Beauty Foods and Foods for Beauty

Beauty starts on the inside. We can continue to spend billions annually in the search for beauty products applied to the skin, but if we don't eat right - it's money tossed away. Eating healthy, and eating certain foods in particular, goes a long way towards making us more beautiful in that healthy, glowing way.

Women are beginning to realize that the key to good health - and good looks - comes from healthy eating. Eating locally grown whole foods, and staying away from processed foods makes all the difference.

But if we stay away from chemical laden processed foods, shouldn't we also stay away from chemical laden processed beauty products?

Below is a list of certain foods and how they can be beneficial - BUT - and here's a really big BUT - before I do that, I must preface this list with a belief about women and beauty:

I grew up with a mother who taught us that women are the best and most beautiful thing on earth because - well, because...we are women. And I had a father who agreed.

It made me see beauty in a woman who is smiling and laughing. That became my measurement of beauty, a truly happy woman - certainly not makeup.

Food is the source of our good health and well-being. Different foods are particularly beneficial for healthy reasons. The following is a list of certain foods for healthy beauty.

To Moisturize the Skin and Keep it Supple:

- as little as a handful of almonds or half an avocado eaten each day will provide hydration from vitamin E, healthy fats and skin softening moisture. The essential fatty acids in the oils keep the skin moisturized because the fatty acids are so similar to the oil in our skin.

To Keep the Skin Smooth:

- Snacking on vitamin C rich foods twice a day helps to build strong collagen. Collagen is necessary to help prevent wrinkles. These foods include grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, guava, and strawberries.

To Reduce Inflammation:

To calm and soothe skin conditions like psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and sensitive skin, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial. The best sources are walnuts and flaxseed, as well as salmon, trout and mackerel.

To Keep the Skin Clear:

Exfoliating the skin can help keep it clear. Eating foods daily that are rich in beta-carotene are beneficial. These include carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. These foods are considered edible exfoliants.

To Strengthen Nails:

To stay healthy, nails need nutrients from amino-acids. Amino-acids are the building blocks of healthy nails. Protein can be provided by beans and low-fat yogurt (read the label on yogurt containers to get the real thing).

My all around favorite healthy skin emollient is pure shea butter - see the link below for the amazing benefits of pure shea butter.

Be sure your personal care products are free of toxins - see the links below for suggestions.