Ananda Mahony
NaomiSkin Super Foods
October 31st 2008 04:52
Step 3 of the Summer Skin Detox – Skin Super Foods
There are some foods that are just so good for the skin that they are called Skin Super Foods. These foods contain nutrients that specifically support skin function and so are of particular importance. You can eat these foods regularly knowing you are helping your skin to stay healthy. These are the top 6 skin super foods:
1. Deep Sea Fish – fish and particularly deep sea fish are a healthy source of protein. The skin needs protein for maintenance, repair and healing. Without sufficient protein, our skin starts to lose integrity and elasticity. Fish also have essential fatty acids which are the next super food.
2. The Good Fats - Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) help to keep skin flexible and hydrated as well as promoting skin healing. Deep Sea fish are the best source of EFAs including tuna, salmon, anchovies and sardines. Other sources of good fats include whole grains, nuts & seeds, dark leafy green vegetables, LSA and cold-pressed oils (especially flax, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame).
3. Green Leafies – full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, water and fibre, green leafies are the earth’s gift to us. They also contain chlorophyll which has a detoxifying effect on the body, helping to cleanse waste from our systems. A serve daily will certainly go towards creating healthier skin p.s. the darker green the better the health benefits so Iceberg isn’t the best choice.
4. Berries – apart from tasting delicious berries of all kinds are beneficial for the skin…and the rest of the body. Try to eat a serve of berries (about 1/3 of a cup) 2 or 3 times a week…and yes frozen berries are fine. Try blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, strawberries or cranberries. Berries are rich in antioxidants (think colour!) which support skin health and reduce damage from internal and external factors such as sun damage and pollution.
5. Green Tea – green tea is a great skin tonic both topically and internally. Green tea like some of the other super foods is full of antioxidants and other nutrients that support the skin. 1-3 cups of green tea a day helps to reduce inflammation and promote detoxification. It is also a great coffee substitute as it keeps you alert and awake without feeling “wired”. Topically green tea helps to support the skin matrix and reduce redness and inflammation.
Take home Tip: make up a strong cup of green tea. Store it in a spritz bottle in the fridge in summer. Whenever you feel hot, have just been out in the sun or even before applying your moisturiser, spray some green tea on your face instead of a toner.
Step 4 – Lifestyle Factors
Apart from what we eat and put on our skin, there are the things we do that impact on our skin. Hydration, sun, smoking and sleep are 4 factors that have a significant effect on the radiance of our skin and eventually on the aging process.
1. Stay Hydrated. Our skin reflects our state of hydration. Dehydrated skin is sign of total body dehydration. Start the day with half a lemon squeezed into 300mls of water. The lemon will stimulate the cells of the body to absorb the water increasing hydration levels.
2. Avoid the midday sun. Some sun exposure is essential for the production of Vitamin D. However, prolonged midday sun exposure is most damaging to the skin and so should be avoided. Research shows that excessive skin exposure is the number 1 cause of skin aging. For everyday use a SPF 15 or 30 sunblock, moisturizer or make up with SPF. If you are planning on extended sun exposure such as a day at the beach, be sure to use an SPF 30.
3. Don’t smoke. Smoking damages the skin almost as much as sun exposure. The damaging effect of smoking on the skin is due to the excessive production of free radicals.
4. Ensure you get enough sleep. Ideally 7-8 hours each night. Tiredness shows up on the skin. When you are more rested, your skin is also more rested and the benefits show as well.
5. Consider an antioxidant supplement - If you think that you are subject to greater antioxidant stress than normal from factors such as sun, wind or pollution exposure or disease, poor diet and stress, then an antioxidant supplement may be of benefit. Choose one that contains Vitamins A, C, E, beta carotene and zinc as all of these antioxidants work to support the skin. Grape Seed extract is also very useful as it specifically works to inhibit the destruction of collagen as well as improving the elasticity in skin by stabilising collagen and elastin.
Take Home Tip: find a sunscreen, moisturizer or mineral make up that uses either zinc or titanium dioxide as these offer greater sun protection than standard chemical sun filters. For recommendations follow this link Really Long Link
Give yourself the 7 day skin challenge and see the difference. And remember, it is not just your skin that will experience the difference, your energy and wellebing will also improve over the 7 days.
