When we talk about getting your skin to look its best, it’s important to try and make a well-rounded approach. The skin is just like any other organ in that it needs proper nutrition in order to do its job. So, while a skin treatment in Walnut Creek will always be helpful, you also want to reinforce this with good habits, and a diet is a great place to start. Here are some of the foods you should try looking into if you want to support your skin health regimen.
Healthy Fats
Along with seeing a skin doctor in Roseville, you want to start your skin-healthy diet with healthy fats. There are a lot of sources you can go to for these. One of the top sources are fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, and herring. These fish are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to keep your skin thick and moisturized. In fact, there are some studies showing that being deficient in omega-3 fatty acids may actually result in dry skin. Omega-3s help in other areas as well, like minimizing inflammation which can lead to redness and acne.
In addition to omega-3s, fatty fish also has plenty of the antioxidant vitamin E, which helps protect your skin from damage caused by free radical molecules. Free radical molecule damage is associated with a lot of the things we consider signs of aging. On top of all that, you’re getting zinc, which helps regulate inflammation and produce new skin cells. A diet built around these as your main protein is going to be great for your skin and overall health.
Fatty fish is one of the best high-quality proteins out there, but there are other options for getting healthy fats. For example, avocados are high in these fats as well as vitamins A and C. This is part of the reason why we see avocado as a common ingredient in some skincare products. Walnuts and sunflower seeds also are cheap and portable ways to get your healthy fats, but you want to make sure that you take these in moderation. Some nuts also have other types of fats that you don’t want to have too much of.
Other Options
Healthy fats are the foundation of a skin-healthy diet, but there are other foods you want to add as well. Combine these with the support of a dermatologist in San Francisco, and your skin will always look its best. As a start of these other nutrients you want to focus on, let’s talk about beta-carotene. This plant-based nutrient can be converted into vitamin A, which helps your skin in several ways. As a start, it helps keep your skin looking healthy by serving as a natural sunblock. By doing this, you can minimize both cell death and wrinkling skin.
You have a few options to get yet your daily dose of beta-carotene, but sweet potatoes is one of the top options available. The reason for this is that your average half-cup of baked sweet potato has enough beta-carotene to provide four times your RDI of vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are already a great healthy alternative when it comes to starches, and this adds another There are other options to choose from as well, like carrots, spinach, or bell peppers.
Bell peppers deserve a little bit of extra mentioning, as along with providing a lot of useful beta-carotene, they are also a strong source of vitamin C. Vitamin C, along with generally being good for you, also helps create the protein collagen which helps keep your skin firm and strong. One observational study in women showed that high vitamin C consumption was linked to reduced risk of wrinkled or dry skin with age.
To go to even more of a Swiss-army-knife when it comes to skin nutrition, let’s talk about broccoli. Broccoli and other green vegetables are some of the most nutrient-packed foods in nature, and there are plenty of potential applications for skin health here as well. For example, you’re getting plenty of vitamin A, zinc, and vitamin C with each broccoli serving. However, there are a few unique nutrients worth mentioning here as well.
For example, broccoli has lutein, a carotenoid that works similarly to beta-carotene. Lutein will help protect your skin from oxidative damage, which can lead to dryness and wrinkling. If you eat broccoli florets, you are also taking in a special compound known as sulforaphane. This has a variety of different benefits, but one of the biggest is serving as a powerful protective agent against skin damage from the sun. Remember, even if you’re not going to the beach or living in a tropical area, the sun can still take its toll on your skin. One study showed that sulforaphane reduced skin cells killed by UV light by as much as 29%. Protection lasted up to 48 hours as well.
We’ve been talking a lot about things you can eat to improve skin health, but what about things you can drink? To close the conversation, let’s talk about green tea. Green tea contains a series of compounds called catechins, and these do a lot to help improve the overall health of your skin. One study showed that over the course of 12 weeks, 60 women found that drinking green tea on a daily basis reduced sun exposure by up to 25%. In addition, green tea also improved the overall roughness, thickness, moisture, and elasticity with skin. If you’re drinking green tea to support your skin, you may want to skip the milk. There’s nothing wrong with milk itself, but when combined with tea, it may impact the intake of those all-important antioxidants.
If you have other dietary questions about skin health, don’t be afraid to ask a dermatologist in Palo Alto for more guidance. Remember, the best way to move towards health is through a combination of focused treatment and general lifestyle improvements.