Woman with Young Looking Skin

Nice skin is something that both men and women strive to have.  Premature wrinkles, deep lines and a leathery appearance are things that many people struggle to get under control.  Blemishes are yet another problem people have to deal with.  There may be a treatment for making skin look younger via the foods we eat.  Younger looking skin may seem like a pipe dream, but it can be done.

Most people look to drugs for treatment, but they either don’t usually work or they cause all sorts of side-effects while barely doing anything to make skin look younger.  However, foods are something that everyone needs to eat.  Why not change the diet a little bit to help get younger looking skin instead of taking potentially harmful or ineffective drugs?

What are some foods to use in place of drug treatment for younger looking skin?

What may not come as a surprise is that many of the foods used as a treatment for bad skin are the same foods that have been shown to help prevent cancer and give the immune system a boost.  Antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial for our largest organ, the skin.  The other thing we need as part of an effective skin treatment using foods is a sufficient amount of water.  Some of the foods that can be used to help make younger looking skin are:

  • Pacific Salmon - It’s higher in omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants than Atlantic salmon.  Other seafood includes trout, sardines and herring.
  • Blueberries - They’ve been proven to be high in antioxidants and are the perfect addition to a breakfast or a salad full of greens.
  • Green Tea - The flavonoids in green tea are powerful antioxidants that may be one of the best things for skin treatment.  Drink two to four cups each day to maximize the benefits.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil - If oil needs to be used, extra virgin olive oil is one of the best for the skin.  Other fats can make skin, and other things, worse in the body, especially when processed at high heats.
  • Green Vegetables - Green vegetable get their color from chlorophyll, a substance that helps fight bad bacteria in the body, which can in turn, improve the skin.

Are there foods that can inhibit treatment for younger looking skin?

There are.  While nearly every dairy product is pasteurized in U.S.A., it would be best for humans to avoid ingesting them, if possible.  Not only are they frequently full of harmful preservatives that can hinder the attempt to have younger looking skin, but most of the goodness has to be re-added to the products after pasteurization because the process takes them out.  The process also hinders the body’s ability to digest dairy.  When the body has trouble digesting, it can affect all sorts of functions and organs, including the skin.

Fried foods are another food group that should be avoided.  As mentioned above, heating oils beyond a certain temperature is detrimental.  What this process does is create harmful free radicals that are difficult for the body to deal with.  Antioxidants are needed to deal with them, but a person will have to ingest more antioxidants in order to make up for the fried food.  Eating fried foods somewhat defeats the purpose of eating antioxidants to counteract the signs of aging in the skin.

Avoid eating refined sugars.  Recent research has shown that increased sugar ingestion creates all sorts of issues with insulin and other bodily functions.  When the body has to divert restorative power toward repairing damage caused by eating loads of foods that aren’t good for us, one of the first things affected is the skin.

Finally, drink a lot of water.  Water moisturizes the skin from the inside, helping it becomes supple and smooth.  There’s a reason why dry skin is often compared to deserts with cracked sand.  For the best treatment: drink enough water, eat the right foods, and younger, healthy looking and functioning skin is just around the corner.

Last Updated: Friday, June 29, 2012