Your
skin is your first and most important vehicle of personal visual impression,
and not even whatever you are wearing, or saying. I have always believed that
what you take into your body is more important than what you put on your skin.
As such it becomes very important that we be a little more discerning and very selective
regarding whatever we apply to our skin in the name of cosmetics. But even more
so, should we attach a higher premium to what we consume even for the sake of
looking good.
Skin health is a very vital aspect of our general health and well being that we tend
to overlook most of the time. But again, even when we tend to pay attention to
our skin, we often times like to over emphasise on the aspect of what we rub on
instead of what we take in. When we understand that beauty in itself is
actually something that stems from a well being that radiates from inside to the
outwards, then we will equally begin to understand the truth about what we take
in being more important than what we put on.
My
worry here is that most people tend to rely so much on the outward while
neglecting the inside, and therefore spending so much time, energy and
resources on creams, lotions and soaps, etc. While it is very good to want to
nourish the skin by the external application of all of these ingredients, it is
even more beneficial that we nourish our skin from the inside. By this I mean
that we ought to be paying more attention to what we eat and drink in regards
to our skin care.
Most
top nutritionists will always let you know, especially our ladies that your
secret to a healthy glowing skin is not in your make-up kit, but in your diet. At
this point I want to emphasise on the various natural health habits we need to
adopt in order to ensure a more wholesome and all round dermatological health
or skin care. Suffice it to say that as usual all that we require is present in
nature and around us:
Take plenty of Water: A
generous drink of water readily ensures a healthy and radiating skin
appearance. But you must make it a habit to do this every day. And very
importantly, first thing every morning even before brushing your teeth, take a good drink of ordinary water – it does a lot of good skin-wise and generally.
Secondly,
you need to take plenty of fruits and vegetables. The following is a list of some of the most
important food sources that benefit the skin comprising fruits, vegetables, and
fish oil:
Blueberries: Blueberries are very
high in antioxidant agents thereby helping you and your skin to slow down the
aging process, leaving the skin ever tender and supple.
Fish (Oil): By consuming plenty
of fish, especially oily fishes, you stand to benefit a lot from the rich
Omega-3 fatty acid, with selenium - an important mineral which protects the
skin from sun exposure. It keeps your skin healthy with softness and natural
moisture.
Green Leafy Vegetables: Vegetables
in this class such as Spinach, Pumpkin leaves (Ugu), Ewedu, Garden egg leaves, etc,
are highly equipped to do your skin good also. They are very rich in
antioxidants, and minerals such as iron.
Tomatoes: These are the best
sources of the highly esteemed anti-aging antioxidant substance called lycopene.
Interestingly, this essential plant nutrient found chiefly in tomatoes is more
easily absorbed by the body when processed and cooked. It brings life and
radiance to your skin.
Walnuts: They are very rich
in nutrients such as Vitamin E, and Omega-3 fatty acids. The benefits of
walnuts are many including smooth skins, good hair, and strong bones.
Sweet Potatoes:
They are loaded with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that retards the
aging process. Thus your skin is kept looking young and healthy.
By Morgan Nwanguma
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