Nutrition for Firmer Skin
By Christine Cheng, R.Ph. and Fred Cheng, R.Ph.
You are what you eat… fortunately, we can make use of this principle when we think about how we can nourish our skin.
If we think about the reasons why skin “ages”, the first one that comes to mind and the one that plays the largest role is oxidation. Oxidative stress in the form of UV radiation from sunlight, air pollutants, ozone, smoking, and psychological stress can cause the skin to lose its strength and integrity, which can lead to wrinkles and sagging skin. The older we get, the longer our skin has been exposed to these oxidants. Antioxidants taken internally and applied topically can help offset this constant oxidation and weakening of the skin. In addition to ensuring your diet is filled with colourful fruits and vegetables, consider supplementing with VITAMIN C. This antioxidant has many benefits including protecting the structural proteins in the skin from oxidation and thus supporting collagen synthesis. Supplementation with SELENIUM and REDUCED GLUTATHIONE can also be beneficial as these molecules are also found in the dermis and are well-known for their antioxidant properties.
Soft tissue in the body gets its structure from proteins and in the skin, collagen is an important structural component. The body’s ability to make collagen declines as we age. This is especially true for women who may lose up to 30% of their skin collagen within the first years after menopause. Regardless of what type of diet you eat (I.e., whether you are an omnivore or vegan), it is important to ensure your diet provides you with lean sources of protein. To help things along, you can consider supplementing with a collagen supplement. ORGANIKA makes a powdered COLLAGEN that is sourced from grass-fed cows. It is unflavoured and can be mixed into any liquid. LORNA VANDERHAEGHE HEALTH SOLUTIONS’ ACTIVE COLLAGEN™ contains collagen that is sourced from fish. This is available as a capsule or a powder that is reconstituted into a raspberry flavoured solution that tastes great on its own or mixed into smoothies. Both products contain collagen broken down into its amino acid form thus they are easily absorbed and assimilated. Supplementing with collagen can help not just the firmness of the skin, but also reduce the look of deep wrinkles, improve moisture levels in the skin, and may even boost the strength of hair, nails, and bones.
We have always believed that beauty comes from within, both figuratively and literally. Consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables of every colour, while paying attention to getting adequate amounts of protein and healthy fats will not only improve the look and feel of your skin, it will give you whole body benefits.
Christine and Fred Cheng are a passionate, charismatic sister-brother pharmacist team at their unique, family-owned and operated Pharmasave stores in Cloverdale and Steveston, B.C. They specialize in natural remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use. Everything mentioned in their article is available InStore.
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