Best Nutrients for Glowing & Youthful Skin

“Your skin is the window to your health.” You might have heard this saying. Well, it’s not just a saying, there’s some truth to it. What you eat and drink can make your skin look radiant and vibrant or make it appear dull and sort of sick.

These unstable molecules cause oxidation damage that leads to premature aging. And one of the places where aging is most noticeable is… your skin.

Free radicals are not entirely evil, because your body naturally produces them every time you breathe and digest food or attack harmful bacteria. But when free radicals get out of control because you’re producing too many of them – and combine that with the problem of not eating enough antioxidant rich foods – significant damage and disease can occur. 

A poor diet loaded with unhealthy fats, sugar, and toxic additives is the biggest source of free radical damage. Meanwhile, a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and healthy fat is your best tool for counteracting free radicals. Eating lots of colorful vegetables as well as a moderate amount of fruit will diminish the harmful effects of free radicals on your skin and will help you to heal dry, dull, sagging, discolored, and thinning skin.

When most people make a commitment to eat healthy or adopt a vegetarian diet in hopes of better health, they proceed to eat mostly grains, pasta, and lots of fruit. Yet they forget about getting enough vegetables and often lack adequate amounts of healthy fat. That’s not good for your skin or your overall health. The problem with grains together with fruit is the sugar. You want to limit your sugar intake as much as possible, so it’s essential to eliminate or severely limit the grains and eat only a moderate amount of fruit that doesn’t have a lot of sugar in it (low glycemic).

Most importantly, eat lots of colorful vegetables and lots of healthy fats.

• Selenium. If you lack selenium, expect inflammation and premature aging. This mineral is a powerful antioxidant that helps thyroid function. If your thyroid isn’t healthy, your skin won’t look good. Selenium also helps your body produce the master antioxidant glutathione. Some good sources of selenium are Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, and grass-fed beef and poultry.

• Vitamin C. This is another antioxidant you want to load up on for healthy skin. You need vitamin C to make collagen, the protein that gives your skin elasticity and a more youthful look. Some signs that you’re lacking in vitamin C might include bruising easily, your gums bleeding regularly, swollen joints, or joint degeneration. Great sources of vitamin C include low glycemic fruits like black currants, papaya, and kiwi along with vegetables like broccoli and red and green peppers.

• Biotin. Also known as vitamin B7. It has a positive influence on healthy skin, hair, and nails. A biotin deficiency can be at the root of rashes and discolored, uneven skin tone. Biotin is stored in your liver and, interestingly enough, eating animal liver is a great way to replenish your biotin stores. You’ll also get biotin from egg yolks, Swiss chard, carrots, sweet potato, and the mighty avocado.

• Vitamin E. We can’t talk about the health of your skin without including vitamin E. It may be the most powerful antioxidant to combat premature aging, rough skin, and weak capillaries. Olives, almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds are great sources of E. You can also apply pure vitamin E oil directly to dry, inflamed, or sun damaged skin. The same goes for avocado oil because it’s full of a healthy fat called oleic acid, which helps with collagen production. Use it liberally on your skin or look for it as an ingredient in skin cleansers and moisturizers. You’ll often notice other ingredients that function as antioxidants to reduce wrinkles, like vitamin D and retinoids (which are a compound of vitamin A).
  

"Very good E vitamin! It really helped. You can see the difference on your skin. Also can be used external to solve all kind of skin problems in combination with other creams."