Taking care of your skin is your responsibility. It is the body’s largest organ and it is yours. Most health professionals suggest that the best way to take care of your skin is to limit its exposure to the sun ultraviolet rays. They add that we should wear sunscreen daily to protect and nourish our skin.
Skin care is deliberate. It requires certain lifestyle that involves what we take into the body and what we apply on the body. In terms of what we consume, nothing can replace clean and healthy eating. In addition, we are also expected to take vitamins particularly vitamins D, C, E and K because they are good for the skin. Though essential skin vitamins are available in supplemental form, they can also b found in skin care products. These are four essential vitamins the skin needs:
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is from sunlight and then absorbed by your skin. Cholesterol converts to vitamin D during this process. Vitamin D is then taken up by your liver and kidneys and transported throughout the body to help create healthy cells. It may even help treat psoriasis. To increase your vitamin D intake:
- getting 10 minutes of sun exposure a day
- eat food such as made up of cereals, orange juice, and yogurt, salmon, tuna, and cod
Vitamins C
Vitamin C is found at the epidermis (outer layer of skin) as well as the dermis (inner layer of skin). It fights cancer. Known for producing collagen, it keeps your skin healthy. Vitamin C is one of the key ingredients found in many anti-aging skin care products. To increase Vitamin C intake:
- eat for more citrus foods, such as oranges
- eat other plant-based sources of vitamin C, such as strawberries, broccoli, and spinach
- drink orange juice
- take supplements, as recommended by a doctor
- Go for anti-aging skin treatments with vitamin C for treating dryness, redness, wrinkles, and age spots
Vitamin K
Vitamin K aids blood clotting, which helps the body heal wounds, bruises, and areas affected by surgery. Vitamin K corrects skin conditions such as stretch marks, spider veins, scars, dark spots, eye bags. You can increase your Vitamin K intake by eating kale, spinach, cabbage and green beans.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant whose main function in skin care is to protect against sun damage. It also helps in the treatment of skin inflammation. Vitamin E absorbs the harmful UV light from the sun absorbed by the skin. The body normally produces vitamin E through sebum, an oily substance emitted though the skin’s pores. You increase your Vitamin E intake by:
- eating more nuts and seeds, such as almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds
- taking a multivitamin or separate vitamin E supplement.