As I mentioned yesterday in my blog On the Road to Health After Many Years of Abuse, I’m a true believer in “what you see on the outside is a reflection of what’s going on inside.” While using good natural products on your skin is very important, it’s only the beginning to having beautiful skin. I’ll go into that in another blog.
Here are some tips based on Dr. Perricone’s Book, “The Wrinkle Cure”, that are intended to benefit your health and skin. The key is eating nutrition-packed, antioxidant-rich foods. Let me explain.
Lifestyle and diet are huge contributing factors to your health and beauty. For good health and gorgeous skin, eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, combined with complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and a small amount of unsaturated fats like olive oil and nuts like my favorite, almonds. You also want to make sure to drink plenty of water, get your “beauty” sleep and exercise.
Antioxidant-Rich Foods and Fresh Fruits & Veggies
You’ll get a ton of antioxidants in colorful fruits and vegetables – especially those with purple, blue, red, orange, and yellow hues. Just don’t overcook or boil your veggies. If you do, you won’t get all the benefits.
Here’s a list of fruits and veggies that are rich in antioxidants broken down by the three major antioxidant vitamins: beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E (per WebMD).
Beta-carotene and other carotenoids: Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, green peppers, kale, mangoes, turnip and collard greens, nectarines, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon
Vitamin C: Berries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, honeydew, kale, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, orange, papaya, red, green or yellow peppers, snow peas, sweet potato, strawberries, and tomatoes
Vitamin E: Broccoli, carrots, chard, mustard and turnip greens, mangoes, nuts, papaya, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, and sunflower seeds
Complex Carbs
Complex carbohydrates are commonly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Here are some examples…
Fruits: apricots, oranges, plums, pears, grapefruits and prunes
Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, turnip greens, eggplant, potatoes, yams, corn, carrots, onions, all types of lettuce, celery, cucumbers, cabbage, artichokes and asparagus
Whole grains: millet, oats, wheat germ, barley, wild rice, brown rice, buckwheat, oat bran, cornmeal and amaranth
Legumes: lentils, kidney beans, black beans, peas, garbanzo beans, soy beans and pinto beans
Lean Protein
Eating high-quality protein like organic chicken and wild fish will make your skin glow and hair healthier. Since out hair is made up mostly of protein (keratin), it needs a protein-rich diet to growth and thrive. Limit red meat; it’s a pro-infammatory food. Eating fish will also help you get omega-3 essential fatty acids that fight inflammation. Best sources are salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, snapper, bass, and trout.
Beverage
If you drink soda or fruit juices, switch to either mineral or spring water. Water is critical for your body to not only keep you alive but to help your body perform and keep your skin looking clear, bright, and beautiful.
Last tip: Get the most from what you eat and avoid refined, processed foods and sugar. Sugar interacts with the collagen in your body. By doing so, it makes your skin prone to discoloration like age spots. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruit instead. Remember that it’s all about balance and variety. If you eat this way, Dr. Perricone says it “will begin to take a few years off your appearance in no time.” So have fun, eat healthy, enjoy beautiful skin, and bon appetit!
Source: Dr. Perricone, The Wrinkle Cure: Unlock the Power of Cosmeceuticals for Supple, Youthful, Skin.
Disclaimer: The information on this site is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
I love the tips! Since going paleo, my skin has really cleared up. A good diet has a direct impact on skin’s health for sure. Once you start using creams and potions, you’re just repairing what could have been prevented all along!
I’m a member of Weight Watchers, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post. Thanks!
Some great advice. I love my fruits, fresh or dried. I find it handy to have some dried fruit available when I get the munchies, much better for you than sugary snacks.