Inside Out: Raw Food For Beautiful Skin
Beautiful skin starts from the inside out. People who increase raw food in their diets (food in it’s natural state that hasn’t been overheated or processed) often see an improvement in their skin and look younger. The best way to improve the quality of your skin, hair, and nails is to consume fresh, organic raw vegetables and juices. Raw foods will make your skin glow.
Your skin is a reflection of your digestion system. When you are digesting properly and absorbing all the nutrients from your wholesome foods, your skin shows it. Raw foods are high in vitamins and minerals, enzymes, water, omega 3 fatty acids, and fibre — all key components of radiant skin.
Enzymes from food aid digestion, assimilation, and absorption of nutrients. When all of these things are working harmoniously, your skin looks great! High-water foods (vegetables and fruits) help to hydrate the skin and deter wrinkles, making it look supple.
Fibre helps with elimination, and when the body is eliminating toxins efficiently, the condition of your skin improves. When the body isn’t eliminating toxins at a fast enough rate, it will find other ways of elimination (i.e., via the skin through acne).
Ann Yelmokas McDermott, PhD, a nutritionist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston says that essential fatty acids are responsible for healthy cell membranes, which act as barriers to harmful things and also as the passageway for nutrient and waste products in and out of the cell. Because the cell membrane also holds water in, the stronger that barrier is, the better your cells retain moisture. And that means plumper, younger-looking skin.
95 per cent of our body’s activities involve minerals, and it is easy to provide the body with the essential minerals it needs when eating balanced meals. Minerals are a key component to beautiful skin and optimal physiological functioning. Thus, ultimately, the expression of our skin depends on our mineral sources.
Important beauty minerals are as follows:
- Silicon strengthens the hair, nails, and skin.
- Zinc helps rebuild collagen in the body.
- Vitamin C and iron improve circulation, which helps skin tone.
- Magnesium and potassium detoxify and cleanse for clearer skin.
Green plants contain all the minerals we need for beauty and vitality, while also providing the vitamins and amino acids we need to build protein. They help keep our bodies healthy and our skin glowing. Eating green plant foods raw provides the most nutrition, as overcooking and over-processing causes vitamin and mineral loss. Approximately 50% of the protein and 70-90% of the vitamins and minerals are lost when food is cooked.
Green plants that are highest in beauty minerals are cucumber, radicchio, bok choy, dandelion, romaine lettuce, broccoli, celery, arugula, kale, Swiss chard, watercress, mustard greens, and wheatgrass. Even better for a beauty boost are organic greens and vegetables, which are more nutritious and have a higher mineral content than those coming from traditional farming soil.
How to increase your raw food intake?
- Try a smoothie.
- Drink fresh green juice.
- Pop a shot of wheatgrass.
- Enjoy salad with a variety of greens and colourful vegetables.
- Eat fresh cut-up veggies with every meal.
- Add sprouts to your wraps or sandwiches.
- Try raw soups and gazpachos.
If your diet is not on track, it will show up on your skin. Just as other organs suffer due to poor diet, so does your skin, which is the largest organ in your body. Acne, dry skin, eczema, liver spots, and other skin issues are all indicators that your diet is unbalanced.
Beauty foods for women and men:
- Vitamin A – leafy green vegetables, sweet potato, carrot, cantaloupe, squash
- Vitamin C – green vegetables, citrus fruits, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes
- Vitamin E – avocado, pear, spinach, sunflower seeds, sweet potato
- Vitamin B complex – bananas, nuts, prunes
- Biotin – hazelnuts and sesame seeds
- Zinc – broccoli, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds
- Selenium – Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts Other foods high in probiotics (good bacteria), enzymes, and minerals – raw, cultured cabbage
Try ginger, cayenne, and turmeric to increase blood flow and overall circulation, while helping to reduce inflammation and bloating. Good blood flow and circulation with minimal inflammation and bloating equals beautiful skin that shines.
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