HEALTH

Hair, skin and nail health reflect your inner health. Our skin, nails and hair are actually the outer fabric which houses our bodies. The healthier we are on the inside, the better our outside will look and feel, and vice versa.

The skin is the largest organ of the body. It covers about 1.8m2 of the total surface area of the average adult and comprises roughly 10% of the total body mass. The main function of the skin is to provide a barrier between the internal parts of the body and the environment. This barrier protects against ultraviolet (UV) radiation, chemicals, allergens, pathogenic (harmful) microorganisms and prevents loss of moisture.6

It’s relevant here to look at the basic structure of skin so we can understand how the various nutrients interact and contribute to healthy skin, hair and nails.

Apart from the obvious healthy food choices, let us examine specific nutrients, which impact the development of a supple, healthy-looking skin, also reflecting in hair and nail health.

Young-looking skin has long been the desire of all women and men for as long as civilization has existed, and the trillion-dollar cosmetic business testifies exactly to this. However, speak to any dermatologist or aesthetic doctor and they will tell you that, at most, topical products will contribute 30% or less to smoothness and youthfulness of skin.

The true integrity of the skin comes from what you put within!

Vitamin A and/or Beta Carotene - will help to restore skin integrity through damage and is integral in the skin’s immune system. It also keeps the skin moist. A deficiency of vitamin A can affect sight. Preformed vitamin A is an animalbased compound and is found in meat, poultry and dairy foods. On the other hand, provitamin A (carotenoids) is found in dark yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables, it will then have to be converted to the retinoid form in order to be functional. Both forms of vitamin A are converted to retinol in the liver. The function of vitamin A in the skin is to help prevent formation of fine lines and wrinkles (great anti-aging compound) and it does through the stimulation of collagen production. Therefore, sagginess and lack of elasticity is improved when there is sufficient vitamin A in the diet. Carotenoids, which are referred to again in the section on phytochemicals, will help protect the skin from damage from environmental factors such as pollution and excessive sun exposure.3

Specific Phytochemicals - The term, phytochemicals, refers to a huge range of plant compounds covering antioxidants, flavonols, carotenoids, tannins, and resveratrol to name the most significant ones with regard to skin integrity. Like vitamin A and its derivatives, phytochemicals play a crucial role in photo-protection against UVR-induced skin photo-damage due to their UV-absorbing, antioxidant, melanin-modulating, and inflammation fighting properties.4,5

Essential Fatty Acids - need no introduction to the importance of skin health. Without the fatty bonds in the dermis and epidermis, the skin would be dull, dry and flaky. Anyone consuming a low fat or fat-free diet will inevitably experience the effects in their skin and hair. Fatty acids form part of the cell membrane that also holds water in so the stronger that barrier is, the better your cells can hold moisture. This results in plumper, younger looking skin. Sources of these essential fats include seeds, like flax, chia, sesame and pumpkin seeds. Fatty fish like mackerel and sardines and fruits like olives and avocados are also valuable sources for these essential nutrients.6

Vitamin C is essential for the formation of collagen fibres in the skin. These proteins are responsible for the firmness and suppleness of skin. The older one is, the less collagen is made and the result is an increase in the development of lines and wrinkles. In other words, your skin looks like it needs ironing!4,5

Vitamin D - The sunshine vitamin, which is activated by sunlight in the skin, is not just important for bone health. I can always tell if someone has low vitamin D levels, simply by the pallor of the skin. We tend to avoid the sun for fear of skin cancer, but sadly, we are also not exposing our skin sufficiently due to fears of skin cancer, which, although justified, then leaves us deficient in vitamin D unless this is supplemented in the diet. Like preformed vitamin A, vitamin D is fat-soluble, so needs to be eaten with food that contains some fat, in order for it to be absorbed from the gut.

Vitamin E - Similarly, to vitamins A and D, vitamin E is fat-soluble and requires fat for it to be absorbed. The primary function of vitamin E in the skin is as an antioxidant, thereby helping to reduce oxidation and other forms of damage through skin exposure to the environment. Food sources of vitamin E include plant oils, seeds, nuts and of course, fatty fish.

Zinc - Another mineral that is in short supply when it comes to a processed diet. Zinc can also be found in seafood (including shellfish) as well as whole grains and vegetables. Zinc boosts the immune system of the skin and is crucial to help the integrity of the skin.

Trace Elements such as selenium have been shown to help protect skin on excess exposure to sun. Food sources of selenium include pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts, which is not a frequent choice by many individuals, so it is easy to understand why deficiencies of this valuable trace element can develop.

Water - Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate! Nothing will make a skin look worse than dehydration. Many beverages like tea and coffee replace water drinking. Whilst both tea and coffee may have some health benefits, it is important to note that the caffeine contained in both, acts as a diuretic, which as you all know by now, means that it makes you urinate more. If you do not replace these fluid losses with water, your body, and especially your skin will dehydrate. You should be drinking a MINIMUM of 1 ½ litres of water per day!

AIM BioVivify provides very powerful phytochemicals in the form of astaxanthin, as well as vitamin C and the amino acids (proteins) glycine, proline and lysine, which are integral in skin.

References

1. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/ abcs-of-healthy-skin-diet

2. https://skincancer.net/life-with-skin-cancer/preventionadd-foods-diet

3. https://www.healthline.com/health/vitamin-a-forskin#What-is-vitamin-A

4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6791161/

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC9133606/#:~:text=Phytochemicals

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579607/