Skin is a vital organ that serves many purposes. One of these is protecting us from harmful environmental factors such as pollution, ultraviolet light, microbes, and infectious diseases. It is only right to ensure that they are healthy and functioning well by providing them with essential vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin A
Our skin is the largest epithelial tissue in our body. Vitamin A helps by maintaining and healing this epithelial tissue from damage caused by exposure to harmful factors such as the sun’s UV rays. It can also keep our skin strong and firm. Vitamin A also reduces the production of sebum by our sebaceous glands, thus preventing the formation of acne and pimples. You can source out vitamin A from egg yolks, non-fat milk, liver, oysters, fortified cereals, green vegetables, and orange fruits such as papaya, peaches, apricots, mangos, and cantaloupe. You can also take in liquid multivitamins of 10,000 IU, except if you are pregnant, to fight acne and pimples effectively.
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Beta carotene-rich food can also be a good source of vitamin A as the body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A. All you need is 30mg. of cooked carrots a day. This can also help prevent or reduce redness as well as inflammation caused by sunburn. You can combine it with vitamin E and other carotenoids such as lutein to minimize your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. Aside from carrots, you can also find these vitamins from broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, papaya and watermelon.
Vitamin B
This vitamins function by converting calories into good energy that is essential for skin metabolism. It also helps in the maintenance of our skin’s functions which include the production of oil or sebum by the sebaceous glands that keep sour skin moist. This is a very important vitamin if you want to avoid having dry and scaly skin. Vitamin B also helps relieve stress and anxiety which is a causative factor of acne. You can source this essential vitamin out from red meat, poultry, fish, peanut butter, eggs, banana, oatmeal, and whole grains.
Vitamin C
Our skin is made up of many layers. The skin’s supporting structure underneath is called collagen. Vitamin C helps in the maintenance of this collagen when taken orally. Stress and overexposure to the sun can drain out our vitamin C in the skin. That is why vitamin C is commonly incorporated in sunscreens and anti aging creams. Vitamin C is important for tissue repair. It also protects us from disease-causing microorganisms and helps enhance our immunity. You can find this essential vitamin in citrus fruits or juices, strawberries, green peas, green leafy vegetables, tomato, cantaloupe, and sweet pepper. If acne is your problem, you can take vitamin C supplement at 1000 mg. thrice a day or ask your doctor about it.
Vitamin E
Collagen makes our skin elastic and strong. However, there is an enzyme named collagenase that breaks our collagen down. This leads to skin sagging and wrinkling. Vitamin E fights this by decreasing the production of collagenase. The best sources for vitamin E are leafy vegetables, sesame oil, olive oil, legumes, almonds, salmon, avocado, wheat germ, whole grain, and lean meat. A daily intake of 400 IU vitamin E may help fight acne problems.
Vitamin K
This vitamin is often incorporated in various cosmetics and skin care products due to its powerful effects on the skin. Vitamin K helps reduce skin pigmentation and discoloration, as well as puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. It is also effective in healing bruises as it specializes in blood clotting. You can take an 80-mg. supplement a day for adult males while 65mg. is recommended for females.
Selenium
This mineral helps by reducing the damage caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun. This helps minimize the risk of having sunburn. You can source it out from tuna, sesame seeds, whole grains, and wheat germ.
Copper
This mineral aids the body in producing melanin that is responsible for our skin color. It also helps it produce elastin essential to keep our skin firm. The best sources for copper include prunes, nuts, cherries, and tofu.
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Zinc
Zinc is a mineral that helps in the maintenance of collagen which keeps the skin firm and elastic. It also links amino acids that are essential in collagen formation and wound healing. It prevents scarring as well as acne formation by controlling the oil producing glands of our skin. The best sources for zinc include mushrooms, seafood, soybeans, and turkey.
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