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Good Nutrition and Your Complexion

Skin is the largest organ of the body, and of vital importance to our well-being because it is a barrier and protection against the harmful environment in which we live.

As the old saying goes, "Health is Wealth". So, it is always important to uphold the value of proper eating and living a healthy lifestyle to stay in shape and for optimum health.

In fact, aside from having an attractive body, being healthy can also mean having a healthy skin, as reflected in your complexion.

That explains why, most people who are known to be health buffs are also known to be good-looking people. Because their inner beauty radiates and exudes deep from within, even without make-up.

Nowadays, looking good is not just vanity but is already considered one way of staying healthy. This is because of the protective function of a healthy skin. And many medical experts now confirm that good nutrition is, indeed, an important factor in a good complexion and image.

Unfortunately, many people thought that simply eating the right kind of food would make them healthier and live longer. They did not fully understand, in addition, what an essential factor healthy nutrition is in having a good complexion and healthy skin, and the importance of this.

Here are some reasons to explain why good nutrition is important in maintaining a healthy skin complexion.

Good nutrition replenishes lost vitamins and minerals that the human body is not capable of producing. For example, when people are exposed to the sun, the skin's reservoir of vitamin C goes down, and unlike most animals, humans cannot make vitamin C. So it is important to replace it by eating foods rich in vitamin C with which your skin can combat the harmful effects of the damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Eating foods that are rich in vitamin A is also important in maintaining a healthy skin. Daily intake of vitamin A is proven to be an effective way of reducing the appearance of acne, wrinkles, and other skin problems. Take care with foods rich in vitamin A especially if pregnant or likely to become pregnant. Too much intake of this vitamin may result in serious problems.

Foods rich in antioxidants are definitely beneficial to skin as they fight the oxidants, or free radicals, that are manufactured when bodily cells burn oxygen while generating energy. Foods that are rich in antioxidants include fruit and vegetables, especially the "green, leafy vegetables" like spinach.

Antioxidants are also present in foods rich in carotenoids such as beta-carotene. A good example of this is carrots. Richly colored plant foods provide a good source of antioxidants, for example berries.

Antioxidants can also be present in dietary supplements or skin care products, from which they will still be absorbed.

Fiber, or roughage, is composed from a plant's cell wall material. Whole grains, legumes, citrus fruits, nuts, and vegetables are all good sources of dietary fiber.

In the basic sense, fiber is an example of complex carbohydrate that is important in the absorption of the other nutrients into the body. Without fiber, some nutrients will be wasted instead of being used by the body. Fiber is also important in promoting good levels of excretion, and toxins will bind to fiber and be "escorted" out of the body. So, with a good intake of fiber, your complexion can be healthier looking.

For proper growth and production of new skin cells, proteins are another essential part of the diet. Proteins are chains of amino acids responsible for the skin's cell growth and maintenance.

Sources of protein in food are eggs, meat, grains, legumes and dairy products - for example milk and cheese. Complete proteins are those that contain all the essential amino acids necessary for building and maintaining bodily cells, including skin cells.

Animal proteins contain all the essential amino acids; but many plant proteins are missing one or more. This isn't a problem, so long as overall the diet contains all the essential amino acids. However complete proteins in a vegetarian diet can be obtained from soy, quinoa, spirulina, hemp seed, amaranth and buckwheat.

In conclusion, a good diet will contribute to properly maintained skin cells and a good complexion. Those who are more aware of what they are eating will find that the care (or lack of care) they exercise will be reflected in their skin's appearance. As is often repeated, "You are what you eat".

However, remember that you can also nourish and care for your skin externally, by application of skin products that contain the nutrients mentioned above.

Joy Healey qualified as a nutritionist in 2000, at the respected Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London.
Learn more about skin care and download a free ebook at: http://www.nutrition4all.co.uk/skin.html