You are what you eat

Beautiful, glowing skin cannot be attained without a healthy lifestyle which includes healthy nutrition and regular exercise. Why is nutrition so important for skincare? Well, new skin cells replace the dead cells on the surface of the skin, and a diet rich with vitamins and minerals promote the growth of new skin cells (Brown, B.).

The reason why actual food is a better source for vitamins than pills is because pills contain single, isolated nutrients (Brown, B.). Let's take a look at what vitamins do our bodies crave for?

Vitamin A

An antidioxidant which promotes the growth and renewal of new skin cells and prevents aging (Brown, B.).

Can be found in carrots, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, egg yolk and melon.


Vitamin B complex

B complex is a group of water-soluble, interdependent vitamins which increase the number of fatty acids in the skin; therefore, promotes exfoliation and firmness  (Brown, B.).

Can be found in liver, fish, poultry, yeast, brown rice, beans, pees, eggs.


Vitamin C

As an antioxidant, it reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation that is needed for even skintone and is a building block of collagen  (Brown, B.), hence promotes firmness. The body is not able to produce or store Vitamin C, so it's essential to take in food that is high in Vitamin C.

Can be found in most fruits and vegetables especially berries, kiwi, orange, mango, pepper, tomato, broccoli.


Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps our bodies to absorb calcium which is essential for our bones to grow. As for the skin, it helps with the development of skin cells (Brown, B.).

Our bodies naturally produce Vitamin D after exposure to the sun, however, over-exposure to the sun can lead to serious skin damage, hyperpigmentation and premature aging.

Can be found in dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese. 

Vitamin E

 Vitamin E is one of the most powerful antidioxidants and is also known as THE beauty vitamin. It helps build and maintain healthy skin tissue  (Brown, B.) and protects our skin against the environmental threats, as well as contains a natural SPF of 3 (Brown, B.). It is also beneficial in healing processes, while our bodies don't produce it on their own.

Can be found in avocado, nuts, seeds, leafy greens and vegetable oils.


Water

Our bodies are made up of  about 80% of water and it can't be emphasized enough how incredibly important water is to our bodies. If our skin is not hydrated, our skin will become super dry. 

Water also flushes out all the unwanted toxins from our bodies. 

It is recommended by health experts that we should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every single day to maintain our health. 

Plenty of fruits such as watermelon, strawberry, lime, apricot, apple, and vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, celery, carrot has a high level of water content (source: smartlivingnetwork.com).

Sources:
Makeup Manual by Bobbi Brown $32   Amazing book on which I relied for this post.
General medical information from MedlinePlus
SmartLivingNetwork