Beauty from the Inside – Volume 4 – (Article 4 of 6)

by Dr Marli Botha

For most people, it is important to eat for health — heart health, metabolic health, reproductive health and more. Fewer people think about eating for beauty, which is strange when you think about it. Your skin is actually your largest and most visible bodily organ. Just as you can eat to feed your muscles, bones and brain, you can (and must) also eat to nourish your skin. 

6 Healthy Food Facts for Skin Health:

1. The skin is also one of the few organs with an easy tell. Plaque can build in your arteries for decades without you necessarily knowing it. But acne, funky bumps, rashes, and odd hues blooming on the outside can reveal a lot about the state of your nutrition and health inside. For example, people with poorly controlled diabetes know the havoc this disease can play on the skin by causing dryness, scales, ulcers and infections.
2. Fish is one of nature’s best sources of zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are anti-inflammatory and necessary for healthy skin. If you’re not a fish eater, you can still get healthy fats your skin will love from avocados, walnuts and sunflower seeds.
3. Niacinamide is one of the two forms of vitamin B3 — the other being nicotinic acid. Vitamin B3 is also known as niacin. Vitamin B3 is generally found as niacinamide in animal-based products, such as meat and poultry, and as nicotinic acid in plant-based foods like nuts, seeds and green vegetables. Niacinamide plays an important role in keeping your skin healthy, it has been used to treat skin conditions like acne and rosacea, a facial skin disorder characterized by redness.
4. Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is a clear, gooey substance that is naturally produced by your body. The largest amounts of it are found in your skin, connective tissue and eyes. Its main function is to retain water to keep your tissues well lubricated and moist. It is necessary for skin cell renewal, increasing its elasticity, boosting collagen production and keeping your skin plump, soft and smooth.
5. Citrus fruits are not just great for your overall health, but also play a huge role when it comes to delivering your body with natural hyaluronic acid. Consume fruits such as grapefruits, oranges, bananas and tomatoes to ensure that your skin looks soft, supple and youthful.

It is important to mention that no food is meant to be a cure-all for any condition, though there are certainly health and skin benefits contained within them. The one thing you should always do before using a new skincare product is to do a patch test to look for allergies and sensitivities.