Nutrition and Your Skin

You are what you eat and your skin is living proof of that adage. Nothing more accurately reflects your health than your skin. While we may swear by the latest eye cream or wash our faces religiously, a simple way to reinvigorate your complexion is to incorporate the following foods into our diets.

And as an added bonus, you'll feel more energized too!

Foods That Promote Healthy Skin

According to Colette Bouchez of WebMD, there are seven foods that you should be eating in your diet in order to achieve or maintain beautiful, glowing skin.

• Low-fat Dairy Products - Low-fat dairy products, like milk, yogurt and cheese, are rich in Vitamin A - a nutrient that is essential to skin cells. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, or harmful agents that damage our cells. Diets rich in Vitamin A may also prevent wrinkles and other signs of aging.
• Fruits - Fruits packed with antioxidants protect skin cells from damaging free radicals. In addition, antixodants prevent premature aging, keeping you younger-looking longer. Some of the most antioxidant-loaded fruits include blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and plums. Yum!
• Salmon and Walnuts - At last, fatty foods are good for you! Ok, not exactly, but foods rich in fatty acids, like Omega 3 and Omega 6, can give you a stunning complexion that would make even Halle Berry jealous. Fatty acids protect against damage, but also promote nutrients and waste to pass through the skin cells. Fatty acids also encourage skin cells to hold more moisture, so you can have plumper skin. This is perhaps the only time I will say fatty foods and getting plump are good things!
• Healthy Oils - Nutrient-rich oils help skin remain moisturized. But before you go run out to McDonalds for an oily side of fries, the key word in this point is healthy oils. These can include canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, and cold-pressed oils.
• Selenium-Packed Foods - Selenium is another crucial nutrient to healthy skin because it guards the skin from sun damage. To reap the benefits of selenium, try infusing your diet with whole wheat foods, like breads, cereals and pasta. Turkey, tuna and brazil nuts also can give you your selenium boost.
• Green Tea - Is there anything green tea can't do? This super drink is more like a super hero to your health. In addition to increasing your metabolism, green tea is bursting with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Oh, and did I mention it protects against harmful UVB rays and lessens your risk of skin cancer? Grab a mug immediately!
• Water - What's a post on healthy skin without water? Water is the savior for all skin care woes. Drinking the recommended 8 glasses a day flushes out any impurities in your skin, something that even your most expensive skin care line can do. Purify yourself pretty by drinking enough H2O.

By incorporating these epidermus edibles into your diet, you can achieve flawless, glowing skin in no time. Because after all, beauty is only skin deep.

Resources:
Bouchez, Colette (2006). Foods for Healthy Skin: You Are What You Eat. Retrieved on January 22, 2009, from the WebMD Web site.
Grieger, Lynn (2008). Healthy Skin with Vitamin A. Retrieved on January 22, 2009, from the iVillage Web site.