Eat Towards Glowing
Flawless Skin
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Ever wondered how ‘that
girl’ got such flawless
skin? Genetics
aside, most experts
believe that eating a
balanced diet is the
best way to keep your
skin in tip-top
condition. Ms Nehal
Kamdar, Senior Dietitian
at Raffles
Internal Medicine Centre,
shares on the nutrients
that you should pay more
attention to and the
foods and beverages you
should start stocking up
on.
Wholemeal bread, muffins
and cereals
All these foods are good
sources of the mineral
selenium. Selenium
is believed to play a
key role in the health
of skin cells.
Some studies also show
that the effects of skin
damage by the sun are
lesser when selenium
level is high.
Low fat dairy products
Vitamin A strengthens
the protective tissue of
the skin and low fat
dairy products are the
best sources of this
vitamin. Besides
low fat milk, low fat
yoghurt may be
particularly helpful as
it contains not only
vitamin A but also
acidophilus (live
bacteria) which aids
digestion. The
benefit will be
reflected in healthy
looking skin.
Strawberries, blue
berries and plums
These fruits are high in
acidophilus (live
bacteria) content.
Free radicals (formed
upon the skin’s exposure
to sunlight) damage the
cell membrane of skin
cells which may result
in premature ageing.
A diet rich in
antioxidants and
phytochemicals ensures
that cell membranes are
protected. The
damage may be greatly
reduced and as a result,
you’ll have younger
looking skin for a
longer period of time.
Salmon, walnut, flaxseed
and canola oil
All these foods which
seem unrelated are good
sources of essential
fatty acids.
Essential fatty acids
are responsible for
healthy cell membranes.
Cell membranes hold the
water in the cells and
regulate the passage of
nutrients, so the
stronger the cell
membranes, the better
the cell can hold the
water and other
nutrients in and that
means a younger looking
skin!
Omega 3 and 6 are known
as essential fatty acids
because our body cannot
make them and we are
dependant on dietary
sources to meet our
requirements. Most
of us meet our needs for
omega 6 essential fatty
acids but some of us may
be low in our intake of
omega 3 fatty acids.
Good sources of omega 3
fatty acids include
fish, walnuts and
flaxseed oil.
Green tea
Polyphenols in green tea
have anti-inflammatory
properties. They
aid in the protection of
cell membrane which is
in turn beneficial to
skin health.
Water
We all have been told to
drink at least eight
glasses of water a day
but how many of us are
able to achieve that?
Water helps to keep the
skin hydrated and help
flush toxins out of our
body, leaving the skin
looking radiant.
It is advisable to drink
plain water. Avoid
or reduce the intake of
tea, coffee and alcohol
as they have dehydrating
effects on the skin.
Carbonated drinks and
sugar-laden beverages
should also be avoided.
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Dated: December 2011
|
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
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