Save Your Own Skin

by Dr. Kyle Chavers, MD, IFMCP

Healthy skin starts with healthy habits.

Keeping your skin healthy is very important and here are some tips you can implement into your daily routine for improved skincare.

Did you realize your diet has a lot to do with the health and wellness of your skin? A number of foods clearly (no pun intended) affect the health and aging of your skin:

Serve fatty fish

like salmon and mackerel. Your skin uses omega fatty acids to produce lipids (moisturizing oils) and studies show that omega-3s improve skin’s lipid levels and hydration levels.

Seek Out Vitamin E

to help protect skin against damage from free radicals and inflammation. Sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, avocados and spinach are all great sources of Vitamin E.

Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Its anti-inflammatory effects on the skin may help protect the skin from sun damage.

Eat More Whole Soy

Soy contains isoflavones, plant compounds that benefit your skin. In menopausal women, soy has been shown to help maintain skin’s moisture and increase collagen.

Sip Green Tea

Green Tea contains powerful antioxidants that fight DNA damage from UV rays. It also contains antibacterial agents and can help control acne by unclogging pores.

Avoid Sugar and Highly Processed Foods

Eating too much sugar “sticks” to the amino acids present in collagen and elastin and this further ages your skin. Lean into whole grain foods and natural sugars from fruit to sweeten your overall skin health.

So we have established what you eat and drink is important for bettering skin health, but no matter the weather, be sure to also get in the habit of protecting your skin from the sun:

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day.
• Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your ears, neck, and chest.
• Choose a product that is “broad-spectrum,” so it is protective against UVA and UVB rays.
• If you’re going to be outside, wear breathable, protective clothing and seek shade whenever possible.

If you need some guidance on selecting a sunscreen, check out this link: https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/