Healthy skin is more than just having a great skin care regime. Your nutrition plays an essential role.
We all know fruits and vegetables are an important part of one's diet, but they're also crucial to healthy skin. Fruits and veggies contain important antioxidants that help cleanse your system of pollutants and promote specific anti-aging properties. A recent Chicago Tribune report even linked the eating of berries to staving off cancer and other chronic diseases.
Other important skin conditions, like inflammation and damaged skin, can be corrected by eating (or drinking) the proper nutrients found in green tea, mushrooms, and even mashed potatoes!
It is absolutely true that your skin is a reflection of your overall health and nutrition. Aging, acne and rosacea, for example, are all inflammatory based conditions. As a result, foods that trigger inflammation can exacerbate these issues, and foods that are anti-inflammatory can actually have an extremely beneficial effect on our skin. In general, processed foods with refined carbohydrates (bread, pastry, candy, etc.) are inflammatory triggers. Unrefined foods that are made up of complex carbohydrates are anti-inflammatory.
Foods based on refined carbohydrates break down very quickly into sugar. This, in turn, triggers a rise in insulin levels, increases oxidative cellular stress and activates free radicals. The end result can break down collagen. They may also be a causative factor in acne and rosacea.
Here are some foods that can help:
1. Cottage Cheese
For scalp health, I highly recommend cottage cheese, as it contains essential minerals, such as selenium, that are known fighters against dry skin and dandruff.
2. Green Tea
We know that green tea benefits the skin when applied topically and when ingested. In fact, Green tea powder is used in cosmetics as a preservative because of its antibacterial properties.
Green tea is not fermented, so it retains its beneficial properties. In fact, CBS News recently reported that green tea can even help to remedy dandruff by naturally exfoliating your scalp. This works by steeping two bags of green tea in hot water, letting cool, and then massaging it until your scalp when in the shower.
But that's not all. There is enough research to suggest that when applied topically, green tea helps improve fine lines and wrinkles, texture and tone of skin.
3. Wild Salmon, Trout, Mackerel or Sardines
Love your weekly sushi date? Keep at it! Foods such as wild salmon and trout are high in omega 3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, keep skin supple and improve circulation.
4. Yogurt
Aside from being a great snack on the go, yogurt is high in calcium and zinc. It helps create collagen, a structural protein found in skin, bones and tendons.
5. Tomatoes
Lycopene, the element in tomatoes that also protects against prostate cancer, has recently landed in the news as a favorable beauty food! Studies show that consuming more lycopene may keep your skin smooth and protect it from sunburn.
Always remember, beauty is about more than buying the right cosmetics — the skin is a mirror for what is going on inside. Take care of yourself, and nourish yourself from the inside, out. Your skin (and health) will thank you!
http://styleunited.com/TipsAndTrends/article/5-Complexion-Saving-Foods
We all know fruits and vegetables are an important part of one's diet, but they're also crucial to healthy skin. Fruits and veggies contain important antioxidants that help cleanse your system of pollutants and promote specific anti-aging properties. A recent Chicago Tribune report even linked the eating of berries to staving off cancer and other chronic diseases.
Other important skin conditions, like inflammation and damaged skin, can be corrected by eating (or drinking) the proper nutrients found in green tea, mushrooms, and even mashed potatoes!
It is absolutely true that your skin is a reflection of your overall health and nutrition. Aging, acne and rosacea, for example, are all inflammatory based conditions. As a result, foods that trigger inflammation can exacerbate these issues, and foods that are anti-inflammatory can actually have an extremely beneficial effect on our skin. In general, processed foods with refined carbohydrates (bread, pastry, candy, etc.) are inflammatory triggers. Unrefined foods that are made up of complex carbohydrates are anti-inflammatory.
Foods based on refined carbohydrates break down very quickly into sugar. This, in turn, triggers a rise in insulin levels, increases oxidative cellular stress and activates free radicals. The end result can break down collagen. They may also be a causative factor in acne and rosacea.
Here are some foods that can help:
1. Cottage Cheese
For scalp health, I highly recommend cottage cheese, as it contains essential minerals, such as selenium, that are known fighters against dry skin and dandruff.
2. Green Tea
We know that green tea benefits the skin when applied topically and when ingested. In fact, Green tea powder is used in cosmetics as a preservative because of its antibacterial properties.
Green tea is not fermented, so it retains its beneficial properties. In fact, CBS News recently reported that green tea can even help to remedy dandruff by naturally exfoliating your scalp. This works by steeping two bags of green tea in hot water, letting cool, and then massaging it until your scalp when in the shower.
But that's not all. There is enough research to suggest that when applied topically, green tea helps improve fine lines and wrinkles, texture and tone of skin.
3. Wild Salmon, Trout, Mackerel or Sardines
Love your weekly sushi date? Keep at it! Foods such as wild salmon and trout are high in omega 3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, keep skin supple and improve circulation.
4. Yogurt
Aside from being a great snack on the go, yogurt is high in calcium and zinc. It helps create collagen, a structural protein found in skin, bones and tendons.
5. Tomatoes
Lycopene, the element in tomatoes that also protects against prostate cancer, has recently landed in the news as a favorable beauty food! Studies show that consuming more lycopene may keep your skin smooth and protect it from sunburn.
Always remember, beauty is about more than buying the right cosmetics — the skin is a mirror for what is going on inside. Take care of yourself, and nourish yourself from the inside, out. Your skin (and health) will thank you!
http://styleunited.com/TipsAndTrends/article/5-Complexion-Saving-Foods
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