Regaining a Youthful Glow to Your Skin

Our skin is affected by just about everything around our body and just about everything we put into our body. Pollution, sunshine, wind, water, etc…all affect our skin in some way. Maintaining a youthful appearance is not easy, but that is why we are here for you!

What Creates Dull Skin?

For younger individuals, your skin “turns over” about once a month. For older individuals, this same process takes about a month and a half. By turning over, we mean how long it takes new cells to form and force the old cells to the outer layer of your skin. These old cells are in fact dead cells, appearing dull.

To counter this dull appearance, one should exfoliate on a regular basis to rid the outer layer of skin from these dead cells. However, using the wrong products, not eating properly, and failing to moisturize can also contribute to the problem of dull skin. For instance, some of the most popular exfoliating products are granule-based, which will remove the dead cells, but can also damage the underlying layers of your skin.

Improving Your Skin’s Health

In addition to the proper skin care treatments, what you eat and drink affects your overall appearance. Earlier this week we made a post about properly hydrating your skin. You can read that full post by clicking here. Today, we would like to look further into some food items you can eat that will also improve the look of your skin.

Crab, Alaskan salmon, and shrimp are always a treat, but more importantly, they are excellent foods for skin care. These fish all contain astaxanthin. This pink pigment defends against free radicals, which are known to “age” the skin’s appearance.

Butternut squash, spinach, and sweet potatoes are very high in beta-carotene. One of the benefits of beta-carotene is in balancing the pH level of the skin as well as fighting dry skin.

Spinach and kale are very popular ingredients in smoothies, for good reason. Lutein is a common nutrient in these greens that plays an instrumental role in preventing UV damage. It offers additional benefits to your eyes.

Those leafy greens and citrus fruits also contain Vitamin C, which is known to boost the immune system. In addition, Vitamin C helps build collagen, which gives skin that plump look. This helps prevent wrinkling.