Skin Glow Diet

by Deborah English — December 3, 2007

These days, skin care can be a very expensive, complicated science. However, the experts agree that regardless of which skin treatments or products we use to encourage a smooth and youthful complexion, the key element to beautiful skin comes from within. Enrich your body with the nutrients it needs to stimulate new cell growth and repair skin structures, keep your skin's cells plumped with water, and protect it from further internal and external damage, and before you know it, you will be wearing beautiful, glowing skin. To achieve this objective, include the following micronutrients and antioxidants as a regular part of your diet:

• Omega3 fatty acids--Anti-inflammatory and nutrient-rich
  Eat: Salmon, tuna, sardines, tofu, tempeh, eggs, nuts, and seeds
• Antioxidants--Protects against free-radical skin damage and is vital in repairing already damaged skin tissue
  Eat: Leafy green vegetables, berries--especially blueberries--broccoli, carrots, chestnuts, hazelnuts, kale, tomatoes, peas, papaya, prunes, and sweet potatoes
• Vitamin A--helps to form new skin and keeps skin supple
  Eat: Salmon, tuna, sardines, eggs, and yogurt
• Beta-carotene--This plant form of vitamin A helps to protect against the aging effects of sunlight
  Eat: Leafy green vegetables--especially spinach, broccoli, and watercress--and all orange fruits and vegetables
• Vitamin E--A powerful antioxidant that works with selenium to combat free radical damage; it also helps skin retain moisture
  Eat: Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains
• Vitamin B complex--Helps release energy from food for the skin to metabolize and helps to keep skin moist and smooth
  Eat: Oily fish, organic chicken, lean red meat, eggs, bananas, soya beans, whole grains, and wheat germ
• Zinc--Vital to healing and to the manufacture of collagen
  Eat: Seafood, lean red meat, turkey, eggs, nuts, cheese, mushrooms, and whole grains
• Vitamin C--A powerful antioxidant, essential for collagen production
  Eat: Kiwifruit, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, peas, and potatoes
• Iron--Crucial for the formation of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to blood cells, giving us a healthy glow
  Eat: Seafood, lean red meat, eggs, green leafy vegetables, and dried apricots

Get glowing then!