1. Eat a minimum of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
Fruit and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help to guardskin from the cellular damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals, smoking, pollution and sunlight can cause wrinkling and age spots. Eat a rainbow of colourful fruit and vegetables and aim for a minimum of five portions every day. Betacarotene, found in carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin, and lutein, found in kale, papaya and spinach are potent antioxidants, important for normal vegetative celldevelopment and healthy skin tone.
2. Eat enough vitamin C
Vitamin C is additionally an excellent antioxidant. it’s needed to support the immune system, promote radiant skin and help blemishes heal properly. the most effective sources are blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi fruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries and sweet potatoes. ascorbic acid is needed to produce collagen that strengthens the capillaries that provide the skin.
3. Don’t crash diet
Repeatedly losing and regaining weight can take its toll on your skin, causing sagging, wrinkles and stretch marks. Crash diets are often short in essential vitamins and minerals too. Over long periods of your time this kind of dieting will reflect on your skin. it’s always best to eat a healthy, diet.
4. fill up on selenium
Selenium could be a powerful antioxidant. It works alongside other antioxidants like vitamins E and C and is crucial to support the system. Studies suggest that a selenium-rich diet can help to shieldagainst carcinoma, sun damage and age spots. a way to spice upyour intake is to eat Brazil nuts. Just four nuts will provide the recommended daily amount (RDA). Mix Brazil nuts with other seeds rich in antioxidant as a snack or salad sprinkle. Other good sources are fish, shellfish, eggs, wheatgerm, tomatoes and broccoli.
5. Eat enough vitamin E
Vitamin E protects skin from oxidative (cell) damage and supports healthy skin growth. Foods high in tocopherol include almonds, avocado, hazelnuts, pine nuts and sunflower and corn oils.
6. Drink six to eight glasses of water each day
Skin needs moisture to remain flexible. Even mild dehydration will cause your skin to appear dry, tired and slightly grey. Drink six to eight glasses of water on a daily basis – all fluids count towards your daily allowance, but water is that the best. If you’re employed in an office, keep an outsized bottle of water on your desk to remind you to drink. Herbal, caffeine-free teas are good too. Don’t forget that some fruit and vegetables, like watermelon, courgette and cucumber, also contribute fluids – the additional benefit is that the minerals they contain will increase the speed you hydrate your body and skin. try and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption as both can age the skin.
7. Eat some healthy fat
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – the types found in avocados, oily fish, nuts and seeds – provide essential fatty acids which act as a natural moisturiser for your skin, keeping it supple and improving elasticity. These fats also come packaged with a healthy dose of fat-soluble vitamin (a vitamin many folks lack), which canhelp protect against atom damage.
8. go for omega-3
Make sure you get enough omega-3 and omega-6 fats. These are essential fatty acids which mean they can not be made within thebody and must be obtained through the diet. you’ll find omega-3s in oily fish and plant sources like linseed and their oil, chia seeds, walnuts and oil. Omega-3 fats encourage the body to provideanti-inflammatory compounds, which may help inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
9. Eat more phyto-estrogens
Phyto-estrogens are natural chemicals found in plant foods (phyto from the Greek word for plant). they need the same structure to the feminine steroid hormone oestrogen and are found to assist keep our natural hormones in balance. There are differing kinds, some are found in soya bean products (isoflavones) like tofu, whereas others are found within the fibre of wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and linseed (lignans). Include phyto-estrogen rich soya, wholegrains, fruits and vegetables as a part of a diet.
10. choose low-GI carbs
The glycaemic index (GI) could be a system that ranks carbohydrate-based foods on how slowly or quickly they’re weakened within thebody into glucose. attempt to eat many beans, pulses, porridge and other low-GI, slow-releasing carbohydrates. These release sugar into the blood stream gradually, providing you with a gentle supply of energy and leaving you feeling satisfied for extended and thus less likely to snack. Avoid high-GI carbohydrates like biscuits and sugary drinks, as they cause production of insulin, which can damage collagen and accelerate wrinkles.
11. Eat lots of zinc
Zinc is involved within the normal functioning of the sebaceous glands within the skin (which produce oil) and helps to repair skin damage and keep skin soft and supple. Zinc-rich foods include fish, lean white meat, wholegrains, poultry, nuts, seeds and shellfish.
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