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Skin Basics     Skin Types     Caring for your face     Caring for your Body 

Factors Affecting your Skin      Skin Care Tips   Afro Caribbean Skin Care

What we eat has a profound effect on our outward appearance as well as on our physical well-being. An ideal diet should provide adequate quantities of all the nutrients essential to health and beauty. The nutrients which are of particular importance for beauty and their main sources are briefly examined here.    NB. The quantities detailed below are as recommended by the Foods Standards Agency.     Vitamins Vitamin A / Beta Carotene Vitamin B Complex Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin E     Minerals Calcium and Phosphorus Chromium Copper Iodine Iron Magnesium Manganese Potassium Selenium Sulfur Zinc     Protein, Fats and Oils & Water Protein Fats and Oils Water Description How much do you need? (quantities  as recommended by the Foods Standards Agency.) Sources Vitamin A  Promotes growth and repair of body tissues, bone formation, healthy skin and hair. Essential for night vision, immune system integrity.   Beta Carotene (Converted to Vitamin A in the body)   Serves as an antioxidant, may help protect against certain cancers, cataracts, heart disease. Your daily diet should provide sufficient amounts as follows: 0.7 mg a day for men 0.6 mg a day for women     Your daily diet should provide sufficient amounts.                   -     Cod liver oil   -     Dairy products   -     Eggs   -     Carrots   -     Green leafy         vegetables   -     Tomatoes   -     Papaya   -     Melon       -     Yellow and green       vegetables       e.g.   spinach,       carrots and       red peppers   -   and yellow fruit       such as mango,       melon and       apricots     - Back to menu - Vitamin B Complex B vitamins are vital for clear, luminous skin, youthful looks and for delaying greying of hair. They are essential for healthy skin, hair, and eyes. Studies show that 40 percent of dermatitis sufferers lack B vitamins. B vitamins also counteract stress, which has adverse effects on one's appearance. A deficiency of B complex vitamins can lead to: Greasy hair, dandruff, dry skin, scaly lips, redness and irritation, premature wrinkles, poor hair growth and grey hair. Your daily diet should provide sufficient amounts as follows: B6: 1.4 mg a day for men       1.2 mg a day for women B12: You should be able to get all the vitamin B12 you need by eating a varied  and balanced  diet. However, because vitamin B12 isn’t found in vegetable foods (such as fruit, vegetables and grains), vegans might not get enough of this vitamin and become deficient.   -     Whole grain cereals, wheat   -     Pulses   -     Nuts   -     Green leafy vegetables   -     Molasses   -     Meat   -     Liver   -     Meat   -     Fish   -     Dairy Products       - Back to menu - Vitamin C Vitamin C, in conjunction with protein, is necessary for the production of collagen-the glue that holds us and our skin together and circumvents sags or wrinkles. It regulates sebaceous glands to keep skin from drying out; helps prevent facial lines, wrinkles and spider veins; hair tangling or breaking. Vitamin C is essential for the health of the hair, eyes and teeth, resistance to infection, healing of wounds and firm skin tissues.  Combined with bioflavinoids, vitamin C: - Helps to prevent the pigment clumping that the sun turns into age spots - Strengthens capillaries to avoid easy bruising or the tiny haemorrhages that become spider veins - Helps the oil-secreting glands function property to keep the skin from drying out. - Prevents bleeding of the gums. You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need from your daily diet. Adults need 40 mg a day.   -     Green vegetables, broccoli, cabbage,         green peppers, raw leafy greens,             tomatoes   -     Fresh fruits, like lemon, orange and         grapefruit,         cantaloupe, kiwi, strawberries   -     Potatoes   -     Black currants, blackberries, buckwheat,         cherries, and grape are rich sources of         flavonoids                                                          - Back to menu - Vitamin D Vitamin D is essential for healthy teeth, bones and nails as well as for the assimilation of calcium and phosphorus. It promotes healthy eyes, skin and teeth. Deficiency of Vitamin D can lead to dental decay.   