Feed Your Skin
I was happy to chat about how to "Feed Your Skin" at a local health store recently. Here's a bit of info about creating healthy skin with the help of essential fatty acids from my book, Living Beauty: Feel Great, Look Fabulous & Live Well.
"You can assume that you are not taking in enough essential fatty acids (EFAs) in your diet if you have dry, fragile hair or skin that is rough, dehydrated, or flaky. If you are troubled by eczema or psoriasis, you should also up your EFA intake. EFAs are involved in enzyme regulation, nutrient absorption into the cell, cell communication, and the creation of a healthy, fluid cell structure (the cell membrane). EFAs also nourish and help to retain moisture in your hair, nails, and skin. And they’re used to create various hormone-like compounds that are involved in blood clotting, blood-vessel dilation, and inflammation. Inflammation is not only a factor in skin conditions such as acne and eczema; it is also associated with clogged arteries, high blood pressure, heart disease, and many other chronic conditions. Any one of these conditions can have an impact on skin quality.
Clogged arteries reduce the flow of oxygenated blood, causing skin cells to suffocate and die. High blood pressure may cause artery damage, brain damage, eye damage, heart damage, and/or kidney damage. Damaged kidneys can’t filter blood efficiently, so your body will try to eliminate waste through your skin. Soon overworked, the skin cells inflame, infect, and die. A diseased heart can’t pump optimal levels of nutrients into cells, so they starve. And because dead skin cells are dull, gray, and dehydrated, they don’t look good on you. Inflammation is serious business. You want to minimize inflammation in your body as much as possible, and your choice of fats can help you do that."
Aim to get a minimum of 1000 IU of anti-inflammatory EPA and DHA daily. Fish oil capsules are a great source!
Until next time,
Let's all walk the talk!
Lisa
PS If you'd like to buy the book, visit the bookstore here. Click on any book to enter!