There are some foods that are just so good for the skin that they are called Skin Super Foods. These foods contain nutrients that specifically support skin function and so are of particular importance. You can eat these foods regularly knowing you are helping your skin to stay healthy. These are the top 6 skin super foods:
1. Deep Sea Fish – fish and particularly deep sea fish are a healthy source of protein. The skin needs protein for maintenance, repair and healing. Without sufficient protein, our skin starts to lose integrity and elasticity. Fish also have essential fatty acids which are the next super food.
2. The Good Fats - Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) help to keep skin flexible and hydrated as well as promoting skin healing. Deep Sea fish are the best source of EFAs including tuna, salmon, anchovies and sardines. Other sources of good fats include whole grains, nuts & seeds, dark leafy green vegetables, LSA and cold-pressed oils (especially flax, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame).
3. Green Leafies – full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, water and fibre, green leafies are the earth’s gift to us. They also contain chlorophyll which has a detoxifying effect on the body, helping to cleanse waste from our systems. A serve daily will certainly go towards creating healthier skin p.s. the darker green the better the health benefits so Iceberg isn’t the best choice.
4. Berries – apart from tasting delicious berries of all kinds are beneficial for the skin…and the rest of the body. Try to eat a serve of berries (about 1/3 of a cup) 2 or 3 times a week…and yes frozen berries are fine. Try blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, strawberries or cranberries. Berries are rich in antioxidants (think colour!) which support skin health and reduce damage from internal and external factors such as sun damage and pollution.
5. Green Tea – green tea is a great skin tonic both topically and internally. Green tea like some of the other super foods is full of antioxidants and other nutrients that support the skin. 1-3 cups of green tea a day helps to reduce inflammation and promote detoxification. It is also a great coffee substitute as it keeps you alert and awake without feeling “wired”. Topically green tea helps to support the skin matrix and reduce redness and inflammation.
Take home Tip: make up a strong cup of green tea. Store it in a spritz bottle in the fridge in summer. Whenever you feel hot, have just been out in the sun or even before applying your moisturiser, spray some green tea on your face instead of a toner.
Step 4 – Lifestyle Factors
Apart from what we eat and put on our skin, there are the things we do that impact on our skin. Hydration, sun, smoking and sleep are 4 factors that have a significant effect on the radiance of our skin and eventually on the aging process.
1. Stay Hydrated. Our skin reflects our state of hydration. Dehydrated skin is sign of total body dehydration. Start the day with half a lemon squeezed into 300mls of water. The lemon will stimulate the cells of the body to absorb the water increasing hydration levels.
2. Avoid the midday sun. Some sun exposure is essential for the production of Vitamin D. However, prolonged midday sun exposure is most damaging to the skin and so should be avoided. Research shows that excessive skin exposure is the number 1 cause of skin aging. For everyday use a SPF 15 or 30 sunblock, moisturizer or make up with SPF. If you are planning on extended sun exposure such as a day at the beach, be sure to use an SPF 30.
3. Don’t smoke. Smoking damages the skin almost as much as sun exposure. The damaging effect of smoking on the skin is due to the excessive production of free radicals.
4. Ensure you get enough sleep. Ideally 7-8 hours each night. Tiredness shows up on the skin. When you are more rested, your skin is also more rested and the benefits show as well.
5. Consider an antioxidant supplement - If you think that you are subject to greater antioxidant stress than normal from factors such as sun, wind or pollution exposure or disease, poor diet and stress, then an antioxidant supplement may be of benefit. Choose one that contains Vitamins A, C, E, beta carotene and zinc as all of these antioxidants work to support the skin. Grape Seed extract is also very useful as it specifically works to inhibit the destruction of collagen as well as improving the elasticity in skin by stabilising collagen and elastin.
Take Home Tip: find a sunscreen, moisturizer or mineral make up that uses either zinc or titanium dioxide as these offer greater sun protection than standard chemical sun filters. For recommendations follow this link Really Long Link
Give yourself the 7 day skin challenge and see the difference. And remember, it is not just your skin that will experience the difference, your energy and wellebing will also improve over the 7 days.
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