How to Keep Skin Young
Written by Mystic on Saturday, January 19, 2008
Winter is here! And it sure is a refreshing change from the blistering heat. But for some it means a dull and drab skin. What can they do to prevent the cold from wreaking havoc with their looks? What can they do to look fresh, smart and young? Well, the first step towards looking good is having skin that is young and glowing. Beauty is literally skin deep. Just remember that no amount of make-up or external cover up jobs can give you the freshness that clear and blemish-free skin can. After all we're what we eat.
But there is no escaping the fact that in today's world a spotless complexion and a glowing skin are at a premium and the food you eat has got a lot to do with it. What you put inside your body definitely shows up on the outside. So it goes without saying that a well-balanced and healthy diet helps you to stay at an ideal weight, improves energy levels and reduces the risk of illness. And there are foods that protect and improve your skin. So if you want to take years off you, just read this article because we'll tell you about the skin care secrets that will rejuvenate and revitalize your skin the natural way. Read on.
Drink up!
But water as it is the most ideal drink and a very low-cost way to improve your skin quality. And we bet you that it's effect is fast. Just one week after increasing your water intake, you can see fewer wrinkles and minor blemishes.
Now you must be wondering how water leads to a better-looking skin. Well, first it helps flush toxins out of your body that can show up as blemishes on your skin. Second, it plumps up the skin so wrinkles don't form or are less noticeable.
We recommend that you drink atleast 6-8 glasses of water through out the day.
Vitamin C for you!
Eating Vitamin C foods such as oranges, strawberries, tomatoes and cabbage will improve the quality of your skin considerably. This vitamin is critical to the formation of collagen that helps to keep your skin firm and prevents it from breaking. What's more, Vitamin C is one of the building blocks of blood vessel walls and helps strengthen them. This leads to more resilient skin.
Want to know a super skin recipe? Here it is!
Just toss in sliced pieces of oranges, and pears in a little lemon juice and sugar for a refreshing slush. Combine with fresh grapes and mangoes. Freeze and top with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Sounds yummy! Know?
The wonders of Vitamin B-3
Want to rejuvenate your skin and prevent it from looking tired and haggard? Well, supplement your diet with meat, fish, poultry, legumes and grains. These are rich in Niacin that is an essential nutrient for your skin. Chicken in particular provides a complete array of amino acids to fuel the growth of fresh new skin cells.
The magic of Vitamin A
Papaya and some vegetables such as carrots provide a good beauty boost because vitamin A directly contributes to keeping the skin's texture youthful. It is essential for keeping the skin supple and moist and it also serves to bolster your skin's ability to resist infection. You may not have an apple a day- a carrot will do you lot more good because it is loaded with fiber and beta carotene which plays an important role in maintaining smooth and healthy skin. Aim to eat one carrot everyday. Also try to have a glass of carrot juice in breakfast.
Fiber Richness: Oats, cereals and other foods include fiber that help by keeping stools regular and blood sugar level, which may help control stress levels. But how does that help my skin, you may ask? Well, constipation and mood swings can be a source of stress. And any stressors can precipitate skin eruptions. It's a matter of body balance.
So choose wheat and oat based cereals for breakfast few times a week. Tomatoes are year round skin helpers because they provide a lot of nutrients and they are easy to incorporate in your diet.
Foods for good skin: Do you know that there are some foods which when included in your diet can cleanse and repair your skin magically? Take yogurt for instance. If you eat just one cup you'll be enriched with ample amount of protein, zinc, folic acid, B12, and riboflavin, important for providing energy to skin cells.
Similarly a single serving of potatoes provides an ample amount of vitamin C, B, and vitamins especially folic acid, iron, copper, niacin and fiber.
Finally Fats!
Eating fats for better skin may sound fishy, but it is a fact that fats, especially in fish, do wonders for the skin. Eat fish atleast twice a week.
Recent research studies have shown that unsaturated fats (PUFA's) are good for you. Infact all PUFA's are essential for you to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E. A deficiency of these vitamins could result in red and irritated skin. Other sea foods such as Oysters are fortified with zinc, iron and copper- all of these are essential in skin care.
So now that you know all the facts, start eating healthy today! Your skin will thank you for it. After all, beauty lies not in the hands of the beholder, but in the hands of the smart eater! Think about it!
| Posted in »