What is Skin?
Skin is the body’s largest organ. It plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature, acting as a barrier, and maintaining fluid balance. Various factors affect the health and appearance of our skin, such as genetics, age, hormones, health conditions like diabetes, and our diet and lifestyle choices. Let’s see how to achieve glowing skin.
How Can I Achieve Fabulous Skin?
While face creams and treatments are popular, true skin health starts from within. Skin cells are constantly shedding and renewing, so it’s important to nourish your body with the right nutrients to support this process. By maintaining a balanced diet, you can keep your skin soft, hydrated, and clear.
Wrinkles and age spots are a natural part of aging, but factors like excessive sun exposure, tanning beds, harsh soaps, chemicals, and a poor diet can accelerate the process. To slow down aging, it’s essential to adjust your skincare routine and make healthier lifestyle choices. Focus on a balanced diet rich in antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, healthy fats from oily fish and nuts, and ensure proper hydration to support healthy, youthful skin.
- Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily
Fruits and vegetables are packed with powerful antioxidants that protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals, which can be triggered by factors like smoking, pollution, and sunlight.
To support healthy skin, aim for a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet, with at least five portions daily. Beta-carotene, found in orange fruits and vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins, and lutein, found in kale, papaya, and spinach, are both essential for skin cell development and maintaining a healthy skin tone. Here’s how you can start your day with a nutritious boost: try raspberry kefir overnight oats or sweet potato pancakes with orange and grapefruit for a refreshing, skin-friendly meal. - Get your vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for boosting the immune system, promoting glowing skin, and aiding in the healing of blemishes. Top sources of vitamin C include blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi fruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries, and sweet potatoes.
This vitamin is also crucial for collagen production, which is the protein that helps keep our skin firm and plump. It also strengthens the blood capillaries that supply essential nutrients to the skin, contributing to a healthier complexion. - Eat enough vitamin E
Vitamin E is essential for protecting the skin from oxidative damage and preventing photo-aging. It’s an antioxidant that helps to defend the skin against the harmful effects of free radicals, especially from sun exposure. Foods rich in vitamin E include almonds, avocados, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and sunflower and pumpkin seed oils. Treat yourself to almond crêpes topped with avocado and nectarines for a delicious, skin-boosting meal. - Stock up on selenium
Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that works hand-in-hand with vitamins C and E to protect the skin from oxidative stress, sun damage, and aging. Studies suggest that a selenium-rich diet may help protect against skin cancer, age spots, and photo-aging. A simple way to boost your selenium intake is by eating Brazil nuts—just two or three nuts will provide your recommended daily amount. For a tasty, skin-boosting snack, mix Brazil nuts with other seeds rich in vitamin E. Other great sources of selenium include fish, shellfish, eggs, wheat germ, tomatoes, and broccoli. - Eat plenty of zinc
Zinc is a key mineral for maintaining healthy, supple skin. It supports the normal functioning of oil-producing glands in the skin, which helps keep your complexion balanced and smooth. Zinc is also involved in the skin’s healing process, assisting in the repair of damaged tissue. To get your daily dose of zinc, include zinc-rich foods in your diet, such as fish, lean red meat, whole grains, poultry, nuts, seeds, and shellfish. Try adding pumpkin seeds to your meals as a delicious and skin-loving snack! - Include healthy fats
Healthy fats are essential for maintaining soft, smooth, and supple skin. They act as natural moisturizers, keeping your skin hydrated from within and improving its elasticity. Avocados, oily fish, nuts, and seeds are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that help nourish the skin and provide a boost of valuable vitamin E.
Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, are particularly beneficial for skin health. These anti-inflammatory fats can help alleviate conditions such aseczema and psoriasis, while also supporting the building blocks of healthy skin. Incorporate omega-3 rich foods like salmon, trout, sardines, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and rapeseed oil into your diet to promote radiant, healthy skin. - Eat more phyto-estrogens
Phyto-estrogens are natural compounds found in plants that resemble the structure of the female sex hormone estrogen. These compounds can help balance hormones in the body, which is especially important for maintaining healthy skin. Estrogen plays a vital role in skin health by supporting skin structure, elasticity, and minimizing skin damage. There are different types of phyto-estrogens, such as isoflavones found in soya products like tofu and tempeh, and lignans found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and flaxseeds. Incorporating more of these foods into your diet can help support your skin’s health and enhance its youthful appearance. - Drink six to eight glasses of water a day
Hydration is essential for healthy, glowing skin. Skin needs moisture to stay flexible, and even mild dehydration can cause your skin to appear dry, tired, and dull. Experts recommend drinking six to eight glasses of water daily to maintain proper hydration. While all fluids contribute to your daily intake, water is the best option for hydration.
If you spend a lot of time at a desk, keep a large bottle of water nearby to remind yourself to drink throughout the day. Caffeine-free herbal teas are also great for hydration. Additionally, certain fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumber, and courgette are high in water content and provide extra minerals to help hydrate your body and skin more effectively.
Enhance Your Skincare Routine with Professional Facials at Lydia Skincare
Ready to elevate your skincare game? Get a professional facial at Lydia Skincare — a trusted name in beauty since 1986. With nearly 40 years of experience, we deliver some of the best facial JB treatments tailored to your unique skin needs. Whether you’re targeting dullness, acne, or simply want that healthy glow, our team is here to pamper you with care and results. Let Lydia Skincare be your go-to for glowing skin in Johor Bahru