We all want to feel the benefits of a healthy complexion and well-cared for skin. Especially as we reach that time of the year when the nights begin to draw in and the air gets colder, looking after ourselves so that we remain fresh-faced every morning can becoming increasingly challenging. But before you settle for the latest treatment regime or the best facial oil, why not try a more holistic approach to skin care? Our bodies use dietary nutrients and vitamins to repair and rejuvenate the cells in our body, and this is equally true for the skin. By choosing what you eat more carefully, you can see marked results with glowing skin and a fresh complexion without resorting to extra treatments. There really are super foods for the face. Try some of these five suggestions, and see the results for yourself.
Oats
Always a great way to start your day, oats are the perfect breakfast food for many reasons. High in fibre to keep you filled up until lunch, they will also help you to maintain your weight, and keep your blood sugar levels constant so that you’re not craving a snack or feeling exhausted before your next meal.
Now, before you baulk at the idea of waking up to a bowl of bland porridge each morning, the good news is that some of the healthiest spices in your cupboard will taste delicious with a few oats. Try preparing your breakfast with a combination of cinnamon, ginger, dried fruit and a little honey for sweetness. The combination of ingredients packs a real punch when it comes to antimicrobial efficiency, and will leave your skin with a healthy glow.
Italian Pasta Sauce
The really good news for you is that some of your favourite meals are, in fact, extremely good for your skin’s health and complexion, thanks to their nutrient-rich ingredients. These traditional meals may have developed over hundreds of years as folk remedies for common ailments. Or perhaps it’s simply a matter of healthy foods tasting delicious because your body instinctively knows what is good for you. Either way, it cannot be denied that a big bowl of pasta is the ultimate comfort food.
A typical pasta dish will have a rich sauce to accompany it, often with tomatoes, basil, and garlic. Both the basil and garlic are potent antioxidants which will help to reduce skin ageing, and speed up the repairing process to damage. Tomatoes are one of our greatest dietary sources of vitamin C, which helps the body to produce collagen, allowing your skin to stay smooth and firm.
Salmon, Broccoli, and Cashew Nut Stir Fry
Oily fish is a great source of both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which combat acne, as well as being very high in protein, which speeds up your body’s ability to produce new skin cells. Combine a grilled fillet of your favourite type of fish with some lightly stir-fried broccoli and cashew nuts. Not only is this a complimentary taste combination, both the nuts and the green veg are packed with useful vitamins, as well as offering you an additional dose of calcium, zinc and protein. Serve with boiled brown rice, and enjoy the benefits of extre dietary magnesium and blood sugar regulating fibre too.
Don’t forget that the Chinese love to eat their stir fried vegetables crispy. There’s a reason for this too: the quicker the cooking process, the more nutrients your broccoli will retain from wok to plate.
Dal
You can find a multitude of dal recipes at almost any curry house or Indian restaurant you choose to visit. This rustic and utterly delicious preparation of lentils is often a speciality dish which uses a traditional family recipe, and in India it is a more traditional accompaniment than either naan or papadum. A good dal will convert even the most committed of carnivores to the ways of vegetarian cuisine.
Another source of multiple superfoods, your average dal will combine the nutrients and proteins of the lentils with tomato, garlic, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. This distinct, bright yellow spice has long intrigued major drugs companies for its ability to cause free radical cells to self-destruct. Free radicals block oxygen pathways to your body’s cells, and in the most extreme cases, are a main cause of cancer.
Water
Your skin’s rejuvenating cycle is an on-going process which takes vitamins and fluids from your body to maintain a healthy exterior. If you do not replenish your body’s natural balances, then each of these processes will put an undue strain on you, which will show in your complexion. There really is no healthy drink than a glass of water.
Ideally you should consume several glasses a day (experts are still debating as to the correct optimum amount, but one litre should be your absolute minimum). We are blessed with incredibly safe, cheap, and clean tap water, so make the most of it!