BEAUTY & NUTRITION

If you want flawless skin, sometimes, facial alone is insufficient.  You need to watch what you eat as well.  Blood vessels deliver nutrients to the skin cells throughout the day, whereas nutrients applied to the surface of the skin do not tend to last very long, and not all can effectively penetrate into the skin’s deeper layers.  It will help to understand the different Vitamins and minerals that are vital to our skin and health. 

Vitamin A

• Vitamin A can moisturize skin and avoid dryness.  Vitamin A deficiency can lead to cell membrane damage, hamper skin renewal and cause coarseness and flaking.
• Vitamin A can be classified into alpha beta carotene and retinol.  Both can be absorbed by the body and converted into vitamins.
• Most green, yellow and orange vegetables contain lots of carotene.  Fish oil capsules and lamb oil are good sources of retinol.
• Excessive intake of Vitamin A is harmful.  If you are taking a food supplement, remember the Recommended Daily Allowances is below 2 500 units of retinol or 25 000 units of carotene.

Vitamin C

• Functions
1. Promotes collagen production which maintains skin elasticity.
2. Soothes inflammation, heal wounds and fights skin darkening.
3. Acts as an anti-oxidant to maintain skin youthfulness.
• Vegetables and fruits are good sources of Vitamin C, especially oranges and lemons.
• Adults should have a daily intake of at least 300mgs of vitamin C whilst smokers can increase their intake to 1000mg.  Vitamin C is water soluble meaning that excessive Vitamin C is lost through urinating.

Vitamin E

• Vitamin E is an effective anti-oxidant.  It reduces scar formation and helps to heal wounds.  Taken in conjunction with Vitamin C, it also helps to whiten skin.
• Dried nuts, cereals and eggs are good sources of Vitamin E.
• An adult should have a daily intake of 500 units of Vitamin E.  As Vitamin E is fat soluble, excessive intake is toxic as it overloads the kidneys.

Zinc

• Zinc monitors our skin’s oil glands to maintain a balance in the production of sebum.  Hence, lack of zinc can cause pimples.
• Fish, meat, cheese and milk products are good sources of zinc.
• An adult should take 10-45 mgs of zinc everyday.  Zinc deficiency is rare and unless instructed by doctors, there is no need to take supplements.  Zinc counteracts some minerals such as Potassium and sodium; hence, excessive intake will lead to the loss of these nutrients in the body.