Most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from their diet and by getting a little sun. However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you should take 10 micrograms (0.01 mg) of vitamin D each day. And you may be particularly short of vitamin D if in addition you:   -  are of Asian origin   - always cover up all your skin when you’r outside   - rarely get outdoors   - or older people, you should consider taking 10     micrograms (0.01 mg) of vitamin D each day if     you:        -  rarely get outdoors or are housebound        - always cover up all your skin when you’re          outside        - don’t eat meat or oily fish     - Ask your GP for more information   -     Rays of the sun   -     Milk   -     Beef liver    -     Salmon   -     Tuna   -     Butter   -     Sprouted seeds   -     Synthetic Vitamin D is manufactured from         fish liver oils                   - Back to menu - Vitamin E Vitamin E helps form muscles and tissues to prevent wrinkles and premature aging of the skin. It helps prevent dry, dull skin, age spots, falling hair and dandruff. It improves circulation and healing of scars. Research has shown that large doses of vitamin E double healthy cell reproduction to slow the aging process and forestall premature wrinkling. Caution: If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or an overactive thyroid, check with your physician before taking supplemental E.   You should be able to get all the vitamin E you need from your daily diet. This is: 4 mg a day for men 3 mg a day for women     -     Whole wheat bread   -     Whole grains   -     Wheat germ   -     Milk   -     Raw or spouted seeds   -     Asparagus   -     Broccoli   -     Brussels sprouts   -     Butter   -     Egg yolks   -     Leafy greens   -     Liver   -     Olives   -     Soybeans   -     Sunflower seeds   -     Nuts   -     Vegetable oils   - Back to menu - Protein Skin is predominantly protein. Protein molecules are not absorbed through the epidermis into underlying tissues. So, you need to supply proteins through the foods you eat daily. A deficiency of proteins is indicated by the skin becoming slack and loose. Thus, adequate protein is necessary for healthy hair, skin, teeth and nails and for firm skin tissues.   15% of the calories we eat each day should come from protein. If you're eating a balanced diet you're probably getting enough protein. Men need about 44 to 55g a day and women need about 36 to 45g protein each day. (help prevent and smooth out wrinkles)   -     Avocados   -     Brewer's yeast   -     Dried legumes   -     Nuts   -     Sesame   -     Sunflower seeds   -     Whole grain cereals    (help your body equalize the balance between new and dying cells)   -     Fish   -     Meats   -     Poultry   -     Eggs   -     Dairy products   -     Vegetable proteins   -     Pulses   -     Wheat germ   -  Back to menu - Fats and Oils The unsaturated fats in vegetable oils assist assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E; contribute to your own natural oils to give your skin a sheen, plump out fine lines, and create the fresh-faced look of youth.   Eat foods containing fat sparingly.  Choose foods that are rich in unsaturated fats.   -     Oily fish   -     Avocados   -     sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil       - Back to menu - Water Water should be taken in large quantities, from six to eight glasses a day. It gives the skin the necessary moisture and a dewy look. Water clears the system of all toxins and keeps the blood free from impurities. Water also protects the skin against pimples. In case of insufficient intake of water, the body will draw on all its water reservoirs, including those of the skin, resulting in dehydration of the skin.   In moderate climates, such as the UK, we should drink at least 6 to 8 cups/glasses of water (or other fluid) to prevent dehydration. In hotter climates your body will need more fluids         - Back to menu - Calcium and Phosphorus Calcium and Phosphorus work together for healthy teeth, hair, nails and bones. Calcium helps clear blemished skin and revitalizes lifeless, tired-looking skin. A deficiency of calcium in the diet can lead to tooth decay and recession of gums.   Calcium: You should be able to get all the calcium you need from your daily diet. Adults need 700 mg a day.   Phosphorus: You should be able to get all the phosphorus you need from your daily diet. Adults need 550 mg a day. Calcium:   -     Milk products   -     Whole wheat   -     Leafy vegetables   -     Salmon   -     Sardines   -     Shellfish   -     Soybeans   -     Sunflower seeds   -     Walnuts   -     Orange   -     Lemon Phosphorus:   -     Dairy products   -     Egg yolks   -     Fish   -     Poultry   -     Meats   -     Grains   -     Cereals   -     Nuts   -     Fruit juices   -     Milk   - Back to menu - Chromium Chromium improves circulation for healthy skin and hair.   