What You Eat Can Improve Your Skin, Part 2
Last week, I talked about what to eat and drink in order to help your skin look its best. The key points were to stay away from restrictive diets, make sure to get enough calories and protein, stay well-hydrated by drinking enough fluids and, last but not least, take a multivitamin. These are the simple, key principles by which your diet can help you to maintain healthy skin.
So now that you’ve got the theory down, what does this process actually look like? How do you know if you’re hydrated, and what actual foods should you eat?
Step 1: What to drink
The question is: How can you tell whether you’re drinking enough fluids? The answer is simple: If you’re thirsty, you’re not drinking enough fluids. Bear in mind that when you exercise, you require more fluid intake than when you are not exercising. By the same token, if it’s hot out, your body will need to work harder to cool you down (whether or not you are exercising) and will require a higher fluid intake.
3 easy tips to boost fluid intake
• In the morning, have 2 glasses of water when you wake up.
• Fill a 500 ml bottle with water, and sip on it all morning.
• During the day, include other beverages for variety — all fluids count, even caffeinated drinks. (That said, don’t drink eight cups of coffee! Choose water most often.)
Step 2: What to eat
Just as a meal plan can be targeted specifically towards, say, losing weight or managing food allergies, the following sample meal plan is all about your skin. Built around key principles, it includes foods rich in nutrients that research suggests may further help keep skin looking its best.
• Breakfast: 2 slices whole grain toast with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, a handful of blueberries and 1 (one!) non-fat Latté
• Snack: Greek yogurt & 3 heaped tbsp of low-fat granola, plus 1 apple
• Lunch: Turkey Wrap with veggies and hummous spread
• Snack: a small handful of cashews (maximum ¼ cup), plus a handful of grape tomatoes
• Dinner: Grilled Salmon, quinoa, and mixed green salad with blackberries, a sprinkling of goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and 1-2 tsp of olive oil
Maria Thomas is a registered dietitian and owner of UrbanNutrition.com.
Also by Maria Thomas
• What You Eat can Improve Your Skin, Part 1
• Healthy Snack Ideas to Fight the 3pm Slump
• Are You Getting Enough Iron?
• 3 Natural Energy Boosters to Help Keep You Going