Food for the skin

If you're looking for even smoother, fresher looking skin the a healthy diet is the way forward. Simon Lovell of www.thelunchboxdiet.com highlights some of the key areas to think about when eating for your looks!

Rejuvenators and line erasers come in every form these days: lotions, gels, creams – the miracle in a bottle so to speak. Some of it works a bit and I highly advocate a good sunscreen, but did you know that beautiful skin isn’t all about what goes on the skin but what goes in? And I’m not speaking of Botox!

We are what we eat, quite literally really. Our cells and tissues are made up of protein and water. So it’s no wonder really that what we put into our bodies eventually has an effect on our skin. Here are some things we should and shouldn’t put in our bodies whether you are trying to turn back the clock a bit or maintain healthy skin.

Water

Of all the things that help the skin, the most immediate fix is adequate water intake. Dehydration, even mild dehydration, causes the skin to look dull and sag. For beautiful, tight, luminous skin make sure you are getting plenty of hydration. We need roughly 1 milliliter per calorie we consume and a bit more if you are working out as well. Ideally, this is about 2 liters a day, but not all at once. Take in water periodically all day long to achieve this goal.

Water is best, but you can also choose a flavored water or sports drink to get some of these fluid requirements. Just make sure it isn’t high in sugar content and therefore calories. Tea is also a great way to get optimum water intake. Tea has antioxidants that help rid your body of toxins. Green tea not only increases metabolism but also has a super antioxidant that kicks vitamin C’s butt in protecting and ridding your body of all those environmental things that cause wrinkles. The tea should be caffeine free as caffeine works as a diuretic and eliminates fluids from your body. Try herbal teas or de-caf green tea. Brew, pour over ice and enjoy!

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps speed up skin cell turnover which allows for natural rejuvenation as well as less clogged pores. Vitamin A can be found in broccoli, cantaloupe, red peppers, spinach and watercress. It’s also abundant in cod. You should be getting roughly 700 micrograms of Vitamin A per day.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C boosts the production of collagen which firms skin. It also defends the skin against all those nasty free radicals which damage the skin’s DNA. Free radicals are triggered by environmental pollutants, UV rays and cigarette smoke. Vitamin C is plentiful in citrus, strawberries, and tomatoes; however, did you know that broccoli is loaded in vitamin C as well? 75 milligrams per day is what is recommended but a bit more is helpful as well. Anything your body doesn’t use will be eliminated.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant that rids the skin of pollutants as well as stabilizing and strengthening cell membranes. This action not only fights the effects of ageing but also reduces inflammation which is another component of acne. Vitamin E can be found in avocados, almonds and wheat germ. You need about 15 milligrams per day of vitamin E.

What about junk? There’s conflicting evidence that surrounds the relationship of greasy foods and chocolate. While it may not be as true as once thought that these types of food cause acne, it’s certainly not a leap that everybody being an individual may react differently to different skin stressors. If you seem to have an outbreak of unsightly acne when you indulge in chocolate or French fries, cut it out of your diet and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Cellulite problems

Cellulite plagues many women and unfortunately, it’s mostly a genetic problem. If your mum had cellulite, you might be more likely to end up with it as well. The good news is that you can avoid some of it by maintaining your weight. Once again, following a healthy diet can help you achieve or maintain an ideal body weight and avoid cellulite.

Variety for optimum skin (and overall health)

In order to do the most for your skin, you should follow an overall healthy diet. Getting a wide variety of vegetables helps you get optimum nutrition on a daily basis. Scientists find out new things all the time about how different nutrients positively affect our health. If you’re eating a varied diet rich in vegetables than you’ll be sure to get all those nutrients whether we’ve heard about them yet or not. Who knows what they’ll find out next?

As I said, putting on the sun screen is important. It’s also important to have a good skin regime cleansing and moisturizing morning and night. Try not to wear a lot of cosmetics when you work out. Sweating with oily foundation can clog pours and remember to wash up after working out to clean your pours and rehydrate your skin. A good cleanser and moisturizer should definitely be in your gym bag. Ultimately though, the miracle you’re looking for is far more likely to be found in the produce section than the cosmetic section!

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