Foods For Fabulous Skin

ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner Offers Tips on How to Feed Your Skin

You are what you eat, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Lack of proper nutrition contributed to the 33.8 million Americans making regular visits to a dermatologist's office last year. Selecting the right foods can help clear up complexions, add luster to locks and aid with anti-aging, says Ntombi Dix of ChicagoHealers.com. A Certified Raw Foods Instructor, Ntombi says you can save money by stocking up on beauty boosters at the grocery store instead of the beauty counter this season, so you can get beautiful from the inside out.

"Eating the right fruits and vegetables helps diminish wrinkles, clear up skin conditions such as acne or just perk up a dull complexion," says Dix. "Switching to healthier choices will make a big difference both internally and externally."

Forget expensive cosmetics and creams and raid the fridge instead. Here is a recipe for getting gorgeous naturally:

Puffy Eyes

What to eat: Bananas and citrus fruits maintain balance of fluids, while circulation boosters such as cayenne pepper can aid in lymphatic drainage around the eyes.

What to avoid: The obvious no-no, salt, zaps water out of the eyeballs, ditto for alcohol and baked goods.

Thin Hair

What to eat: Dark greens, avocado, coconut oil and olive oil help hair grow long and lustrous, while proteins from nuts and beans are critical for growth.

What to avoid: Avoid high doses of vitamin A if hair is thinning.

Acne

What to eat: Bright and colorful banish blemishes, such as red or orange fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotene.

What to avoid: Steer clear of iodine-rich salt, shrimp and seaweed which stimulate oil glands, or refined sugars.

Wrinkles

What to eat: Cucumber juice or green leafy vegetable juices with cucumber and olive oil added assist in preventing signs of aging.

What to avoid: Avoid overdosing on iron, too much is shown to contribute to wrinkles.

Rosacea

What to eat: Manage this skin condition by eating fish, cucumbers and licorice, all have a calming effect.

What to avoid: Cut out alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods that may make skin swell.

Dull Skin

What to eat: Green and orange veggies will increase vitamin A levels making skin cells shed faster for a radiant, bright complexion.

What to avoid: Spices, garlic and onions in extreme doses may interfere with nutrient absorption, making skin sallow.

In order to see results, people should strive for five servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit each day.

About ChicagoHealers.com

ChicagoHealers.com is the first to screen and interview holistic health and healing practitioners. Visitors to the site will find an up close and personal look at each practitioner; with expert advice on alternative health and healing and browse a range of ChicagoHealers.com-sponsored free healing events, classes and workshops. ChicagoHealers.com provides a steady resource for TV and print news where member practitioners are requested as experts for health and lifestyle stories. ChicagoHealers.com has been featured repeatedly on every major TV network (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) and in major publications such as Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. With over 300 healing services, this free web-based resource takes the guesswork out of finding Chicago's premiere alternative health practitioners. For more information, visit www.chicagohealers.com