TRUE HEALTH BEACH SPECIAL: Mariam Al-Roubi Explores the Hidden Benefits of Sun, Sea and Sand
From skincare and exfoliation to sunlight, relaxation and time in nature, the latest True Health Beach Special takes the conversation outside the studio and onto the shores of Egypt.
There are few environments quite like the beach. The sound of the water, the warmth of the sun, the feel of sand beneath your feet and the opportunity to slow down can create a very different experience from everyday life.
For the latest True Health Beach Special, resident Elite Fitness Coach and Health Professional Mariam Al-Roubi takes viewers to Sahel Shemeni in Egypt, using the beach as the setting for a conversation about some of the health and wellness practices she incorporates into her own routine.
In the episode, Mariam focuses particularly on three areas: skincare and exfoliation, exposure to sunlight and what she describes as sungazing, while also discussing relaxation, breathing, the nervous system and the relationship between our surroundings and wellbeing.
Watch the five-minute excerpt from the True Health Beach Special below, then join FEELn on the 5th to watch the full episode.
Why does Mariam describe the beach as a wellness environment?
Mariam opens the Beach Special by describing the beach as an environment with a range of potential benefits, drawing attention to the combination of water, sand and sunlight.
She discusses the effects she associates with spending time at the beach on areas including the skin, eyes and nervous system, as well as what she describes as anti-inflammatory benefits. Her central message is that people may visit the beach simply to relax and have fun without necessarily considering how the environment itself can contribute to their overall sense of wellbeing.
The episode therefore approaches the beach from a perspective that goes beyond simply swimming or sunbathing. For Mariam, it is also a place to slow down, breathe, connect with nature and become more conscious of how the body feels.
1. Skincare, sunlight and Mariam's approach to sunscreen
One of the first subjects Mariam discusses is how she approaches sun exposure.
She explains that she personally uses a beef-tallow-based sunscreen, and talks about her preference for products containing ingredients she considers natural. She specifically discusses looking at the ingredients in skincare products rather than simply assuming that every sunscreen or cosmetic product is appropriate for her.
Mariam then describes her own routine of initially spending a limited period in the sun without sunscreen before applying her chosen protection. She says that she spends approximately 20 minutes exposed to the sun, divided between her front and back, before protecting her skin when she begins to feel herself getting hot.
These are Mariam's personal practices and views discussed in the episode, rather than medical instructions from FEELn on the 5th.
2. Using sand as a natural exfoliant
The second major topic is something many people might not immediately associate with a health routine: sand exfoliation.
Mariam explains that she sits close to the water and uses sand to rub and exfoliate her skin, including her arms, legs, hands, feet and body. She then enters the sea to wash the sand away.
She also describes another practice involving wet sand, suggesting that people can bury their legs in the sand while relaxing.
According to Mariam's experience, she associates this practice with reduced feelings of tension and compression around the joints. She says that even spending a relatively short amount of time sitting in the environment can change the way she breathes, encouraging deeper breathing and helping her enter what she describes as a state of ease.
The broader theme here is slowing down. Rather than rushing through the day, the beach gives people an opportunity to sit, breathe, feel the environment and pay attention to their bodies.
3. Sunlight, the eyes and circadian rhythm
Perhaps the most unconventional section of the Beach Special concerns sungazing.
Mariam explains that she does not normally wear sunglasses at the beach and discusses her understanding of the relationship between sunlight, the eyes, the nervous system and the body's internal rhythms.
She connects sunlight exposure with the pineal gland and circadian rhythm, drawing a comparison between the darkness needed during sleep and the body's recognition of daylight. She also discusses her belief that sunlight exposure through the eyes has broader effects on the body.
Mariam goes on to describe her personal sungazing practice, saying that she looks toward the sun for a few seconds, looks away, waits and repeats the process, gradually increasing the duration. She says she believes this can support eyesight and circadian rhythm and discusses connections she perceives between the eyes, nervous system, digestion, relaxation and cellular regeneration.
An important note for viewers
The Beach Special contains Mariam's personal health and wellness claims and practices. Some of the claims discussed—particularly those concerning sungazing, UV exposure, sunscreen, the pineal gland and disease—should not be treated as established medical advice simply because they are discussed in the programme.
Looking directly at the sun can cause serious eye injury, and FEELn on the 5th recommends that viewers use appropriate professional medical or eye-care guidance when considering practices involving direct sunlight exposure. Individual circumstances, medications, skin type and existing health conditions can also affect what is appropriate.
The value of the discussion is therefore in hearing Mariam explain her approach and considering the wider conversation around our relationship with sunlight, nature, movement and wellbeing—not in replacing evidence-based medical care.
More than sunlight: the importance of slowing down
Beyond the individual practices, one of the recurring themes of Mariam's message is taking time to be present.
She talks about breathing more deeply, relaxing the nervous system and allowing the body to enter a state of ease. Later in the programme she encourages viewers to pray, meditate and maintain positive intentions, connecting physical wellbeing with a broader sense of personal and spiritual wellbeing.
This gives the Beach Special a different character from a conventional studio-based health discussion. The environment itself becomes part of the conversation.
The blue water, open sky, sand and sunlight provide the backdrop while Mariam considers how people can become more conscious of their bodies and their surroundings.
Three themes from the Beach Special
Towards the end of the episode, Mariam summarises the discussion around three principal subjects:
Sungazing.
Skincare and exfoliation.
The potential anti-inflammatory aspects she associates with spending time at the beach.
Together, they form the foundation of this special edition of True Health, taking the programme away from the traditional interview setting and into the natural environment.
Watch the full True Health Beach Special on FEELn on the 5th
The five-minute video segment accompanying this article gives you a taste of Mariam's conversation from the beach in Egypt.
But there is much more to discover in the full episode.
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