Taking care of one’s skin is key to looking healthy. Every skin type is unique, and it is essential to know one’s skin type before starting off with any skincare routine. Instead of concealing skin problems with cosmetics, it’s healthier to rejuvenate your skin from the inside. For healthy-looking skin, it is very important to have a nutritious food intake, as overall food choices are directly linked to skin and hair.

Food high in sugar and high glycemic index like white rice, pasta, bread, sweets cause premature ageing of the skin by inducing inflammation. Sugar causes cross-linking of collagen- glycation, resulting in loss of elasticity, increase in wrinkling, sagging of skin.

Food such as herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, garlic, as well as fruits and vegetables inhibit this process (of formation of advanced glycation end-products) and promote anti-ageing.

Dairy products can contribute to acne, so can refined sugars, chocolates, sweets, refined carbohydrates. These increase glucose levels which in turn causes insulin and insulin-like growth factors level to shoot up in the body increasing sebum production and contributing to acne.

Skin health can be promoted by these simple steps:

• Increase Intake Of Fruits, Vegetables & Nuts
• Limit Sugar
• Limit Saturated Fat
• Limit Highly Processed Food

Antioxidants help in anti-ageing, skin repair, protect from UV damage. Vitamin A, C, E play a role in the above.

Taking care of one’s skin from the outside is just a temporary solution. Feeding one’s skin by eating right will give you long term benefits. Sleeping well and exercising regularly also aids to healthy-looking skin. While expensive cosmetic products and treatments are available to treat skin and hair, the first step starts with you.