How to keep your skin looking at its best

For some, one of the most bothersome things about the ageing process are wrinkles and the dullness your skin can take on. Although it’s not possible to turn back the clock, there are a number of things you can do to bring back that feeling of radiance.

The ageing process is due to inflammation of one sort or another. I know you’ll get that in relation to joint pain, but did you know that what you eat has a big impact on how your skin ages?

Eating too much sugar and processed carbohydrates (like pasta, bread, and baked goods such as cakes and biscuits) can lead to damage in your skin's collagen, which keeps your skin elastic and helps it resist wrinkles. This is largely caused by a high glycaemic diet. High sugar foods, like the ones listed, tend to spike our blood sugar, which causes glycation. 

Glycation is a process caused by the presence of excess glucose in skin fibres. Glucose surrounds around the collagen and elastin fibres and, over time, causes them to become rigid and even break, losing their activity. With age, these molecules accumulate in the skin and end up destroying the supportive cushion formed by elastin and collagen.

Alcohol and caffeine can also have a negative effect on the appearance of your skin. Dehydration from coffee or alcohol can also cause skin redness or inflammation. Dry skin patches may appear around your nose and chin area.

On a more positive note, you should bring more of the healthy fats into your diet. Essential fats found in fish, avocados, nuts and seeds keep cell membranes soft and smooth – they’re nature’s perfect skin plumpers. 

If you have even a passing interest in face creams, you’ll likely have read about how some ingredients fight age-accelerating particles called free radicals. The magic ingredients in this case are antioxidants, and they’re in plentiful supply in fruit and vegetables of all colours. Eating as many different colours over the course of a week is helpful.

As a very general rule, each different colour group contains a different set of plant chemicals. Scientists now know that bringing a variety of different antioxidants into your diet has a synergistic effect, which means the combined result is more powerful than the individual parts.

Would you like to know more about skin health? Nutrition can help with conditions such as skin ageing, acne, psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. If you’re interested in knowing more, why not get in touch?