Makeover your face -- with food!

Have you ever been asked by a store clerk to “show your ID” when in fact you are YEARS past the age of 21? What a great feeling! But as that gap widens, you get that question far less often. You can’t stop the hands of time, but you can do things in your daily life to slow down the signs of aging, especially on your face. Things like sun exposure, smoking, not drinking enough fluids and hormonal changes can age you and your skin more rapidly. A sedentary lifestyle, where the couch and remote control see more action than you do, stress, and poor eating habits all contribute to the overall health and look of your skin, especially your face.

You know the expression “you are what you eat”. This expression has been around f-o-r-e-v-e-r and finally people are taking notice. Just look around. Restaurants across the country are promoting healthier options on their menus. Food companies like Frito-Lay have reformulated their products and use healthier oils in their chips and snacks. Food retailers such as Target and SuperTarget have removed trans fat from their products and have added numerous organic choices throughout the stores. You can now check out menus online before you order from various restaurants and even text message for the nutritional breakdown of food items at many popular restaurants.

What are some of the foods that help keep your skin and face looking healthy and vibrant as you age and no matter what your age? Before you make your next trip to the supermarket, add these items to your grocery list to help keep your skin and face looking their best.

Turkey, lentils, eggs, lean red meat for protein: These items are important for making new skin cells and skin repair. The iron in the protein carries oxygen to your cells all over the body including hair follicles. Many women do not get enough protein.

Peanut butter, avocado, almonds, wheat germ for vitamin E: Good for skin repair and a strong anti oxidant. Vitamin E helps to keep healthy skin cells healthy.

Strawberries and blueberries, broccoli, oranges, red peppers for vitamin C: These are important in collagen production and skin elasticity.

Mango, apricots, carrots, and sweet potatoes for beta carotene: This antioxidant helps prevent premature aging and has a role in the growth and repair of skin.

Salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds for omega-3 fats: Keep the cells that make up your skin healthy.

Water: Your body is well over 60% water. Water is what keeps skin moist and hydrated. Overdoing it on alcohol and caffeine can dehydrate the skin. A good rule of thumb is for every alcoholic beverage you drink or cup of coffee or soda with caffeine, follow it with a glass of water.

If you want your skin and face to look healthy and vibrant, spend some of your money on these great foods to nourish you from the inside out. You truly are what you eat.

Dr. Susan

Dr. Mitchell is co-author of Fat is Not Your Fate, Eat to Stay Young and I’d Kill for a Cookie.

Listen to her weekly Internet Show on AM580 WDBO http://580wdbo.com/healthcenter/

Visit her websites: http://www.susanmitchell.org and http://www.fatisnotyourfate.com