Overview
Skin is part of the first impression. It not only communicates your mood through movement of the facial muscles, but also your general health, as dry, gray skin can cause someone to look older and unhealthy. Fortunately Mother Nature has provided a large variety of fruits and vegetables that help the whole body as well as the skin, either by eating them or placing them directly on the skin.
Beta Carotene
Beta carotene is easily absorbed into the body and helps to make vitamin A. Both of these nutrients work to keep the eyes and skin healthy. Beta carotene is commonly found in all the orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin as well as in dark green leafy vegetables. It is important to mix up the sources of the beta carotene as each vegetable contains different amounts of various nutrients.
Vitamin C is not just in citrus fruits, but is also found in high concentrations in broccoli; sweet potatoes; and red, green or yellow peppers. Vitamin C helps with collagen repair in the skin but also protects the skin from free radical damage. Free radical damage is the kind of wear and tear the skin experiences that leads to wrinkling and aging. Eating poorly, smoking and too much time in the sun can all lead to free radical damage. Eating items with vitamin C will help combat this form of aging.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can penetrate into cell layers and be stored in the body. Vitamin E helps to protect against UV damage and works well in combination with vitamin C. This vitamin is found in avocados and avocado oil. Otherwise vitamin E can also be found in a variety of green leafy vegetables, according to the KidsHealth website.
Topical Applications
Two of the best vegetables for topical applications are cucumber and avocado. Cucumber has been used as a beauty boost for centuries to help with puffy eyes. Cucumber contains natural antioxidants and contains large amounts of water, so it is very moisturizing. A commonly recommended facial blend is organic cucumbers, milk cream and honey mixed together, chilled and then placed on the skin for up to 30 minutes. Other ingredients can be mixed in based on what is going on with the skin. Avocados also have antioxidants and are good for the skin. The oil is light and absorbs quickly into the skin and also contains vitamins A, C and E.
Considerations
While eating these specific vegetables help out the skin, the nutrients need time to work from the inside out. Noticeable improvements may not be seen for up to six weeks. Just like weight loss, the improvements do not happen overnight. It is important to rotate fruits and vegetables to give the body a variety of nutrients by trying to consume five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. If that is not a possibility, consider juicing at home. A good skin concoction is two whole organic cucumbers, one whole carrot, a handful of dark green leaves like spinach or kale, one organic lemon with the skin on, and one apple.
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