Our initial thought may be to head to the beauty counter when we consider ways to improve the condition of our hair, skin, and nails. Products claim to make our hair longer, maintain our skin looking young and strengthen our nails.
You might want to make a side trip to the grocery store, though. Perhaps even more significant than what you put on your body is what you put inside of it.
Alain Michon, the medical director of the Ottawa Skin Clinic and a board-certified physician of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine, asserts that “what you put into your body will reflect on your skin and physique.”
It sounds doable and even delicious. But can you improve your skin, hair, and nails with diet alone? Here are the opinions of three professionals and research.
WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF FOOD ON HAIR, NAILS, AND SKIN?
Hair
Your hair will remain healthy, strong, and lustrous if you eat well. You can prevent hair loss by watching what you eat. You could notice the impacts on your hair if you don’t consume enough of a certain nutrient.
Your skin, hair, and nails all benefit from essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3s. You ought to regularly consume some of these omega-3-rich foods:
- Salmon, tuna, mackerel, and other fatty fish
- Flaxseed oil, Flaxseeds, chia seeds, canola oil
- Walnuts
- Soybeans, tofu, and cruciferous
- Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts)
Your hair also needs folic acid, vitamins B6, and B12. Vegans and vegetarians frequently don’t consume enough of them. Bananas, potatoes (both white and sweet), and spinach are examples of foods high in B6. Meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products are significant sources of B12.
Numerous fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly tomatoes and citrus fruits, are good sources of folic acid. It is also present in whole-grain and fortified-grain products, beans, and lentils.
2020 evaluation A Mediterranean diet full of raw vegetables and fresh herbs as well as diets strong in protein and soy may be helpful complementary therapies for non-scarring alopecia, according to Trusted Source of 24 studies with more than 1,700 patients.
Women who consumed low-glycemic diets high in complex carbohydrates, vitamins A, B, and C, and minerals like zinc and magnesium may experience less hair loss after menopause, according to research.
Limiting the consumption of mercury-rich tuna may be able to stop hair loss in the early stages of menopause, according to the research of two women aged 39 and 41.
Skin
If you’re like the majority of people, you undoubtedly worry a lot about how to maintain healthy-looking skin. While there are various ways to achieve this, the ideal way is to consume wholesome foods that support healthy skin. What you consume is the key to having great skin!
The largest organ in your body is your skin. It can be difficult to protect it against external toxins and chemicals, but what you consume every day has a much greater impact. Inflammation, acne breakouts, and early aging of the skin can all result from a diet high in sugar and processed foods. How does your diet impact your skin then?
Although hormonal changes in young people frequently cause acne breakouts, repeated breakouts are a sign of poor eating habits. Doctors claim that burgers, French fries, and pizza all contribute to acne. Both teenagers and adults who regularly consume these foods get recurrent breakouts of acne. High-refined carbohydrate diets encourage mild to chronic inflammation that causes pimples and acne.
Although it may seem that wrinkles and fine lines only affect the elderly, if you don’t alter your diet, you too could get them. Your skin needs collagen, elastin, and protein in order to remain supple, wrinkle-free, and smooth. Foods that are oily and deep-fried don’t have enough proteins to nourish your skin. The UV radiation from the sun’s rays hitting your skin also do no good. These rays produce free radicals, which break down the collagen and elastin in your skin, causing wrinkles.
Although it may seem that wrinkles and fine lines only affect the elderly, if you don’t alter your diet, you too could get them. Your skin needs collagen, elastin, and protein in order to remain supple, wrinkle-free, and smooth. Foods that are oily and deep-fried don’t have enough proteins to nourish your skin. The UV radiation from the sun’s rays hitting your skin also do no good. These rays produce free radicals, which break down the collagen and elastin in your skin, causing wrinkles.
Nails
Eating a variety of nutrients is crucial to promoting the growth of new, healthy nails. Thus, a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and good fats is required. If we “feed” the nail with the right nutrients, it will grow stronger and be more resistant to breakage and degeneration. Nails can be a reflection of your inner health and bad eating habits.
A nutrient-rich diet that nourishes the nails with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats to optimize the keratinization or nail creation stage is one of the cornerstones of nail health. Nails should have a light pink appearance, be hard yet flexible, and be able to withstand typical shocks without splitting or chipping. They ought to have a smooth surface with a light gloss that doesn’t flake or peel off at the tip.
A combination of high-quality nutrients, rather than a single substance, is what makes for healthy nails. They combine a number of nutrients in a synergistic manner to produce excellent nails. Proteins, the building blocks of which are keratin and amino acids, are necessary. Your nails will become stronger by including various minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, and silica. Essential fatty acids and B vitamins are also crucial.
