Skin Nutrition: A Resource Guide to Maintaining Healthy Skin

Why is Skin Nutrition so important?

Skin is our largest organ.  An average adult has about 22 square feet of skin covering their body.  And this sometimes overlooked part of our body does much more than make us look good.

Your skin acts as a waterproof, insulating shield that guards the body against extremes of temperature, damaging sunlight, and harmful chemicals. It also repels bacterial attacks and helps prevent infection.  Your skin manufactures vitamin D for converting calcium into healthy bones. And if that wasn’t enough, skin is a huge sensor packed with nerves for keeping the brain in touch with the outside world. It is flexible, self repairing and allows us free movement in a multitude of environments.

So I think you can see why Skin Nutrition is so important in keeping this amazingly versatile organ healthy and working in top condition.  But for most of us the skin and its health and well being are often on the bottom of our nutrition list.

The following list will help you understand what you skin needs and what you can do to help maintain a beautiful, healthy, well functioning outer layer called your SKIN!

You might call it your nutrition mission for your skin aka Skin Care 101.

– Protein: Required to Build New Cells and new Skin.

You have about 300 million skin cells, and every minute you shed up to 40,000 of them.  So a good supply of protein is necessary to maintain your skin. Protein is one of the few substances we must ingest.    We cannot make up our own protein without the proper amino acid building blocks. A good Energizing Soy Protein means less toxic substances, less hormonal disturbances, less cholesterol, less acid and longer cell life.

– Multi-Vitamin: A Proper Balance of all Nutrients

Most of us don’t eat a diet capable of providing us with the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals. Since your body cannot produce minerals, be sure your multi-vitamin includes the important trace minerals. Foods grown organically usually contain more minerals.

– B-Complex: reduces stress reactions in the skin like canker sores & shingles

B-complex is one of the most important vitamins for our body. Lip problems, especially cracks at the corners of lips can indicate B complex deficiency. If your skin is too oily or to dry, B Complex can get it back in balance.

– Vitamin C:  For Collagen construction and tissue integrity

Vitamin C helps your body resist infection. Wrinkles and sagginess can be contributed to a deficiency of Vitamin C and/or protein. This deficiency can also increase allergy and skin problems. Adding a sufficient amount of Vitamin C to your diet will help with your skins resiliency.  Every day environmental pollution and stress can destroy your supply of Vitamin C so its important to supplement you diet.

– Vitamin E: Delays aging process, De-activates free radicals.

Vitamin E helps in many ways.  It tones the muscles, improves the skin’s elasticity, and increases blood circulation which helps protect the cells membranes.  Vitamin E also assists your body in utilizing oils and can relieve itchiness.  Dry leathery skin has been shown to improve through the use of Vitamin E.

– Lecithin: plumps the skin, Beneficial to Nerves and Skins Functions

Some people have also found lecithin to be helpful in reducing eczema.

– Omega 3 Acids: Omega 3’s and Lecithin help to provide essential fatty acids.

Fatty Acids are needed by your skin in order to stay soft and supple.  If you are on a low fat diet your skin might be especially low on essential fatty acids.  Omega 3’s have also been found to be very helpful with psoriasis.

– Zinc:  Healing factor, helpful with Immune System and Acne.

Collagen manufacture has been shown to slow down without zinc.

– Herbal Laxitive:  the skin is just one avenue for the elimination of toxins.

A good Herbal Laxative insures proper elimination of wastes so that the skin has less of a work load.

– Antioxidants: assist your immune system

Antioxidants found in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E as well as a good Multi-Vitamin are useful in preventing free radical damage and aging.

– Beta Carotene: the Precursor for Vitamin A production

Without sufficient Vitamin A no one has healthy skin. Beta Carotene is the best way to get Vitamin A because it is stored in all the cells in the body, not just in the liver.

– Liver Detox:  a sluggish liver is the reason for fatty deposits in the skin

These fatty deposits are commonly called age spots or liver spots.  A good Liver Detox supplement can help to rejuvenate liver function and keep the skin young & healthy looking.

When talking about skin care what you put in your body is just as important as what you put on it.  A more radiant, healthy and glowing skin can be achieved through the power of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Many health experts agree that vitamins and minerals in all forms play an integral role in a healthy complexion, whether the source is your food or from supplements

“Your skin is the fingerprint of what is going on inside your body, and all skin conditions, from psoriasis to acne to aging, are the manifestations of your body’s internal needs, including its nutritional needs,” says Georgiana Donadio, PhD, DC, MSc, founder and director of the National Institute of Whole Health in Boston.

When combined with a good diet, the right dietary supplements can help keep your skin looking not only healthier but also younger.

So get out there and feed your skin.

Skin Nutrition: It’s something to think about!