Recently I court myself on trying to believe that the skin care products I use or want to buy will do magic to the way I look.
I would like to buy a face cream and a serum to make me look flawless and to erase my fine lines. Oh, that would be so lovely! Mind you, a good cream and a serum can do a lot to make you look better, but they can't do all that you want. I noticed that products I want to buy become more and more expensive, like price can give me more security and assurance.
But if I come to my senses like today, I know that mostly it is in what we eat. All our wellbeing is depends on nutrients and healthy life style. Well established skin care can help, but it can't deliver everything on its own.
I would like to focus this month on what I eat and see if it will make a true difference. I would like to start with the most important and the most visible part of me - my skin. When I started this blog, I did a water drinking challenge and it was a revelation how water intake can change how you feel and look. I want to try and see if I can improve my skin with a healthier diet.
Nutrients for fighting ageing:
Some time ago I posted about what to look for when you choosing a skin care product and 10 anti-ageing ingredients which can help to improve your skin appearance.. Today I would like to share with you nutrients which can help to fight ageing process from the inside.
Vitamin A, C and E for its own antioxidant properties. You will find vitamin A in eggs, liver, cheese, apricots, sweet potato, butternut squash, peppers (especially red and orange); vitamin C in citrus fruits, kiwi fruits, sweet potato and peppers; vitamin E in avocados, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, olive oil, eggs and tuna.
Copper, Zinc, Manganese are involved with the body's production of antioxidant enzymes. You will find copper in liver, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, mushrooms and soya beans; zinc in seafood, chicken, oats, brown rice, pumpkin seeds; manganese in pineapple, pecan nuts, pine nuts, soya nuts, sweet potato, spinach.
Selenium is involved in production of enzymes to fight free radicals in your body. Selenium rich food are liver, cod, tuna, salmon, prawns, mushrooms, mackerel, brown rice, onions, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds and cashew nuts.
Note that is good to avoid excess of fructose (limit fruit to 2 pieces a day), low-fat versions of regular foods, raw food ( eat vegetables steamed and not boiled).
Nutrients for skin health:
Vitamin E and essential fats are required to help plump up skin. Zinc is also vital skin nutrient as it is involved in healing after skin has been damaged, but it also has antioxidant properties. I would note all above plus:
- Biotin helps derive essential fatty acids from food for use in the skin cells. You will find it in liver, fish, egg yolk, soya products, nuts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and avocados.
- Carotenoids such as beta-carotene and others are noted for their antioxidant properties. The best source of carotenoids are carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, peaches, apricots, pumpkins, tomatoes, leafy greens, peas, corn, salmon and prawns.
- Probiotics help the creation of B vitamins from other foods, but also make a small amount themselves. You will find probiotics in Kefir, yoghurt, tomatoes, onions, garlic and bananas.
Note that is good to avoid low-fat diets, artificial fats, such as in cholesterol-lowering functional foods, raw eggs and raw vegetables (steamed is preferable).
You probably notices that some fruits and vegetables are repeated here few times I will call them super-food. They are liver, tuna, salmon, sweet potatoes, avocados, peppers, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, onions, garlic, almonds, sesame seeds, apricots.
I would like to focus on these nutrients and will try to share any meal ideas I think worth sharing, keep tuned into my blog for those.
What is your favourite super-food to keep your skin healthy?
Marija
PS: this post is inspired by The Food Doctor, Ian Matber Super eating a revolutionary way to get more from the foods you eat.
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