by Nicole Taylor, NMD

Wrinkles, poor skin tone and texture, along with other effects of aging skin are something that many of us have had to deal with for years.  As we  transition into the New Year, it is the perfect time to consider simple changes to nutrition and our skin care regimen that will help to reduce the signs of aging and slow the aging process. 

Signs of Aging, Acne, Dry Skin, Oily Skin, Rosacea and many other skin conditions are (most of the time) caused by what is going on inside our body.  What we put in our body has as much effect on our skin's condition as the products we put on our skin to help keep it feeling young and looking beautiful.

Skin is the body's largest organ.  The effects of aging and many chronic diseases are caused by oxidation and the creation of free radicals that wreck havoc in our body and our skin.

So, what can we do on a daily basis to correct the damage that has occurred? 

More importantly what can we do to slow this aging process? 

Along with a good home Skin Care Regimen that includes skin exfoliation... an evaluation of what we eat can have a huge impact on the appearance and health of our skin. 

As we age, new skin cell turn-over decreases in frequency resulting in the build up of dead skin cells that promote the look of "tired" and "dull" skin.   Simple  procedures like Microdermabrasion or Dermal Infusion with Facial Treatments utilizing medical grade Skin Care products is a cost effective and relaxing way to enjoy the spa experience.  These procedures exfoliate the dead skin cells that accumulate on our skin while rejuvenating the skins cellular structure.  

And, since healthy skin starts on the inside -- we need to evaluate our food choices to promote healthy and beautiful skin.  Daily, we need to think about...

 ANTIOXIDANTS, ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS & WATER

Following is a Simple Meal Plan that details a day packed with the "essentials" we need to achieve the beautiful skin we all desire!

Breakfast

Multigrain toast with Organic Peanut Butter

1 cup of Organic mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries & strawberries)

Green Tea

Snack

Handful of mixed nuts or almonds

Lunch

Organic Mixed Greens Salad with lots of veggies, sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and topped with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Snack

½ or 1 Whole Avocado sprinkled with some Sea Salt

Or 

1 Organic Omega-3 Hard Boiled Egg

Dinner

Baked Wild Alaskan Salmon with a side of Brown Rice and Spinach Sautéed in garlic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Red and Gold Beet Salad drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Sea Salt

Water

We need to drink about 1/2 of our weight (in ounces) of Clean Water (bottled, purified, reverse osmosis) throughout the day.

For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should be drinking about 70 ounces of water per day.  This is a general calculation, and individual needs may vary.

Quick tips:

Ø      Organic is always better since pesticides and chemicals cause free radical formation which leads to oxidation and, therefore, aging.

Ø      Sugar & animal products (animal meats and all dairy products) cause inflammation and oxidation in the body.  In general, these items should be kept to a minimum in your diet.

Ø      Fruits, especially berries and colorful vegetables are the best forms of antioxidants.

Ø      Extra virgin olive oil, avocado, salmon and nuts are a few of the foods high in the Essential Fatty Acids.

Ø      When cooking or ordering out, choose foods that are baked or lightly sautéed with olive oil rather than fried or grilled. 

Ø      Antioxidants and Essential Fatty Acid Supplements can be added to our diet to achieve optimum levels.