Recently I noticed a friend of mine had extra radiant skin while she was visiting. She mentioned her consistent skin care regime and healthy eating. She is almost 30 and looks like she could be 25! It got me to thinking about how important it is to nourish your body from both the inside and out. You don’t have to get plastic surgery or a face lift to look radiant at any age. Why not try some foods that give your skin that natural glow without the plastic look. Enjoy my top 5 foods for fantastic skin, also great for hair and nails!
1. Carrots – High in Vitamin A and Beta Carotene, consuming them has sun protecting qualities because they increase the collagen, which is the elastic part of your skin that gets depleted with years of sun exposure and ageing. Please use sunscreen if you plan on spending more than 20 minutes outside. Unfortunately, carrots do not render your skin completely invincible to UV rays.
2. Leafy greens – Rich in Vitamin A, B, C and K, you can also add iron, fibre and calcium. As if there weren’t enough reasons to eat those dark, leafy gems, add gorgeousness to your list! Yes dark leafy greens are good for you for so many reasons! Look for the ones that are darkest for the highest vitamin content. Try different flavours and find your favourite. Mine is arugula or rocket as they call it in Australia. This bitter green is wonderful for cleansing your blood and lungs. You body converts the Beta Carotene found in greens into Vitamin A, which is responsible for turnover of dead skin cells, producing smoother looking skin. Try your salads with different toppings to balance the bitterness, such as dried cranberries, nuts, chopped celery, cucumbers, carrots and tomatoes etc. The options are endless!
3. Fish Oil - Omega 3′s found in fish oils are anti-inflammatory, preventing loss of moisture in the skin. Eat that salmon, mackerel and tuna and you will reap the benefits of beautiful, lustrous hair and suppler skin. Fatty fish do tend to contain higher levels of mercury. If consumed in moderation, 2-4 times per week it is perfectly fine to have and it’s great for your heart as well! If you don’t like the taste of fish try odourless fish oil tablets sold at your local chemist.
4. Oysters – High zinc content nourishes your hair. Did you know that hair can grow anywhere from 1/4- 1/2 inch per month and in some people; I swear it grows about 3 inches per week! All kidding aside, what are these people eating that I’m not? Maybe the secret is visiting the oyster bar from time to time. Oysters are also rich in selenium which is considered a basic building block for healthy skin, hair and nails. If you are feeling squeamish about eating the little critters refer to the other items on this list. You don’t have to eat something you find unappealing just to look hot.
5. Kombu – This edible sea vegetable from East Asia comes in all different varieties such as miso, soup stock and seasoning for rice that is used to make sushi. Kombu is rich in, iodine, which is essential for normal growth and development. It is touted for its hair growth stimulating properties. Remember that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Kombu is meant to be eaten as a seasoning. Dousing it on every morsel will only lead to iodine overload, which could disrupt thyroid functioning.
At the end of the day, what really matters when it comes to beautiful looking hair, skin and nails is a healthy, well-balanced diet. Eating as many nutritious foods as you can that appeal to your taste buds will get you is where you want to go for health and beauty. Not only will you look better but you will feel better too.
Sincerely,
Nutritiongal – AADP Certified Health Coach
Schedule a free consultation for your personal nutrition plan at http://www.nutritiongal.com/
The term “organic” refers to a method of farming that works in harmony with nature and people to produce healthy (higher nutrient content, natural foods), sustainable (crop rotation) and environmentally friendly foods (foods produced with minimal pesticides and chemicals). I have heard “experts” report that there is no difference in the nutritional content of organic versus non organic food, however I can’t believe that foods with more pesticides or ones that have been genetically modified (GMO) are as easily processed by the body as well as organic foods. If all else fails try an organically grown food and then try a non organically grown food. I have noticed that the organic food actually tastes better. Many people who are not even interested in this subject have reported the same to me.
