Beauty is More than Skin Deep

As most of us know, real beauty means more than just beautiful skin. Beauty comes from within, from a healthy mind and body. The healthier and happier we are, the more it shows on our faces.

As I discussed in my previous blog, it's important to eat a balanced diet to keep ourselves healthy and our skin looking good. In addition to eating a balanced diet with a variety of foods, it's also important to eat foods containing the right nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You might want to keep the following nutrients in mind as you shop for groceries, plan your meals, or select from a menu while eating out:

• Vitamin A/beta-carotene – Promotes healthy skin, hair, teeth, gums, eyes, and strong bones. Good sources include green, orange and yellow vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and yellow fruit such as cantaloupe.

• B Vitamins – The B vitamins (11 in all) work together to help mental functions, including easing stress (which often shows up on your skin). Good sources include dark green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, eggs, milk, and lean protein.

• Vitamin C – Helps your body fight infections and allergies. Good food sources include oranges, lemons, grapefruit, strawberries, kiwifruit, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, parsley.

• Vitamin D – Aids in the absorption of calcium, for strong bones. Good food sources are eggs, fish, cod liver oil and fortified milk.

• Vitamin E – Helps to supply oxygen to the body and protect lungs from pollutants, slows down cellular aging, prevents scars and accelerates healing. Find it in wheat germ, flaxseed, soybeans, vegetable oils, fish oil, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leafy greens, spinach, whole wheat, whole-grain cereals, and eggs.

• Zinc – Helps with healing of wounds, promotes growth. Food sources include meat, wheat germ, brewer's yeast, pumpkin seeds, non-fat milk.

• Calcium – Helps you maintain strong bones, alleviate insomnia and irregular heartbeat. Works together with Vitamin D and magnesium. Good sources include milk, yogurt, cheese, soybeans, sardines, salmon, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried beans, green vegetables.

• Antioxidants – Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. They include beta-carotene, vitamin C (absorbic acid), vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), as well as others such as flavonoids, phenols, and sulfides. In general, the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the more anti-oxidants you are getting.

Should you take supplements in addition to eating well? This is a question many of us have, especially as we rush through our busy days and may not always take the time to eat as well as we should. If you do decide to take supplements, it's important to discuss them with your doctor and to stay within FDA guidelines. Pay attention to your own body.

Ask me about the SuperFood Solution™ if you are considering a healthy, natural way to supplement your diet. Made by BioPharma Scientific, a San Diego company, the SuperFood supplements offer advanced nutrition in synergistic formulas that are completely natural and easy to absorb for maximum benefits. In powder form, they can be mixed with water, fruit juice or milk and include:

• NanoGreens10 and NanoReds10 – Provides you with antioxidant and phytonutrition of more than 10 servings of fruits and vegetables.

• NanoProPRP – Pure whey protein.

• NanoEPADHA – Fish oil with vitamin D and E complex (No heavy metal).

• NanoOmega3 – Golden flax, vegan DHA, and vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid), B12, D and E.

You can purchase these Superfood supplements directly on line at www.superfoodsolution.com/birdiedayspa or call us at 858-459-4965

P.S. My next blog will be about Supplements, vitamins and minerals –