Diet for skin that glows from the inside

We often turn to the beauty aisle or home remedies in our quest for glowing skin. What we tend to forget is that you shine from the outside when you are healthy on the inside. The key might be in what’s on your plate, not on your face. So here are some small diet changes that can help you get healthier and glowing skin. [caption id=“attachment_7706811” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption]

1. Make green juices a daily routine

They may not taste delicious, but they can do wonders for your skin. Green juices, like spinach juice, are rich in vitamin K which is your way to get flawless skin. And that’s not all! Green juices are also rich in vitamin C, E and magnesium. These antioxidants can protect your skin from free radical cell damage. In fact, most of the juices contain essential nutrients that help our body get rid of toxins. This improves the health of skin and hair.

2. Omega 3 is your friend

DHA, a type of omega 3 fatty acids, is a structural component of skin. It maintains the health of the cell membranes of the skin. A healthy membrane keeps the skin soft, young and wrinkle-free. EPA, another omega 3 fatty acid, is also beneficial in many ways. It keeps the oil production and hydration of the skin balanced, prevents premature ageing, reduces the risk of acne and also prevents hyperkeratinization of the hair follicles. Hyperkeratinization refers to too much keratin protein, which in turn causes the accumulation of dead skin cells on the scalp.

3. Eliminate dairy from your diet

Not many of us know this, but eliminating dairy from your diet can reduce acne, improve your skin texture and bring a glow to your skin. Among all the dairy products, skim milk is the worst for skin because of its pro-inflammatory properties. Skim milk also has some hormones that can diminish the glow of your skin. The high sugar levels elevate the glycemic index that can cause acne problems.

4. Cut down your caffeine intake

Many of us can’t imagine starting our day without a hot cup of coffee or tea. No doubt the caffeine helps kickstart the day with a burst of energy, but just like alcohol, caffeine also dehydrates the body and can make your skin look dull and aged. Apart from worsening acne, caffeine also heightens our stress response to keep our body active and alert. The stress hormones, like cortisol, increase oil production in sebaceous glands making our skin more prone to breakouts.

5. Avocados and nuts

You can never go wrong with nuts, seeds and avocados when it comes to eating for health. Apart from being good for our heart and mind, these magical foods also help us keep our skin healthy and glowing. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats provide our skin with important fatty acids. These fatty acids are natural moisturisers which make our skin soft, supple and elastic. Above all, they are also a good source of vitamin E which protects us against free radical cell damage.

5. Add selenium-rich food to your diet

Eating selenium-rich foods like shellfish, eggs, wheat germ broccoli and tomatoes can keep your skin healthy and glowing. Selenium is a great antioxidant that can protect us against skin cancer, sun damage and age spots.

6. Drink plenty of water

Water provides natural elasticity to our skin. It fills the wrinkles and the pores of the skin, making it supple. This decreases the risk of skin damage due to dryness. Studies have shown that water makes a huge positive difference to our skin health whereas lack of it makes our skin dull and dry.

7. Load up on fruits and vegetables

Instead of breaking the bank buying beauty products, the wiser way to tackle skin issues is by eating lots of fruits and vegetables to keep our skin healthy and glowing. Yellow fruits and vegetables like mangoes, lemon, oranges and pumpkin encourage collagen growth. They keep our skin wrinkle-free and soft. Furthermore, they also help us protect against free radical cell damage and provide beta carotene. The blue ones like blueberries, blackberries, plums and eggplants are good antioxidants and ward off skin infections. The lycopene in red fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, red bell peppers and watermelons is a great antioxidant that protects our skin from sun damage and other common skin problems. Finally, green fruits and vegetables like cabbage, green bell peppers and kiwi are rich in vitamin C and folate. These nutrients accelerate the process of cell generation. Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health. For more information, please read our article on Glowing Skin.