Eat your way to beautiful skin

Apr 19 2008 by Kathering Neal for The Journal

WITH summer fast approaching, we’re all after glowing, vibrant, and yes, younger looking skin. We can all exfoliate and moisturise on the outside and, yes, this will help, but maybe we should check out what we’re putting inside our bodies as well.

It is, in fact, true that what you put on your plate is actually more important than what you put on your skin.

We’ve all looked a bit pale after one too many late nights, or had a few spots after one too many takeaways. The skin relies on a healthy diet to provide it with building blocks it requires to maintain a healthy appearance. Changing your shopping list rather than your skin cream could be the answer to beautiful skin this summer.

Diet Do’s for glowing skin.

1. Drink water – the number one beauty secret for glowing skin is to drink plenty of water.

2. Eat oily fish– making sure your diet is rich in essential fatty acids is vital for the appearance of your skin. Foods to include are salmon, mackerel and sardines.

3. Lots of fruit and vegetables – a wide variety of colourful fruit and vegetables should play a big part in your daily diet. Not only are they packed with antioxidants to fight free radicals preventing skin damage and wrinkles, they contain vitamin C which is vital for collagen production.

4. Include nuts and seeds – they contain both essential fatty acids and essential minerals such as zinc. Not enough zinc in the diet can lead to conditions such as stretch marks.

5. Switch to wholegrains – naturally high in fibre these foods such as brown rice and wholemeal bread, help to keep the digestive tract running smoothly.

While there are certain foods we should include in our diets in our pursuit of beautiful skin, there are also those that we need to try and avoid. Too much refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine and saturated fat can all have a negative impact on your skin. Make sure you limit your intake.

Contact Katherine Neal for a nutritional consultation, (0191) 215-9292, www.nutritionalknowhow.com