Forget Anti-aging Creams, Eat Your Way to Younger Skin

Ruth Advises Healthy Skin Needs Hormones That Are Consumed Not Applied.

During menopause, I noticed my skin changing, and I wanted to do something about it. I had my blood analyzed and discovered I was low on sex hormones. My estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone needed a boost and I gave it to them through bio-identical hormones. I looked 5 years younger! It was a noticeable difference. 

Even now, I look at a woman’s skin, and I think, low estrogen is causing her skin to wrinkle. Here's the foods you can eat that will increase your estrogen without taking the supplement:

Estrogen Rich Foods

There are also foods that inhibit estrogen function and should be avoided if one is trying to increase estrogen levels. Included here is a list of these foods. If you need to avoid estrogen right now for health reasons, this list will help you, too.

Estrogen Fighting Foods

Fruits, vegetables and whole grains play a vital role in healthy skin because they’re packed with essential minerals and vitamins that strengthen cell membranes, decrease inflammation, and even provide sun protection.

Specific vitamins are important for healthier, younger looking skin too.  Here are your ABCs on vitamins:

How to Eat Your Vitamins for a Firmer Complexion 

Wonder how those vitamins look when it comes to food? Here’s how to incorporate them into your diet easily and deliciously!

Vitamin A: Berries like strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries have high Vitamin A content, as do carrots, sweet potato and red bell peppers.

Vitamin C and more: An eight ounces glass of grapefruit juice has 100% of Vitamin C. Fortified whole grain cereal offer lots of vitamins and minerals per serving. 
Vitamin K, C, D, and E: Spinach, or any other green leaf salad, packs a hefty dose of Vitamin K. Add tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, and almonds and you’ve got Vitamin C, D and E, respectively. Create your own dressing by mixing balsamic vinegar or lemon juice (Vitamin C) with olive oil, which has essential fatty acids that stimulate skin growth. 

More Vitamins and Minerals to Prevent Sagging Skin

Incorporating healthy food into dinner meals is easy, especially if you’re looking to fill up on skin reviving minerals. Instead of regular pasta, choose whole wheat pasta. Mix in seafood and garlic and you’re ready to fill up on selenium. Several studies have shown that this mineral helps guard against sun burn and may even prevent skin cancer. Toss a few pieces of grilled chicken and you’ve got some zinc in your diet. This mineral is especially important for acne sufferers, as it minimizes oil production. Zinc is also present in oysters and lean meats. Adding chard, kale, summer squash or asparagus as a side will provide you with a very good amount of elastin-building copper. These low-calorie options prevent sagging skin.

Although natural foods are important for healthy skin, liquids also play a role in maintaining a radiant complexion.  Avoid or minimize alcohol and coffee. These can leave your skin dehydrated and dull.  The American Academy of Dermatology believes there’s a link between milk and acne. Since 75% to 90% of milk comes from pregnant cows, using milk products may expose one to hormones that play a role in acne.

Drink plenty of water. 

Drinking eight glasses a day will expel toxins from your body and skin. Instead of coffee, try green tea. It contains chemicals that reactivate dying skin cells, and possibly improve the condition of the skin.

When it comes to healthy skin, choose from your shopping list of whole foods like fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.  And avoid packaged goods that contain chemicals to keep them on your grocery shelf for a long time.

I started off this post by disavowing miracle skin applications in favor of face-saving food consumption unless you can combine the two.  I'll cover that later this week.

By Ruth Gantman, HHC, AADP, Holistic Health Coach

You can contact Ruth with your questions here in the comments or at ruth@nurtured-by-nature.com.  

Also visit Ruth's site for more information on nutrition and diet at Nurtured By Nature.