The Right Kind of Nutrition Will Result in Healthy, Glowing Skin!

‘You are what you eat’ is a famous quote that highlights the impact of good nutrition on our overall health. This is applicable for all the organs of the body, more so for the skin. The skin is an important organ that is involved in immunity and acting as a natural barrier for the human body against the external environment. It protects the body from environmental pollutants, micro-organisms and sun damage caused by Ultra-Violet rays.

Skin being the largest organ of the human body, needs the best possible ‘skin fuel’ or so to say, the right kind of nutrition. If you consume the right kind of nutrients, you will surely get healthy, glowing skin. So here is some good news – since our skin health is a reflection of what goes on inside the body, improving our eating habits and including nutritious foods will yield better results than any expensive skin treatment ever.
Let’s dive deep into some of the ‘skin fuels’/nutrients for a healthy, glowing and radiant skin.

1.    Vitamin C:  A lot of skin care products contain Vitamin C as an active ingredient in them. Ever wondered why?
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid, is a very powerful antioxidant and has an important role to play in collagen formation. This helps in repairing skin damage and reducing signs of aging.  
Citrus fruits like amla, oranges, lemons, bell peppers are rich sources of Vitamin C and including them in our diet will make our skin healthier and more radiant.

2.    Vitamin E: Vitamin E is one of the most popular skin fuels, when it comes to skin health. Like vitamin C, vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, and thus helps in healing the daily wear and tear of the skin and protecting it from damage. Sources of Vitamin E include – almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds

3.    Vitamin A: Also known as retinol, this is yet another common ingredient of a skin care product. Vitamin A helps in improving the texture and tone of the skin and slows the signs of aging.
Yellow-orange coloured fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk are rich sources of vitamin A and including them in the diet will keep the skin healthy and young

4.    Omega-3 fatty acids: By now, everyone knows that omega-3 is an important nutrient that impacts your overall health, not only your skin. Due to its antioxidant function, it helps in the repair of daily wear and tear of the skin, just like other vitamins. Omega-3 also reduces any kind of skin inflammation and signs of aging.
Fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseeds contain omega-3

5.    Collagen : This is quite popular in a lot of skincare products. This is because it is one of the most abundant skin proteins, that helps in maintaining the structure, and elasticity. One can also rightly call it as a ‘skin rope’ as it holds the skin and its structure firmly.
Chicken, Egg whites, Fish and Avocados are some of the collagen-rich foods that we can include in our diet.

6.    Hyaluronic Acid : Hyaluronic Acid can be called as an anti-aging potion. This is due to its natural ability to retain moisture and keep the skin from drying and sagging. It is also quite commonly seen as an ingredient in many anti-aging skin products
Sources : Bone broth, citrus fruits and soy-based foods

7.    Glutathione : Glutathione is another powerful antioxidant that has a role in skin health. It is also used as a treatment for hyperpigmentation due to its role in skin lightening and enhancing the tone of the skin
Including Sulphur rich foods like garlic, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and increasing vitamin C rich foods will serve as sources of glutathione

8.    Some of the other nutrients that play a role in skin health are biotin, niacin, zinc and selenium. Including sources of these nutrients will result in healthy and glowing skin

If you are looking for good skin supplements, you should take a look at Apple Cider Vinegar, that renders glowing skin and fewer acne scars. It has been created keeping in mind all the needs of a healthy skin. Not just that, it also helps in resolving digestive issues like bloating and acidity and detoxifies the body, all of which reflects in your skin health. Skin Fuel is another great product that has everything in it for a flawless skin. Skin Fuel is India’s First US dermatologist formulated skin nourisher with bioactive Japanese marine collagen, l–glutathione, hyaluronic acid, essential vitamins and other antioxidants in one clinically approved formula.

The Final Takeaway:
Good nutrition acts like a skin fuel in improving skin health. Our food contains many vitamins that help in improving skin health. Obtaining these vital nutrients from a well-balanced diet keeps one in the ‘pink of health’ (quite literally) and renders good skin from both inside as well as outside.

Reference:

• Esther Boelsma, Henk FJ Hendriks, Len Roza, Nutritional skin care: health effects of micronutrients and fatty acids, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 73, Issue 5, May 2001, Pages 853–864, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/73.5.853. (https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/73/5/853/4739553)

• Nutrients for Healthy Skin: Inside and Out (https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50505)

• Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging, Silke K. Schagen,1,† Vasiliki A. Zampeli, Evgenia Makrantonaki, and Christos C. Zouboulis,Departments of Dermatology, Venereology, Allergology and Immunology, Dessau Medical Center; Dessau, Germany; Laboratory for Biogerontology, Dermato-Pharmacology and Dermato-Endocrinology; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology; Charité Universitaetsmedizin Berlin; Berlin, Germany (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/pdf/de-4-298.pdf)

• Nathalie Piccardi & Patricia Manissier (2009) Nutrition and nutritional supplementation, Dermato-Endocrinology, 1:5, 271-274, DOI: 10.4161/derm.1.5.9706 (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/derm.1.5.9706)

• Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. Published 2019 Oct 17. doi:10.3390/nu11102494
  (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/)
• (Papakonstantinou E, Roth M, Karakiulakis G. Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012;4(3):253-258. doi:10.4161/derm.21923
  (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/)
• Sonthalia S, Jha AK, Lallas A, Jain G, Jakhar D. Glutathione for skin lightening: a regnant myth or evidence-based verity?. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2018;8(1):15-21. Published 2018 Jan 31. doi:10.5826/dpc.0801a04 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5808366/)
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