It is important to consume a mix of high-quality nutrients rather than focusing solely on one food type. However, seaweed is a terrific nail companion because it is loaded with nutrients, healthy fats, collagen, and amino acids.
Generally speaking, as we become older, our bodies absorb nutrients less efficiently, which frequently manifests in the nails. As nutrients are absorbed in the stomach, it is crucial to maintain gut health. Since food is digested and nutrients are absorbed into the body in the gut, gut health is the basis of general health.
The final organs to receive nutrients are the skin and nails. The absorption of nutrients is affected by a damaged gut lining. Because of this, nails may also develop vertical cracks and become weak and brittle.
WHICH TYPE OF FOODS SHOULD BE CONSUMED?
Fatty fish
Seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids, according to Katie Tomaschko, MS, RDN, helps improve skin and hair.
Tomaschko, a private practitioner in Buffalo, New York, claims that omega-3 fatty acids “may help reduce inflammation and redness in the body and skin.” They also include a lot of protein, vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, and biotin, a nutrient that helps to produce keratin.
The fish she suggests are:
- salmon
- sheering
- mackerel
A lot of the nutrients in fish can help your skin produce collagen and elastin. Some fish also contain omega-3 fatty acids in addition to proteins. They considerably lessen skin irritation. Because trout and salmon both contain omega-3 fatty acids and have a high protein level, doctors frequently suggest eating them both every day.
Fruits and vegetables
Carotenoids and Vitamin A, which are found in colorful fruits and vegetables, enable the cell division of your skin. Your body loses between 30,000 and 40,000 cells per day, eventually reaching a point where it can no longer make new cells. Your skin will begin to seem older once it stops creating new cells. Vitamin C, which is present in both fruits and vegetables, helps to restore the collagen in your skin. So maintaining a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will give you years of soft, smooth skin.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts of all kinds, such as walnuts, peanuts, and almonds, maintain the smoothness of your skin. Within a few months, the texture of your skin will change if you include chia and flax seeds in your daily diet. These are there for consumption whenever you want to chew on something. Consider eating nuts and seeds instead of fries or hamburgers. Your skin will soon be supple, radiant, and free of wrinkles.
If you have skin problems like redness, dryness, or acne outbreaks, in addition to following a healthy diet, you should make an appointment with a specialist as soon as you can.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene, a pigment that Tomaschko claims is a precursor to vitamin A.
Vitamin A, according to Tomaschko, “promotes keratin formation and is vital for skin and nail health.”
According to a reliable source, purple sweet potatoes’ anthocyanins offer antioxidant characteristics that could reduce skin inflammation. Antioxidants can also aid in preventing free radicals, which can hasten the aging process.
According to a Reliable Source, people with vitamin A deficiencies may experience negative impacts on their hair and skin.
Tomatoes
The main carotenoids, including lycopene, and vitamin C are all present in tomatoes. It has been demonstrated that beta carotene, lutein, and lycopene can shield your skin from UV damage. They might also aid in avoiding wrinkles.
Tomatoes are a great meal for preserving good skin since they are high in carotenoids. Think about combining foods like tomatoes that are high in carotenes with a source of fat, such cheese or olive oil. Carotenoids are more readily absorbed when you are fat.
Green tea
Your skin may benefit from green tea’s ability to prevent ageing and damage. Catechins, potent substances included in green tea, have been shown to benefit skin health in a number of ways.
Green tea, like many other meals high in antioxidants, can help shield your skin from UV rays.
One 12-week study involving 60 women discovered that drinking green tea on a regular basis could cut sunburn redness by up to 25%.
Their skin’s suppleness, thickness, roughness, and wetness were all enhanced by green tea.
Although green tea is a fantastic choice for healthy skin, you might want to avoid drinking it with milk because there is evidence that milk may lessen the antioxidant effects of green tea.
Greek Yoghurt
Your skin may benefit from green tea’s ability to prevent aging and damage.
Catechins, potent substances included in green tea, have been shown to benefit skin health in a number of ways.
It is stuffed with protein, which is what makes up your locks. Greek yogurt also contains a component that promotes hair growth and blood flow to the scalp. It is known as vitamin B5 (also referred to as pantothenic acid) and may even prevent hair loss and thinning. Your hair and skincare product labels may list pantothenic acid as an ingredient.
Spinach
Like many other leafy vegetables in the dark green family, spinach is incredibly nutrient-dense. Iron, beta carotene, folate, vitamin C, and a tonne of vitamin A are also present. Together, they contribute to a healthy scalp and mane. They maintain moisture in your hair to prevent breakage. Want to change things up a bit? Another excellent green vegetable is kale.
