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The right diet for healthy skin

That's how it works!

Skin health and nutrition – these are the connections

It is generally known that a varied diet rich in vitamins improves your well-being. But your skin also benefits from a healthy, balanced diet rich in vital nutrients. People with good, smooth and healthy-looking skin generally eat a very healthy diet. If you suffer from skin blemishes, itching and redness, you may find the cause in a self-critical examination of your diet and lifestyle. It has been proven that the health of your skin and your diet are linked. But what should you eat, which foods prevent skin conditions and what should you avoid in favor of beautiful, healthy skin? Find out more here!

How can you prevent skin diseases through diet?

Unhealthy, fatty and sugary food can promote many diseases. Not only diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney insufficiencies or cardiovascular diseases, but also skin diseases can be the result of a poor diet. The skin is the largest and most stressed organ of the human body. It protects against the effects of weather and environmental residues, renews itself continuously and requires a considerable amount of energy. People with a healthy metabolism generally have healthy skin.

Why is that?

Skin renewal, i.e. the formation of new skin cells, is based on the metabolism and therefore on the food you feed your body. To prevent skin diseases, you should drink 3 liters of mineral water a day and eat a diet rich in vitamins, trace elements and minerals.

The human body is very complex and yet follows a very simple concept. All vital substances ingested through your food are “distributed” according to the importance of a function. Before your skin, fingernails and hair are nourished, your body distributes the available nutrients to the organs that are vital. This in turn means that your skin and hair are among the main victims of a deficiency. In addition to the foods that your skin absolutely needs for cell regeneration, there is a whole range of foods that have a detrimental effect and leave visible traces in the form of skin blemishes. You can find out what these are and what you should avoid for the sake of your skin in the course of this article.

Which trace elements / foods are important for healthy skin?

Your skin needs healthy fats (unsaturated fatty acids), protein and carbohydrates. Omega fatty acids in particular are essential for the appearance of your skin and for hair growth. Fish, cheese and olives contain large amounts of valuable vital substances with skin-rejuvenating properties. If you consume plenty of omega-3, your connective tissue remains firm and your skin is smooth. Equally important is a comprehensive supply of zinc and iron, copper, selenium and manganese. Pulses and avocado, carrots and green vegetables as well as cabbage contain important vital substances and are not only healthy for your digestion, but also for your largest organ – your skin. Walnuts, berries and tomatoes, lettuce, fish and citrus fruits also help to improve the appearance of your skin and increase your sense of well-being.

Nature actually offers us everything that is important for healthy skin. However, eating habits have changed significantly, especially in industrialized countries. Fresh food is rarely cooked in many households. Despite the wide range of products available in supermarkets, the trend is towards quick meals on the go. Those who indulge in this option too often are eating an unbalanced diet and are promoting deficiencies in vital substances. A gray complexion, flaky and oily skin, clogged pores and pimples are the consequences of the deficiency symptoms that occur when we do without healthy foods. The skin is a reflection of the human soul. It is also the mirror of our diet and reveals at first glance how important your health – and therefore your focus on healthy and fresh food – is to you.

If you’re in a hurry, fresh smoothies made from healthy fruit and vegetables are ideal for a snack between meals. It doesn’t always have to be a freshly cooked meal, as you can also eat most of the important foods raw. Supplementation can help with noticeable deficiencies. However, you should bear in mind that food supplements are no substitute for natural trace elements and vital substances. However, in combination with a balanced, varied diet, temporary supplementation can improve your skin.

Which foods should be avoided?

Remove all foods with artificial additives from your diet. Flavor enhancers, chemical aromas and substances used to preserve food contaminate the skin and are considered the main cause of pimples and blackheads. Sugar, which we do need, should also make up a very small proportion of our diet. Ready meals, soft drinks and commercially available fruit and vegetable juices contain large amounts of sugar. An increased intake leads to an increase in the insulin factor, which in turn contributes to the enlargement of the sebaceous glands. A diet high in sugar can promote skin inflammation and is a common cause of premature skin ageing.

Fatty meat, ready meals of all kinds, fast food and alcohol are the main causes of blemished skin in adulthood. White flour and dairy products can also increase the glycaemic index, which manifests itself in episodic skin blemishes (often one day after consumption).

There is certainly nothing wrong with an occasional visit to your favorite Italian restaurant or a family outing to the nearest burger joint. Fast food is not harmful in principle, but it does have a negative effect on your skin if you eat large quantities. The same applies to alcohol. A glass of wine or a beer does not cause spots and does not age your skin prematurely. However, too much will damage both your skin and your liver.

In addition to foods and additives that are generally harmful to the skin, you should always make individual decisions and listen to your body. Even when eating healthy food, your skin can react sensitively to certain fruits, vegetables or other foods. If you develop pimples after eating cake or white bread, you should avoid these foods, at least for a certain period of time. If your skin feels oily and blemished a few days after eating sweets, be sparing with sugary foods in the near future.

You can find out what is good for you and what is good for your body by looking at your skin in the mirror. In addition to your intestines, whose signals also provide you with important information, you can also tell from the appearance of your skin whether a change in diet would be advisable or whether you are already eating a healthy and balanced diet. Tip: Instead of fruit juices and soft drinks, quench your thirst with mineral water. If you drink enough and in a healthy way, you will ensure a firm and vital complexion.