The ability to heal and rejuvenate is inherent in our bodily functions and organs. Every organ is made of cells and this includes our skin. The good news is that our skin cells are capable of renewing themselves every 28 days and that aging skin may not be inevitable.
The foods you eat provide nourishment on the cellular level, so it makes sense to choose foods that are known to encourage healthy new skin cell growth. You have a choice! Your face and skin may be hungry for specific nutrients and will react positively to foods which nutritionally fuel and protect your skin. Start your healthy skin diet by choosing pure organic food which is free from harmful chemicals and additives. Remember that environmental elements can damage the skin from the outside and that consuming foods and drinks which have been contaminated with chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, artificial flavors, and artificial colors can damage your skin from the inside.
When you want to feed your skin, try adding the following foods to your diet to enhance the nutritional input to your skin. Include fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants to combat free radicals and prevent aging.
1. Avocado
Avocados offer healthy fatty acid and vitamins and have an antioxidant quality. Vitamin C, for example, is important to support skin elasticity and collagen production, necessary to maintain the firm structure of the skin.
2. Cucumber
One of nature’s most natural moisturizers, cucumbers are 95 percent water. Eating cucumbers help to keep the body hydrated and free from toxins. Cucumbers are cooling and reduce the heat element in the body naturally, an aid in calming skin inflammation.
3. Milk/Fresh Cream
Fresh organic dairy products are rich in calcium as well as natural milk fats. Calcium is important for bones, teeth, and your skin. It is important to metabolize sufficient calcium to protect the health of your skin. Calcium in the epidermis helps to regulate the speed at which your body can generate new skin cells and replace and shed old cells. Skin which is thin, dry, and fragile may be a sign of insufficient calcium.
Externally milk has been used to protect the skin throughout the ages. Cleopatra is famous for milk baths used to soften and soothe the skin.
4. Honey
A spoonful of raw organic honey each day will help to maintain the health of your skin with many side benefits. It is an alkaline food, rich in essential minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Honey is prized throughout the world for its healing and disease prevention properties. Topically, it is great for acne, aging, and increasing moisture in the skin. It is said to make the skin glow. Honey is also considered a clarifying agent due to its ability to open the pores, assisting in unclogging and cleansing the skin. And it tastes good. There are so many wonderful varieties of raw organic honey!
5. Oats
Our mothers always said “Eat your oatmeal!” Your daily dose can be a great skin booster, offering a good source of natural soluble fiber. Oatmeal is packed full of iron, manganese, phosphorous, calcium, Vitamins B and E as well as silicon which helps to maintain collagen levels – essential for youthful skin.
6. Fresh Raw Vegetables – Juices, Salads, and Sprouts
Carrots – Rich in Vitamin A
Celery – Rich in natural mineral salts
Cucumber – The greatest hydrator
Fresh Greens – Important for enzyme and mineral content
Fresh vegetable juices are a quick way to get nutrients into the bloodstream and ultimately back into your skin. Try a combination of organic carrots, celery, apple, cucumber, cilantro, and parsley in the juicer for a start-the-day vitamin-rich skin cocktail! If you don’t have a vegetable juicer try the same combinations in your blender or Vitamix. You can add a sprinkling of fresh seeds, soaked nuts, or soaked dried fruits to enhance the nutritional value of the blended mix.
7. Fresh Fruits
Fresh fruits are one of the best foods to promote healthy skin. Choose local. Choose fresh. If possible, try and choose organic to avoid harmful pesticides, fertilizers, irradiation, and GMOs.
Pineapple is rich in digestive enzymes which promote good digestion, a “must” for beautiful skin. It contains vitamin C which is helpful in the formation of collagen, the protein that assists in the growth of new skin cells. Blueberries, blackberries, and bilberries are esteemed as potent anti-aging foods loaded with antioxidants which help to protect the elasticity of the skin. Citrus including lemons and oranges are your best choice to ensure clear skin.
8. Fresh Nuts and Seeds
Rich in natural oils which assist in keeping the skin clear and glowing as well as Vitamin B, important for skin cell restoration, fresh nuts and seeds are a bonus to your “skin-healthy” meal plans. Try fresh organic blanched almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, green pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground sesame seeds, and black sesame seeds as a healthy addition to your daily diet. Grind them to add to smoothies or add to your favorite grain dishes for an easy to digest vegan source of protein.
9. Cold Pressed Oils
The best oils include organic olive oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil which lubricate the skin from the inside out! Don’t forget your essential fatty acids most easily consumed in a good quality organic flax-seed oil.
10. Aloe Vera Juice
At Nature’s Aid we have been emphasizing the virtues of the external application of our Aloe vera gel. Drinking pure Aloe vera juice also offers profound benefits for the body and skin since the juice contains many important nutrients including amino acids and trace elements. Drinking Aloe vera juice can be a healthy detox, improve digestion, provide natural immune support, reduce inflammation, and provide collagen and elasticity repair for healthy skin. Drinking a small amount of pure Aloe vera juice daily after meals, is good for digestion and may help combat the effects of aging skin.
11. Cooling Spices
Spices such as coriander and fennel seed remove heat from the body naturally and assist in promoting good digestion and clear skin. You can make a tea by boiling these spices in pure mineral water or add them to soups, lentils, and grain dishes.
12. Rose Water and Rose Petals
Pure rose water added to cooling drinks such as Rose Lassi nourish the skin. Organic rose petal jam is an ancient delicacy renowned for its cooling properties. It is a natural alkalizer and blood purifier making it an excellent preventative and remedy for skin maladies such as acne, boils, and whiteheads. It can be added to hot milk with a touch of ghee (clarified butter) for a cooling rejuvenating “Rasayana” or health promoting tonic at breakfast or before bed.
13. Alkalize Your Body and Your Skin
Many nutritionists emphasize the importance of alkaline foods for good health and it is important to consider how the acid/alkaline balance in the body effects the skin. The easiest way to alkalize the body is to adopt a diet rich in raw fruits, vegetables, honey, sprouted grains, alkaline grains such as millet, and cold pressed oils. Acid foods on the contrary include most refined flour baked goods and grains other than millet, sugary foods and drinks, saturated fats, fried foods, cheese, pizza, and heavy non-vegan foods as well as excessive caffeinated drinks and alcohol consumption. Avoiding the harmful influences of a diet which disturbs the acid/alkaline balance in the body can enhance your skin and complexion 1000 fold!
Aging may not be as inevitable as you may think. With a little bit of attention to diet and lifestyle, you may be able to protect the youthful healthy glow of your skin for years to come. Add the benefits of Nature’s Aid Aloe vera skin gel to your daily skin regime and you will have a winning formula for effective all-natural skin care!
