Anti-Aging Skin Care: Using Good Nutrition to Heal Your Skin

What you put into your body has a direct effect on how you feel and on your overall health.  It also has an effect on your skin and complexion.

Anti-oxidants fight free radicals. Free radicals can come from a variety of external and internal stresses; from pollution, to junk food, to stress.

If we don't have anti-oxidants on board to battle the free radicals, our skin will break down and display a plethora of negative signs and symptoms. Eating certain foods can go a long way in assisting with a variety of troublesome skin conditions. See below for examples of skin problems and the foods that help fight them:

• Inflammation                                                                        
  
• Acne                                             
  
• Redness                                                    
  
• Irritated/Sensitive skin                                                              
  

Foods high in Melatonin will help combat inflammation

• cherries
  
• tomatoes
• bananas
• rice bran
• ginger

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• Sun damage
• Skin laxity
• Fine lines
• Wrinkles

Foods high in Resveraltrol will help protect against photo damage (sun damage), will help slow the break down of collagen, and perhaps prolong life.

• grapes
• blueberries
• red wine

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• Damaged skin

Foods high in vitamin C and vitamin E work powerfully together to protect against sun damage, hydrate skin, fight free radicals, produce collagen, and repair damaged cells

• kiwi
• citrus
• wheat germ oil
• nuts
• leafy greens
• broccoli

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• Dry skin

Adding foods like nuts, salmon, flax seed will help hydrate your skin cells from within.

Limit caffeine and alcohol intake as these can dehydrate your cells.

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• Oily/Acne prone skin

Adding probiotics to your diet (foods high in vitamin A and Zinc) will reduce inflammation and production of oil associated with blemishes.

Limit dairy products like milk and yogurt where hormones are used. Use hormone-free dairy products instead.

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• Red skin

For red, inflamed skin, eating cucumbers or other foods high in Zinc can help reduce the inflammation from within. Zinc is essential for injury repair. You can find Zinc in:

• almonds
• chickpeas
• cucumbers
• shellfish

If you have red, inflamed skin, avoid alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and highly spiced foods.

While a dietary plan to help maintain and heal your skin is an important aspect to anti-aging and caring properly for your body, it is not enough!

Stay tuned for our next installment on our Anti-Aging series: Topical treatments in Anti-Aging Skin Care...