Beauty Foods
Your diet can have a huge impact on the condition of your skin and hair. Help your daily moisturizing cream by keeping drinking plenty water, as dehydration can lead to dry skin. Vitamins such as A and E have a positive impact on skin health as well, and are plentiful in colorful fruit and veg such as beetroot, capsicum (peppers), sweet potatoes and berries. Berries are also packed with antioxidants, which are well known for their skin clearing and anti-aging properties. Another good food for skincare is oily fish, such as salmon, which is high in omega-3 oils as well as protein, which is important for both skin and hair condition. If you want to get your protein fix another way, chicken or eggs are also great to include in your diet, with the added bonus of them both being good sources of zinc.
Mood Foods
Want to brighten your mood? You need selenium! Low levels contribute to depression, so make sure you’re getting your share. Brazil nuts, chia seeds, fish, poultry, meat and onions are all good sources of this. Just make sure not to overdo it; one Brazil nut already has more than your daily dose of selenium which may be toxic if overingested. Another substance that will help you feel good is omega-3, which we’ve already mentioned is useful in hair and skin maintenance. It plays an even more crucial role in brain development, however, so a diet rich in omega-3 can prevent any mood-altering conditions from developing. Other foods can help by making your brain release more serotonin, the chemical responsible for making you feel good. One way is through containing a substance called tryptophan, found heavily in poultry and, to a lesser extent, bananas, but also in dark chocolate, which may explain its status as a real comfort food!
Foods for energy
You may be tempted to reach for something sugary or caffeine-laced to get you through an energy slump, but it’s not a good idea as you will just wind up feeling even more tired when the effects wear off. Low energy can be caused by a vitamin C deficiency, so be sure to include some citrus such as grapefruit and orange in your diet. One good source of energy is carbohydrates; in spite of them being an enemy of several diet trends they do release their sugar into the body slowly and so keep you feeling alert for much longer. Wholemeal foods, lentils, potatoes and beans are all good and healthy sources, so you don’t need to give up watching your waistline in order to include them! Energy and concentration levels can also be helped by iron, red meat and leafy greens such as spinach being two of the best sources of this.
Eat well and eat varied, and you’ll be sure to notice the difference in no time!
Be sure to discuss any changes in your diet with your doctor or healthcare provider.
