Change Your Diet for Younger-Looking Skin By Elisabeth Johnson
ur skin is our largest organ, and it is often the first thing people notice when they meet us. Our skin takes a beating—it is exposed to all the external temperatures and sub- stances we experience daily. It protects our muscles and organs, helps regulate our temperature, and is crucial for our survival. Our skin is always in a con- stant state of renewal. It renews itself every 28 days, and we are constantly shedding dead skin—we shed between 30,000–40,000 skin cells every minute. That is about nine pounds a year! Now you know where much of the dust in your house comes from and why our mattresses get so heavy after a few years. Knowing all this, where do we start in better addressing the needs of our skin? Let’s look at the nutritional aspect of skin health—how what we consume inside impacts what we see on our outside.
O
People who suffer from acne can often see a difference by lowering their intake of dairy, sugary foods/drinks, and high-carb foods. Refined sugar is one of the worst foods for our skin—it causes
inflammation in our bodies and can raise insulin levels, which increases oil gland activity and thus creating more acne-relat- ed conditions. In addition, refined sugar consumption can degrade collagen and elastin—which nobody wants to see on their skin! If you suffer from acne, try cut- ting down on your dairy and sugar intake for a month and see the impact on your skin. I know you will be happy, and you will not miss that candy bar, ice cream, or soda once you see the results.
Want younger-looking skin? Diets that
are lower in fat and carbohydrates and high- er in vitamin C have been shown to help slow the signs of aging in our skin. When we have a wound, from scratches to surgical sites, extra vitamins C, D, and zinc can help speed the healing process. Vitamin C can help encourage our bodies to grow new col- lagen and is topically applied in serum form in many popular skin regimens.
Green fruits and veggies also play an important role in our skin health. Vitamin A can slow the production of sebum (the oily, waxy substance you may sometimes see on your skin) and flushes out toxins. Vitamin E
“Our skin is the one organ that can significantly benefit from the external absorption of nutrients as well as those we absorb internally.”
helps fight free radicals, beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that helps repair and renew, lutein helps us boost hydra- tion levels in our skin, and chlorophyll helps us with being the supreme protector against free radicals. In general, the leafier and darker green, the more stockpiled it is with these superhero nutrients for our skin. Eat up that broccoli and spinach and those green beans, kiwis, and green apples! There is also a lot of Vitamin C in those leafy greens.
When we ingest foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, we’re better able to retain the moisture in our skin that helps protect us from UV rays. When our skin is dry and dehydrated, we do not have the tools we need to adequately fight off the impact of
www.NaturalNutmeg.com 15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
