Beauty from Within … Enhancing Natural Beauty with Nutrition

The words “you are what you eat” could not be truer. Eating a diet as “clean” and free of toxins as possible protects the body from damage and disease, increases longevity, and keeps us looking and feeling younger.

A few simple changes go a long way to improving the skin, and provide added benefits of having more energy and fewer aches and pains, which means less frowning and less wrinkles. Broken down are the four basic keys to external beauty and tips for enhancing natural beauty with nutrition.

Reducing Sugar

Let the sugar go! A high level of sugar routinely circulating in the blood irritates the blood vessels, creates inflammation in the body and basically sets the stage for damage. This damage shows up in our skin as puffiness, redness, excessive oil or dryness and generally poor complexions. Reducing the sugar in your diet means not only avoiding soda and candy; you need to choose foods such as yogurt, beverages, breads, breakfast cereals and pastas, wisely. Start choosing products produced with less sugar and as a whole avoid high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Whole grains are more difficult to digest, so they raise the blood sugar slowly which provides more sustained energy without “spiking” blood sugar. Whole multi-grain bread, brown rice and brown rice pastas, quinoa, spelt and buckwheat are great choices that give variety and reduce the gluten load. Research has suggested that choosing grains that are gluten-free may improve hormone balance, which in turn leads to less inflammation and is reflected in our external beauty.

Getting Key Proteins

Protein foods such as egg white, chicken, fish and whey protein contain the sulfur with amino acids which are critical to collagen production. Adequate protein is necessary to make proteoglycans, such as hyaluronic acid. Proteoglycan molecules help moisturize the skin from the inside. Getting protein at each meal and snacks helps regulate blood sugar as well. Good breakfast proteins include whey protein smoothies, egg white omelets or frittatas, lox, plain yogurt or low-fat, low-sodium turkey sausage such as Diestel. Vegetarians need to focus on eating a variety of plant proteins such as brown rice, nuts and legumes, to obtain the appropriate amino acids that are not as concentrated in plant foods.

Eating Healthy Fats

You don’t have much to “spend” in the way of fat in a healthy diet so make the most of it. Healthy fats include the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which the body cannot make on its own. These fatty acids are integral to cell health creating flexibility and fluidity to the cell walls, moisture to the skin, making regulatory hormones that balance the immune system and decrease inflammation throughout the body. They are essential for collagen formation along with adequate protein for cell repair and maintenance. Omega-6 is plentiful in our diets, so focus on getting more omega-3 and omega-9. Fish and fish oil supplements are the most concentrated sources of omega-3s. Flax, walnuts and soy are good plant sources of omega-3, but the omega-3 they contain requires conversion to the active forms found in fish. Only 7 to 12 percent of plant omega-3 gets converted to the active form, so plant sources aren’t the best sources of omega-3. Omega 9 can be obtained from cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Remember, high-heat destroys olive oil, so only use olive oil with low heat, or better use at room temperature.

Getting Plenty of Antioxidants

Eat your veggies! Vegetables are the most concentrated source of antioxidants and cofactors that are necessary for protecting cells from free radical oxidative damage. There are hundreds of antioxidants, all with powerful regenerative properties that help reduce aging by preventing cell death. In addition, some antioxidants such as lycopene and catechins even provide protection from damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Dark green leafy, and bright red and orange vegetables contain vitamin E, zinc, manganese, vitamin C and lutein. Vitamin E protects the cell wall from damage, manganese protects the mitochondria or “engine” inside each cell from oxidation, lutein prevents blindness created by macular degeneration and vitamin C can recycle antioxidants for reuse.

To begin a new beauty food regime, start with the easiest changes first and move on to more challenging dietary changes as you get the hang of eating more healthfully. For example, start by adding a salad or drinking a fresh vegetable juice each day, choose water or tea to drink, eat fish twice a week, take a fish oil supplement and choose whole grain breakfast cereal. Focus on one new beauty item a week until you gradually incorporate an entire regime that leaves you positively glowing from the inside out.

Linda Illingworth, Cal-a-Vie® Health Spa’s exclusive registered dietician, received her bachelor’s degree in nutrition at California State University, Long Beach, and completed her internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis., equipping her to examine the role of behavior in nutrition. Illingworth educates Cal-a-Vie Health Spa guests on the integral role proper nutrient plays in helping guests achieve their personal fitness goals. She has more than 20 years of experience counseling individuals and educating groups at health clubs and in private practice.

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