Life Desk :
‘We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.’ – Adelle Davis, American author and nutritionist.
You are what you eat. And it goes beyond when you eat right.
So, if you are looking to be more beautiful inside out, eliminate processed foods, refined sugars and artificial sweeteners from your diet that make you age sooner than your years and eat the foods that would detox your body and add to your beauty. Here’s a list of these foods.
Yogurt- Probiotics in yogurt improve immune status, reduce intestinal infections, and improve intestinal integrity, according to Mary Ellen Sanders, Ph D Consultant at Dairy and Food Culture Technologies, Centennial, USA. It is an excellent source of protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and vitamin B12, which enhance your immune system and give you a vibrant and glowing skin. It is also low in calories.
Seaweed- Seaweeds such as Spirulina are algae that are a treasure chest of natural chemicals beneficial for skin and hair. The iodine regulates body metabolism and is essential for proper functioning of thyroid gland, which in turn prevents hair loss. The antioxidants in seaweed are known to detoxify the body and renew damaged skin cells thus making your skin radiant. And that’s not all. Natural anti-aging and anti-cellulite properties of seaweeds improve suppleness and the elasticity of the skin. It can detoxify, cleanse and tone the skin, and naturally moisturize it from within. And all this contributes to a more beautiful you!
Beans, Peas, and Lentils- These high-protein foods also help maintain electrolyte balance that is very good for enhancing your beauty. Dark circles and puffiness under the eye make you look tired and older. They happen because your body starts retaining too much water. It may also be a sign that your kidneys are not functioning optimally.
Cabbage- The skin needs biotin (B vitamin) to form new, healthy skin cells and this vitamin is found plentiful in cabbage. This vegetable is also rich in vitamins C and E, the antioxidants which fight free radicals that age the skin. Cabbage, especially red / purple ones, prevents crow’s feet and wrinkling of skin. The vitamin A (beta carotene) in this food also helps delay signs of aging.
Seafood- Potassium-rich foods such as seafood, banana and broccoli are good detox foods. Eating foods high in potassium can improve the functioning and drainage of your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system in our body distributes fluid and nutrients throughout the body, assists in draining off excess fluids and protein, and removes toxins. If you are not very fond of seafood, eat a banana or drink apple juice or orange juice. Banana has approximately 450 mg of potassium that covers about 15 percent of your daily potassium requirement.
Garlic and Onion- Heavy metals such as mercury, aluminum and lead in our body enlarge the fat cells and impair the function of cell membranes resulting in potassium loss. The result is poor lymphatic function, cellulite, and inflammation. Eating sulfur-containing foods such as broccoli, collards, kale, daikon radish, garlic, onions, and omega-3 eggs enhance your liver’s detoxification pathways, thus removing the heavy metals. Cilantro (coriander) and parsley are also very good foods for removing heavy metals in our body. Robert Atkins, founder of the Atkins Diet, suggests taking 400 mg of cilantro a day to remove heavy metals out of the body in just two weeks.
Broccoli- Another food remedy for cellulite is broccoli. It contains alpha-lipoic acid which can help to prevent the hardening of collagen responsible for rough, scarred skin and wrinkles. This food is also a concentrated source of Vitamin C, an excellent source of dietary fiber, and one of the best dairy-free sources of calcium (although only about 60 percent of the calcium in broccoli is absorbed by the body) that fights cellulite.
Egg- Egg is a high-level protein source that can do wonders to your skin and hair. Egg yolks are a good source of lutein, a carotenoid (phytonutrient) found to prevent freckles in children, and sunburns. According to researchers from Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universitat Dusseldorf, Germany, nutritional protection against skin damage from sunlight is provided by carotenoids (lutein in case of eggs), tocopherols, ascorbate, flavonoids, or n-3 fatty acids, contributing to maintenance resistance as part of lifelong protection. Studies have shown that intake of dietary lutein can help prevent skin wrinkling which may be due to lutein’s ability to prevent extracellular matrix breakdown. Leafy green vegetables, broccoli, corn and peas are also good sources of lutein.
Walnut- If you are suffering from hair loss and thinning hair, walnut may help prevent further loss of hair and encourage re-growth. Dr Weil, a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, suggests including omega-3 rich foods in your diet as a hair loss remedy. Walnut is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. A one-ounce serving of walnuts provides 18 g of total fat of which 13 g are PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and 2.5 g are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), as well as other health-promoting nutrients and bioactive components. ‘Try to eat salmon (preferable wild Alaskan salmon), sardines, herring or mackerel two or three times a week. Or, sprinkle two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseeds per day on your cereal or salads,’ suggest Dr. Weil.
All these nutritious age-defying foods are a recipe for great hair and glowing and radiant skin as also help reduce your risk of heart disease and some cancers. These beauty foods will keep you looking and feeling beautiful, always.
