Many people who have a diet rich in raw foods have reported having healthier skin. This is most likely due to the high antioxidant content of raw fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants fight off free radicals that can damage cells, lead to inflammation, and cause many other serious diseases. Eating a diet high in antioxidants is a good way to improve your overall health and skin as well. A healthy diet will help your skin, too. In fact, an optimal diet should include foods that are high in antioxidants.
Skin Care The skin is one of the first places that we notice our age. As we age, the skin becomes thinner, lines begin to form, and wrinkles begin to appear. Many products on the market today only contribute to the problem. It is important to wash the skin properly to avoid drying it out. While you should exfoliate every day, it is more important to wash the skin correctly. There are three steps to skincare: cleansing, toning, and moisturizing.
Cleansing: Washing the skin properly removes built-up debris from the pores and removes excess oil from the skin as well. It is important to remember to use warm water to reduce drying out of the skin. When you are buying skincare products, look for those that are made with natural ingredients, such as herbs, plant extracts, and other antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radicals that can cause harm to your body and skin. You can find a wide variety of products on the market that contain antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B5, beta carotene, or grape seed extract.
Toning: Toning helps to keep the skin smooth and younger-looking. However, skincare is just the first step in taking care of your skin. To get the maximum benefit from your food choices, you need to eat a balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, plenty of protein, and little saturated fat. A healthy diet will not only make you feel better about yourself, but it will also improve your skin's health and appearance.
There are many foods that provide essential vitamins and nutrients without being nutrient-dense. Examples of these kinds of foods include nuts, seeds, berries, wheatgrass, and soybean curd. Vitamin C, which is readily available in citrus fruits and most vitamin C supplements, is an antioxidant that fights free radicals.
To get the most from vitamin C, it's best to eat foods that are not processed. For example, foods that are high in antioxidants, like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and green tea, can be combined with various kinds of meats and poultry, as long as they are cooked. Also, vegetables that are high in antioxidants, such as broccoli and spinach, can be added to a wide variety of foods. This combination is a good way to get all the benefits of antioxidants.
Vitamin E is another kind of powerful antioxidant. It has been shown to protect against skin damage by preventing lipid peroxidation, which can cause wrinkling, discoloration, and inflammation. A variety of other food sources provide vitamin E, including whole-grain bread, nuts, egg yolk, carrots, tomatoes, and wheat germ. Vitamin E can be combined with foods that are high in antioxidants or it can be used as a stand-alone vitamin.
It's important to consume lots of fruits and vegetables. In fact, some experts suggest that people who are interested in improving their skin health should add a serving of fruit and vegetable to every meal that they eat. They should also choose foods that are high in vegetables or that are brightly colored. The brighter the colors are, the better!
