Thursday, May 8, 2014

Combat Aging Skin with Nutrition

*The following post contains affiliate links*


Nutrition is a major factor for healthy skin maintenance. A diet high in super foods like blueberries, avocado, sweet potato, salmon and kiwi, just to name a few will provide the necessary vitamins, omega 3 and nutrients you need for clear and beautiful skin.


Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals all go hand in hand to strengthen and condition the protective outer layer we call our skin. Lack of proper nutrition not only affects how well the skin performs under the harsh environment it endures daily, but it also affects its appearance.

 Fortunately, our skin’s health can be enhanced and maintained by using topical solutions and cosmetics such as Mary Kay Skin Care products. However, regardless of how great the product, the importance of nutrition still remains. Let’s take a closer look at the importance of nutrition/diet as part of Mary Kay’s TimeWise Skin Care regimen.

Glucose Necessity
Glucose is the “good sugar” that gives our bodies the energy it needs to function properly. It’s found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Our skin cells process glucose very similar to the way our muscles use it. Glucose supplies carbohydrates with what they need in order to process proteins. When proteins are modified and processed, our bodies use them for the healing and repair of both skin cells and muscle tissue. Therefore, substandard glucose consumption that occurs with poor nutrition greatly affects skin structure and appearance. In other words, when you eat junk and don’t take care of yourself, your skin is going to follow suit.

Nutrition for Absorption
Carbohydrates and amino acids in our skin create special fats such as sterols that develop in the outermost part of the epidermis called the stratum corneum. These sterols give the outermost skin layer the function of absorption. Once again, when you don’t have proper nutrition your body doesn’t get what it needs to create these sterols.

Then your skin is unable to absorb any moisture or topical skin care treatments effectively. Thus, leading to worse skin conditions. Our skin will crack and be unable to heal without the ability to absorb. Our skin is constantly exposed to damaging conditions. Ultra-violet light, oxygen, and oxidizing chemicals all play a part in causing skin damage every single day.

This further emphasizes the importance of nutrition as well as antioxidant vitamins. Nutritional improvements, as an effort to increase the skin’s health, often provide slow results. This is why it’s helpful to include topical applications in conjunction with good nutrition.

While ingesting the right nutrients helps to achieve healthy skin overall, topical applications provide targeted treatment that supports nutritional efforts.