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We have all heard the phrase “you are what you
eat.” But many of us do not understand its full
meaning and so pay little attention to this common
mantra. Wrinkled skin, dull hair, and brittle
nails are all related to the food you put into
your body. So how can you eat to stay healthy,
young, and beautiful? Stock up on whole grains,
fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low-fat
dairy products, and good fats. And don’t forget
exercise to maintain the blood supply (and oxygen)
to your skin, hair, and nails. There are many
powerful “beauty foods.” I have chosen my ten
favorites and given you some ways to get them into
your daily diet.
WATER/TEA
Keeping well hydrated prevents your skin from
drying out and helps eliminate toxins. It also
improves cell turnover, meaning you have more
healthy new cells, which improve skin tone and
give you healthy, dewy skin. Tea is another way to
get in your daily fluid
needs, and green and black teas (unsweetened) help
reduce inflammation. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses of
water each day, including a cup or two of tea.
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DRINK UP
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Have 1 glass of water
before and with every meal and snack.
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Aim for 1 cup of green tea per day.
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Keep a pitcher of water with slices of lemon and
cucumbers in
your fridge.
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BERRIES—STRAWBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES,
BLACKBERRIES
What makes berries so great? Yes, they taste great
and look appealing, but are they really that
powerful? Yes. Blueberries and blackberries rated
among the top scorers for antioxidant potency in
fruits and vegetables when a test tube assay
called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbing Capacity)
was used. The antioxidants in blueberries help
counter free radicals and thereby lessen the
deterioration of the skin’s vital components such
as collagen and elastin. Blueberries contain
anthocyanosides, compounds that speci.cally slow
the effects of aging. You have to love that fact!
Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C,
which together with protein maintains collagen, a
component
that makes up the structure of the skin. Vitamin C
also regulates sebaceous glands, which keep the
skin from drying out. Say good-bye to dry scaly
“winter” skin. It is also important for healing
wounds and it helps prevent pigment clumping,
commonly known as “age spots.” To top it all off,
Vitamin C strengthens capillaries to avoid easy
bruising or the hemorrhages that become spider
veins. So be sure to eat plenty of these
antioxidant-rich foods because according to the
research, they can increase your blood antioxidant
levels by 10 to 25 percent. Having higher
antioxidant levels translates
to fewer wrinkles, shinier hair, and stronger
nails.
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EAT UP
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2 strawberries with 2
teaspoons chocolate soy nut butter is a fabulous
“conscious indulgence.”
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1 cup of blueberries mixed with plain nonfat yogurt,
sprinkled
with cinnamon.
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A few raspberries thrown over a green salad with
raspberry vinegar.
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SALMON
This popular fish may take home the prize as the
best “power food” out there. Its high omega-3
content has been shown to help prevent disease,
aid in weight loss, and keep you looking
beautiful—quite a lot for one food to claim. How
does salmon make your skin wrinkle free and your
hair shine? Their omega-3 fatty acids do the
trick, reducing
inflammation and preventing collagen breakdown.
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SURF’S
UP
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Make one dinner a
week, a healthy, fast “beauty” meal by roasting wild salmon with
a
thin layer of mustard and drizzled soy sauce. Serve with roasted bok
choy and
drizzled olive oil.
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Keep wild salmon in the freezer for a fast,
last-minute meal. EcoFish and
Whole Foods make great frozen salmon.
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Think salmon is only for dinner? Canned salmon is a
fast, easy, and delicious
food to throw over a green salad for
lunch.
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