HEALTH
Eat Yourself
Beautiful
By Helen Taylor
You might think that the secret to beautiful skin lies inside
an expensive pot of ‘miracle cream’, but you’d be wrong.
That’s because the key to achieving
a young, glowing, healthy
complexion is far simpler and much
cheaper - and it works just as well for
your hair and nails too.
to get your quota. Avocados
are renowned for their beauty
benefits thanks to their high
nutritional value and they’re also
a good source of vitamin E.
In fact, it’s a good idea to cut down
on the caffeine altogether - limit
your tea and coffee intake, and
remember that some fizzy drinks are
loaded with caffeine too.
It’s all about eating the correct
food, getting the right vitamins and
nutrients and stocking up on the
super foods that are guaranteed to
boost your beauty the natural way.
Eating eggs, milk, leafy green
vegetables, carrots and liver are
good ways to increase levels of
Vitamin A, which helps skin to
re-build tissue. It’s a key vitamin
in the fight against ageing - as it
can aid in keeping lines, wrinkles
and dull skin at bay.
Remove all processed and junk
foods which are high in fat, salt,
sugars and calories from your diet as
much as you can. Apart from being
no good for your overall health,
poor foods make your complexion
appear dull and lifeless. They
contain little in the way of protein,
vitamins or minerals, and so add
nothing positive to your diet.
So, instead of heading to the
nearest beauty counter this
weekend, take a trip to the
supermarket instead and start
eating your way to flawless skin,
shiny hair and long nails.
Here’s how to do it:
Foods that are rich in vitamin C help
the production of collagen which
strengthens the capillaries, which
feed your skin. So, to keep looking
youthful, start munching your way
through plenty of blueberries,
strawberries, oranges, kiwi fruits and
blackberries.
Omega-3 benefits the skin by
boosting hydration, regulating
oil production and delaying
ageing of the skin. Find it in oily
fish, like mackerel, herring, salmon,
anchovies, and tuna.
Vitamin E-rich foods are essential
for healthy skin - snack on hazel
nuts, brazil nuts, walnuts and seeds
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Pumpkin seeds, sardines and
oysters keep skin supple and soft
because they are rich in zinc, so
include them in your diet too.
Sulphur can be found in garlic
and onions and helps the skin
stay smooth. Iron is useful for
improving skin tone, so try to
nibble on sesame seeds and
dried apricots throughout the
day.
Keep skin completely clear by
staying thoroughly hydrated.
Most of us don’t have enough
to drink throughout the day, and
we foolishly think that all of those
cups of tea and coffee count they don’t. It’s really important
to drink eight glasses of water
to make a difference to your
complexion. After a while you’ll
find that your skin will be clearer
and those annoying breakouts
will be gone.
Smoking and drinking are not
conducive to creating a youthful
look, so quit the cigarettes, and
keep alcohol consumption to a
minimum.
It doesn’t take long to start reaping
the rewards of a healthy change in
your diet and lifestyle, you’ll almost
immediately start to see - and feel the benefits.
You can be sure that your body
will be thanking you for making the
changes that result in you looking
beautiful. The nutrients, vitamins and
minerals that you need for healthy
skin, glossy hair and strong nails are
essential for the health of the rest of
your body too.
Which can only mean that you’ll
be left looking great and feeling
fantastic.
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