Get Beautiful Skin and Shiny Hair with These Nutrients

Have you ever wondered how some people achieve that flawless skin and shiny hair? Most of you would say that it’s in their genes. While you are probably right but not completely. You must be amazed to know that the best-kept beauty secrets are hidden right inside your grocery!

There is an old saying- ‘You are what you eat’. There is indeed a measure of truth in this adage. The very first requirement for a beautiful skin and hair is a well-balanced diet. And by ‘well-balanced diet’, we mean one which consists of all the essential nutrients in proper proportions as per your age, gender, physical built and lifestyle. Regular intake of such food is reflected by your body in skin and hair conditions.

Now there is no need for you to spend that hard-earned saving on all those beauty products. The best way to maintaining a youthful and beautiful body is to begin on the inside. While you care passionately about your body’s external requirements, consider how your diet can solve your beauty problems. You simply need to devote time regularly to get all the essential nutrients required by your body to stay hydrated, keep your skin glowing and your hair shining.

Here are some of the essential nutrients that are helpful in maintaining the natural beauty of your skin and here:

Collagen

This particular nutrient makes up about 80% of your skin and is the face-plumping protein. The fibers of collagen provide your skin firmness and strength. This nutrient starts to diminish naturally after the age of 30 leading to decreased thickness of the skin by about 7% every 10 years. However, there are supplements of type 1, 2, and 3 collagen that can help in preventing aging. Apart from these benefits, collagen also strengthens nails and hair and thus is crucial for healthy joints and bones.  Certain vitamins such as vitamin C from plant-based food can help stimulate your body to generate collagen. Some of the foods high in collagen include bone broth, wild salmon, chlorella, leafy greens, eggs, berries, tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, avocados, garlic, and citrus.

Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids

These essential fatty acids are healthy fats which are required for a healthy scalp and shiny hair. They offer healing benefits in several inflammatory conditions including eczema. These fatty acids help in keeping skin supple as they provide building blocks for healthy hormones and skin cells. Omega 3 guards your skin against wrinkle formation and is also responsible for moisture content, skin repair, and overall flexibility. However, your body doesn’t produce Omega 3 fatty acids and thus must be obtained through diet and supplements only. The food sources that are high in these fatty acids are salmon, walnuts, flax seeds, sardines, mackerel and chia seeds. Omega 3 can also be supplemented with a fish oil pill.

Ceramides

These occur naturally in the skin’s own oil and are a must for winters. Ceramides reinforce its protective barrier and generally signify some 40% of the intercellular ‘cement’ binding cells together. With age, the levels of ceramides decline in your skin and are lesser during the winter months leading to the inflamed and dry skin. Traditionally ceramides are derived from animal sources; however, 'phytoceramides' are derived from plants such as rice bran and wheat grain.

Wrapping up:

Whatever that you put inside your body shows up on the outside. Just like, the unhealthy soil doesn’t make the plants to bloom properly. Similarly, your skin and hair bloom when your digestive tract is healthy. Thus, eating the right food full of essential nutrients enhance your beauty and also help in minimizing wrinkles, inflammation, acne and other conditions related to skin. Yes, one cannot look 21 forever; however, such diet can definitely help in making your skin and hair look youthful and healthier.