Beauty from The Inside with A Healthy Diet
Good nutrition and a balanced diet, which includes healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables, stave off diseases and keep you beautiful inside and out.By Louisa Foo, in consultation with Charles Lew, Principal Dietitian.The Goodness of A Balanced DietWe all know the relationship between food and wellness. A balanced diet does more than keep you trim and prevent chronic conditions; it can also work wonders for the appearance of your skin, hair, and nails. The even better news is that you don't even have to make special trips to the market for these 'beautifying' foods. They are (or should already be) part of your healthy shopping list.A Healthy Diet For Healthy SkinAttain healthy skin with a healthy diet. According to Charles Lew, Principal Dietitian at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, what you eat is reflected in the health of your skin, hair, nails, and even teeth. These tissues, like any living thing, need nourishment. Your skin, for example, is the largest organ in the body. Its role is to protect you from the elements, regulate body temperature, and transfer information to enable your sense of touch. Your nails and hair, made of keratin, also need adequate nutrition to prevent them from becoming brittle or dry.Nutrition for Hair and NailsA balanced diet includes healthy fats that promote healthy hair growth. The health of your hair and nails can be affected if there are nutritional deficiencies. Mr. Lew noted that in cases of alcoholism, anorexia nervosa, renal disease, and gastric bypass, zinc deficiency is common, causing hair to become thin, white, and brittle. Research also indicates that fatty acids can enrich the hair shaft and help maintain a good balance of natural oils in the scalp, keeping hair hydrated. Since hair is 97% protein, an adequate amount of lean quality protein (from soy, meat, and seafood) ensures your body has the building blocks to grow healthy hair.Protect Your TeethTeas contain vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for the body. What you eat and drink also benefits your teeth. Mr. Lew pointed to a growing body of evidence on the beneficial role of green tea in oral health. "Green tea protects against bacteria-induced dental caries and bad breath because the phytochemicals in green tea have antibacterial properties." Antioxidants in green tea can also reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation caused by cigarette smoking, he added.Go Natural with Fruits and VegetablesInclude fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet to stay healthy. A natural, healthy diet is often best. There is no need to take a supplement if your diet is nutritionally balanced. In fact, Mr. Lew warned, "Excessive consumption of nutritional supplements can negatively affect health." Instead, eat two servings each of fruits and vegetables daily to ensure a good dose of health-giving and beauty-imparting vitamin C and phytochemicals.Opt for fruits such as citrus, papaya, pomegranate, and kiwi, and vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, chye sim, and kai lan. To boost vitamin E intake, Mr. Lew recommends a handful of oven-baked nuts a day. For the minerals to boost healthy hair and nails, just ensure you eat the recommended three servings a day of meats, seafood, fish, or legumes.Protecting Against Sun DamageOne of the biggest concerns for many is skin damage and aging due to sun exposure. "Other than using sunscreen, you can improve your diet to boost the natural ultraviolet defenses of your skin. Studies have demonstrated that increased consumption of vitamin C and E, as well as phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols, can help to reduce the adverse effects of sun exposure," he pointed out.Vitamin C is essential in helping the body produce collagen, an essential building block of skin that keeps it supple, while vitamin E keeps skin moist and guards against sun damage. Phytochemicals, a group of compounds that give fruits and vegetables their vivid color, also enhance the ability of the skin to fight free radicals that cause wrinkles, discoloration, and loss of elasticity.