Eat Right for Your Skin

Unless you live in Antartica, your skin is always on display. And  just like you don’t want to be wearing jeans that make your butt look big, you don’t want to be wandering around with skin that isn’t looking its best. It’s bad for the ego. Furthermore, your skin is your body’s largest organ so how it looks is actually a direct reflection of your body’s overall health. If you don’t believe me, just take look in the mirror after your next night of drinking, pizza and french fries. Like what you see? Unless you’re 19, the answer is probably going to be a resounding “No”.

Bottom line: What you put in your body always shows up on your face. So, in my continued effort to help you feel as good about yourself as possible, I’m going to walk you through some easy ways to eat right for your skin.

Dark, Leafy Greens are More than just Mysterious

Greens like Kale, Spinach and Arugula are chock full of vitamins and minerals such as folate that can help prevent skin cancer by literally increasing your cells’ ability to renew themselves. Which also makes your skin look younger. So, the next time you’re fixing a salad, ditch the lettuce and use a leafy green instead.

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes

The anti-oxidant lycopene, which is the phtyochemical that makes tomatoes red, is a dang miracle worker in terms of fighting the skin aging free radicals that result from sun damage. And let’s be honest: we all have sun damage. To get the most benefit, cook the tomatoes into a sauce or soup with a “healthy fat” such extra virgin olive oil. Yum!

Healthy Fats are Your Friend

The above mentioned extra virgin olive oil, Safflower oil and avocados are what people mean when they say “healthy fats”. They help keep the walls of your skin cells supple which allows water to penetrate the skin. Retaining moisture helps the skin to fight off conditions such as eczema. And plumper looking skin is younger looking skin.

Green Tea is a Super Food

Ok, though not technically a food, Green Tea is simply too good to ignore. The catechins that are released when you heat the tea have both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Which is fabulous, right? And yes, some green teas can taste like dirt, but others, like the  365 Green Tea from Whole Foods, are delicious. Drink it hot. Drink it iced. Just shoot for 2-6 cups a day.

Blueberries are Bright for a Reason

Blueberries are full of Vitamins C and E as well as arubtin, nature’s version of a skin lightening cream, which all help to boost your skin’s radiance. Popping these little beauties as a snack is not just good for your waist line, but eating blueberries will make your skin look brighter, and even out your skin tone. With berries, it’s always a good idea to eat organic. If you can’t get them fresh, try frozen. They’re delicious.

Photo Credit: Rachel Ford James via Compfight cc