Sales of anti-ageing cosmetics are at an all-time high as we wage war against the signs of getting older. Taking the lead from nature, these beauty lotions and potions read more like a grocery list with everything from green tea, pomegranate and lemon zest infused into them.
However, applying creams and cleansers to your skin’s surface is no substitute for eating and drinking foods that will heal, nurture, repair and rejuvenate your skin from the inside out. Nutrition plays a huge role in limiting the ageing process and protecting against damage from UV rays and other environmental and lifestyle factors.
Your skin tells us the state of your internal environment so the clearer, brighter, suppler, glowing complexion you have – the younger, healthier internal vital organs are likely to be. Specific nutrients help to prevent harm to your cells and tissues including your skin, whilst hydrating your complexion and keeping your skin cells functioning optimally. Including these in your daily diet will go a long way in the prevention and reduction of wrinkles, as well as a healthier, more energetic, younger you.
Lean Protein – provides your body with the building blocks for replenishing collagen, the main supporting structure of the skin, to help guard against fine lines and wrinkles. Eating the right type of healthy, lean protein, organic eggs, skinless chicken and turkey, oily fish are great choices.
Omega 3s – are essential fatty acids that suppress the inflammatory responses occurring when skin is exposed to sunlight which lead to collagen degradation. Aim to eat oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines and trout two to four times a week. Walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia and hemp are also great sources to add to the diet.
Vitamin C – is vital for collagen production. It is also a powerful antioxidant that quenches free radicals – unstable atoms and molecules that damage your cells and DNA. Those with higher vitamin C intakes have fewer wrinkles and less dry skin. As Citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, kale, broccoli, dark leafy greens, peas and berries like cranberry, blueberry, blackberries and pomegranate are all great sources.
Organic Whole Grains – provide slow-releasing energy to stabilise blood sugar, and are an excellent source of fibre, which improves elimination of toxins. Whole grains also provide health-boosting nutrients such as selenium, which helps to protect the skin from UV damage. Brown rice, rolled or steel cut oats, spelt, whole wheat, buckwheat, quinoa and barley are great to introduce to your menu plan. Eliminate refined grains like white rice, white flour breads, pasta and cakes which raise insulin levels and promote the inflammation that can damage your skin.
Eat a Rainbow of Fruit and Vegetables – whose different colours are caused by powerful, antioxidant phytonutrients. Chlorophyll, for instance, is responsible for green foods, lycopene gives tomatoes and watermelon their red colour and beta-carotene gives an orange hue to mangoes, sweet potatoes and many other produce. Smoothies and fresh juices are great ways to get rich doses of these anti-ageing nutrients so experiment outside of your comfort zone by, for example, adding kale, beetroot, carrot, fresh mint, coriander, parsley and spinach to juices and smoothies. Combining avocado with fresh fruits and vegetables also increases the absorption of phytonutrients like lutein, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene.
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