Food for Thought...and Great Skin!

Feed Your Way to Healthy Skin

Everybody wants healthy, smooth and shining skin, no matter what age. People spend millions every year on face creams, lotions, sunscreens and serums in an effort to turn back the clock, erase wrinkles and restore a healthy glow. But today, more and more people are turning to their local grocery store to get great skin. Instead of creams and lotions, women are reaching for different foods packed with essential vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants to give skin a healthy radiance.

A Cornucopia of Choices
The best foods for skin health depend on the your skin goals. Do you want to brighten your complexion? Do you want to reduce acne? Do you want to lift saggy skin?

PROBLEM: Sagging and wrinkles

SOLUTION: To fight these signs, eating foods rich with Vitamin C like oranges and strawberries, foods containing Beta-Carotene like carrots and sweet potatoes, and foods with Vitamin E like spinach and almonds can all give the body a jumpstart in strengthening skin, increasing collagen production and evening out tone.

PROBLEM: Acne

SOLUTION: Avoiding saturated fats and feasting on more raw vegetables or foods that contain selenium, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage, like cashew nuts and fresh tuna can help with inflammation and the appearance of acne.

PROBLEM: Prematurely aging skin

SOLUTION: Packed with antioxidants, blueberries protect your skin from aging too quickly. The antioxidants and phytochemicals found in blueberries help to neutralize free radicals, which might otherwise damage skin cells, leaving your skin with a younger and softer look and feel.

PROBLEM: Eczema

SOLUTION: There are many foods that can trigger breakouts on the skin, the addition of omega-3 fats (like those found in salmon) and zinc (an essential mineral with a number of positive effects not just on the skin, often found in wheat germ and mushrooms) to the diet can help reduce symptoms.

Six is the Magic Number
Remember that results are not overnight. It takes six weeks for new skin to come to the surface. While that may seem like a lot of time, these super foods are not just benefitting the skin, but the rest of your body. A healthier diet is always a step in the right direction, and the more immediate side effects of taking care of the body inside and out will be a bonus to beautiful skin when fed properly!