The Ultimate Guide to Eating for Skincare

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With all the lotions, potions and serums we apply on our faces, it's easy to forget that radiant skin doesn't just come from what products we use. True healthy skin also comes from within. What we eat is just as important for skincare as what we apply topically. Wetalked to three nutrition and skin experts to learn exactly what to put in our grocery baskets and on our plates depending on commonskin issueblemishes, aging skin and eczema-prone skin.

Eating for Blemishes

Expert: Maria Marlowe, host of Institute for Integrative Nutrition series IINQuiry andhealth coach

It might seem intuitive, but our dietary habits are fantastic predictors of the quality of our skin. "If you think about it, skin is the body's largest organ and needs specific nutrients to look and perform its best," says Marlowe. "The foods we eat can both positively and negatively effect skin's performance and appearance.In order to get the most from your skin, you need to fuel it with nutrient-rich foods."

Marlowe says dark leafy greens such as kale and arugula are excellent sources of Vitamins A and C, which are rich in anti-oxidants and areimportant in the production of collagen and skin firmness, as well asskin differentiation, respectively. Leafy greens also are rich in sulfur, which is great for fighting bacterial inflammation in skin that causes acne.

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Another must-have for fighting problem skin is the avocado. The creamy fruit isrich in fatty acids that aids in moisture retention. In addition, avocadoscontain vitamins E and Cboth of which prevent free radical damage. Finally, biotin, a known ingredient prominent in avocados that keeps skin supple and hair and nails healthy, is also anti-inflammatory. But that's not all. Marlowe says pairing an avocado with carotenoid-rich foods like tomatoes, carrots or bell peppers actually helps your body absorb anti-oxidants lycopene and beta carotene five times better both are critical in reducing UV damage and environmental aggressors.

Finally, a rather unexpected food that does wonders for skin are hemp seeds. Marlowe explains the tiny seeds actually pack a lot of punch The proteins inside contain a number of sulfur-rich amino acids that not only help with skin moisture and retention, but also hair, nail and muscle health. Hemp seeds have an "ideal ration of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids," says Marlowe. These anti-oxidants fight inflammation that causes pimples and breakouts by keeping skin's sebum in check. The sebum is responsible for keeping hair and skin moisturized, however if there's too much oil, acne and clogging can occur. Marlowe says to sprinkle hemp seeds in salads, oatmeal or smoothies to reap the benefits.

Eating for Anti-Aging

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The Ultimate Guide to Eating for Skincare