Heather Bedard, C.H.E.
Most women are fully aware of the beauty industry’s pull to invest in better skin care and spend many hours taking care of their skin. However, only 29% of men aged 18-34 admit to having a skincare routine. Increasing awareness of the importance of skin care will cause that number to grow considerably by 2027.[1] The amount of money spent on this category is astounding. Currently in America, the men’s skin care spending sits right around 11 billion dollars per year, while women are spending upwards of 48 billion.[2] What if there was a inexpensive, simple way that you could not only have better skin, but also look more beautiful? (Yes, guys, I know you want to look great too.)
A study done in 2012 showed that eating foods that are high in carotenoids improved the look of the skin and made people more attractive.[3] Subjects ate vegetables and fruits over six weeks and the yellow and red tones in the skin changed perceptibly. The best news? Only small changes were required to see a difference. Perception of health increased with only 2.91 portions per day and attractiveness increased at 3.3 portions per day. Who knew?
Carotenoids are yellow-red pigments in plants that protect the plant from oxidation. You skin is also exposed to oxidative stress and carotenoids can be protective against that as well! Although this study was done on primarily young Caucasians, studies have also shown that a yellow tint to the skin is seen as healthy regardless of one’s own ethnicity and other ethnicities.[4] If your body is sick, the process by which cells are killed off requires a high level of antioxidants including carotenoids. This depletes the body of carotenoids resulting in a paler complexion (remember we are not talking about melanin levels here – this is completely independent of that!). Although, speaking of melanin, due to the phytochemicals in plant foods, many people who eat a plant-based diet find that they are able to tolerate the sun much more…regardless of skin tone. Not only do the protective benefits of the carotenoids in plants confer attraction benefits, eating these foods will help you to prevent many unwanted diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It’s a win-win all around!
For the beautiful glow we are all searching for:
· Increase your plant intake by 2 to 3 portions.
· Take a good probiotic. Probiotics not only help to create a stable environment for your gut, but they can also help to reduce inflammation, strengthen your immune system, and help with many skin conditions such as acne and rosacea.[5],[6]
· Hydrate – Water is the main component of your cells and tissues and adequate hydration can help with your skin’s appearance and plumpness.[7]
· Get in the sun – Enjoy your time in the sun (without burning) and allow your body to make the vitamin D it needs.
· Exercise – Exercise increases blood flow to the skin which also increases nutrient levels.[8] Your skin needs these nutrients just like any other organ in your body. It is the largest after all!
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[3] Whitehead, RD, Re, D, Xiao D, et al. “You Are What You Eat: Within-Subject Increases I Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Confer Beneficial Skin Color Changes.PLoS One published online ahead of print doi:10.137.journal.pom.0032988
[4] Stephen ID, Coetzee V, Perrett DI (2011) Carotenoid and melanin pigment coloration affect perceived human health. Evolution and Human Behavior 32: 216–227.
[5] Porubsky, C. F., Glass, A. B., Comeau, V., Buckley, C., Goodman, M. B., & Kober, M.-M. (2018). The Role of Probiotics in Acne and Rosacea. InTech. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.79044
[6] Bowe J, Filip J, DiRenzo J, Volgina A, Margolis D. “Inhibition of Propionibacterium acnes by bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (BLIS) produced by Streptococcus salivarius.” J Drugs Dermatol 2006;5(9):868-870
[7] Palma L, Marques LT, Bujan J, Rodrigues LM. Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2015;8:413-421. Published 2015 Aug 3. doi:10.2147/CCID.S86822
[8] “Healthy Skin Matters.” National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases 2015, October; http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Kids/healthy_skin.aspFrom the Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins (Dr Cordain); Department of Community Medicine, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden (Dr Lindeberg); Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque (Drs Hurtado and Hill), Department of Radiology and Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga (Dr Eaton); and Department of Biochemistry, Human Nutrition Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia (Dr Brand-Miller).