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Eating for that healthy glow
Eating the right foods could, and will, improve the overall fitness of your skin
by Dr. Marcy Street
Although a good skin care regimen is essential for maintaining healthy skin, nutrition plays a large role in the overall fitness of the skin as well. Nutritious foods promote the growth and repair of the cells in the body and having a well-balanced diet is the best insurance against vitamin and nutrient deficiency. Often times, a poor complexion is directly related to unhealthy eating habits lacking the vitamins and nutrients essential for the body to maintain optimal health.
The skin is nourished largely by the circulatory system of the body. Essential nutrients for cell growth, nourishment, and repair are circulated through the skin by the blood. The networks of arteries, capillaries, and lymphatics throughout the skin’s layers deliver all the necessary nutrition to the skin so a healthy diet ensures that the skin functions in a normal way. If the skin isn’t receiving enough vitamins through the blood, it can be very dry, oily, or blemished. This can be improved through proper dietary changes coupled with corrective facial treatments.
There are three basic food groups in everyone’s diet: fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Although it is important to keep a low fat diet, some fat is necessary for the body to function properly. Monosaturated fats, or “good fats”, can be found in foods such as olive oil and various types of nuts. These are the fats that do not build up in the bloodstream and are broken down by the body. Fats are important in that they are used by the sebaceous glands of the skin to produce materials to help lubricate the skin.
A diet low in carbohydrates is also fine, but carbohydrates provide the fuel for all of the body’s and brain’s life processes. Glucose, the most important carbohydrate, gives the body energy to perform day to day activities, including new skin cell generation. Protein has been used in skin care and cosmetics since ancient times. No living thing can exist without protein materials in its structure.
Amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, are mostly acquired from food. Without the intake of these amino acids, the body would not be able to produce proteins essential to life. Collagen, the protein contained in the connective tissue and bone within the body, is a major source of protein used in skin care products and cosmetics today. This aids in maintaining the skin’s firmness and elasticity, which keeps the skin looking young and fresh.
Another substance essential to life is water. Water makes up one half to two thirds of the human body. It aids in digestion, helps form body fluids, sustains the health of all cells, and much more. It also helps to remove toxins from the body, including the skin. Although the optimal amount depends greatly on age and size, the average adult should drink between 8 and 10 glasses of water per day in order to maintain proper hydration. Since water is necessary to the healthful functioning of the body, it is easy to see why drinking enough water will help keep your skin healthy and radiant.
As an indicator for an unhealthy diet, the skin reveals a lot about what the body may lack in essential nutrients. For example, a lack of Vitamin C over a length of time can cause scurvy, a disease that produces skin lesions.
A severe Vitamin B deficiency can lead to pellagra, a skin rash that can cause scarring. Common skin conditions, such as acne and eczema, can also be rooted to nutritional deficiency. Due to the close proximity of blood to the skin’s surface, a change in the color of the skin can also indicate the body’s nutritional state. Pale, dry skin may indicate anemia where as a yellowish cast to the skin can be due to jaundice. Any change in the color of the skin should be checked out by a dermatologist immediately due to the serious heath risks associated with some conditions.
As a general rule, adequate daily servings from each basic food group are a must for maintaining a healthy body and more specifically, healthy skin. A balanced diet of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins will ensure that the body is getting everything that it needs. Proper hydration is also key so drinking plenty of water is a must. Without the proper nutrition, the skin will not be able to perform to its full potential.
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