Good Food for Great Looks

COLD WEATHER Can play havoc with your complexion, all that central heating, and we aren't outside as much as we would like to be, so your skin starts to loose that glow,

You tend to slow up on how much water you drink when its cooler another no, no for healthy skin as it flushes out the toxins and keeps skin plump,

The result of the build up of toxins is skin that is dry, sallow looking, lifeless and spotty,

So to help you look your best here are the best foods to help your skin type

DRY SKIN

WATER

The biggest factor in skin health, make sure you have over 2 litres a day, don't like it cold, drink it hot with a slice of lemon or try coconut water,

DARK CHOCOLATE

The cocoa flavanols in chocolate improves blood flow to the skin, which can stop skin feeling so rough, make sure that chocolate is over 65% though with a low sugar content

MACKEREL, SALMON & SARDINES

All very good sources of omega 3 fatty acids which help with skin hydration, we need those omega 3 fatty acids for strong skin membranes, as the skins main job is to act as a barrier. It's your first line of defence against infection, and prevent a loss of heat , fluids and natural oils, so a health membrane to the skin cells is paramount

FOR SPOTS & ACNE

AVOCADO & BRAZIL NUTS

The combination of vitamin E found in avocados with selenium from brazil nuts, can help tackle those break outs

and recent studies have shown a marked improvement in skin quality of acne sufferers when the combination was included their diets over a 6 week period

A TIRED COMPLEXION

CARROTS

Are rich in an antioxidant called carotenoids, which when eaten daily give the skin a glowing complexion, Cooking carrots releases the beta carotene - the cartenoid contained in carrots, making it more absorbable, your body converts this into vitamin A which can prevent skin ageing.

GREEN TEA

Studies have shown women who include 1 litre of green tea Polyphenols daily in their diets every day for 12 weeks had skin that was smoother and more elastic, they concluded that the antioxidants in the tea increased blood flow ad oxygen to the skin which improved the skin tone overall

OLIVE OIL

A study in France of over 3000 middle aged men and women, showed that those who diets included more olive oil showed less signs of photoaging, (premature ageing of the skin caused by repeated exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) primarily from the sun, but also from artificial UV sources). Olive oil is rich in mono-unsaturated fats, they do not oxidise and damage the skin, keeping it looking health and also contain Polyphenols antioxidants which soak up the free radicals that can cause wrinkles