Natural Foods for Radiant, Healthy Skin

Beauty Foodsdr_dattner_watermelon

Foods that maintain the healthy elastic supple structure of the skin help keep the skin beautiful. This means foods rich in nutrient density, with all of the building blocks necessary for keeping skin healthy. It also means avoiding foods that cause damage and aggravate the skin and the body, or put stress on the skin as an organ of elimination.

You are Unique

The advice below contains a few general suggestions. Individuals often have specific requirements according to their own specific genetics and body exposure history. For example, if you have any kind of allergic reaction to a food, it is best not to eat that food.

Proteins

Protein is necessary to maintain skin, whose outer layer turns over every 28 days.

Fats

A proper balance of essential fatty acids is important for maintaining healthy skin and brains, and reducing the tendency toward inflammation.

Since our diets have shifted towards an overabundance of omega 6 fatty acids, it is important to increase the omega 3 fatty acids. Eating more fish from Northern waters can help, such as:

  • Pacific salmon
  • cod
  • sardines

Also, consuming flaxseed, either ground or soaked, is another way to get omega 3 fatty acids.

Vegetables: Sample the Rainbow

A diet rich in vegetables will supply many of the vitamins and minerals needed for the skin. Eating foods that contain anti-oxidants builds in a natural protection in your diet. There are different classes of foods with different kinds of anti-oxidants.

Yellow, Orange, Red

Carotenoids have yellow, orange and red color and are obtained from eating carrots, peppers, melon and other foods of that color.

Purple, Blue

Grape skins and seeds contain another very potent class of anti-oxidants known as proanthocyanidins. This is a type of bioflavinoid that works to calm down free radicals released by sun hitting the skin. It is present in the purple fruit skins of acai, plum, black currant, and blueberry also. It may be worth supplementing with extra bioflavinoids of this type.

Green

Lutein is present in green leafy vegetables such as kale. It has protective effects for both the eyes and the skin. It is important to remember that the protective effect of these nutrient antioxidants is helpful against regular amounts of sun exposure, but will not help for excessive sun exposure such as being out all day unprotected.

Over the long run, having a diet rich in anti-oxidants will lessen the damage from sun and other sources of oxidative harm.

~Dr. Dattner