Eat Your Way to Incredible Skin

The health of our skin is a reflection of our lifestyle. Its smoothness and glow are largely determined by hormonal and nutritional balance. The quality of sleep is also a determining factor, as the skin - like all other organs - regenerates during the night. The role of stress in skin aging has also recently been highlighted (making it even more important to take breaks during the day to relax- otherwise, the skin may lose its natural glow). Furthermore, beware of tobacco, alcohol, and pollution, which are all serious threats to the skin.

A balanced diet preserves the health of the skin's tissues over the years because it provides all the essential nutrients. Whether your skin is dry or oily, young or aged, focus on fruits and colored vegetables to get your fill of vitamins and antioxidants. On the other hand, limiting processed food has been encouraged for multiple reasons. Also, beware of sugar: Excessive consumption creates glycation which damages collagen and elastin fibers, thus accelerating skin aging.

To have beautiful skin, beauty care is not enough. You have to start by looking at what you eat if you want to have healthy, well-hydrated, or acne-free skin. The first nutritional tip for glowing healthy skin is to drink water - plain and simple! - and to reduce alcohol consumption. These are the two essential starting points for beautiful skin.

Then, to avoid dull skin tone and uneven skin texture, avoid trans-fatty acids - found in things like pastries, processed meats and frozen pizzas - which can disrupt the sebaceous glands and cause the skin to become oily.  

• For dehydrated skin

Dry skin lacks two fundamental elements: water and good fats. Therefore, think about drinking and eating vegetables rich in water or fats, such as cucumber for water and avocado for fats.

Prepare dishes based on fatty fish such as salmon or mackerel a couple of times a week. Plan a snack with Brazil nuts or macadamia nuts, almonds, or any other type of oilseed, these are really good sources of healthy fats.

• For oily, acne-prone skin:

 An American study from the University of Colorado, published in the journal Archives of Dermatology, has shown that excessive consumption of carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, cakes, soda ...) can be causing you acne. It causes a rush of sugar in the blood which stimulates the production of insulin. This hormone boosts androgen secretion, which encourages the production of sebum.

• For premature skin aging

To avoid early skin aging, the skin must have a large number of vitamins to fight against oxidative stress due to sun exposure, pollution, food toxins... Vitamin C is particularly valuable since it neutralizes free radicals that damage cell membranes. It also participates in the regeneration of collagen. It is necessary to consume more of it because the production of collagen slows down with age (-1% each year) and its breakdown by enzymes increases, resulting in a loosening and thinning of the skin. To meet your vitamin C needs, put broccoli, garlic, strawberries, guava, oranges, and kiwi fruit in your everyday meals.