2 minute read
Feed Your Face – nourish your skin
Dr Joanna McMillan,
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Nutritionist and Vice president of The Australian Lifestyle Medicine Association
Spending money on skincare is wasted if you’re not taking care to feed your skin from the inside out. What you eat can make an enormous difference to how your skin looks and feels. Australian research has shown that a low GI diet can help reduce the symptoms of acne and improve the quality of your skin. This means eating more wholegrains and legumes, and reducing or cutting out processed foods. The knockon effect is that your overall health will benefit and not just your skin.
HERE ARE DR JOANNA’S TOP 10 FOODS FOR SKIN
1. NUTS & SEEDS
Nuts and seeds provide all the right kinds of fat that nourish our skin. They are also rich in the antioxidant vitamin E to combat free radical damage, which contributes to the ageing of your skin.
2. BARLEY
Barley provides the antioxidant mineral selenium and good levels of several other vitamins and minerals that play roles in the growth of healthy skin, hair and nails.
3. TEA
Different teas contain different antioxidants, but they all have the potential for anti-ageing benefits. Green tea has even been shown to help rejuvenate skin cells. Tannins in tea can reduce your absorption of minerals in food however, so try to drink your tea between rather than with meals.
4. MUSSELS & OYSTERS
High in protein, good sources of omega-3 fats and the clear front runners for providing zinc, a mineral essential for skin healing and preventing infections. Increased zinc can help acne and other skin conditions, but is also essential for all of us to maintain healthy radiant skin.
5. SALMON
Oily fish such as salmon are fabulously rich in the essential omega-3 fats. These reduce inflammation and provide essential nourishment to the skin. To gain the benefits you need to eat it a minimum of twice a week. Other oily fish include sardines, mackerel, anchovies and trout.
6. CARROTS
This humble veggie is one of the richest sources of beta-carotene, which acts both as an antioxidant in its own right and can be made into vitamin A, which repairs and maintains healthy skin.
7. DARK GREEN LEAFY VEG
These are a daily must for maximum anti-ageing power. The darker the green the better as this usually indicates higher levels of antioxidants. Spinach, silverbeet, kale, rocket, watercress, Asian greens and dark green cabbage varieties all qualify.
8. AVOCADO
Rich in the essential fats we need to nourish our skin and hair from the inside out and a great source of vitamin E to help protect the skin from ageing free radical and sun damage.
9. BERRIES
They look delectable, they taste divine and they top the charts for antioxidant power. They are also rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant to combat the ageing process, but also necessary for the building of collagen, the protein that gives skin its elasticity, and strengthens capillaries to help reduce spider veins and easy bruising.
10. KIWI FRUIT
We tend to think of citrus fruit as being the best sources of vitamin C, but in fact the kiwi fruit ranks second only to guava but is far more widely available and easy to eat. Vitamin C is essential to make the protein collagen, which gives skin its youthful elasticity, maintain hydration and prevent wrinkles.
