healthy skin

How you age is not just a matter of your genes. Your skin is pretty much a reflection of your lifestyle, which, in turn, is all about how you eat, drink and live. If you are moaning and groaning over why your skin is suddenly looking dull, lifeless, tired or just old, check if you haven’t committed one or more of the seven deadly skin sins.

DEHYDRATION

Are you getting enough water? Dehydration could be the reason why you look older than you are, and wrinkled. Lack of this wonderfully replenishing lifesaver dries out your skin -your body’s largest organ -and dry skin is more susceptible to wrinkling than hydrated skin. You need about 8-12 glasses or about 2-3 litres of water a day. It will help you slow down, or even reverse, the aging process.

FOODS HIGH IN SUGAR AND FAT

You see the effects of oxidation all around you the rotting of fruit is the best example. When oxygen in the air comes in contact with the fruit, it slowly turns brown and eventually rots. Oxidation, while occurring naturally outside the body, is harmful if it occurs inside your body. Inside, the process of oxidation releases `free radicals’ that slowly damage organs, including the skin, aging it. Certain things we eat and drink, like fried or sugary foods, are oxidants. Antioxidant foods (green teas, fresh fruits and vegetables) reverse the oxidation process.

CAFFEINE

Caffeine, found in teas, coffees, cola drinks etc., cause oxidative stress and are also dehydrating. They leave you more thirsty than when you started.

ALCOHOL

Like caffeine, alcohol is the ultimate aging double whammy it is high in sugar, which causes oxidative stress, and dehydration. Alcohol strips your skin of nourishment.

SMOKING

Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant, and is also known as a free radical scavenger. Smoking depletes your body’s quota of Vitamin C, and adds even more free radicals, fast-tracking the aging process. Add leafy greens and citrus fruits in your diet. Quit smoking.

NO VEGETABLE JUICE

Vegetable juices are fantastic antioxidants that brim with nourishing and healing properties. In a mixer, not a juicer, blend the juice of three raw vegetables. Add about half the pulp back to the glass, some water and season to taste. Drink up daily to look younger.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Sleep is when your skin repairs itself.

If you are not clocking enough sleep hours, you may be aging ahead of your time. There’s a reason it’s call `beauty sleep’.

Now, the good news. All of the above are self-in ducked, lifestyle choices, old habits that can be broken. It doesn’t matter how old you are, the power to look young, fresh and healthy is more in your K hands than you think

Genetics and lifestyle habits play a significant role in skin health, but even if you have not been blessed with good genes, certain foods can help you fight problems like acne and wrinkles. Adequate hydration and an antioxidant-rich diet go a long way to ensure healthy skin. Among the other eliminatory organs in the body, skin plays a vital role because of its sweat pores. When the waste byproducts and toxins in our bodies are not excreted totally through the kidney mostly due to lack of hydration, the skin bears the brunt of it. Adequate water and other hydrating liquids is one of the key secrets to healthy skin. Coconut water, buttermilk, fruit and vegetable juices, milkshakes, smoothies and soups all count as hydrating fluids. Tea, coffee, aerated beverages and alcohol do not. Well-hydrated skin is inherently protected from wrinkles, pigmentation, flaking, peeling and dryness.

FOODS FOR BETTER SKIN

To ensure your daily dose of epidermal enhancing vitamins, have a tall glass of freshly-prepared vegetable juice. Include carrots (rich in vitamin A), tomatoes (rich in lycopene and vitamin C), avocados (contains essential fatty acids (EFA) and vitamin E), parsley or spinach (chlorophyll, vitamin B12, folic acid) and or any other vegetable available to you in your refrigerator on any given day they all come with great nutritional benefits. This glassful of nature’s bounty ensures your daily needs of vitamins and antioxidants from the plate, which is better than any pill or supplements. Did you know that Omega-3 fatty acid is the best anti-aging food known to man? To procure this in its most natural form, consume fatty fish like salmon, mackerel or tuna. Other foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acid are almonds, soya, olive oil and rice bran oil. Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are excellent sources too. They are also rich in phytoestrogens, which have a synergistic effect along with Omega-3, to give you youthful skin.

Green tea is another skin-friendly food; it is rich in flavonoids, which help protect the skin against acne, pigmentation or wrinkles.

Probiotic curds is very important for healthy skin, as it improves your immune system and kills bacteria that cause acne and other skin problems like psorasis.

Collagen is an essential component of the skin, which increases and enhances its elasticity. As the collagen levels reduce (occurs due to exposure to the suns UV rays), skin loses its elasticity and shows signs of aging. Natural vitamins and minerals are collagen’s best friend. Egg whites are a strong source of zinc, an essential vitamin that keeps skin firm and youthful. Pomegranates are loaded with nutrients, including polyphenols, a very potent antioxidant that boosts collagen.

Your skin is a barometer of how well or how poorly you are feeding your body.

THINGS TO AVOID

Sugar: Excess sugar intake throws the insulin levels off balance, which can lead to inflammation both inside the body and on your face. Cut back on sugar-laden desserts, breakfast cereals, snack bars, sodas and other goodies. You’ll see a marked improvement in your long-term skin health.

Deep-fried foods: Fried foods have compounds called `advanced glycation end products’ very aptly termed AGES that are linked to oxidative damage, and result in inflammation that can make your skin look ruddy, dull and wrinkled.

Excess salt: Most fried foods create a double whammy of trouble, as they are also high in sodium, which causes water retention. It’s most noticeable in the under-eye areas, as the skin there is very thin, and it doesn’t take much to cause a swelling.

The last key ingredients to the perfect skin are exercise and adequate sleep. Get your heart rate up and break into a sweat for that healthy glow, and don’t forget to sleep on time.

7 deadly skin sins

HAVE A SKIN-TASTIC FUTURE