It’s January and even though some of us may not have gone away for our holidays, most of us have had an opportunity to get outside in the sunshine.

Aside from the benefit of warmth helping us relax, skin exposure to the sun helps maintain levels of vitamin D3, essential for a healthy immune system and balanced mood, and many naturopaths will advocate regular time spent outdoors without sunscreen – usually 10 minutes or so in the summer will be sufficient.

However, it’s easy to get carried away with enthusiasm and overdo sun exposure, and the sting of sunburn is familiar to many of us. Apart from covering up with sunscreen (be sure to check that yours does not contain damaging chemicals – see your naturopath for recommended products), what else can we do?

The protective qualities of a substance called astaxanthin has been shown by researchers to be effective in prolonging the length of time one can spend in the sun. However, you will still need to be careful and monitor your unprotected time outside!

Astaxanthin is a red pigment produced by algae when they are stressed, and is a powerful antioxidant which helps protect them from changes in their environment. The algae are eaten by sea animals such as salmon, krill and crayfish and the astaxanthin contributes to their distinctive pink colour. Astaxanthin is available naturally to us as foods when these types of seafood are eaten in our diet, but if you are unable to get these in your diet every day then see your naturopath who will be happy to direct you to a suitable supplement, such as Sanderson’s Superior Red Krill Oil, one capsule a day taken with food is sufficient for most.

Always remember to stay hydrated when in the sun (coconut water is very refreshing and helps replace lost electrolytes) and moisturise your skin well; organic coconut oil is effective and also has a pleasant fragrance.

A delicious way to enjoy astaxanthin after a sunny day out with friends and family is to marinade salmon fillets in a little soy sauce (gluten-free options are readily available in supermarkets) with lemon juice, garlic and ground black pepper and cook them on the barbecue – remember, the fish will cook through quite quickly, so be careful not to char it! Serve with chopped avocado slices in a fresh green leafy salad.

As astaxanthin is an antioxidant, it has other benefits as well as being sun-protective. It has anti-inflammatory properties too, and therefore has many applications for us without the side-effects of pharmaceutical drugs, making it a wise choice for people who are on blood-thinners such as Warfarin and Clopidogrel and for people with peptic ulcers.