Skin Care and Nutrition

Skin care and your nutrition….you are what you eat…..sorry for the cliché. It is, however, a widely held belief that eating right will help you skin. You know, get your veggies, drink plenty of water and watch the junk foods. There is also enough evidence that can support the benefits of eating right.

There is another aspect of skin care nutrition, taking oral vitamin supplements. This concept is not as clear. Evidence, both from patients in dermatologists’ offices and clinical trails are showing that perhaps supplements do work to reduce aging and assist in skin care. This works, best of course, with eating right and using topical treatments.

Essential Fatty Acids

Supplementation with fatty acids is showing to be effective in treating dry skin. The body cannot make these, you have to eat them. The makers of external skin care lotions and creams have used fatty acids for years.

Specific sources for these fatty acids are fish oils and flaxseed oils. Many readers of this section may already be aware of supplements with Omega-3 fatty acids. It appears that when ingested, these acids attach to the skin cells and create a shield. This shield may improve skin moisture by helping to increase hydration. They also improve skin texture.

It is long term use of these supplements along with eating right that will have the best results. You want to have these substances build up in your system. Examples of foods that have Omega-3 fatty acids are sockeye salmon and black cod.

Ideally supplements are used to bridge the gap between not getting enough of the right kind of nutrients in our diets. They can also be used to increase substances that possibly increase health and well being.

There is a sequence of fatty acids that appear to work together for the best benefit.

Omega 3 Fatty Acid: The 3 in the Omega 3's are Alpha Linolenic Acid, EPA and DHA.

Alpha Linolenic Acid, known as ALA, is converted by the body into EPA and DHA. These essential fatty acids are needed to promote cardiovascular, nervous system and skin health.

Omega 6 Fatty Acid: This is also known as gamma-Linolenic Acid or GLA. GLA works with the Omega 3 fatty acids to also assist in maintaining the areas of healthy system functioning listed for Omega 3.

Omega 9 Fatty Acid: This is known as Oleic Acid. While not always considered an essential fatty acid, is beneficial and is believed to support your vascular system.

Omega-3-6-9 Supplement

The link provided here is for a product from Now Foods that offers the Omega 3-6-9 combination in softgel form: Super Omega 3-6-9

There are those that may prefer to take this in liquid form. In this form you could mix it with a favorite dish or drink of your own. This link will take you to an Omega 3-6-9 liquid supplement by Barlean. Barlean's Total Omega 3-6-9, Lemonade Flavor

Antioxidants and the fight against wrinkles

These supplements keep getting more and more popular. Reports of benefits keep coming in from consumers. Medical evidence also suggests benefits from these substances.

Antioxidants can help to repair cellular damage.

Vitamin C

Perhaps the best known and most used is Vitamin C. This vitamin is so important that there is a school of thought that it is not a vitamin at all but a water soluble hormone. This is because Vitamin C is so important to so many functions. Hmmm.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology did report that Vitamin C and E taken orally for 3 months did reduce damage and protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays. This was done under strict clinical procedures. Your results may vary.

The vitamin C product listed in the link is by Alacer. This company may have the most advanced Vitamin C supplements on the market. Emergen-C Super Gram III Tablets

Vitamin E

It used to be said about Vitamin E that it was a cure in search of a disease. This is not the case any longer. While perhaps not a disease fighter, it is showing to be important as an antioxidant. As written above this one has also shown to protect and reduce damage from the sun’s UV rays.

Heliocare

This product contains a fern extract and green tea. This combination also appears to be effective in protecting from sun damage and reducing wrinkles.

Multiple Vitamin Supplements for Nutrition and Skin Care

Some of you may prefer a broader range of nutritional skin care via supplements. Below are skin care nutritional packs. Just scroll down to view products under the name of the manufacturer. Click on the images to check out these products for your purchase.

Murad

Dr. Howard Murad M.D. may be doing more than any other medical professional in the area of skin care. His research has benefited clients and other medical professionals. Dr. Murad is a board-certified dermatologist, a trained pharmacist, an associate professor of clinical dermatology at UCLA. He was one of the first to use antioxidants externally and internally to slow the signs of aging. The Firm and Tone Dietary Supplement Pack is a product from Dr. Murad. As the name indicates, this is to firm and tone the skin. The product is also designed to improve the texture of stretch marks. Click on the image below.

Shopping for Supplements and other Health Food Products.

This site is aware that if you are interested in these types of supplements, you may wish to shop for other types of supplements and health food products. Below are links that you may wish to visit for your shopping enjoyment.

The first banner is from Amazon.

This banner will take you to GNC by way of drugstore.com