Healthy Skin
The skin is the largest organ in the body, and
the most exposed. Most people don't take proper care of their skin -
either due to hectic work or due to pure ignorance.
Vitamins A, C,
E, selenium, and zinc are especially important to maintain beautiful
and healthy skin. Foods that are rich in these vitamins and minerals
include:
Apricots
Cantalope
Carrots
Eggs
Broccoli
Citrus fruits
Tomatoes
Papaya
Almonds
Avocado
Olive oil
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Cabbage
Chicken
Liver
Onions
Seafood
Oats
Tuna
Cauliflower
This
is just a partial list of foods rich in the vitamins and minerals you
need for healthy skin. Foods and drinks you need to eliminate or reduce
your consumption of include alcohol, sugar, and saturated fat. Coffee
and tea should be limited to two cups a day.
Since the skin often
mirrors the health of the whole body, eating a healthy diet provides you
a healthy body and as an extra benefit, healthy skin.
Healthy Hair
Healthy
hair depends on eating foods high in protein and certain vitamins and
minerals. Inadequate protein intake over a lengthy period can force hair
into the resting phase with shedding a few months later. Five amino
acids are of particular relevance to hair growth - cystine, cysteine,
methionine, arginine and lysine.
There a number of different
specific hair vitamins and minerals that can play a major role in
helping a person have a healthy head of hair. Vitamins necessary for
healthy hair include vitamins A, B6, biotin, inositol, and folic acid.
Minerals needed to good hair growth are magnesium, sulphur, silica and
zinc.
Extra hair vitamins are likely to be needed if a person is
generally unwell or is undernourished as their hair will show damage and
may even stop growing. For example, brittle hair is an indication of
iron deficiency while prolonged and severe hair loss can mean
inefficient functioning of the liver or the thyroid.
Healthy Teeth
The
health of your teeth and gums, the lack of plaque and debris, and the
freshness of your breath can be a constant reminder of the status of
your overall health. A healthy body generally means healthy teeth as
well.
As with promoting healthy skin and healthy hair, eating
healthy foods (such as lots of fresh fruits and vegetables) also helps
encourage healthy teeth. These foods tend to help scrub the plaque off
of our teeth before it can turn into tartar. It is tartar that can cause
pockets in the gums where bacteria can take root and cause decay.
Vitamin
C deficiencies can result in bleeding gums and loose teeth as well as
mouth sores The Vitamin B complex is also essential to a healthy mouth
as deficiencies can cause cracking and bleeding of the lips as well as
open sores and lesions on both the inside and outside of the mouth.
Calcium
is the super nutrient that keeps bones and teeth strong. Vitamin D is
another important factor in keeping our teeth and bones healthy.
Spending a total of about one hour each week in the sun will normally
provide you all the vitamin D you need.
Besides causing other
problems with our health, too much fluoride can cause permanent staining
of our child's teeth. It can also cause brain degeneration and certain
cancers. So be very careful to rinse completely after brushing your
teeth with fluoride toothpaste and after a fluoride treatment at the
dentist.
Conclusion
There's no way around it. The only way
to have healthy skin, healthy hair and healthy teeth is to give your
body the vitamins, minerals and protein it needs by heating a healthy
and well-rounded diet.
By
Carol Stack
