If you want beautiful healthy glowing skin, keep reading!
We are sure you have heard “you are what you eat” and it has never been truer. You nourish your skin from the inside out. We all have our favorite face cream or skincare treatment, but beautiful skin starts with nourishment from within. If you eat the correct balance of foods and feed your skin the vital nutrients it needs to help it stay blemish-free, hydrated, soft, and supple. You constantly shed and replace your older cells with younger ones and a steady supply of key nutrients is essential to support this rapid cell turnover.
As much as we all hate to hear it, our skin does naturally age. We may speed up skin aging by overexposure to the sun and tanning beds, chemicals in products and poor nutrition. With this in mind, treat your skin kindly and optimize your nutrition by eating antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables, healthy fats from oily fish and nuts, and a varied and balanced diet.
Fruit and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help to protect skin from the cellular damage caused by free radicals. There are other nutrients that are crucial for radiant skin, including beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc and selenium. Beta-carotene can be found in carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Other potent antioxidants are found in kale, papaya and spinach, which is important for normal skin cell development and healthy skin tone.
Vitamin C is also a super antioxidant that is needed to support the immune system and promotes radiant skin. It also helps heal the skin from blemishes. Vitamin C is also needed to produce collagen, which is the main building blocks for your bones, hair, muscles and skin, that gives you that plump, youthful look. Some of the best sources of vitamin C are guavas, kiwifruits, bell peppers, oranges, papaya and broccoli.
To protect your skin from oxidative (cell) damage and support healthy skin growth you should consider foods high in vitamin E like almonds, hazelnuts, avocado and sunflower. Did you know that four brazil nuts, will provide you with the recommended daily amount of selenium? Selenium can help to protect against sun damage and age spots. A mixture of the above mentioned nuts, added daily to a salad or just for a snack can be so beneficial to your health.
Eating foods with zinc, helps in the normal functioning of the sebaceous glands in the skin which produce oil and to repair skin damage and keep skin soft and supple. Zinc-rich foods include fish, lean red meat, whole grains, poultry, nuts, seeds and shellfish.
You should opt for omega-3 and omega-6 fats. We actually need fats and can't live without them, in fact. Fats are an important part of a healthy diet. They provide essential fatty acids, keep our skin soft, deliver fat-soluble vitamins, and are a great source of energizing fuel. But it's easy to get confused about good fats vs. bad fats, how much fat we should eat, how to avoid artery clogging trans-fats, and the role omega-3 fatty acids play in heart health. You will find omega-3s in oily fish and plant sources such as linseed, chia seeds, walnuts and rapeseed oil. Omega-3 fats encourage the body to produce anti-inflammatory compounds, which may help inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Try to avoid high-GI (glycaemic index) carbohydrates like biscuits and sugary drinks, as they lead to production of insulin, which may damage collagen and accelerate wrinkles.
Our last tip of the day would be to make sure you drink six to eight glasses of water. The skin needs moisture to stay flexible. Dehydration will cause your skin to look dry, tired and slightly older. Keeping a large bottle of water on your desk to remind you to drink is highly recommened. Herbal teas that are caffeine-free are good too. Don't forget that some fruit and vegetables, also contribute fluids. The added benefit is that the minerals they contain will increase the rate you hydrate your body and skin.
OK, ok… just one more important tip, try to avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption as both can age the skin.
Once you make changes to your diet, you will gradually see the change in your mood, skin and overall health. It takes six weeks for new skin to emerge up to the surface, so the visible benefits from dietary changes will take just as long. For persistent skin conditions, talk to a dermatologist.
The first wealth is health
Keep Calm and Eat Healthier!