Above: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care
By: Marty S.
When you are thinking about changing your diet, there are two things you must consider: foods you want to take out of your diet and foods you want to put in. After all, you can’t have one without the other. Even if you make a more conscious effort to stop eating processed food, your diet still might not be as healthy as it should be. Though you might see a noticeable difference if you avoid eating unhealthy food, that will likely not be enough if you want your diet to help you get glowing, ageless skin.
Knowing what foods you should add to your diet is vital but by no means difficult. In fact, many people make a list of foods they must eat regularly in order to keep their skin glowing and ageless at all times. Today, you will get that list, too. Keep reading to learn 3 nutritional guidelines that countless people follow to keep their skin youthful at all times. You only need a few simple tweaks to your diet to change your skin from mediocre to absolutely stunning.
1. Eat Foods That Are Abundant in Antioxidants
One of the primary reasons why a lot of us are aging faster than we should be is free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that damage your cells through a process called “oxidative stress”; when this happens, your cells cannot function properly and may start to break down. More free radical damage and more oxidative stress can lead to not just premature lines and wrinkles, but also poor health and even various forms of cancer.
The bad news is that we cannot avoid free radicals entirely; though they are known to come from external sources like pollution and smoking, your body does produce free radicals to perform certain functions. However, as long as you keep the free radical damage and oxidative stress to a minimum, your skin shouldn’t have to suffer from premature aging. To do so, you need to include more antioxidant-rich foods into your diet. Antioxidants are compounds that help mitigate your oxidative stress and keeps those free radicals in check. The best part is that antioxidants exist in a wide variety of natural foods. For example, Vitamin C, a nutrient that has collagen-building properties, is a well-known antioxidant that is found in many fruits and vegetables. By stocking up your diet with antioxidant-rich foods, you can improve your internal health and encourage a more youthful glow on your skin.
"I have really really dry skin, especially around my eyes and my mouth, and so this [Ayurvedic Vitamin C Natural Glow Serum] has really really made a difference in my skin. It just shows my natural glow and moisturizes my skin a lot more every day."
2. Eat Foods High in Fiber
Those with youthful skin know that if they want to maintain their stunning complexion, they need to take care of their gut microbiome. Though it might not look like it, your gut health and your skin health are linked. Because of the number of bacteria found in your gut (about 100 trillion), any significant change in your gut health may have a severe impact on other parts of your body. For example, poor gut health can lead to more inflammation, and that could show up on your skin as acne, dullness, and more pronounced lines and wrinkles.
Eliminating processed foods from your diet is a big step in preserving your gut microbiome, but eating foods that are intended to keep your gut clean and healthy is even better. Adding more fiber to your diet is an easy way to do it, through foods like whole grains, beans, and nuts. Fiber improves digestion, benefits your gut bacteria, and encourages healthy bowel movements and waste disposal. Over time, a diet rich in fiber can help you sustain excellent gut health, and this may appear externally as glowing, youthful skin.
3. Eat Foods That Are Rich in B Vitamins & Trace Elements
By now, you’ve heard us talk a lot about some of the most common anti-aging vitamins that should be in your diet. However, there is another vitamin that people take regularly so that their skin looks flawless and youthful. In fact, it is a group of vitamins, known as your B vitamins. There are 8 B vitamins in total: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. While each B vitamin has different properties, they are each essential to the health of your skin. If you have a deficiency in some or all of these B vitamins, you may start to experience acne, irritated skin, and premature lines and wrinkles. Similarly, there are many trace elements that people with youthful skin take. For example, the peptides of copper have been studied to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, two key proteins that are necessary for skin firmness and elasticity.
While it seems like it will be difficult to keep track of all the B vitamins and trace elements that are good for your skin, what you should focus on instead is finding foods with a lot of overlap. For instance, spinach is a good source of vitamins B9, B6, and C as well as antioxidants and copper. You will need to do some research to find out what foods work best for you, but once you do, you’ll be able to build a diet that is tailored to your tastes and lifestyle. Hopefully, what will entail will be youthful, flawless skin.
You can also add certain supplements to your diet to get flawless skin as well as gorgeous hair. Listen to this episode of the Apsara Skin Care podcast to find out more. Enjoy and please leave us a review on our iTunes podcast page!
Need more skin care advice? Fill out this form to hear from us shortly.
Go natural. It is good karma!