You should be able to get all the chromium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Adults need at least 0.025 mg of chromium a day.     -     Brewer's yeast   -     Cheese   -     Corn oil   -     Liver   -     Clams   -     Meat   -     Whole grains   - Back to menu - Copper Copper is important for the production of skin pigment and for the prevention of blotches under the skin from ruptured blood vessels. It also cooperates with other nutrients to pre serve the integrity of the elastic-like fibers supporting the skin.   You should be able to get all the copper you need from your daily diet. Adults need 1.2 mg a day.   -     Beef and pork liver   -     Chicken   -     Leafy greens   -     Mushrooms   -     Nuts   -     Raisins   -     Shellfish (oysters)   -     Whole grains                                 - Back to menu - Iodine Iodine promotes healthy hair, nails, skin, and teeth.   You should be able to get all the iodine you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Adults need 0.14 mg a day.   -     Iodized salt   -     Kelp   -     Onions   -     Seafood   -     Vegetable oils - Back to menu - Iron Iron is essential for healthy nails, skin colour, and hair growth.   You should be able to get all the iron you need from your daily diet. This is: 8.7 mg a day for men 14.8 mg a day for women It’s a good idea to eat food containing lots of vitamin C at the same time as you eat food containing iron from non-meat sources, because this helps the body absorb the iron.   -     Egg yolks   -     Blackstrap molasses   -     Dark leafy greens   -     Dried fruits and legumes   -     Lean meat   -     Liver   -     Whole wheat - Back to menu - Magnesium Magnesium is required to help prevent skin disorders. It also helps make sure the parathyroid glands work normally. The parathyroid glands produce hormones important for bone health You should be able to get all the magnesium you need from your daily diet. This is: 300 mg a day for men 270 mg a day for women   -     Almonds   -     Apples   -     Apricots   -     Bananas   -     Bran   -     Corn   -     Dairy products   -     Figs   -     Grapefruit and lemons   -     Meats   -     Raw leafy greens   -     Soy beans                                    - Back to menu - Manganese Manganese helps to maintain healthy hair.       -    Bananas   -     Beets   -     Bran   -     Coffee   -     Egg yolks   -     Leafy greens   -     Legumes   -     Nuts   -     Pineapple   -     Tea   -     Whole grain   - Back to menu - Potassium Helps maintain healthy skin and prevent puffiness. It also controls the balance of fluids in the body and may also help lower blood pressure. You should be able to get all the potassium you need from your daily diet. Adults need 3500 mg a day.   -     Bananas   -     Citrus and dried fruits   -     Coffee   -     Fresh vegetables   -     Kiwi fruit   -     Lean meats   -     Legumes   -     Peanuts   -     Potatoes   -     Tea   - Back to menu - Selenium Selenium plays an important role in our immune system's function, in thyroid hormone metabolism and in reproduction. It also helps protect cells by acting as an antioxidant, maintains skin elasticity and helps prevent and correct dandruff.   You should be able to get all the selenium you need from your daily diet. This is: 0.075 mg a day for men 0.06 mg a day for women   -     Asparagus   -     Bran   -     Broccoli   -     Chicken   -     Egg yolks   -     Milk   -     Onions   -     Red meat   -     Seafood   -     Tomatoes   -     Whole grains   - Back to menu -   Sulfur Helps maintain healthy hair, nails, and skin. It also prevents dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis.   You can get all the sulphur you need from your daily diet   -     Bran   -     Brussels sprouts   -     Cabbage   -     Cheese   -     Clams   -     Eggs   -     Fish   -     Mushrooms   -     Nuts   -     Peas and beans   -     Wheat germ                                     - Back to menu - Zinc Zinc aids in the formation of collagen. It helps prevent wrinkles, dry skin and stretch marks, and promotes blemish healing. Zinc prevents hair loss, and brittle or spotted nails. Without enough zinc a deficiency of Vitamin A can occur even though the intake of that vitamin appears adequate.   You should be able to get all the zinc you need from your daily diet. This is approximately: 5.5 to 9.5 mg a day for men 4 to 7 mg a day for women   -     Brewer's yeast   -     Eggs   -     Lean red meat   -     Legumes   -     Mushrooms   -     Non-fat dry milk   -     Pumpkin and sunflower seeds   -     Shellfish (oysters)   -     Spinach   -     Whole grains    - Back to menu -

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