Live Lighter | Healthy Lifestyle Blog –

Who doesn’t want to slow down the aging process and look younger? I bet even those who say they’re comfortable with aging (like myself) aren’t looking in the mirror every morning wishing for more wrinkles! If you want a healthy, cost-effective way to look (and feel!) younger, keep reading today’s guest post by Kaity Nakagoshi.   

Stop and think for a moment….how much money do you actually spend on face wash, exfoliating scrubs, night creams, anti-aging serums, and daily moisturizers each year?

When it comes to skin care products, there is always something “newer” and “better” being advertised on late night infomercials and in our favorite fashion magazines. How do you really know which ones truly are the best? Well, you don’t know unless you literally buy every jar or bottle on the shelf and compare the results. Nobody has the time or patience for that. Not to mention that little experiment would end up costing you a pretty penny.

The skin care industry is sustained by consumers like us, who are willing to try virtually anything in order to reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines, prevent wrinkles, and to obtain youthful radiant looking skin. The irony in this in that a lot of us adopt a skin care regimen based on topical treatments. In actuality, one of the most powerful skin care tools at our disposal works from inside out.

Science Class Meets Skin Care

Essentially, our skin acts as a natural barrier between internal and external environments, thus it plays an important role in protection from the damaging effects of everyday exposures. Nutrition has a critical impact on strengthening our skin’s ability to fight off these harmful factors.

Believe it or not, the food and drink that you consume throughout the day directly affects the health and appearance of your skin. If you eat greasy foods, your skin will tend to look greasy as well. Seems pretty logical.
What you need to know for your daily skin care routine is that there are a number of specific foods and beverages that are especially beneficial, including:

H2O is the Way to go
Our bodies are made up of mostly water, so naturally, hydration is a critical part of skin care. The more water you drink, the more your skin will feel quenched and will show the glowing results. Skin care experts and celebrities swear by this.

Tropical Beats Topical
A variety of fruits have a positive effect on your skin, such as guava, pineapple, papaya, and kiwi. Coconut kefir is made from fermented coconut water and drinking it can work wonders on your skin. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is naturally found in the skin, so eating tropical fruits, and other vitamin C–rich foods can replenish and restore. Vitamin C also helps your body produce collagen, a protein that improves skin’s elasticity.

Dairy for Dermis
One the most important components of skin health is vitamin A, and one of the best places to find it is in low-fat dairy products. Some experts even believe that optimal skin cells are dependent on a regular source of vitamin A. Cottage cheese is especially good to eat because it has less sugar than yogurt, but still has protein, and it makes your skin look lovely.

Very Berry Beneficial
In a study recently published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, it was determined that blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and plums have the highest “total antioxidant capacity” of any food. As a result, the benefits these fruits can offer the many layers of your skin are huge.

Nuts About Nourished Skin
Almonds are well-known for being a heart-healthy snack, but their high level of vitamin E makes them skin-healthy as well. Brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds also fall into this category. Vitamin E helps nourish your skin and protect it from the sun’s damaging UV rays.

Whole Wheat Pastas and Breads
Another skin–friendly antioxidant is the mineral selenium, which is found in whole wheat pastas and breads. Selenium helps protect your skin against environmental damage and promotes elasticity and general skin health. High–dose selenium supplements have been linked to health problems, so it’s always best to get your selenium from delicious food sources.

Green Tea
This super-power antioxidant-rich beverage offers so many health benefits, and skin care is one of them. Whether you prefer it hot or iced with a drizzle of honey, drinking green tea on a regular basis will make you look and feel great. There’s just enough caffeine to give your body a mental and physical boost, and the appearance of your skin gets a boost too.

About the Author

Kaity Nakagoshi, the Online Community Director for a spa-like medical facility that specializes in aesthetic skin care in Clearwater, Florida. Kaity’s favorite food to eat for radiant-looking skin is cottage cheese. She also drinks a huge glass of iced green tea every morning with a touch of agave.

Hmm, I’ve been seriously considering reducing my daily coffee intake – and Kaity’s post today just inspired me to substitute green tea for coffee! I recently heard, too, that green tea is best (less bitter) if you bring the water to an 80{967bf23b37ec6a673a83041540b3f904a815b4119ddf673afb961c1e7592ebdd} boiling point (so just before it comes to a rolling boil). Did something in Kaity’s article inspire you?

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