Gorging For Gorgeous Skin

I'm pro eating and I'm pro looking good but I have always been confused whether these two things are related or not and it is pretty difficult taking a stand because even the expert views are divided. Normally we are advised against greasy food, chocolates and blah blah blah. We decide to swear off fries and sinful bars only to read next that these are food myths and food does not make zits pop out.

The truth is actually somewhere between the middle. I'm of the opinion that what you put in your body is as important as what you put on it. This will not tell you what not to eat but rather what to eat for beautiful skin. So ladies make notes on how to feed your skin.

1. Love Fiber

During my early teens I had a horrible bout of acne and skin problems. Though I consulted various dermatologists over time my grandmother always advised me to treat my stomach rather than my skin. It sounded silly to me but years later I understood the wisdom in her advice. Zits are basically a result of our body expelling toxins out of our skin. The more toxins we have the more skin problems we have. Various Ayurveda and homeopathic medicines treat skin problem keeping this simple fact in mind. And actually that's one of the reasons we are supposed to drink plenty of water, to flush out toxins. Fiber plays an important role in the digestion process and helps in bowel movement thereby making your stomach happy and ultimately your skin happy. Have a bowl of oats or cornflakes in the morning, stay away from refined food and try and eat veggies and fruits with their peels.

2. Skip The Bad White Stuff And Love The Good White Stuff

Its the same age old story of the good guy vs the bad guy. Incidentally both of them are white. If you are on a diet I'm sure you avoid carbs like plague but do you know that indirectly this is helping your skin? Food rich in carbs like White Bread, Sugar, Potatoes cause insulin levels in our body to rise which researchers say cause reactions in our body resulting in breakouts. Instead opt for moderate amounts of complex carbs like whole grain breads and biscuits(currently I swear by Britannia Nutri Choice 5 Grain Biscuits). These are digested slowly which does not result in an insulin spike causing skin inflammation.

Now for the good white stuff. Food rich in calcium and minerals like yogurt and cottage cheese. Yogurt is rich in calcium and vitamins while Cottage Cheese is a great source of selenium and magnesium.

3. Flirt With Fat

Most women consider fat/oil as the number one enemy in the fight to achieve the perfect body and end up depriving themselves of the minimum daily fat requirement. In the end your skin might end up paying the price for those flat abs. If you are getting less than 20 gm of fat per day your skin will not have enough to lubricate itself resulting in dry and flaky skin. You don't have to over indulge here but incorporate olive oil as an alternative. Or use ghee. According to Ayurveda ghee (clarified butter) has various medicinal properties and rejuvenates the skin from inside.

4. Savor Omega

Seafood is supposedly very good for our skin and research backs it up. Seafood is a rich source of essential fatty acids like Omega 3 and Omega 6. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, flax seeds also contain omega acids which are great for skin. Reason?Well these help reduce inflammation in the body which trigger adverse reactions in our body leading to clogging of pores and acne. They also help to moisturize skin from within. Have a handful of almonds every day or eat Salmon, Tuna which all contain these fatty acids.

5. Covet Antioxidants

The term antioxidants is used a lot these days but most of us don't have an idea of it full implications in our daily life. These help us neutralize free radicals in our body. Free radicals are atoms with an unpaired electron giving them a negative charge and are generated by the various chemical reactions taking place in our body. These free radicals are highly reactive in nature and destroy cells when encountered. Over time when cells are continuously destroyed, it results in aging of the body. Antioxidants like Vitamin C, E on the other hand remove these unpaired electrons thereby neutralizing the free radicals and making them harmless.

So actually antioxidants play an active role in anti-aging. All types of berries like grapes, strawberries etc, food rich in Vitamin C: oranges, lemon all contain antioxidants. Another unconventional source is the Green Tea. Apart from antioxidants it also contains polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory properties.

We all know eating right will make our body healthy and good skin is a sign of a healthy body.