Written by Cosmetic Chemist Amanda Foxon-Hill from www.realizebeauty.com
Every year we spend hundreds if not thousands of our hard-earned dollars on beauty creams, lotions, treatments and serums in the hope of putting the breaks on the ageing process. We do this with gusto, pouring over our purchases with friends while sipping our latte’s and chowing down on muffins and banana bread. After all why not indulge a little, we just invested in designer skin! However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the products that we put onto our skin are only half the story. Ever heard that anoying saying “you are what you eat”……..
……. and there is nothing better for the skin than some antioxidant-packed berries!
As far as skin-health goes free-radicals can be public enemy number one. Free-radicals are little charged particles that have an attitude problem! They like nothing better than to provoke other cells into action, sending them on a journey that ends in distruction and dis-repair. Free-radicals are created when oxidation takes place in cells and while this process is not un-natural, the status-quo of the cells can be affected negatively through too many late nights, the consumption of nutritionally poor food, drugs and alcohol, too much sun exposure and disease. On top of that, as we age the bodies ability to clean-up free-radicals deminishes and the effects of a life lived to excess start to show.
Luckily for us, nature provides the perfect high tech anti-oxidant package in the form of those beautiful red, blue and purple things we call fresh berries – pass the fruit bowl!
- Blueberries are one of natures super-foods. These little gems are packed full of Vitamin C which helps the skin to produce high-quality collagen (collagen along with elastin helps to give our skin its structure. Good quality collagen keeps the wrinkles at bay) and vitamin E which helps to maintain the skins barrier function.
- Cherries contain some very interesting natural antioxidants in the form of the flavanols cyanidin and quercetin which act as anti-inflamatories for the skin-cells.
- Blackberries are a great source of essential fatty acids – essential because you have to EaT them, your body can’t make them! Blackberries are a great source of Alpha Linolenic Acid which helps regulate sebum production and reduce inflammation. They are also rich in Vitamin A which is great for acne-prone skin.
These, along with many other fresh fruits are a great way to ensure that you are giving your skin the best possible tools for which to tackle premature ageing. There is no short-cut to healthy looking, youthful skin and for some of us, our genetics make for an up-hill battle. However, adding some of these super-fruits into your diet can stack the odds in your favour.
So, next time you’re about to spend up big time at the cosmetics counter spare a thought for your insides and make sure you leave a couple of dollars over to treat yourself to a tub of something yummy. Enjoy!
