Life & Style | Beauty & Fashion
Get the glow of wellbeing
Follow these six steps for flawless skin in a month
- By Karen Fischer, The Daily Mail
- Published: 18:30 November 27, 2009
Beautiful skin is created by a body functioning properly. With the right materials, you can get better skin in a month.
Think green
Beautiful skin involves food and drinks that have an alkalising effect on the body. When your body’s pH is in balance, this reading should be between 7 and 7.5. The worst acid-producing foods are vinegar, margarine, beef, salmon and mackerel. Green drinks — those containing chlorophyll and wheatgrass — are the best way to create a good acid-alkaline balance. Alkalising foods include spinach, peppers, broccoli, carrot, cucumber, cabbage and sweet potato — and lemons. Also, limit your caffeine intake, drink ten glasses of water a day and take a probiotic supplement.
Moisturising foods
Certain fats, such as GLA, EPA, DHA and omega 3 (found in oily fish and flaxseed), have a moisturising effect on the skin. Omega 3, found in flaxseeds, walnuts and green vegetables, is very good. It is abundant in cold-water fish such as sardines, trout and herring. Omega 6, found in eggs and fish, also helps normalise blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health and reduce risk of cancer.
Eat less
Melatonin has an antioxidant effect. Sensible calorie restriction not only improves melatonin production but also lowers glucose levels in blood and reduces age-related problems and the risk of cancer.
Take care of your skin
Many skincare products contain harmful chemicals. Go for a sunscreen meant for children, as these will be lower in chemicals. If you have dry skin or wrinkles, exfoliating with a granulated scrub will leave your skin smoother.
Sleep well
During sleep, your body releases melatonin. Also, get at least ten minutes of sunshine before 10am. This will boost your vitamin D levels. Foods that contain tryptophan, an amino acid, help in sleep. Milk products are rich in tryptophan.
Wear hats
UVB rays can cause skin cancer and UVA premature ageing. So wearing protective clothing and hats is a good idea.
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