My Skin Needs A Diet? Oh My......

Everyone is concerned about diet and its effect on your body these days. So the important question is...

Does diet effect your skin?

Healthy skin starts from within, as it requires a healthy body to maintain and nourish the skin. If you want to achieve a glowing complexion, it's important to eat a nutritious, balanced diet that includes a variety of foods that improve skin health.

"Everything you eat becomes a part of not only your inner being, but the outer fabric of your body as well. The healthier the foods are that you consume, the better your skin will look," says Samantha Heller, MS, RD, a clinical nutritionist at NYU Medical Center in New York City.

The reverse is true as well, Heller tells us. The less attention we pay to what goes in our mouth, the more problems we may see cropping up with our skin.

Another source,Dr Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. from the Mayo Clinic was asked. What are the best foods for healthy skin? His reply was that “research on the best foods for healthy skin is limited. Still, antioxidant-rich foods seem to have a protective effect for the skin.

Consider these skin-friendly foods:

Carrots, apricots, and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables

Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
Tomatoes

Blueberries

Beans, peas and lentils

Salmon, mackerel and other fatty fish

Nuts

On the flip side, some foods seem to be associated with skin damage.
For example, some research suggests that a diet high in processed or refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats promotes skin aging.”

The best skin care regime involves paying attention to both the external and internal needs of the skin. Skin requires nutrients derived from inside the body in order to protect itself from damage and replenish dead skin cells with new healthy cells. Eating the best food for skin goes a long way towards having the best and healthiest looking skin possible.

Skin, the largest organ in the human body, is made up of water, protein and lipids. According to dermatologist Amy Newburger, MD, from Everyday Health, the most important part of the skin barrier is lipids, which include phospholipids, free fatty acids, cholesterol and ceramides. Because of skin's lipid content, it is important to include enough healthy fat in your diet, Newburger states, or skin may become dry and lose elasticity.

Warning:

Following a nutritious diet does not guarantee that you won't have skin problems or diseases. It is still important to wear sunscreen to protect against the sun's rays and ward off skin cancer. If you experience skinproblems such as rashes, severe sun burns, continued breakouts or persistent dryness, consult a dermatologist for medical treatment.