Knowing a healthy diet for the skin may be quite daunting to most people. However, after reading this article, you will have some insights that will go a long way.
Did you know that what you eat not only causes weight gain or damage to the heart or liver? It also has severe effects on another large organ in your body: the skin. Yes! The foods we eat have significant effects on the general health of your skin.
You won’t need to walk around with a mirror to see and fix that pimple or blemish staring at you with a healthy diet.
These blemishes or rash-like patches of spots are usually caused by taking too much alcohol, coffee, fats, or foods that increase aging. If this is the case, which are the best foods you can eat for healthy skin?
Some natural substances don’t have synthetic ingredients or chemical additions and are gentle on the skin.
Although several factors can lead to the skin losing its liveliness and elasticity, there are also some preventive measures that you can start implementing to take care of your skin. The moment you start, the further you will delay the entrance of the signs of aging.
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What Is Glowing Skin?
To some, glowing skin means smooth, healthy skin without blemishes or pimples rather than dull, dry, or unevenly textured skin.
Glowing skin tells a lot to most of us, and some will do anything towards achieving that admirable sheeny natural look.
Perfect skin isn’t attainable. However, a healthy one with visible pores, fine lines, and wrinkles with occasional blemishes is achievable.
So, now let’s look at how healthy eating can improve your skin condition.
Fatty Fish For A Healthy Diet
These may include mackerels, salmons, and herrings and are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids, which are suitable for maintaining healthy and glowing skin.
Fatty fish will help keep your skin supple, moisturized, and thick. It has also been proved that the omega-3 fats in fish significantly reduce skin inflammation, which are significant causes of acne and redness.
The fats also help your skin be less sensitive to UV rays. Additionally, fish oil supplements are ideal in fighting autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that may affect your skin, such as lupus and psoriasis.
Fatty fish is also a good source of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an essential element of antioxidants for your skin, which protects your skin against inflammation.
The diet is also a good source of protein necessary for the strengthening and integrity of your skin.
In addition, fatty fish also provide Zinc, an ideal mineral that regulates overall skin health, helps in the production of new skin cells, and reduces skin inflammation.
A zinc deficiency in your body will lead to delayed wounds, lesions, and skin inflammation.
Avocados For Healthy Diet
Avocados are also rich in healthy fats that may benefit several functions in your body, including healthy and glowing skin. They also help keep the skin supple, springy, and moisturized.
Avocado fats also feature compounds suitable for protecting your skin from damages caused by the sun.
They are also excellent and reliable sources of vitamin E, which are vital antioxidants that help your skin from wrinkles, aging, and other oxidative damages.
Most interestingly, when you combine vitamin E and vitamin C, the result will be healthy and glowing skin.
Vitamin C is necessary for creating collagen, which is the main structural protein that keeps your skin healthy, strong, and supple.
A deficiency of this vitamin may cause scaly, dry, dull, and rough skin that bruises easily. In addition, a serving of about ½ piece of avocado will provide around 14% of the daily value for vitamin E and 11% of the daily value of vitamin C.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene. Beta carotene is a nutrient found in plants, and it’s an ideal source of provitamin A. This nutrient is also found in vegetables and fruits such as spinach, carrots, and oranges.
A generous serving of one ½ cup of baked sweet potatoes has more than enough beta carotene nutrients that will provide more than six times the daily value of vitamin A.
The carotenoids found in this potato acts as a natural sunblock and keep your skin healthy and robust. The antioxidant will also protect your skin from cell death, wrinkles, dryness and prevent it from sunburn.
Moreover, high consumption of sweet potatoes may add warm orange color to your skin, contributing to the general health and appearance of your skin.
Green Tea For Healthy Diet
Green tea is also praised for its antioxidants and polyphenols anti-inflammatory properties, which help protect the cell membranes.
This drink will help minimize the risk of damaged skin caused by UV rays, whether taken as a drink or applied to the skin. This will help reduce the chances of getting skin cancer.
Eggs
Whether it’s boiled, crack-opened scrambled, or half-fried, eggs are a reliable source of protein.
It’s also a good source of lutein. Lutein is suitable for maintaining dry, firm, and hydrated skin.
For a bonus, eggs also contain amino acids, which are natural oils that help create collagen.
Water
They say that water is life, and yes, it is life to your skin. The essence of drinking water frequently is to get you hydrated.
Dehydration will cause the mucous membranes of your skin to become dry, cracked and expose it to the dangers of UV rays. A warm drink is about 15 cups, while 11 cups are ideal for females per day. Although this varies based on different factors such as pregnancy, age, and general health condition.
Also recommended is a generous consumption of soup, juice, caffeine-free fluids, and herbal tea. This will also protect your skin from being dehydrated.
Dark Chocolate For Healthy Diet
Yes. Dark chocolate is another good source of having healthy and glowing skin. This is because it contains a cocoa powder high in antioxidants that keeps your skin hydrated.
Dark chocolates bring more nutrients to your skin, protect it from sunburns, and allow better blood flow to the skin.
It has also been proven that eating at least 20 grams of high-antioxidant dark chocolate per day will protect your skin from UV radiation. Also, it will improve the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin thickness, hydration, blood flow, and skin texture.
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Reduce Stress
Stress also adds up to the general health of your skin. Too much stress will produce acne vulgaris, one of the most common inflammatory skin disorders.
Find ways to reduce stress to control the spread of acne, which increases the inflammatory compounds in the body.
Stress management techniques include regular exercise, massages, and calming practices such as yoga, meditation or breathing exercises, swimming, and tai chi.
You can also try taking walks in the woods, listening to music, or writing journals.
Getting Enough Sleep
Enough sleep will improve mental health and allow your body to recover from damages caused by lack of sleep.
Lack of sleep will enhance skin aging and reduce the barrier functions associated with skin appearance.
For healthy skin, aim at getting around 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
The Bottom Line
The foods and tips mentioned above are great options for having healthy, glowing, attractive, and robust skin.
Getting enough of them and making changes to your lifestyle will significantly improve the general health of your skin.
Moreover, avoid alcohol, smoking, and UV rays which are dangerous sources that will damage your skin.
While you will be tempted to reach out for the nearest skincare products to treat and care for your skin, healthy eating will help to revitalize your skin from the inside out.
