Acne and Skin Disorders Forum - Foods for Healthy Skin

Beautiful skin has always been envied that almost everybody makes their way to maintaining a healthy-looking one, ranging from using a basic cleanser to engaging in facial surgeries. But there are three practical ways to maintaining the skin's splendor: identifying the skin type, treating skin problems the moment they show, and establishing a daily skin regimen. For some, a daily skin regimen means facial wash-toner-cream-routine while others have a more unique practice-- that is, veggies-spices-fruits-itinerary.

There are foods that are not only good to chew but also healthy to apply on the skin because of their natural potency to nourish the bodies inside and out. Long before the emergence of commercial beauty skin products traditional methods of cleansing the skin have been applied in the earlier ages. There were no bottles of facial cleanser and cotton balls yet so it was more customary to gather herbs and other botanicals to maintain the skin's luster. Now, many have adapted this traditional method of rummaging through kitchens and refrigerators to look for veggies, fruits, juices, and spices to pat on the skin for a healthier glow.

There are foods that are potent in keeping the skin's moisture and one of these is almond. These nuts are commonly found in chocolates and salads, but only a few know that they can also remedy dry skin. Almond powder blended with water makes up an oil that, if applied on the skin, can provide moisture and erase old pimple scars. Another food in this category is honey, which is not only good on the skin but also on the entire body. If applied with water, honey can keep the skin's glow and moisture evident. Further, for a better complexion, honey can be applied with yogurt, pounded sesame seeds, and milk. Similar to almonds and honey, is also ideal for maintaining the skin's glow by just rubbing the fresh fruit on the skin. It can also treat acne, whiteheads, and black spots.

Preventing facial skin problems is as good as treating them. So, to decrease the tendencies of developing pimples, blackheads, wrinkles, and skin dryness, the paste of fenugreek leaves or boiled seeds can be applied on the skin with water. Now, if preventive measures fail and skin inflammation and itching stubbornly occur, the kitchen can still be the best place for finding treatments. For example, an apple's fruit juice is an aid to those who are suffering from skin problems such as irritation and itching. Apricot has more or less the same effect, which is evident in lots of commercial skin products today with this ingredient. But apricot's optimum effectiveness is also best maximized when used raw because its juice is efficient in healing sunburn, eczema, and itching.

Having wrinkles is also one of the most common problems today especially among older women but to avoid having such marks, it is advisable to apply green apple juice on the skin. The tropical fruit pineapple, meanwhile, removes wrinkles not only by scrubbing its juice on the skin but also the fruit's core. One will notice that aside from treating wrinkles, pineapple is also helpful in medicating other skin problems.

When dark areas below the eyes are the problem, the perennial solution is always a pair of sliced cucumber. But unknown to many, cucumber juice with carrot juice, alfalfa, or lettuce can also treat skin lesions. Aside from cucumber, the dark spots below the eyes can also be treated with turmeric paste and pineapple juice. Meanwhile, for healing minor skin problems, it is advisable to pair the paste with whole wheat or gram flour.

The adage "You are what you eat" should be taken with much thought since how well the skin looks manifests how healthy one's diet is. As such, eating foods rich with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, antioxidant, zinc, and healthy oil is essential in keeping a younger-looking skin. For one, sunflower seeds have Vitamin E that's a key player in preventing skin sagging and wrinkles. This is because Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that slows down the skin cells' maturation. Also available nowadays, kiwi has a great amount of Vitamin C that maintains the skin's collagen. With Vitamin C intact in the body system, the skin becomes firmer and more radiant. Like kiwi, turkey meat firms the skin with its high amount of zinc that maintains skin's elastin fiber and collagen.

Furthermore, drinking an adequate amount of water a day, about 8 to 10 glasses, keeps the skin cells hydrated. As such, toxins are moved out from the body and the cells are regenerated. However, if water is insufficient in the body, impurities build up and decelerate the skin's youthful glow. Still, it is not sound to take sodas and other beverages in place of water because these are not as healthy and pure. A better replacement would be black or green tea, which also has phytonutrients and anti-acne antioxidants.