Feed Your Face

Good idea. I haven't typed up the diet plan yet, just the foods and benefits.



1. SKIN-BUILDING BLOCKS

MAGNESIUM- Vital in collagen production. Find it in Spinach, whole grains, beans and avocados.
COPPER- Stimulator for collagen growth, find it in whole grains, tofu,shellfish and cherries.
GLYCINE AND PROLINE- Amino acids vital formaking collagen. Find in Beef, lamb, chicken, pork, prawns, cottage cheese, cabbage and bamboo shoots.
ZINC- Supports production of elastic tissue and can be obtained from lean red meat (particularly lamb and beef), shellfish, kidney beans, lentils and eggs.

2. LUBRICATING OILS

Fatty acids are essential for keeping your skin soft and supple. They nourish and replenish its protective layer. Without them the skin will dry out. Include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in your diet to prevent dryness. This can be found in tofu, soya beans, olive oil and flaxseed. Also eat plenty of omega-3 which you find in salmon, sardines,anchovies, as wellas walnuts and almonds.

3. INTERNAL SUN PROTECTION

UV rays corrupt healthy cells and damage proteins, like collagen and elastin. But a diet rich in antioxidants, particularly fruit and veg, helps prevent age spots, wrinkling, sagging and UV damage.

TOMATOES- Contain high doses of potent antioxidant lycopene. Researchers discovered volunteers eating 2 tablespoons of tomato paste a day over a 12 week period were 33% more protected against sunburn. Lycopene is most easily absorbed when tomatoes have been cooked and eaten with oil.
ANYTHING ORANGE- Fruit and Veg rich in antioxidant becarotene boost internal UV protection, stock up on orange and yellow peppers, carrots, butternut squash and pumpkin.
EGGS- Especially organic ones, contain high concentrations of antioxidants. Researchers found that the concentration of carotenoids in the skin increased by 20% after just one week of eating 2 hard boiled eggs a day.
GREEN TEA- Full of catechins- a plant chemical that is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and antioxidant. In a study,those who drank it twice a day for 6 months reported less sun damage, redness and broken veins.
CHOCOLATE- Instead of sugary milk chocolate,pick dark chocolate,made with at least 70% cocoa. And limit yourself to a maximum of 100 calories of it a day.
RED WINE- Polyphenol antioxidants, protect skin against redness, swelling and burning, are concentrated in grape skin. A small glass of red wine a day has been shown to reduce sun damage. Cabernet Sauvignon ,Pinot Noir and Merlot are particularly face-friendly.

4. AND LESS OF THESE....

SUGAR- Glucose eats away at skin collagen and elastin, so you need to cut out added sugars.As well as sugar, look for corn syrup, glucose syrup and high-fructose corn syrup on the ingredients label. When what you eat manifests on your skin in the form of wrinkles, rashes or spots, the culprit is almost always your blood sugar.
WHITE CARBS- Avoid refined cars such as white bread, pasta,pretzels, cakes and biscuits, as they have the same effect as sugar. Switch to whole grains, or pair them with protein.
SALT- Too much salt will sabotage your skin. Aside from exacerbating inflammation, it can lead to puffy eyelids, under-eye bags and acne flare ups.
SATURATED FAT- Most commonly found in animals products (beef, port and full-fat dairy), this kind of fat has been shown to age skin. In one study, people who ate lots of butter had more wrinkles than those who ate more olive oil.

Yeh I eat lots of salt (already bad for me I knew), but didnt realise how bad it was for my skin! I have constantly have undereye darkness and bags and acne flare ups! Started to cut right down on the salt after reading that and magically, my spots are dissapearing!