Eula Bliss, the American non-fiction writer and winner of the Carl Sandburg Literary Award, among others, wrote: “And when comfort is what we want, one of the most powerful tonics alternative medicine offers is the word ‘natural.’ This word implies a medicine untroubled by human limitations, contrived wholly by nature or God or perhaps intelligent design.” Religious people, physicians, nutritionists, and many others maintain that God provided the Earth with solutions to support his creation of Mankind. Likely as not, a solution to healthy skin can be found in Nature, grown in the soil, plucked from the trees, and in the oceans and streams. Here are some of the best:
FATTY FISH
Salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich sources of vitamin E, one of the most important antioxidants for your skin, and omega-3 fatty acids, which keep skin thick, supple, moisturized, and healthy. A deficiency of omega-3 can result in dry skin and inflammation, and make you more sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays.
AVOCADOS
High in healthy fats, avocados keep your skin springy, supple, and smooth. Like fatty fish, avocados are an extremely good source of vitamin E and protect your skin from oxidative damage. It is also rich in vitamin C, which can prevent damage from the sun and environment and—a big plus—inhibit aging.
OLIVES
are a skin-healthy superfood. Its plant-based fat is rich in antioxidant vitamin E and monounsaturated fat oleic acid (similar to avocados.) A good source of minerals copper and iron, rich in fiber and many anti-aging phytochemicals, olives are a staple of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is used directly on the skin and also as a hair conditioner.
WALNUTS
In the nut family, walnuts are the richest source of essential fatty acids that are essential to your body but cannot be manufactured by your body. (Be careful, however. A diet that is too high in omega-6 fats can actually cause skin inflammation, such as psoriasis.) Walnuts are also a good source of zinc, which combats bacteria and helps heal wounds.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS
This is an excellent source of nutrients and vitamin E to nourish and support the skin. One ounce of sunflower seeds packs 49% of the daily nutritional value for vitamin E and provides 5.5 grams of protein.
SWEET POTATOES
Delicious at Thanksgiving topped with marshmallows melted under the broiler, sweet potatoes are so much more. Nutrient-rich in beta carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A, a half-cup serving provides mor than six times the daily nutritional value of vitamin A. Beta carotene not only keeps your skin healthy, but acts as a natural sunblock, helping protect your skin from sun exposure, sunburn, and dry and wrinkled skin.
RED or YELLOW BELL PEPPERS
Either color, this vegetable is also an excellent source of beta carotene and one cup of chopped bell peppers contains an amazing 156-percent of your daily vitamin A needs. Peppers also are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is necessary for the body to create the protein collagen, which keeps skin firm and strong.
BROCCOLI
Broccoli is a wonder vegetable for the body and skin. Full of zinc, and vitamins A and C, it also contains lutein, a carotenoid similar to beta carotene, which protects your skin from environmental damage, dryness, and wrinkles. Sulforaphane is packed into broccoli florets. This compound has anti-cancer qualities, is a powerful protective agent against sun damage that can reduce the number of skin cells killed by UV light by almost 30-percent, and neutralizes free radicals in our body.
TOMATOES
Rich in beta carotene, lutein, and lycopene, tomatoes are excellent for maintaining healthy skin and protect it from sun damage and dryness.
SOY
Soy contains a plant compound called isoflavones that works in a similar fashion to estrogen. A study of middle-aged women found that eating soy every day for three months reduced fine wrinkles and improved the skin’s elasticity. It also keeps skin smooth and strong by increasing collagen in postmenopausal women.
DARK CHOCOLATE
Who wouldn’t love a reason to eat chocolate? Well, here it is: chocolate is amazing for your skin. High in antioxidants, a square of chocolate a day will noticeably give you thicker, more hydrated, more supple, and smoother skin, and enable your skin to withstand over twice as much UV radiation as without. Make sure you eat dark chocolate with at least 70- percent cocoa to maximize the benefits and keep sugar to a minimum.
GREEN TEA
Green tea has been a staple of Far Eastern diets since the beginning of recorded time. It contains powerful compounds called catechins, which serve as an antioxidant, moisturizes the skin from within and keeps it smooth and elastic.
RED GRAPES
Red grapes are rich in resveratrol, a compound from the skin of red grapes so when those Ancient Romans had their courtesans peel their grapes, they were missing out. Resveratrol can reduce the effects of aging, fight harmful free radicals, and keep your skin healthy. You would think red wine would happily do the same but alas, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.
