Good Food for your Skin

One of the easiest things you can do to stay healthy and to help your body heal itself is to eat a nutritious diet.

Such a diet will help you boost your immune system and will provide you with the energy you need to help you cope with the stress of your condition.

Food is a wonderful and vital part of life. Not only is it necessary for your survival, it contains a variety of special nutrients that actively help to fight disease. The compounds are known as photo-chemicals, and there are literally hundreds of these present in everyday foods.

Following is a list of nutrients that are found in common food, and what these nutrients are needed by the body for.

Nutrients

NUTRIENT	FOUND IN	NEEDED FOR
Vitamin A	Carrots, asparagus, spinach, parsley, apples, garlic	Repair of damaged skin Ease symptoms of allergic reactions.
B Complex Vitamins	Rice, wheat germ, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, fish, eggs, almonds, liver Vegemite, yeast	Help combat dryness and itchiness. Help relieve stress.
Vitamin C	Oranges, apples, garlic, onions, parsley, green leafy vegetables	Has anti-histamine effects. Help combat skin infections.
Vitamin E	Apples, parsley, rye wheat germ, whole wheat, broccoli	Valuable antioxidant. Combat free radical damage.
Zinc	Apricots, peaches, oysters, cocoa, eggs	Aids healing and skin health. Deficiency is found in people with eczema.
Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids	Soya beans, grape seed oil, mega oil, oily fish, walnuts, olive and sunflower oil	Helps reduce inflammation

Mel Sinclair, RN