While nutrition isn’t the only element to healthy skin, what goes into your body is at least 25% of the whole picture. What foods you eat can affect how your skin ages, and reacts to the sun. Let’s look a bit closer.
Sun
Studies have shown that diets rich in Vitamin C and E, Selenium, green tea and Resveratrol have a decreased risk of cancer. Vitamin E helps calm inflammation, free radicals because it has antioxidants. The antioxidants calm down the free radicals with Vitamin C and E at the helm. These are phytonutrients (compounds found in plant derived food). Compounds such as Resveratrol have been found to repair DNA damage from these free radicals. Some foods containing lycopene may also protect your skin by absorbing the UV rays after several weeks of ingestion.
Foods that contain these UV protecting and DNA repairing properties are
- watermelon
- blueberries
- red grapes
- spinach
- sweet potatoes
- red bell pepper
- most nuts and seeds
Hydration
Your skin is a gigantic organ that protects the rest of your body from bacteria, oxidants etc. Many people seem to think that taking care of your skin is for “good looks” only but that is simply not true. Taking care of your skin is a healthy decision. Your skin can tell a lot in regards to your health. Hydrating is a big buzz word. I remember playing for hours and never drinking any water and in my twenties, it was coffee and pop (or soda), Once I began having children and nursing, I felt as if suddenly water was a big thing. I didn’t realize what I was missing. Now my fatigue and headaches on hot days made sense. Beginning around 40, I began my hydration journey. Even then, I still wasn’t drinking enough. It was a decade later that I realized how to do it.
Dry skin can be a sign that you are missing some important vitamins such as
Omega 3, green tea and turmeric are also big players to keep your skin hydrated.
Foods that can help keep your skin hydrated are
- sweet potatoes
- red bell pepper
- Kiwi
- sunflower seeds
- avocado
- green tea
- salmon
Your skin protects you from water loss, chemicals and allergens. It plays an important role in your skin and overall health
It’s amazing how our bodies work. Everything is there; we just need to nurture and take care of it. Our bodies are like a recipe, add a little of this, subtract a little of that. Always evolving as you age, just as your tastes change over the years.
Want to know some fantastic recipes that are good for your skin?
Check out my new E-Book: Feed Your Face!