If we were asked what would be the best skin care treatment we could give our skin, most of us would probably start thinking about cleansers, toners and moisturisers and skin care regimes, or perhaps replenishing treatments and anti-aging creams. Some may even suggest a chemical peel or micro dermabrasion or even something as drastic as cosmetic surgery. The point being made here is that the majority of people think of skin care as something you do to the surface of your skin.
What we need to realise is that by far the best thing we can do for our skin is give it some care from the inside. This way you will give yourself the best possible chance of having a complexion that is youthful, radiant and blemish free. We can spend as much as we like on various expensive products and elaborate treatments, and we may get some results, but if we got it right in the first place, we wouldn’t need them.
So what can we do on the inside to give our skin a fighting chance of looking beautiful on the outside?
The importance of antioxidants and vitamins
Antioxidants can go a long way to preventing damage to the skin as they help the body to rid itself of free radicals. Every single day you are exposed to internal and external influences that will generate free radicals in the body. Antioxidants are free radical scavengers that basically work by sweeping up these harmful chemicals and neutralizing them.
If you don’t get enough antioxidants in your diet your skin will suffer. You need to keep these free radicals at bay as they are key influence in premature ageing. Vitamins A, C and E as well as being nutrients, act as antioxidants and will help your skin to repair itself and allow you to keep your youthful looks for longer.
Foods rich in antioxidants as well as vitamins and other nutrients include blueberries, apples, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, plums, cranberries, potatoes, beans, nuts and pulses, pumpkins, tomatoes, artichokes and leafy green vegetables. Make sure you include plenty of these in your diet.
Why you need to drink plenty of water
Most of us are aware that we should be drinking more water on a daily basis than we are but not many of us actually do it. Drinking water does so much more than quench thirst; it cleanses the body by flushing out toxins and it keeps the body hydrated and in turn this has a positive effect on the skin and helps to keep it healthy and blemish free.
How exercise can help
Again we are all aware that we should exercise for at least twenty to thirty minutes three times a week but many people don’t. Exercise gets your heart pumping blood around your body bringing nutrients right to the surface of your skin. It also makes you sweat which will help you to flush all those toxins out of your skin too.
Getting your beauty sleep
They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing. We all know what happens after one too many late nights, our eyes become puffy and our skin looks dull, fine lines become more visible and we don’t look nearly as good as we should. Lack of sleep on a regular basis takes its toll on our looks eventually and contributes to premature ageing. We need a regular sleeping routine for our body and skin to heal and repair so it’s worth making the effort to get the old average of eight hours sleep a night.
What about Omega 3
These days, even those who have a healthy balanced diet can be deficient in Omega 3 essential fatty acids. This is because over the past few decades we have seriously reduced our consumption of fish, particularly oily fish, and it is from oily fish that we obtain essential fatty acids such as Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, which just so happens to be extremely important for healthy skin, nails and hair.
Not only will EPA give your skin some much needed nourishment, it will also boost your immune system as well as your mood and help you achieve a new sense of overall well being, which of course will allow you to delay the ageing process and retain your youthful looks and your spirit for longer.
One of the first signs that you are not getting Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet is in fact poor skin and studies have shown that supplementing with Omega 3 fish oil can help improve skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. It also offers numerous other benefits such as a reduced risk of heart disease, arthritis and even depression.
Supplementing with good quality fish oil that is high in EPA is the kind of skin care treatment we should all be using, and if you do it may prove to be the best thing you’ve ever done, not just for your skin but for your physical and mental health too.
