So, we know some of the foods that are good for our skin…..but what about the bad guys;
Refined sugar and carb snacks may give you a quick buzz, but this burst of’ energy’ is not good for your system. Very simply explained it puts the blood sugar out of balance and your body sends out more insulin to cope with this. If this happens regularly it results in the decreased ability to remove excess blood glucose from the bloodstream.
I’m often asked by patients if any ‘type of food or diet’ can help improve the general condition of skin. The answer to this one is a very definate ‘yes’ and so I’ve dug out a few articles written by Patrick Holford, one of the U.K’s top nutritionalists, to give you some basic facts on the realtionship between diet and skin health and some top tips to help improve and maintain ‘good skin’.
A good diet consistsisting of fresh, untreated foods is essential for the health of your entire body, not just your skin and reducing the speed at which it ages or degenerates in any way. Given the importance of keeping your digestive tract and liver in good working order for healthy skin, a diet should include foods naturally high in fibre, e.g. raw or lightly cooked veg and fruit, wholegrains, root vegetables, lentils and beans, well chewed and eaten when you are relaxed.
Well, we’re all sat here waiting for some sunshine and in anticipation it seems that all the mags are catching up with the dangers of sun bathing and sunbeds. It’s great to see some really good articles on the dangers of the sun, both in relation to ageing and more importantly skin cancer. ‘New’ magazine had a really good article this week about the dangers of sunbeds, with Rebecca Russell, manager of Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart campaign making some pertinent comments about the dangers associated with Sunbeds. Rebecca states that evertime you use a sunbed ‘you are increasing your risk of developing skin cancer and making your skin leathery, coarse and wrinkly’.
We’ve had lots of clients this week asking about pigmentation problems and how to protect skin during the summer months. Many pigmentation problems worsen over the Spring and Summer months, when Ultra Violet Rays (UVR) trigger the melanocytes and cause a darkening of the skin.
There are many different types of pigmentation and treatment depends on whether it is a passive or inflammatory type of pigmentation.
Some forms of passive pigmentation include Chloasma and Melasma, associated with a hormonal trigger and subsequent cascade of Melanin Stimulating Hormone. This type of pigmentation can be a result of pregnancy (Chloasma) or medication such as the Birth Control Pill (Melasma).
1. Drink plenty of water. We recommend 3 litres, sipped throughout the day, to support maximum skin hydration.
2. Use a high factor sun block (at least SPF 15) at all times, ensuring the product you choose blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Remember, even on a cloudy day, you can still sustain sun damage, if you are not protected.
3. Eat a diet rich in Omega 3 – nuts, seeds etc – will help maintain your skill cell function and promote a youthful complexion.