Is there anyone who doesn’t like eating? Everyone loves to eat. How can one ignore a hash brownie after a white sauce pasta? However, do we really think about what benefits they cause to our skin and hair? When we are talking about healthy, radiant, luscious hair and skin, the significance of our diet cannot be disregarded. It doesn’t matter how many tropical products and treatments we are using unless the nutrients we consume benefit the health and appearance of our hair and skin. Understanding the relationship between nutrients and our dermatological health can actually benefit us greatly.
Nutrients & Dermatological Health
Our diet is heavily connected to our skin and hair. Certain nutrients, therefore, have to be present in our daily meals like, protein (produce collagen that plays a vital role in maintaining skin elasticity), vitamins (vit A,B,C and E protect our skin from environmental pollution and UV rays and vit D reduces hair fall), minerals (Zinc, Iron, Phosphorus reduce hair fall and promote hair growth), good fat ( Omega 3 improves skin texture and promotes hair growth) and water ( hydrate your body to maintain the continuity of the body’s internal task). The deficiencies of these nutrients can greatly harm your skin and hair.
Harmful Food for Our Skin and Health
Now let’s talk about which foods can harm our beautiful skin and hair. Certain foods taste marvelous but can negatively affect our skin and hair. For example, dairy products cause inflammation and acne. “High Sugar” (causes inflammation, early aging, reduction of collagen production) intake is another culprit. Sugar is considered a slow poison, though moderate sugar consumption can cause less or no harm.
Alcohol cannot be unnoticed! Some of us really love to celebrate with a glass of wine; again, some of us love to spend time with friends with a can of beer. But do we think about what it can do to our health? It works greatly “Against” our skin and hair by dehydrating our body, leading to dryness and wrinkles and weakening hair over time.
Besides, refined carbohydrates (white sugar, white flour, white bread) and high-sodium foods (snacks, frozen foods, cheese, canned foods) can spike insulin levels instantly, promoting inflammation and acne.
Beneficial Foods for Skin and Hair
From the upper discussion, we’ve learnt that incorporating nutrient-dense food is essential to improve the health of our skin and hair. Preparing an ideal meal, hence, is very important. While preparing it , we should keep in mind that there should be a moderate amount of carbs, a necessary amount of proteins, good amounts of colorful fruits and veggies and good fat. Proteins and fats are required to produce collagen and promote hair growth while fruits and veggies are required to protect the skin from sun damage, repair the skin and promote hair growth as well. Black coffee, tea and dark chocolate are also very beneficial for the skin and hair. However, the most important food to incorporate in a diet is plenty of water to maintain the overall health condition.
Diet for Specific Skin Condition
Not all skin and hair conditions require the same treatment and diet. Those who have acne should reduce the intake of high-sugar foods (e.g. milk chocolates, cakes, brownies, shakes, cookies, pastries, fast foods, juice etc.), dairy products (ice cream, milk, cheese etc.), oily foods, and refined carbohydrates. Similarly, people with rosacea should avoid red wine, coffee and chocolates as these can worsen their condition.
However, it is very important to make a balanced diet plan. A nutritionist or dermatologist can actually help you in this regard. If you don’t have any specific skin condition then try to maintain and ideal diet and carefully observe to which food your body reacts negatively and design your diet plan accordingly.
We usually prefer supplements to nutrient foods as they are cheaper. But, for overall skin and hair health, it is best to have nutrient foods rather than supplements. We just need to look for cheaper options and we should get out from the idea that all nutrient foods are expensive. There are definitely plenty of options our mother nature has for us. We should focus on incorporating whole grains, sufficient proteins, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats into our diet. We shouldn’t forget to drink plenty of water (at least 2 liters a day) to maintain the hydration of our entire body and should avoid excessive sugar intake, processed food and high-sodium items. There is a saying, “The Whiter The Bread, The Sooner You Are Dead.” When we feel hungry or want to eat something salty, we can eat nuts, seeds, fresh fruits and dark chocolates.
A diet plan plays a vital role in maintaining the health of your hair and skin. By making a good diet plan, we can have healthy skin and hair inside out.
