Can what you eat really affect your skin?
It serves many purposes, including acting as our first defense against germs and the environment and converting sunlight to Vitamin D to your body. The layer of fat under the skin's surface helps to ensure that the important fluids stay inside our bodies . The ironic thing about skin is that when people are young, their biggest concern may be to get a tan. But as we get older, our priority becomes preventing wrinkles.
So when does it become crucial to start taking care of your skin? It's probably earlier than you think. Research indicates that it will significantly pay off later on by not smoking cigarettes and avoid the sun in our teens.
What we're basically trying to do is delay the normal aging process of skin, and to keep body cells from oxidizing due to inflammation. And the best way to is to avoid smoking , eat a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and have a good skin-care regimen to condition the skin and minimize moisture loss. It's all about keeping the skin healthy from the inside AND the outside. Defy Nature recommends Neo-Cutis skin care with patented PSP that contains anti-aging growth factors.
So what foods should you choose to boost your chances of having healthy looking skin?
- Antioxidants
Major antioxidants - VITAMIN A, C and E can help decrease the risk of sun and other environmental damage by disarming wrinkle-causing "free radicals" -- unstable molecules that damage cells.
Vitamin A. A recent study of healthy men and women found a significant link between the level of vitamin A in the blood and the condition of their skin. Getting your carotenoids (phytochemicals that your body converts to vitamin A) from foods is your safest bet. Top food sources of vitamin A include carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, mangoes, spinach, cantaloupe, greens, kale, Swiss chard, and tomato-vegetable juice.
Vitamin C is a potent topical antioxidant (that is, on-the-skin), but only in its active form -- the same form you get from food. At Defy Nature, Citrix Vitamin C Brightening Serum is a great choice. And including vitamin-C rich fruits and vegetables in your daily diet is a good thing to be doing for your health anyway.
Top food sources of vitamin C include orange juice, grapefruit juice, papayas, strawberries, kiwis, red and green peppers, cantaloupes, tomato-vegetable juice, broccoli, mangoes, oranges, Brussels sprouts, grapefruit, cauliflower, and kale.
Food sources of vitamin E include vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, spinach, and asparagus. But it's difficult to get much of this vitamin from foods, so many people take a supplement. (Be sure to take no more than 400 international units per day so you don't ingest too much.)
- Choose 'Smart' Fats
Heart and joint-friendly omega-3 fatty acids may be skin-friendly too. The omega-3s from fish may help to guard against sun damage, according to a few recent studies. Top food sources of omega-3s include fish, walnuts, and brands of eggs that are higher in omega-3s. Switching to a higher omega-3 cooking oil, like canola oil, can help increase your intake, too.
- Eat Whole Foods
Studies indicate that those who ate a diet containing more "whole foods" -- vegetables, fruits, legumes, eggs, yogurt, nuts, oils rich in monounsaturated fats, multigrain bread, tea, and water -- had less wrinkling and premature skin aging than those whose diets were rich in whole milk, red meat (particularly processed meats), butter, potatoes, and sugar. Top food sources of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil,
Your skin is an amazing organ!
Take care of it and it will pay off in the long run!
Schedule your personalized, complementary skin care consultation at