in more steps in the eumelanin synthesis, which is the darker/anti-oxidant melanin.

A copper deficiency could inhibit melanin, & more significantly, eumelanin production.

Copper is extremely high in liver and oysters.

Copper is also directly very beneficial for skin health and has reportedly been used cosmetically since the days of Queen Nefertiti.

GHK-Cu is a copper peptide that has anti-aging and anti-oxidant benefits for skin health.

ASTAXANTHIN

A red carotenoid naturally found in seafood & algae, some research has shown that dietary consumption can mitigate UV damage on the skin by supporting endogenous anti-oxidant pathways and being a strong oxygen scavenger itself.

It can also inhibit 5-alpha reductase however, the enzyme that converts Testosterone to DHT.

I don't think men should take large supplemental amounts of astaxanthin unless they are acutely aware of their DHT levels.

With all compounds, its best to get from whole food sources.

SUMMARY

To avoid sunburn and melanin maxx:

-Get morning sunlight
-Stop wearing sunglasses
-Avoid seed oils
-Start building your solar callus in early spring
-UV fluctuations matter
-Proper nutrition will help build melanin

If you enjoyed this thread, please RT the first tweet and follow me @bitcoinand_beef for more content.

Also, go the f*ck outside.

Cheers

Also check out my new podcast Decentrazlied Radio. Have episodes with nutrition, light, and seed oil disrespecting experts dropping in the coming weeks👀

(video on YouTube)

open.spotify.com/show/4zVDjNbJ2…