A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Skin

Skin is the largest organ of the body, and of vital importance to our well-being because it is a barrier and protection against the harmful environment in which we live.

As the old saying goes, "Health is Wealth". So, it is always important to uphold the value of proper eating and living a healthy lifestyle to stay in shape and for optimum health.

In fact, aside from having an attractive body, being healthy can also mean having a healthy skin, as reflected in your complexion.

Most people known to appear healthy looking are so, because they eat healthily. Because their inner beauty radiates and exudes deep from within, even without make-up.

Nowadays, looking good is not just vanity but is already considered one way of staying healthy. This is because of the protective function of a healthy skin. And many medical experts now confirm that good nutrition is, indeed, an important factor in a good complexion and image.

Unfortunately, many people thought that simply eating the right kind of food would make them healthier and live longer. They did not fully understand, in addition, what an essential factor healthy nutrition is in having a good complexion and healthy skin, and the importance of this.

Here are some reasons to explain why good nutrition is important in maintaining a healthy skin complexion.

The human body is not able to produce all vitamins and minerals, which is why healthy eating is vital as a supply. For example, when people are exposed to the sun, the skin's reservoir of vitamin C goes down, and unlike most animals, humans cannot make vitamin C. So it is important to replace it by eating foods rich in vitamin C with which your skin can combat the harmful effects of the damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays.

A youthful and healthy looking skin can also be maintained by eating foods rich in vitamin A. Daily intake of vitamin A is proven to be an effective way of reducing the appearance of acne, wrinkles, and other skin problems. If you could become pregnant, or already are so, be very cautious about foods rich in vitamin A, as high levels can be harmful. Too much intake of this vitamin may result in serious problems.

Antioxidant rich foods will positively benefit your skin by fighting the oxidants, or free radicals, that are manufactured when bodily processes burn oxygen as they generate energy. Foods that are rich in antioxidants include fruit and vegetables, especially the "green, leafy vegetables" like spinach.

In foods that are rich sources of carotenoids, e.g. beta-carotene, antioxidants will be present. A good example of this is carrots. Richly colored plant foods provide a good source of antioxidants, for example berries.

Antioxidants can also be present in dietary supplements or skin care products, from which they will still be absorbed.

The source of fiber, or roughage, is a plant's cell wall components. Whole grains, legumes, citrus fruits, nuts, and vegetables are all good sources of dietary fiber.

In the basic sense, fiber is an example of complex carbohydrate that is important in the absorption of the other nutrients into the body. Without fiber, some nutrients will be wasted instead of being used by the body. Fiber is also important in promoting good levels of excretion, and toxins will bind to fiber and be "escorted" out of the body. By adding fiber to your diet, an improved complexion can be achieved.

Ensure you don't overlook proteins in your diet; they promote proper growth and production of new skin cells. Proteins are chains of amino acids responsible for the skin's cell growth and maintenance.

Sources of protein in food are eggs, meat, grains, legumes and dairy products - for example milk and cheese. Complete proteins are those that contain all the essential amino acids necessary for building and maintaining bodily cells, including skin cells.

You can obtain all essential amino acids from animal proteins; with the absence from plant proteins of one or more. This isn't a problem, so long as overall the diet contains all the essential amino acids. However complete proteins in a vegetarian diet can be obtained from soy, quinoa, spirulina, hemp seed, amaranth and buckwheat.

Finally, healthy eating will make a significant contribution to healthy skin, reflected in well maintained cells, as well as a good complexion. Those who are more aware of what they are eating will find that the care (or lack of care) they exercise will be reflected in their skin's appearance. As is often repeated, "You are what you eat".

Do not forget also, the skin can benefit from external application of beauty products containing the above mentioned ingredients.