Future Proofing Your Body
Future proofing your body includes protecting your skin from the inside and out. After all, our skin is the largest organ in our body.
Foods can play a role in skin health, and so, eating a diet rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins (A, B, C, D, E,) and minerals (zinc and selenium) is important for optimal skin health - a balanced and varied nutritional diet provides all these nutrients.
Fruit and vegetables are rich in antioxidants which may help protect our skin from pollutants. These can be eaten fresh, frozen, tinned, or dried. Colour denotes variety so include a mixture of fruits and vegetables to get the full benefits i.e. apples, bananas, berries, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, melon, oranges, peas, pears, peppers, spinach and sweetcorn.
Hydration: Healthy skin needs good hydration. Six to eight glasses a day is the recommendation but more is needed in warm weather or if you are active. In fact, daily activity will also improve blood flow to the skins surface and will give your skin a rosy glow. It should include activity that gets the heart racing, such as dancing, running or fast walking. Eat and drink for hydration; water, low-fat milk, sugar-free drinks, tea, coffee, fruit juice and smoothies all count. Water rich foods will help keep your skin hydrated and have added antioxidant benefits! These include cucumber, tomato, spinach, broccoli, watermelon, apples, citrus fruits and berries. Check out this month’s recipe, full of juicy fruit and vegetables - Tomato, Strawberry, Watermelon & Feta Salad.
Smoking, sleep, stress and sun damage are also major factors on the health of your skin.
Smoking speeds up the normal ageing process of your skin. Toxins in smoke stop the skin from producing as much collagen, which contributes to wrinkles.
Too much stress can affect your skin health. In our fast-moving pace of life, making regular time for relaxation is something we can often forget to do.
You need plenty of sleep (aim for 8 hours) to help prevent your skin looking older and tired.
It is very important to protect your skin from sun damage caused by UVA and UVB rays. It can damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, which keep skin smooth and supple. Too much sun can cause wrinkles, dry, rough skin, as well as non-cancerous (benign) and cancerous (malignant) skin tumours. Remember to use a daily SPF, even in winter.
Get proactive in future proofing your body and keeping your skin radiant by eating a balanced diet, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and staying active.
