Skin care nutrition is all about eating foods that keep your skin looking healthy.
As a basic overview, you’ll want to focus on doing the following:
1) Keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of the right fluids.
2) Eat foods rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
3) Stay away from fatty or greasy foods.
4) Minimize your consumption of sugary refined carbs.
Let’s now dig deeper into why each is so important for keeping skin healthy and wrinkle-free:
1) Keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of the right fluids.
Water happens to be one of your skin’s bestest pals: It doesn’t just wash away harmful substances from your body’s cells. It can also result in firmer looking skin too, because hydrated cells become more plump.
I’ll state the obvious here by recommending you drink plenty of water each day. But that’s not your only option. If you’re not a big fan of gulping it down, you do have some alternative options. You can also:
Munch on watery foods. A huge number of fruits and vegetables are over 75% water. Examples include: celery, melon, sweet peppers, lemons, apples, cucumbers and pineapple.
Drink green tea – it’s a great way to stay hydrated, and the antioxidants give you an added health boost. (Extra Tip: save the tea bag, and while it’s still warm rub over your face as a toner in the morning or at night).
Finally , if you’re wondering how to tell if you’re properly hydrated, it’s simple. Check the color of your pee – make sure it’s clear and not too yellow.
2) Eat vitamin- and antioxidant-rich foods.
Free radicals are bad for cell health. And poor cell health in your skin can lead to wrinkles. Antioxidants help get rid of these, and the key ones to focus on are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and Zinc.
So what can you eat to fit these into your diet:
Vitamin A (also called ‘beta carotene’): Basically look for orange and red fruits and veggies, such as carrots, mango, watermelon, red peppers, apricots and butternut squash.
Vitamin C: Citrus fruits like oranges are great, as well as strawberries and kiwi fruit.
Vitamin E: Focus on nuts and seeds, avocado, or greens like spinach or Swiss chard.
Selenium: Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium, as is seafood (think crab, oysters, shrimp), eggs and mushrooms.
Zinc: Oysters, beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds, turkey and lean beef.
3) Stay away from fatty or greasy foods.
As a general rule, avoid fatty and greasy foods because they can increase the production of oil in your sebaceous glands, with disastrous consequences for your skin.
EXCEPTION: Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
The exception to this rule thought are Omega-3 Fatty Acids that enable your cells to retain more nutrients and water (while keeping the bad toxins out). Think oily fish: mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies etc.
4) Minimize your consumption of sugary refined carbs.
Too many processed sugary foods can apparently lead to skin cell inflammation. And that can result in wrinkles and premature aging. So go easy on the pop tarts and candy bars for the sake of your skin.
Okay, that about wraps up this piece on skin care nutrition. Simply take a couple of tips and put them to work for yourself. That covers what to put “into your body”. Here’s what you can apply directly for smooth and glowing skin.