Are You Taking Enough Vitamins?

Make sure your diet has sufficient water, essential fatty acid, fibre, minerals and antioxidants, for poor nutrition can lead to a number of skin problems, including wrinkles, sagging skin, eczema and acne.

Did you know that vitamins minerals and essential fatty acid help the skin to keep itself moisturized, heal wounds, control inflammation and ward off bacteria? Poor nutrition can lead to dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, scarring, acne, inflammation and pale skin. Eating a balanced diet of whole foods like complex carbohydrates, lean protein and mono and polyunsaturated fats give the skin most of what it needs. But sometimes supplement are needed.

THE ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants offer protection against free radicals by picking them up and shutting them out of the body before they can damage healthy cells. Vitamins A, C and E are important antioxidants in skin care. Antioxidants are essential for skin’s structural integrity, growth and maintenance; they also prevent dry, rough skin and premature ageing. Promoting wound-healing and preventing skin cancer are other benefits of this vitamins. They are also helpful in controlling eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, acne, sunburns, blackheads, easily bruised skin sagging skin and premature ageing.

VITAMINS B COMPLEX

Thiamine riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, folate, pantothenate, inositol, biotin and choline are all B vitamins. Because these vitamins aid in cell growth, they are essential for wound-healing (sunburns, bruises, infections and acne). Metabolism and circulation are improved and premature ageing is slowed.

MINERALS

Iodine, sulphur and zinc are important minerals that help to maintain a healthy skin. Iodine helps in healing skin infections by increasing oxygen consumption and metabolic rate of the skin. It also prevents rough skin from developing and prevents premature ageing. Sililicon is also important in fighting ageing because it aids in collagen formation. When collagen breaks down and isn’t manufactured as quickly, the skin wrinkles and sags. Sulphur keeps skin clear and smooth. Dry scalps, rashes, eczema and acne are often due to deficiencies of this mineral. Zinc aids in wound healing and skin rejuvenation by promoting cell growth and boosting immunity. Zinc is also an important mineral for hair growth.

FATTY ACIDS

Essential fatty acids are founds in mono and poly-unsaturated fats and are essential for beautiful skin. Unfortunately, the body cannot manufacture them and so they have to be obtained from food and supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids soften skin help heal eczema, psoriasis and wounds. They increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Fish is great source of Omega3 fatty acids. Omega6 Fatty Acids, also known as gamma linolenic acid, promotes healthy moisturized skin. Deficiencies in these fatty acids result in dry, flaky, scaly skin, eczema, inflammatory skin conditions and slow healing.

WATER AND FIBRE

And last there’s nothing like water for complementing your skin. From metabolism to cooling, water is responsible for starting every biochemical process. Water also cleanses wastes and toxins out of the body via the urinary tract and this eases the burden on the skin to excrete them. Fibre is important for overall health. Along with water, fibre helps keep the system clean. Fibre also helps to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Good sources of fibre are whole grains, vegetables, oatmeal and nuts.

HOT TIP:

TEA TREATS

Freeze freshly brewed green tea as ice cubes and use them as toners for the face and neck. Remember not to apply ice cubes on the skin right out of the freezer. Let them start thawing first or you may get a freeze burn!