Diet & Your Natural Beauty
Your mom always told you that you are what you eat. And just like countless other times, mom was right! What you put into your body determines what you look like on the outside. Dryness, puffiness, and discoloration of skin can all be a sign of a poor diet. Here are some foods drinks that will help you have beautiful, healthy skin.
Water. This is the most essential part of any diet, and a skin care diet is no different. Your skin is made up of cells and all cells work better when you’re properly hydrated. Water helps get rid of toxins and actually leaves your skin less puffy! This is because if there’s not enough water to go around, cells tend to hoard what they can get. By getting enough water, your cells stay clean and don’t swell up as much.
Balanced diet. A healthy person has healthy, beautiful skin. There’s no true secret “miracle food” to make your skin perfect. A good diet for skin is pretty much the same as a good diet for staying healthy in general. Eat a diet rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products, and whole grains for beautiful healthy skin and health.
Antioxidants. These are chemicals like vitamins C, E, and A that help counteract free radicals. Free radicals damage and age skin, so it’s important to eat plenty of antioxidants to keep them at bay. Eat a variety of rainbow colored fruits and vegetables, the more color the better. The color in your fruit and veg basically represents the amount of antioxidants it contains.
Go Raw. When you cook food, you are causing a chemical reaction. While the result of this reaction may taste better, it has fewer nutrients and more free radicals that damage your skin. Many experts believe a diet of raw food is better for you. While some people take this to the extreme and eat only raw food, you don’t have to completely cut out cooking to see a benefit. Start by substituting one or two elements of your diet for something raw and work up to a level that feels comfortable for you. Another easy way to include raw foods in your daily diet is to simply eat a salad with your meals.
Supplements. Theoretically, you should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from diet alone. But our lives are realistic, not theoretical. Certain foods can be expensive, hard to get, or timely to cook. Taking a general multivitamin is a great way to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need on a daily basis.
What to avoid. Eating for beautiful skin isn’t just about what you eat, but what you don’t eat. There are certain food and habits you want to avoid to stay looking your best.
Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol or caffeine. Also try to stay away from overly processed food. This not only means fast food, but also prepackaged “fast food” from the grocery store.
Also be aware of food allergies. Many skin issues, like acne, are actually an allergic reaction. While most food related “facts” about acne and other skin disorders are actually myths, eating certain foods may increase your symptoms.
Try keeping a journal of everything you eat and how good or bad your skin is. You may be able to pinpoint problem foods and avoid them.
Healthy skin also means a healthy body, and the easiest way to achieve this is by eating a diet abundant with fresh health-giving foods in the most natural state possible.
