Want Healthy Skin? Try these 5 Foods.

Having beautiful skin is a goal for almost everyone.  We are taught at an early age that beauty sells and we will do about anything to obtain it.

It is estimated that Americans spend approximately 10-15 Billion on beauty products every year.  From make-up to moisturizers an average women spends 10-15 minutes applying these products to their skin everyday.  And men, we are often just as guilty with our morning routine.

Cosmetic companies spend Billions of dollars and countless hours convincing us that we need their product in order to achieve our desired look.  Each product touts that it has the secret “age reversing” formula that we must acquire or we will turn into the old wrinkled person nobody wants to be like.

Long before cosmetics, however, women and men enjoyed beautiful radiant skin.  It wasn’t that they applied a secret concoction on their skin but instead ate foods that naturally created beautiful skin.  They consumed a diet that stimulated the epidermis to glow and look radiant from the inside out.

To achieve the same results you should consider consuming the following  5 foods:

• Cucumbers
• Almonds
• Chi Seeds
• Dandelions
• Turmeric

Cucumbers:  These vegetables provide abundant vitamin C and silica.  The trace mineral silica is essential for strong connective tissue and supports the ability of skin to heal. Without silica, skin loses its elasticity and becomes more prone to wrinkles and age spots.

Almonds:  These nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E which helps minimize the negative effects of sun exposure on the skin, as well as aiding against certain types of skin cancer.  They also provide a quick source of strength and energy, providing fuel for exercise which also benefits the skin.  Additionally, almond skins benefit human skin through their high levels of antioxidants.

Chia Seeds:  Chia offers a multitude of health benefits.  The word chia derives from the Aztec word for oily.  Chia seeds offer high levels of omega-3 acids which the human body needs but cannot produce and which only come from a few dietary sources.

Without omega-3′s, people can suffer from poor circulation and dry skin, as well as heart problems, fatigue, depression and a feeling of mental fogginess.  Chia seeds help keep skin (and the rest of the body) hydrated because they are hydrophilic, absorbing more than 10 times their weight in water.  You can sprinkle chia seeds in your hot cereal, add a teaspoon of the tiny seeds to a glass of juice, or add a few to add extra texture to a salad or vegetable hot dish.  My wife puts them into her breakfast smoothy every morning.

Dandelions: If you look at dandelions as annoying weeds, you are missing out on a tremendous healthy food.  Dandelions cleanse the liver of toxins.  If you have a congested liver which cannot effectively cleanse the bloodstream, your skin is more likely to show wear and tear whether through breakouts or the effects of aging and pollution.  Dandelion greens contain high levels of several of the vitamins and minerals known to contribute to healthy skin including Vitamin A, B, and C as well as copper and zinc.

Turmeric: The spice which gives curries an orangey hue derives much of its nutritional value from polyphenol anti-oxidant phytochemicals called curcuminoids. Curcuminoids provide as much as 8 times the antioxidant power as that found in most other antioxidant foods.  Turmeric aids in the treatment of psoriasis, rosacea, acne and other inflammatory skin conditions. Plus, turmeric contributes to skin elasticity. It also helps to support the natural flora which can provide form a barrier on the skin skin protecting it from dangerous microbes.

Having beautiful skin is a direct correlation of what you put into your body.  Begin by adding these foods to your diet and eliminating processed food.  In addition, make sure you are staying hydrated with plenty of water.  They say it is the inner beauty of a person that matters and this case your inner beauty will manifest outer beauty!