Staying youthful and taking care of your skin has become a major concern for many people; so much so that we have seen an emergence of an entirely new way of working with food, where it is now possible to have an entire career relating solely to the health benefits of what we eat, by understanding its scientific properties. This new considered approach to food shows just how passionate we now are about being able to make informed decisions so that the food we eat will help nourish and protect our bodies for the future.
What you should eat
- Green tea: This wonderful drink keeps the skin hydrated, stopping it from drying out and aging your appearance while the natural antioxidants help protect it from the potentially damaging effects of the sun. It also encourages a good metabolism, which keeps your body in good working order by burning off excess fat.
- Oily fish: The natural oils in fish have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce redness and swelling in the skin, maintaining a smooth, youthful look. It even helps keep your hair in good condition and strengthens your nails.
- Tomatoes: These versatile fruits once again help hydrate the skin but the Vitamin A inside them also assists in the production of entirely new skin cells, helping to avoid it becoming dry and cracked.
- Water: You should try to drink around eight glasses of water each day; of all the drinks available, it is by far the best one for keeping you hydrated and your body in full working order, all without a single calorie.
- Blueberries: Of all the fruits and vegetables, blueberries are thought to have the most antioxidants per average serving. These reverse the effects of so-called ‘free radicals’ such as sun exposure and air pollution before they can prematurely age your skin.
- Almonds: We all need some fat in our diet and nuts like almonds are a great source of ‘good fats’ which help lower cholesterol, keeping the heart in good condition.
What you should not eat
- White bread: This has been found to cause inflammation and irritation of the skin, which can cause acne. It can also bloat the stomach and make you feel sluggish. Whole grains and oats are a much better option.
- Sugary foods: It is practically impossible to avoid sugar altogether in your diet and you don’t need to. However, too much sugar damages the collagen and elastin in your skin. Given that these keep the skin firm and smooth, eating too much sugar thus creates wrinkles and sagging, aging you beyond your years.
- Salt: Too much sodium in a diet has been linked to increased levels of skin problems such as acne, redness and swelling.
- Alcohol: Despite being liquid, alcoholic drinks completely dry out the body’s skin cells, making it irritable and vulnerable to damage. Too much alcohol can even damage your eyes by draining their colour and staining the whites a dull shade of yellow.
With people having dedicated their careers to researching and understanding what we should and should not eat if we want to take care of our bodies, we would be foolish not to heed their advice.