There are many, very good reasons as to why you should look after your skin and when it looks in great condition, you can guarantee that it will be at its healthiest. The skin is the largest organ in your body and when it’s healthy, it will provide a barrier for the rest of your body and it can help to boost your overall immune system.
There are some very well known ways in which you can look after your skin: Avoiding alcohol and tobacco are obvious ones while drinking plenty of water on a daily basis will keep toxins at bay. However, it’s easy to underestimate the role that diet plays in healthy skin, but there are many, everyday foods that can easily be incorporated into your diet to keep that healthy appearance.
Fruit and Vegetables
We are constantly being told to eat our five a day but there is reason and pure science behind the ‘lecture’. All fruit and vegetables carry good amounts of antioxidants which provide the body with nutrients to combat disease and infection and many of these will directly benefit your skin.
Those foods that are rich in Vitamin A can help to combat Acne and similar skin complaints while those that carry high levels of Vitamin C can reduce any inflammation. In general, all fruit and vegetables are good for you but there are some that will help the skin more than others.
Those that are notably high in antioxidants will include citrus fruits, melons, berries, tomatoes, bell peppers, greens, guava, winter squashes and broccoli. In addition, there are many so-called ‘superfruits’ which are particularly high in antioxidants. Pomegranate juice in particular is known for its skin cleansing properties.
Whole Grain
Whole grains are infinitely better for the body than refined grains because they retain all of the best and most nutritious parts of the grain itself. This leads to more nutrients and fibre going into your body while whole grains also have a much lower effect on your blood sugar levels than refined grains.
Low blood sugar levels will, in turn, help to combat acne and inflammation and give your skin a much more healthy appearance overall. A good way to get more whole grains into your diet is to eat more brown rice, wild rice, popcorn, oats and barley.
Oily Fish
Fish that is rich in Omega 3 has emerged in recent years to be classed as another ‘SuperFood’. The oily fishes such as Mackerel, Sardines and many others have been shown to improve a wide range of health issues such as heart and brain function and they benefit your skin too.
Oily fish will help to prevent dry flaky skin and even the worst cases of Psoriasis can be combated. Acne and inflammation can also reduce so look to replace your red meats with Omega 3-rich fish whenever you can.
Plant-sourced Fats
Some fat can be good for you and when it’s plant based, it is completely unsaturated. It’s also anti-inflammatory and helps with a whole range of skin conditions.
To get more plant based fats into your diet, try to replace butter or margarine with olive oil or canola. In addition, look to introduce more nuts, seeds (particularly flax seeds), vegetable oils and avocados.
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This article was contributed by Lloyd, a freelance writer and blogger, working with Range Cookers. A top destination for Electric Cookers.
