HashOut: 2007/10/23

Feed Your Face...

Literally. What you eat can affect the quality of your complexion. Dermatologist Jeanette Jacknin, author of Smart Medicine for Your Skin, shows you how to scour the market for foods that can fight some common problems:

Sun Damage
Eat: Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables.

A diet packed with produce (along with a good sunblock) can help prevent the sun's ill effects on the skin. The antioxidants vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin C act like natural sunscreens in the body.

Bruising
Eat: Dark green leafy vegetables, like spinach.

Spinach, cartoon sailor man Popeye's favourite food is packed with vitamin K -- essential for normal blood clotting -- and vitamin C, key for any wound healing.

Wrinkling
Eat: Olive oil, almonds, brown rice.

These foods are loaded with vitamin E, which is thought to help protect the skin's cell membranes. A recent Australian study of 453 seniors found that people who ate foods like vegetables, beans, whole grains and olive oil had the least wrinkles.

Thin Skin
Eat: Whole grain cereals, seafood, garlic.

The selenium in these foods preserves tissue elasticity, slows down aging and protects against the sun. In one study, supplementation with selenium, copper and vitamins resulted in a lower number of sunburned cells after exposure.
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