It’s no secret, You are what you eat. This week has taken me on a journey of nutritional plans while caring for your skin. I’ve always taken a holistic approach to skin care, however there seems to be a growing concern for the health of your skin and hair.

Nutrition and Beauty, A Winning Combination

Every thing that you eat and don’t ear for that matter, has a direct affect on your skin and hair. When you look at the nutritional value of foods, your kitchen becomes your medicine cabinet and a place to begin healing and rejuvenation. Like any good medicine, the real thing vs placebo is always better. The same rule applies to food.

While you might think that pita chips and flavored waters are great substitutes for potato chips and no water, to a certain extent you’re right. It is an improvement but where are your green foods in the equation of food consumption.  Your kale, collards, spinach, romaine lettuce and mustard greens should be included in your food intake on a daily basis.  These are live foods.

Vitamins and minerals can be found in all of your living foods. If you happen to live in an area where the foods are not quite up to standard, yes it happens, take a look at the foods that are sold in the area where you work. Your lunch hour just might be spent grocery shopping and the trunk of your car (with a cooler of course) becomes your refrigerator until you can get it home.

Lifestyle changes are becoming the trend of the day. This is a good thing. I’m hearing from so many of you how you’ve changed the way you eat and how much better you feel. You know that the beauty you’re seeing on your skin, is a result of your eating habits. The most important thing I hear from you is how much better your skin looks.

Let’s take a look at food and how it affects the health of your skin and hair.

Did you know that one sweet potato can give you 40% of your daily allowance of Vitamin E. A mango or an avocado can give you at least 15%. Apples, asparagus, turnip greens, spinach and tomatoes will give you 10% so you’ll need to eat a bit more of these each day.

That being said: why do you need Vitamin E in your nutritional plan? Vitamin E is known as “The Protector”. It’s packed with antioxidants that protect and repair your skin in a super way. It’s actually one of the most powerful antioxidants, however your body can’t produce it, therefore you have to get it through the foods you eat.

Vitamin E is also found in almonds, hazelnuts and peanuts. Almonds will give you the most bang for your bucks. An ounce of almonds gives you 40% of your daily vitamin E intake.

A great way to get vitamins and minerals into your system on a daily basis is to have great recipes that allow you to consume your foods and enjoy them at the same time.

A great salad recipe: The amount will depend on how much you want to eat.

Romain lettuce
Spinach
Yellow and Red Bell Peppers
Cherry Tomatoes
Red onions (sauté them if you can’t handle them raw)
Port-o-bello mushrooms (sauté them)
Add herbal seasoning salt, a little lime juice and olive oil
Top it off with slithered almonds, toss and you got a great lunch recipe.

You can use this same recipe and add Quinoa seasoned with spiced curry and you’ve just taken your meal to another level.

Let’s Get Serious About Nutrition

Take the foods you eat seriously and your skin will thank you for it. By the way, if you’ve been feeding your body jacked up combinations for years, don’t expect to see results tomorrow. Be patient with yourself, your skin, your hair and your body will thank you for it.  This could be the beginning of a whole new life for you.  Enjoy!

That’s it for this week,

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Author/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care