We all worry about our skin.
Ideally, we’d all like a clear complexion and soft, smooth skin. Of course, between environment, genetics and
time constraints, many of us are far from satisfied with our skin.
Of course, we all know that what we eat and drink has a huge
impact on the health of our skin. Since
drinking water helps with the absorption of essential nutrients and flushes toxins
from our system, it’s a must for healthy skin.
Adding lemon to your water can also help get some of the Vitamin C
needed for a healthier complexion.
Vitamin
A
Vitamin A, beta-carotene, repairs and protects skin
tissue. A deficiency of Vitamin A will
cause skin to become dry and flaky. It
has also been shown to improve skin afflictions, such as, acne, boils, open ulcers,
impetigo and boils.
Foods rich in Vitamin A include fruits and vegetables. The foods highest in Vitamin A are Liver, Red
Pepper / Cayenne / Chili Powder/ Paprika, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Dark Leafy
Green Vegetables, Butternut Squash, Dried Herbs, Dried Apricots and
Cantaloupe. Not to say, you have to eat
all of these but having one or two of each with your meals, will help meet
recommended guidelines.
Vitamin
B
Vitamin B is critical as it is responsible for the
development of skin cells. Vitamin B6,
riboflavin, aids in cell respiration, which, in turn, sustains the skin. Vitamin B5 is not only necessary for the body’s
consumption and use of B6. It also aids
in the production of cortisone and additional adrenal hormones, necessary for
healthy skin, and protects cells against damage caused by radiation, which causes
wrinkles and premature aging of the skin.
Aiding in the prevention of acne, bruises, burns, abscesses, eczema,
psoriasis and shingles, is Vitamin B Complex.
Foods rich in Vitamin B6, B5 and B Complex include Meat, Fish,
Vegetables, Nuts, Seeds, Wholegrain, Bran, Beans and Legumes.
Vitamin
C
One of Vitamin C’s functions is maintaining
collagen. Collagen, the fibrous protein
found in connective tissue, is relevant to the elasticity of skin. Vitamin C also aids in healing wounds, burns,
and protects your skin from skin cancer that can be caused by long, regular
exposure to the sun.
Foods rich in Vitamin C include Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Green Hot Chili Peppers, Guavas, Bell Peppers, Fresh Herbs (Thyme and Parsley),
Dark Leafy Vegetables, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Kiwi, Papayas,
Oranges and Strawberries.
Vitamin
E
Vitamin E reduces wrinkles, prevents damage of free
radicals (byproducts of pollution, smoke and overexposure to sun) and enriches
skins texture. It is also beneficial for
healing burns, abrasions and skin ulcers, as well as aiding in the prevention
of scar tissue.
Foods rich in Vitamin E include Mustard Greens,
Spinach, Swiss Chard, Topical Fruits, Nuts, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Vegetable
Oils, Wheat and Kale, to name a few.
Vitamin K
And last, but certainly not
least, is Vitamin K. In combination with
Vitamin A, Vitamin K assists in the decrease of dark circles that form under
the eyes; and the visibility of bruises.
Vitamin K can be found in
Yogurt, Leafy Green Vegetables, Soybeans, Pumpkin Seeds, Peas, Kidney Beans and
Cauliflower.
I would also be remiss if I
didn’t address acne directly since it plagues so many people. In addition to Vitamins A, B, and E,
discussed above, Vitamin D, Niacin and Zinc are also known to be beneficial to
preventing and/or clearing up acne. In
many cases it’s best to take a multi-vitamin; regardless of how well you
eat. In the event, you want to add foods
rich in Vitamin D, Niacin and Zinc:
Foods rich in Vitamin D include
Fish, Shrimp, Milk and Eggs.
Foods rich in Niacin include
Tuna, Salmon, Chicken Breast, Wheat Bran, Sardines and Peanuts.
Foods rich in Zinc include
Sesame Seeds, Oysters, Roasted Pumpkin and Squash Seeds, Yogurt and Peas.
But it isn’t all about what you
eat and drink. You can also reap additional
benefits for your skin through scrubs, exfoliates and other directly applied
methods.
Body Scrubs/Exfoliates
The value of scrubs and
exfoliates is the removal of dead skin cells, which allows smoother skin to the
surface. They also help nourish the body’s
cells by increasing circulation.
You can find recipes for some
great homemade facial products at http://naturalfacialrecipes.homestead.com/facescrubrecipes.html
You can also create your
own. Keep in mind that an egg facial
will help firm the skin; honey acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps with skin
afflictions caused by infection or inflammation; Milk adds enzymes and leaves
skin feeling smooth and soft; and, lemon juice helps reduce large pores and
removes excess oil.
Skin Moisturizers
Although we all know about
designer fashion companies that create facial and skin moisturizers, with
promises of smoother, wrinkle-free skin, most of the time its best to either
make your own or find homeopathic / natural products to eliminate the risk of
additives companies use.
There is some great information
and instructions for various skin moisturizers at http://www.natural-skin-care-info.com/natural_skin_care_moisturizer.html
Acne Treatments
Though in some cases, acne can
be cost by medical or dermatological conditions, for most typical cases, some
natural remedies may be helpful. One
such treatment is Tea
Tree Oil. It is a natural
anti-bacterial, from Australia, that is believed to kill the bacteria that
cause acne.
For specific homeopathic acne
treatment, you can go to http://abchomeopathy.com/c.php/169
and select the areas and skin
type to be directed to a homeopathic remedy for your particular needs, as well.
All in all, skin care is really
basic. First, we take care of the inside
and do a little work on the outside.
Unless you have extreme medical conditions, that should be enough to
give you glowing, healthy skin. And don’t
be afraid to take a multi-vitamin every day to make up for some losses in
nutrition here and there.
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