Golden rules for glowing skin
Moisturizers and sunscreens can help to keep you looking youthful,but
your skin also needs to be nourished from within and the best way to do
that is by choosing the right diet
Eat your 5-a-day
Fruit and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help to
protect against the cell damage caused by free radicals, which include
smoking, pollution and sunlight. Vitamin C is one of the most powerful
antioxidants. it is found in all fruit and vegetable but especially in
citrus fruits, peppers, guavas and orange. Betacarotene, found in
pumpkin, carrots, and sweet potatoes, and lutein, found in papaya and
spinach are also potent antioxidants.
Cut out crash diets
Repeatedly losing and regaining weight can take its toll on your
skin, causing sagging, wrinkles and stretch marks. Crash diets are often
short in essential vitamins, too.
Stock up on selenium
This is also a powerful antioxidant - studies suggest that a
selenium-rich diet can help to protect against skin cancer, sun damage
and age spots. One way to boost your intake is to eat nuts - just four
nuts will provide the recommended daily amount (rda). Other good sources
are fish, shellfish and eggs.
Drink up
Even mild dehydration will cause your skin to look dry, tired and
slightly grey. Drink at least six glasses of water a day - all fluids
count towards your daily allowance, but water is the healthiest. If you
work in an office, keep a large bottle of water on your desk to remind
you to drink.
Don’t be afraid of fat
Good fats - the type found in avocados, nuts and seeds - provide
essential fatty acids, which act as a natural moisturizer for your skin,
keeping it supple. these fats also come packaged with a healthy dose of
vitamin E (a vitamin many of us lack), which will help protect against
free radical damage
Opt for omega-3
Eat more phyto-oestrogens Phyto or plant oestrogens are natural
chemicals found in food, which act in the body in a similar way to
oestrogen but help keep our natural hormones in balance - they block the
uptake of excess oestrogen and raise low levels when needed. They are
thought to offer protection against breast cancer and heart disease.
Go for low-GI carbs
Skincare guru Dr Nicholas Perricone recommends eating salmon at least
10 times a week in his book The Wrinkle Cure. He says its omega-3 fats
encourage the body to produce anti-inflammatory compounds, which can
help to slow and even reverse signs of ageing.
While some dermatologists are sceptical about his claims, there are
other reasons to eat oil-rich fish regularly, as it helps to keep our
hearts and minds healthy.
Go for low-GI carbs
Eat plenty of bean, pulses, porridge and other low-Gi carbs - these
slowly release sugar into the blood, providing you with a steady supply
of energy and leaving you feeling satisfied for longer, so you’re less
likely to snack. in Dr Perricone’s most recent book, 7 Secrets to
Beauty, Health and Longevity, he suggests choosing low-Gi
carbs and avoiding high-Gi ones, like biscuits and sugary drinks, as
they lead to over-production of insulin, which damages collagen and
accelerates wrinkling.
Bbcgoodfood.com
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