Want great-looking skin this summer? No problem. You just have to make sure that you are nourishing your body from the inside out. Your skin is often a revealing organ that shows the state of your inner health. When we are healthy, our skin has that fabulous “glow” that people often comment about. So if you want healthy skin on the outside, just make sure you give your insides the proper nutrition.
Your skin needs a number of things to get that healthy glow. These include the right vitamins and minerals, good protection, essential fatty acids, and the right amino acids. In this article, I’m going to cover the minerals you need to have healthy skin, in addition to the foods that are rich in those kinds of minerals.
Minerals Needed for Healthy Skin
Your skin is made up of cells, and like any cells in the body, skin cells needs very specific minerals to stay healthy.
Iron – plays a crucial role in forming hemoglobin in our red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to skin cells. Oxygenated skin cells are healthy and radiant.
Calcium – skin cells need a specific enzyme for cellular repair, and this specific enzyme is activated by calcium.
Chromium – found commonly in brewer’s yeast, chromium has been used with some success in treating acne.
Copper – working in concert with several enzymes, copper helps to remove cholesterol from our cell membranes. Copper also helps cells product collagen and elastin, which are two proteins that contribute to your skin’s tightness and elasticity.
Magnesium – Skin cells need a specific enzyme to help repair the collagen protein, and this enzyme needs magnesium to function.
Zinc – prevents acne because it inhibits the action of certain enzymes that cause skin inflammation and duct blockage.
Foods High in Minerals for Healthy Skin
There are plenty of foods high in these minerals. For instance, avocados are high magnesium. Need zinc? Go for oysters, lean meats, and poultry. Green tea is high in zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Romaine lettuce, onions, and tomatoes are high in chromium.
But what if you are not into creating a whole diet around these minerals? No problem. Studies show that there are two other sources that provide all of these minerals. One is mineral water. Says Mary Sullivan, RN, the co-founder of Olympian Labs, says that drinking spring water or washing your face with mineral water can give your skin the minerals it needs.
Researcher Karl J. Abrams points to another source, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, or blue green algae, as a complete source of all of these minerals.
Try either of these two sources for a simple way to nourish your skin from the inside out, and enjoy!
Alan Joel is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and nutritional counselor. He is also an independent distributor of Simplexity Health, producer of all-natural blue-green algae products for people, pets, and plants. For free health tips and to order blue-green algae online at wholesale prices at http://www.prosperity-abounds.com/order.html.
