While it’s easy to take your skin for granted, it does some pretty amazing things:
- It’s the first line of defense when protecting what’s inside your body what’s outside your body.
- It prevents your body from losing moisture.
- It helps your body to maintain optimal temperature.
- It protects your body from ultraviolet radiation.
Not only is your skin the largest organ your body has, but it also completely regenerates itself every six to eight weeks.
However, with age skin can succumb to the ravages of time in a number of ways:
- Oil glands within your skin produce less oil, resulting in drier skin.
- A loss of collagen and elastin causes lines and wrinkles.
- Dark spots and sun damage can develop from exposure to UV rays.
To stay healthy, your skin needs to regenerate proteins like collagen and elastin, and it also needs to retain moisture. To that end, the following nutrients are helpful:
Vitamins
Your skin needs the following for optimal health:
- Vitamin A – supports skin regeneration.
- Vitamin B3 – fights lines and wrinkles.
- Vitamin C – helps with collagen production and fights inflammation.
- Vitamin D – fights inflammation.
- Vitamin E – helps with skin regeneration and damage repair.
Amino Acids
Your skin needs to regenerate the critical proteins collagen and elastin to preserve skin elasticity, which requires a constant supply of amino acids.
Amino acids come from protein-rich foods like meat, dairy, poultry, and nuts.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Found in fatty fish and nuts, omega-3 fatty acids fight inflammation and support skin hydration.
Trace Elements
Tiny amounts of the following trace elements do a lot for healthy skin:
- Iron promotes blood flow.
- Copper is necessary for the production of collagen and elastin.
- Selenium helps skin to resist oxidative damage.
- Zinc protects against infection and supports wound healing.
Fats
Fats help to maintain your skin’s structure, and they form a more effective protective barrier. They also help to repair damaged skin.
The best fats for your skin (and your overall health) are monounsaturated fats. These can come from avocados, olive oil, and some nuts and seeds.
Water
While technically not a nutrient, adequate hydration is critical for the health of your skin.
Water is the best option when trying to stay hydrated, but water-rich foods like watermelon, cucumber, and melon are also good choices.
For Healthy Skin, Eat a Skin-Healthy Diet
Healthy skin begins with what you eat.
Incorporate foods into your diet that contain the skin-healthy nutrients listed above to keep your skin healthy as you age.
Renew Youth is dedicated to helping you maintain your health and well-being, including healthy skin, as you get older. To learn more, call us at 800-859-7511 or use our contact form to set up your free 30-minute consultation.