In March’s first blog, we delved into some of the nutrients your skin craves coming out of a dark, dry, cold winter. But we couldn’t finish in one blog, so now that we’re officially in spring, let’s get into this skin nourishment a little more deeply.
Here are some vitamins, minerals, and other stuff your skin needs.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has amazing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities. It can absorb the energy from UV light, which helps protect the skin against sun damage, sagging, and skin cancer. In concert with vitamin C, E works to strengthen cell walls.
Zinc
The epidermis has five times more zinc than the dermis beneath. Zinc helps your skin heal after a wound. Cells use it to maintain stability in their walls, and they need it for cell division. Zinc works as an antioxidant and it works in tandem with iron and copper to protect your skin from UV damage. If you have too little zinc your skin will look as if you have eczema, but the rash won’t get better with moisturizer or steroid creams.
Selenium
Selenium works with various antioxidants to help protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays. Selenium deficiency has been linked to an elevated risk of skin cancer.
Skin foods
While directly targeting those vitamins and minerals we’ve discussed is wise, it’s equally wise to eat lots of fruits and vegetables because they’re packed with lots of skin-friendly vitamins and other antioxidants.
Other foods have more than a single nutrient for your skin, so they pack more punch:
- Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines): protein, omega-3s, selenium
- Leafy dark greens (kale, spinach, collards): vitamins A, C, and E; omega-3s; protein; selenium in spinach
- Eggs: protein, vitamins A and E, selenium, zinc
- Flaxseeds: omega 3s, selenium
- Legumes (lentils, chickpeas): protein, zinc
- Avocados: healthy fats, vitamins C and E
- Extra virgin olive oil: healthy fats, vitamin E
Now you’re armed with the targeted foods and nutrients to ensure your skin will come out of winter looking its best. Oh, and while your skin will thank you, all of this stuff is good for the rest of your body, as well.
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