Just like the rest of your body requires proper nutrition, your skin too needs certain vital nutrients. Glucose, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals are the major nutrients for healthy skin.
An unhealthy diet can damage your metabolism, cause weight gain, and even damage organs, such as your heart and liver.
But what you eat also affects another organ — your skin.
Many people have noticed that reducing their dairy intake had a positive impact on their skin. Chocolate isn’t the only common acne trigger that is high in sugar. High glycemic index foods – think white bread, junk food, sugary snacks, and soda – typically take a toll on skin health.
In cases of essential fatty acid deficiency, scaly dermatitis, alopecia and intellectual disability can result. Vitamin deficiencies are frequent causes of several dermatologic disorders. Deficiencies of water-soluble vitamins, such as most B vitamins and vitamin C, may develop after weeks to months of under-nutrition.
Skin Vitamins
Your skin craves vitamins, and each one supplies essential nutrients to help you skin perform its job day in and day out.
Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E and minerals like zinc help your body to repair tissue damage, fight infections, and keep your skin healthy.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A comes in two types: retinoids, which promote new skin cells, and carotenoids, which prevent cell damage (premature aging). Include these vitamin A packed foods in your daily diet:
Fish
Eggs
Dairy
Carrots and tomatoes
Sweet potatoes
Leafy greens
Or you can also take vitamin A supplements.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that fights aging and boosts the production of collagen, which is essential for your skin’s structure and resilience. You can find Vitamin C in:
Citrus fruits
Broccoli
Spinach
Red peppers
Or you can also take vitamin A supplements.
Vitamin D
Your body relies on your skin and your diet for an adequate supply of vitamin D, which regulates calcium absorption and fuels your immune system. Your skin produces vitamin D when it’s exposed to sunlight. In addition, you can also get this nutrient from:
Fortified yogurt, cereal, orange juice, and milk
Sardines, shrimp, and salmon
When levels of vitamin D become depleted in your body, you lose energy and put yourself at risk to infections and illness. You can also take vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin E
Your skin needs vitamin E to counteract UV damage and keep it soft and supple. It can even be used as a treatment for psoriasis and acne. You can find vitamin E in:
Nuts and seeds (especially sunflower seeds and hazelnuts)
Seafood
Spinach, broccoli, avocados, and leafy greens
Some vegetable oils
Vitamin E is beneficial in topical form as well.
Skin Minerals
About 6% of all the zinc in your body resides in your skin, and if you’re deficient, it shows. Zinc clears bacteria and excess oil from your skin, so getting enough zinc can ward off acne. It’s also an anti-inflammatory. Another important mineral, selenium fights skin infections, reduces inflammation, and protects cells from free radicals. To ensure you get enough of these minerals, eat the following:
Beans
Poultry
Nuts
Whole grains
Oysters and tuna
Dairy products
Topically, selenium can calm red, sensitive skin and treat dandruff.
Fatty acids for skin health
Omega-3 fatty acids help you maintain thick, moisturized skin. A lack of these fatty acids can lead to thin, dry skin. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in salmon, seabass, trout, shrimp, sardines, and oysters.
You can also get omega-3 fatty acids from a vegetarian diet that includes walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, edamame, kidney beans, and soybean oil.
You might also consider taking a multivitamin that contains each of these vitamins and minerals in the amounts recommended for your daily allowance.
tips for healthy skin:-
Protection :-
Protect yourself from the sun
One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.
Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 40-50. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every 2-3 hours and more often if you’re swimming or perspiring.
Avoid the direct sunlight between 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
Wear full sleeve clothes & hats and cover your skin.
Don’t smoke
Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow and makes skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health.
Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.
Treat your skin gently
Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:
Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.
Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Manage stress for hormonal balance
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