Skin Care 101: Guidelines for Healthy Skin, Glowing Skin, Youthful Skin Naturally

Beautiful skin makes you look younger. On the contrary, if you don't have a healthy skin you look older than your actual age. That's why caring for the skin is a must do for all. Our skin needs some nutrition to remain healthy. You need a good and proper diet for a healthy and glowing skin. Remember ‘You are what you eat.

This article helps you to maintain a good skin. By going through this article, you'll get to know what's good for your skin.

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What You Should Eat for a Healthy Skin:

• You should eat Apricot, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Spinach, and Sweet Potatoes for the maintenance of the surface of the skin. All these foods have Beta-Carotene. Beta-Carotene is the precursor of Vitamin A. This helps to protect against air pollution. Also, it helps you to have a soft and disease free skin.

• Our skin needs Lean Protein. Proteins which are made of amino acids, enables production of collagen, the connective tissue that provides support to skin. This also contains zinc, which is a mineral necessary for the synthesis of collagen and one that may provide protection against wrinkles and at high levels, may help to reduce acne. You can have lean protein in beans, fish and poultry.

• Use canola oil and olive oil; both of these will work against wrinkles and any oxidative damage.

• Niacin or Vitamin B3 is very essential for our skin. This works together with Iron to deliver Oxygen to skin. Also helps to multiply new skin cells. You can have this in any diary product, eggs, fish and poultry.

• Seeds, nuts and vegetable oil like sunflower oil are also good for skin. All of these contain Omega 6 fats that help to maintain the oil barrier in the skin which protects the body from fluid loss and infections.

• Our skin needs nutrients like Polyphenols. These protect us from stress that contributes to aging and disease. Eat apples, Eggplant, garlic, onions and tea to get this.

• Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin E all are very important for our skin. Vitamin A helps to maintain smooth skin. Vitamin B Work together with iron to deliver oxygen to skin cells, giving them the support they need to live and multiply into new skin cells. Vitamin C Protects against free radicals. This protect the skin against highly reactive oxygen molecules generated inside your body from environmental pollutants, smoking, sun exposure and stress, among other agents.

• Good sources of Vitamin A,B and C are – Egg Yolks (Vitamin A), Fish (Vitamin A), Fortified Milk (Vitamin A), Carotene (Vitamin A), Fortified Cereals (Vitamin B), Whole Grains (Vitamins B), Broccoli (Vitamin C), Oranges (Vitamin C), Peppers (Vitamin C), Strawberries (Vitamin C) and Grapes (Vitamin C). Want to know more about Benefits of grape and grape juice for skin care?

• Vitamin E also protects the skin from wrinkle and keeps it smooth. Avocados, Nuts, Seeds, Spinach, Vegetable Oils and Whole Grains are good source of Vitamin E.

Foods that Make Your Skin Glow - A Quick List

• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Cantaloupe
• Oranges
• Lemons
• Limes
• Grapefruits
• Green Tea
• White Tea
• Chamomile Tea
• Spinach
• Kale
• Turnip Greens
• Mustard Greens
• Broccoli
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Tuna
• Trout

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. It damages collagen (gives strength to the skin) and elastin (provides elasticity), and your skin becomes dull & lifeless. So, quit smoking as soon as possible. Moisturise the skin properly and use only natural skin products. Use a strong sun protection cream or lotion as excessive exposure to sun can damage the skin and lead to skin diseases including skin cancer. 

Drink a lot of Water. Water hydrates skin and helps to keep it soft and moist.

It is important to exfoliate your skin regardless the skin type. You should clean your face at least twice (in the morning, and again before bed) regularly. Also, use essential oils to nourish your skin. Applying essential oil on your skin can promote skin health quite significantly. If you are suffering from acne problem then you should eat more fresh fruits and vegetables rich in anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Drink lots of water to get rid of acne.

If you really want to have healthy, glowing and youthful skin then always use natural remedies and rely on natural foods. You must avoid chemically rich cosmetics and unhealthy junk foods.

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Chocolate and Cocoa are Good for the Skin: Benefits of Chocolate for Skin Care

Do you love chocolate? If yes, then you have another reason to eat more chocolate. As you know chocolate has some health benefits and having it in moderation is good for health. But studies suggest that chocolate is good for the skin as well. But how? Let's find out. 

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For years chocolate was associated with acne and cavities. But now scientists and researchers have proved chocolate is actually good for the health of the skin. That fact is cocoa beans are rich in flavanols, which have strong antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are very good for the skin as they fight free radicals. Besides dark chocolate gives skin the protection from the UV rays and save it from sun damage. As we know sun damage can cause early aging, wrinkles and it can cause skin cancer as well. Flavanols in dark chocolate protects skin from sunburn.

Chocolate is made if cocoa and cocoa is highly rich in anti-oxidant properties. New research shows that cocoa has a higher concentration of anti-oxidants than red wine and both black and green tea. Dark chocolate does also have some minerals in it such as magnesium, copper iron and zinc.

Little Facts about Cocoa Butter

It is a wonderful skin lubricant and its natural cocoa scent is not bad either. Cocoa butter is the solid fat from the roasted seeds of cocoa plant. This fat is an interesting addition to the various beauty ingredients such as soaps, lotions and creams. If added in a large quantity, cocoa butter may give a slightly yellow tint to many cosmetics and it is used up to fifty percent as a base blend.

How to Make Chocolate Facial Mask?

Making a chocolate facial mask is easy and you can make it without much effort. First, arrange some ingredients such as cocoa powder, honey, heavy cream and oatmeal powder.

Mix or combine all the ingredients until it is very thick and consistent. Clean you face thoroughly and dry it before applying the mask. Take the cream and massage it gently on your face. Wait for 20 minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. Mixing oatmeal and honey makes this facial mask more useful. Oatmeal is wonderful to exfoliate the skin and honey contains anti-bacterial properties which are effective to cleanse the skin and opens up the clogged pores. Know more about natural skin  care and home remedies for stretch mark treatment.

During the studies, scientists also have proved that chocolate with high flavanols protect the skin from pollution, sun damage, and alcohol consumption caused by drinking too much red wine. Besides eating chocolate you can also use chocolate soap, chocolate massage oil, and chocolate lip balm to get the benefits. You can use skin creams, lotions and other cosmetics which are rich in cocoa butter.

Eating chocolate regularly can help improve the overall texture and tone of your skin because the skin cells are able to repair themselves easily. Chocolate- especially dark chocolate is a great food for the skin; it is one of the best natural ingredients to nourish your skin.

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