I often get asked about what to eat for a 'healthy glow' and for 'healthy skin' and wanted to share with you my top 5 tips for looking at your best..
What I mean by this is eat a variety of (natural!) colours in your diet. Feast on fruits & vegetables (your 5 a day) and aim to keep your plate colourful. A colourful diet will not only make it more interesting for you to eat but it will ensure that you are eating a variety of vitamins and minerals without having to read any labels! So next time you're making a salad don't just add leaves.. add tomatoes, mushrooms, beetroot, peppers.. if it has colour (and you like it) pop it in!
2) Keep Hydrated..
Water is good for you. Water is not only FREE but it helps to keep your body hydrated, flushes out nasty toxins and keeps you looking good. Aim to drink around 8 glasses of water a day, however if it's hot or you're exercising then you may need to drink more. An easy way to see if you're drinking enough it to check the colour of your urine (sorry to be crude).. if it's dark in colour then you are probably dehydrated and need to drink more.
If you find water boring then you can add 'no added sugar' squash to it, have it hot with herbal teas or choose 'no added sugar' carbonated drinks. Caffeinated drinks do count towards your fluid intake but keep these to no more than 5-6 cups a day as more than this can act as a diuretic (dehydrate you).
3) Vitamin A..
Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin. It is found in low-fat diary products (such as milk, yoghurts and cheese), eggs, oily fish and also sweet potatoes. A perfect evening meal therefore could be: A spinach & mushroom omlette (eggs & milk) served with home-made sweet potato wedges & yoghurt for dessert.. if desired you could also add smoked salmon (oily fish) to the omlette too. Yum.
4) Don't be afraid of Fat..
Fats in the diet are essential for healthy skin, however be sure to choose the healthy ones. The fats found in foods such as nuts, seeds and avocados are fantastic for a healthy complexion as they contain anti-oxidants such as Vitamin E and Selenium. Anti-oxidants protect against free-radicals (pollutants) which can have a damaging/ageing effect on the skin.
About the bad fats (saturated fats).. try to reduce these as they can not only lead to weight gain but can cause increased cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in processed foods such as cakes, biscuits and pastries as well as fatty meats and full-fat dairy products.
5) Increase your Zinc intake..
Zinc is a mineral that helps to promote skin healing and repair. It is found in red meat (choose the lean varieties as well as healthy cooking methods such as grilling) and wholegrains (such as wholemeal bread and oats). Aim to have red meat about once a week as it is also a good source of iron (for energy) and have wholegrains with your meals.
So there you have it.. how to eat your way to healthy skin. Please remember though that although a good diet helps to promote a healthy complexion it is also important to get enough sleep (at least 7 hours a night) and to have a good skin care regime (wash and moisturise your skin morning and night).
Have a good weekend!
Nichola x
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