YOUR SKIN IS WHAT YOU EAT AND DRINK

 

I’m aware that the title of this blog post is unorthodox to say the least.  Although it may not put the prettiest picture in your head, it still got your attention, didn’t it?  Well, now I’ll explain what I mean by this title.

 

Nutrition plays a key role in the health and wellness of your skin.  What you regularly eat and drink not only fuels the body, but it also should provide the vital components to keep your skin looking young, strong and vital.  However, according to the US Department of Agriculture, most Americans don’t consume the adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants they need.

 

Truth be told, poor nutrition not only increases the risk of developing many systemic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease to name a few.  It also contributes to signs of premature skin aging.  Cell metabolism uses oxygen and nutrients to produce energy to run the cell itself.  Metabolism also produces waste products within the cell called “free radicals”, which are unstable atoms.  These “free radicals” can cause a dangerous chain reaction that can lead to the destruction of the cell itself.  Other types of stress on the body and skin such as smoking, UV light, and environmental toxins can also cause similar free radicals, leading to eventual cell damage.

 

Vitamins were discovered in the late 19th and early 20th century.  These and other chemicals were found to be antioxidants, meaning that they prevented the cell damage of free radicals.  In the most basic chemical terms, antioxidants bind up the free radicals and help to prevent the molecular alteration of cell damage.

 

Dr. Kenneth Cooper, of the Cooper Clinic in Texas, wrote a best-selling book, “The Antioxidant Revolution”.  In it, he discussed the role of these important antioxidants and good general nutrition in reversing the damage of aging and disease.  He believes and proved that proper supplementation, a balanced diet, plenty of fluids, and moderate exercise are all needed for good health and beautiful skin.  Additionally, topical antioxidants can protect the skin externally by binding the free radicals on the skin surface and preventing some of the damage caused by exposure to the sun.  As always, blocking the sun from damaging the skin in the first place is the first line of defense.

 

As the title of this article states, you and your skin are the result of what you take in and how you protect it.  As much as I like to help people reverse the damage to their skin by laser technology and injectable treatments, I believe that early prevention is the key to healthier skin in the long run.

 

If you have any questions concerning this article and any other skin issues, please leave a comment on our blog or call our office directly at (207) 873-2158 oremail through our website.

Tags: antioxidants, health, minerals, nutrition, premature, skin, skin aging, vitamins

This entry was posted on Monday, March 22nd, 2010 at 12:46 am and is filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.