The skin is the largest organ in the human body, yet many of us ignore the crucial link between nutrition and achieving “good skin.”
Whether you want to get rid of fine lines or wrinkles, skin care should always start from within. A healthy diet is one way to boost your overall health, but doctors say the key to rejuvenating your skin is largely due to the variety of your meals. The Express website reveals three ways to maintain youthful skin.
A poor diet, full of processed foods, is a known cause of a number of serious health conditions.
Not only will large amounts of fat and sugar increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and many serious heart diseases, but they will also contribute to rapid aging. Stimulating the production of new skin cells is the best way to rejuvenate your skin, but how do you do it?
Collagen plays an important role in the development of wrinkles and skin elasticity, but Dr. Qian Zhou of Skin Aesthetics and Dr. Andrew Greenland, a functional medicine physician, have revealed the key to slowing the signs of aging.
– Choose a varied diet instead of a balanced diet
While most people reach for skincare products at the first sign of breakouts, sensitivity, or aging, Dr. Qian Zhou and Dr. Andrew Greenland believe the treatment starts on your plate.
To nourish youthful skin for years to come, the two specialists recommend eating locally grown, colorful produce. The healthcare duo said: “A healthy diet is not just a matter of getting the right balance, it is also about eating foods that will promote healing and regeneration rather than eating foods that cause Inflammation and irritation.”
Packing your meals with fresh fruits and vegetables is essential to providing your body with essential nutrients.
There are a wide range of powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables, which are essential for healthy skin and collagen production.
“If you have a colorful plate of food on a regular basis, you can be sure you’re eating the right things,” Zhou and Greenland said. “Ripe, freshly picked, raw fruits and vegetables have the highest nutritional value. For this reason, it’s best to source local produce and eat it in season.”
To cook colorful and nutritious meals, you should try steaming or frying them lightly to try to preserve as many nutrients as possible.
– Reduce your intake of carbohydrates
While the myth that all carbs are bad is actually a myth, eating large amounts without burning precious energy can quickly cause your skin to suffer.
Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body, which are then used as energy. Whatever is not burned remains as excess sugar in the body, which eventually binds to proteins and fats.
– Balance omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for skin barrier function, as well as their vital roles in the immune system, blood clotting, and liver function.
Despite the confusing name, these fatty acids are essential because they cannot be produced naturally in the body and must be obtained from your diet.
Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory while omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, so getting the ratio right is very important.