If you’re like the gang here at Costhetics, you’ve probably overindulged during the holidays.
Now that you’ve come down off your sugar high, you may be considering a new eating plan to help you shed any extra kilo’s that were unwanted gifts of the season. That’s a great idea…IF you do it right.
In this article, Costhetics shares good news about foods you already love to eat and how they can impact your complexion for the better.
Facts Not Fads for a Healthy Skin Diet
With the start of the New Year, it’s inevitable that you’ll be hearing about the newest, easiest way to shed weight. Unfortunately, most fads are flashes in the pan. Take the Baby Food Diet. Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga, and Reese Witherspoon have all tried eating 14 jars of baby food a day, followed by one ‘normal’ meal. The problem is that baby food, as the name suggests, is for babies and doesn’t provide sufficient nutrients for adults.
Steer clear of these here today/gone tomorrow approaches to weight loss! They may slim you down initially, but once you get back to normal eating patterns, every kilo is going to come back, and possibly bring some friends along, too! In the meantime, you’ll do serious damage to your skin health.
Gobble Your Way to Beautiful Skin
Instead of a fad diet, try adding these skin-healthy goodies to your existing diet:
- Pomegranate seeds – Packed with polyphenol oxidants that protect against sun damage, boost circulation, and fight inflammation. Toss a few into salads or smoothies.
- Sweet potatoes – A great source of Vitamin A for skin repair, and beta carotene to strengthen you skin’s protective barrier.
- Kale – According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating a diet rich in vitamin C leads to fewer wrinkles and less skin dryness. Kale is a Vitamin C powerhouse.
- Eggs – For a hearty serving of Vitamins A, E, D, and B5 to support healthy skin function, promote collagen synthesis, and strengthen you skin’s protective barrier.
- Walnuts – A great source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a nutrient that locks in moisture and protects cells. Walnuts also protect against free radical damage and premature skin ageing.
- Oysters – Loaded with zinc, which helps in the absorption of the fatty acids that nourish the skin. Zinc also counters excess copper in the body, which can lead to skin breakouts and broken capillaries.
In Conclusion
If you want radiant skin, the old adage ‘you are what you eat’ should be your mantra. Be patient! There are no overnight miracles, regardless of what the hucksters say. It takes about six weeks for new skin cells to travel to the surface, so be prepared to wait a bit to see positive results.
Stay beautiful!