Keep A Glowing Skin

6 Best Foods for Healthy Skin

By: David Zinczenko

1. SALMON
Salmon is an ideal food for many reasons, but as far as your skin’s concerned, there’s only one that matters: It’s among the world’s greatest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Those are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture. Plus, in one study, researchers supplemented two groups of mice with either omega-3 or omega-6 fats. After two weeks, the skin of the omega-3-fed group exhibited a 20 percent faster recovery rate from exposure to ultraviolet light. That gives salmon two crucial skin boons: keeping your skin from looking dry and helping it battle the dangers of excessive sunlight.

2. CARROTS
Carrots are teeming with tiny orange pigments called beta-carotene, and when you ingest those pigments, you’re inviting them to nestle into your skin, fill in blotches, and give you a healthy glow. And what’s more, research shows that this can actually help prevent premature aging from sun damage. But is the accumulation of orange in your skin going to make you look like an extra from Jersey Shore? Well, hopefully not. But eating excessive loads of carotene-rich foods can lead to a condition called carotenosis, wherein your skin stops looking healthy and starts looking, well, orange. But the conditions is rare, so unless you notice yourself turning into a prison jumpsuit, feel free to chow down.

3. AVOCADO
One study published by The Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that people with higher intakes of olive oil had fewer wrinkles than people with higher intakes of butter. The reason: Butter is loaded with saturated fat, while olive oil is rich in monounsaturates, the same essential fats that make up more than 50% of the calories in an avocado. So why eat avocado over olive oil? Both are good, but avocados have the added bonus of B vitamins, which also help to keep your skin looking vibrant and smooth.

4. BEANS
Legumes, to be more precise. This is the class of plants that includes black beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts. And how do these puny pods protect your face? By smoothing out wrinkles. Australian researchers analyzed the diets of more than 400 elderly men and women and found that high intakes of legumes—alongside vegetables and healthy fats—resulted in 20% fewer wrinkles over time. The effect is likely a result of isoflavones—potent antioxidants—concentrated in the beans.

5. GRAPES
Besides providing protection from heart attack and stroke, antioxidants called polyphenols found in grapes can also help keep middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer.

6. WATER
Okay, it’s not as fun to drink as wine, but water is the strongest weapon you have against lifeless skin. That’s why they call it “moisturizing”—because you’re trying to lock moisture, aka water, into your skin. To put it broadly, all the body’s processes rely on hydration, so if you’re not sipping throughout the day, you’re likely to have a slower metabolism, groggier head, and, yes, drier skin. One study suggested that it takes a mere half-liter of water to create a measurable increase in the capillary blood flow to your body’s outer layer. That’s just over 16 ounces. Try doing that a few times a day and you’ll have a face like a baby’s bottom in no time.

Going for a Younger Look

Excerpts from a very interesting article by Liz Brody, "5 Simple Tricks to Looking Younger":

(1) Skin
Try creams and lotions. Cleanse gently, moisturize daily, swear by SPF 30, and think about an anti-aging cream. Vitamins C and A seem to stand out. In drugstore creams, look for L-ascorbic acid and retinol. At the prescription level, retinoids (like Retin A) have the most science behind them.

(2) Makeup
Try "let there be light" instead of make-up and hide. To hide the bags, dab a light-reflecting cover-up, and don't use powder unless it's loose and finely milled. "If you've never curled your lashes, now is the time to start," says Hollywood makeup artist Kerry Herta . "The compact has to go. Replace it with a liquid foundation." Try a tinted moisturizer. The whole idea is to keep a luminosity to the skin rather than to mattify it. The look of youth is radiance. Brash lipstick can backfire; you'll look younger with soft colors and a little gloss on top".

(3) Hair
Try a touch of shine instead of dyeing darker. Also the cut and a few well-placed highlights can counter facial sagging according to Terrence Michael Renk, a stylist at J Beverly Hills who works in TV and film.

(4) Clothes
It's all about the right pieces."You'll look chic and younger", she says Charla Krupp, author of How Not to Look Old , "in white pants and high heels, or a simple dress". And then"a lot of bangles, a big thick watch, tons of teeny elasticized bracelets." Eyewear can make a big difference, too. Shake up the pedicure. "Put lavender on your toes. Blue, black...grey is really in."

(5) The Body
"You need to continue to train the brain circuits responsible for movement," says Michael Gonzalez-Wallace, creator of the Super Body, Super Brain program. That means, instead of just walking or jogging, which you do automatically, you should periodically throw in a balance or coordination challenge: Walk backward, play basketball, take a ballet class, stand on one foot with your eyes closed. "Try one new activity a week, You just need a few minutes."

Stephanie Dolgoff, author of My Formerly Hot Life says, "Dying your hair or filling in a frown line can definitely give you a little boost. But don't expect looking younger to make you happy.

A smile is an instant face lift.


Source: Liz Brody's blog post