A varied and balanced diet is essential for healthy skin. Hence the saying "you are what you eat"! Diet has a major influence on inflammation. Redness, pimples, itching, dryness or dullness. The skin may not be smooth either.
Therefore, ingesting optimal amounts of essential nutrients and antioxidants helps prevent premature ageing and diseases.
Unhealthy skin is caused (mostly) by three types of food: fat, milk and sugar.
Fatty food:
It requires a lot of intestinal work because it is rich in fat. In our body, all organs are filters. The filter of the food is the intestine. It filters out waste and toxins.
Too much fat will lead to an accumulation of toxins and waste. When this happens, the intestine cannot filter out everything, so the skin will be the second filter of the diet. The quality of the skin will then reflect a saturated and tired intestine. A grey, dull or yellow complexion indicates an excess of fat in the intestine.
Milk:
This is the second problem for the skin. Many people think that stopping milk altogether would be good for the skin. However, you should know that only products with whole milk are pro-inflammatory. It will cause inflammation not only in the skin but also in the joints. Regular consumption of milk increases the risk of arthritis. The inflammation is mechanically responsible for the increase in pain.
Fermented dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt have much less impact on the quality of the skin because fermentation reduces the sugar present in these products.
Skimmed milk contains a specific protein, whey, which is absent in whole milk. This protein increases the level of insulin and, consequently, increases the secretion of sebum by the sebaceous glands.
Sugars:
They are the third problem that the skin experiences. Industrial sugars such as sweets, milk and white chocolate are the ones that cause the most trouble for the skin.
When there is an increase of sugar in the blood, the pancreas immediately makes insulin to transfer it to the cells. Once the proteins in the cells are affected by the sugar, an important phenomenon occurs, that of glycation.
The worst glycation that exists results from the combination of protein and sugar. Glycation has the effect of stiffening the inside of cells, especially the dermis. Thus, they decrease collagen and elastin by poisoning the dermis with particles that it cannot eliminate.
The increase in insulin is the consequence of the sugar that has penetrated the cells. These cells secrete the hormone IGF (insulin growth factor), which stimulates the sebaceous glands and produces sebum, and therefore pimples.
The best foods for smooth, clear skin are those that are rich in vitamins:
Vitamin A: It is found in coloured fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes and carrots. It is also found in eggs, offal and butter. It helps the production of melanin and is responsible for a good hydration of the skin. When the body receives vitamin A, it transforms it into beta-carotene, which protects the cells from UV rays.
Vitamin E: It is found in avocados, dried fruit, seeds, almonds, hazelnuts and vegetable oils. It protects against UV rays and is anti-inflammatory and accelerates healing. It will also stimulate collagen production and increase skin elasticity by maintaining skin moisture (especially when in cream form). It contains antioxidants.
Vitamin C: It can be found in citrus fruits, which all contain it. It helps to produce collagen, it is antioxidant, anti-ageing and it also plays an important role in pigmentary disorders. It helps to harmonise the complexion, reduce hyperpigmentation and even out the colour of the skin.
Omega 3s: they are very present in oily fish (mackerel, sardines, salmon), in vegetable oils and in oilseeds. Always prefer first-pressed (extra-virgin) oils - you must eliminate all oil residue and keep only the substance of the oil. These Omega 3's are draining, they favour the elimination of water. Their cardiovascular action reduces hypertension and allows the kidneys to filter better (reducing the risk of kidney cancer).
Omega 6: All meat fats contain them. They have an effect on elasticity but also on the immune system. However, beware of eating too much meat. Too much Omega 6 leads to inflammation.
Lifestyle is also important. Indeed, a good diet will help you to have beautiful skin, but you have to be careful with other enemies of beautiful skin, such as pollution, alcohol, smoking or sun exposure. A healthy lifestyle is therefore recommended. Diet will have a much more conclusive effect if you avoid industrial foods and eat the right foods in the right proportions.
Beauty products are also important.
Choose natural, non-industrial products like our revitalising eye cream.
It is, by the way, still available on Amazon Italy and France.
Zoé
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