How To Keep Your Skin Looking Younger And Healthier For Many Years To Come
It’s easy to think about taking care of your skin, starting on the outside by cleansing, moisturizing, and applying sun protection. However, the most effective skincare begins on the inside, with nutrition promoting healthy skin from the inside out. You’ll be surprised how well food can meet many of your health and beauty needs and support what you’re applying to your skin outside!
Collagen is a protein central to the elasticity and regeneration of our skin. It keeps skin firm, plump, smooth, and young-looking. But unfortunately, after age 20, our natural collagen production reduces by one percent each year.
That’s why we typically notice the earliest signs of aging in our skin—a few fine lines here and there—as we approach our mid-30s. By age 40, our skin no longer produces collagen and begins to lose elasticity. Finally, as we approach 50, we begin to see the more profound effects of aging, like deeper wrinkles, sagging, and much thinner skin, prone to damage and infection.
So, it’s no wonder that a variety of moisturizers, serums, and thick, goopy night repair creams containing collagen line the drugstore shelves. But are they effective? Many dermatologists question the effectiveness of combating the visible signs of aging by applying collagen directly to your skin. In addition, there is some debate about how well the collagen in these products is absorbed into the skin, if it is even usable at the molecular level, and if the body’s immune system may even see it as an invader and attack it. This is all the more reason to boost your body’s collagen stores.
Fortunately, there are quite a few ways to help your body naturally produce more collagen and improve the look and health of your skin. I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying that health begins on the inside, and like most old sayings, it is grounded in some truths.
A body that takes in clean, healthy food as part of a well-balanced, nutritionally sound diet tends to be healthy on the inside, which often translates to beautiful, healthy skin on the outside. But eating a perfectly healthy diet is not always easy, and there’s no guarantee that your skin won’t sag or become wrinkled.
However, certain foods stimulate collagen production and incorporating them into your diet could be pretty straightforward. Besides, the payoff—firmer, younger-looking skin—could be all the motivation you need!
Collagen-Boosting Foods to Include in Your Diet
- Red vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers, and beets, contain the antioxidant lycopene, which acts as a natural sunblock and increases collagen production.
- Dark leafy green vegetables, like kale and spinach, are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects collagen.
- Like carrots and sweet potatoes, orange vegetables are rich in vitamin A, restoring and regenerating damaged collagen.
- Citrus fruits are high in amino acids, lysine, and proline, which convert to collagen.
- Garlic is a sulfur-rich food and is necessary for the production of collagen. It also contains lipoic acid and taurine, which help rebuild collagen.
- Green and white tea has been found to protect skin proteins, specifically collagen.
We spend a fortune on facial creams, unique soaps, and other treatments designed to improve our appearance and make us look our best. However, researchers say one of the most effective ways to look younger is to eat foods that support the health of your skin.
Your Skin Needs Nutrition To Thrive
Your skin is the largest single organ in your body, and just like your heart, it needs the proper nutrients to function and look its best.
Key Nutrients for Glowing, Healthy Skin
According to dermatologists, the nutrients necessary for glowing skin include the following healthy fats and antioxidants:
Essential free fatty acids — like omega-3s — are crucial to keeping the skin barrier intact because they’re used to form skin cells. But, since your body can’t make omega-3s from scratch, we must get them through your diet.
Omega-3s come in 3 forms – ALA, EPA, and DHA. ALA comes from plants (like chia, flax, and walnuts), while EPA and DHA come from fatty fish (like salmon and sardines). Interestingly, EPA and DHA can be made from ALA — but not vice versa, making ALA the only essential fatty acid of the three.
Walnuts are not only a good source of omega-3s, but they are also loaded with copper, a mineral that boosts collagen production. In addition, dermatologists suggest eating walnuts regularly to improve your complexion’s texture.
Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes and a powerful protectant against sunburn. A study has demonstrated that people who consumed tomatoes daily showed 33% more protection against sunburn than those who did not. So bring on the tomatoes.
Cocoa hydrates skin, helping to make it fuller and more supple, and dark chocolate is also full of flavanols and potent antioxidants. Dermatologists say eating a couple of 70% cacao chocolate squares improves skin luminosity.
Polyphenols, naturally found in green tea, fruit, and wine, are anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Applying polyphenols topically has been shown to help tone skin, treat acne, and diminish the appearance of fine lines and scars. Green tea masks and serums are one way to gain the benefits of polyphenols immediately.
Vitamins A, C, and D are also essential to skin health. Vitamin A stimulates fibroblasts, the cells responsible for keeping skin firm and healthy. Tuna, various dairy products, and salmon are rich in Vitamin A.
Vitamin C, in the form of liposomal vitamin C and Vitamin D, promotes collagen synthesis, protects your skin from UV damage, and contributes to skin cell growth, repair, and metabolism. Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables (another reason to follow a whole-food, plant-based diet), but vitamin D is difficult to find in food. So, checking to see if you are deficient in this vitamin and supplementing as needed makes sense.
Alpha Lipoic Acid Benefits for Skin
- Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a vitamin-like antioxidant that helps fight free radicals in the body. Studies have shown that ALA creams are effective in treating photodamaged skin.
- Lipoic acid supplements can also be taken to ward off chronic, age-related diseases.
- In the body, ALA aids in energy production by breaking down carbohydrates. Additionally, it can inhibit cross-linking and the formation of chemical bridges that cause age-related concerns such as wrinkles and stiff joints.
- However, perhaps the most critical job of this acid lies in its antioxidant properties; it can fight free radicals in the cell plasma membrane, which is promising for the health of the skin and the body overall.
- Other benefits include alpha-lipoic acid’s ability to boost the skin’s capacity to exfoliate and regenerate itself. This can help improve dry skin and make skin tone more even.
- It also has a mild ability to fight inflammation, which may benefit those who suffer from acne and help reverse long-term damage caused by sun exposure.
There is no question about it. A healthy diet promotes healthy skin, so it’s essential to ensure your diet is balanced and includes plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and essential vitamins like vitamins A, C, D, and Niacinamide.
Integrating these nutrients into your diet won’t only help your skin, but whatever is good for your skin is also good for your overall health.
Besides eating foods good for your skin, you need to hydrate – drink plenty of pure, unadulterated water. Remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. If you smoke, stop! Nothing ages your skin faster than smoking!
Niacinamide and Vitamin B3 for Skin Health
Niacinamide is a dietary supplement for proper energy production and fat metabolism. Research has shown that it may minimize fine lines and wrinkles, help build skin cells, and protect them from environmental stress.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin, Nicotinic Acid, Niacinamide)
Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is necessary for the normal breakdown of fats and fatty acids and the release of energy from carbohydrates. It is also needed for proper circulation and healthy skin. It aids in the functioning of the nervous system, in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and in producing hydrochloric acid for the digestive system. It is involved in the normal secretion of bile and stomach fluids and the synthesis of sex hormones. It also supports those with age-related cognitive decline.
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