The Beauty Diet

by Lisa Drayer

  ZINC

  This essential mineral is found in almost every cell and plays many roles in the body. Multiple studies have shown that as an antioxidant zinc helps prevent the creation of free radicals and helps guard against free-radical damage in the skin as well as elsewhere in the body. While all of our tissues contain zinc, it is especially important for skin and is five to six times more concentrated in the epidermis than in the dermis. Like vitamin E, zinc helps stabilize the lipid membranes in the skin and protects them from free-radical damage. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, oysters are an extraordinarily good source of zinc, and yogurt is also helpful. Other foods that contain zinc include seafood, beef, lamb, eggs, whole grains, and nuts. (For more information on zinc, see the sidebar later in this chapter.)

  ANTHOCYANINS

  These antioxidant phytonutrients give some fruits and vegetables their red, blue, or purple hues. Early studies suggest that anthocyanins may be particularly helpful for skin because they prevent free-radical damage to cells and neutralize the enzymes that break down connective tissue. By protecting collagen, anthocyanins help prevent wrinkles. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you'll find significant amounts of anthocyanins in blueberries. Anthocyanins are also found in other types of berries, cherries, pomegranates, plums, red cabbage, grapes, and apples.

  ANTIOXIDANTS ARE KEY TO ANTIAGING AND BEAUTY

  My Beauty Diet is designed to provide you with several servings of beauty-boosting antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables every day. No single vitamin pill can come close to providing the health benefits of whole, natural foods and all the nutrients they provide. In nature many different kinds of antioxidants—some identified, some not—appear together in one food. This is part of nature's plan, because antioxidants support each other in the body. Even in scientific research using supplements, antioxidants are more effective when combined.

  A study published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology investigated the effects of a combination of antioxidant supplements on skin. Thirty-nine volunteers with healthy skin consumed an antioxidant mix for 12 weeks. Group 1 received a combination of lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), and selenium. Group 2 consumed a mixture of lycopene, beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, and selenium. Group 3 was the control group that received no antioxidants. Even though everyone started with normal skin, roughness and scaling were improved in the first two groups, while no changes were observed in the placebo group.

  Since studies have reported risks with high levels of vitamin supplements, I recommend getting your antioxidants from foods first—specifically, my antioxidant-rich beauty foods and others mentioned in this book. If you find that your diet is lacking in antioxidants, I recommend taking a multivitamin/multimineral supplement, which will boost your antioxidant intake while avoiding potentially toxic levels.

  THREE WAYS TO GET SKIN-PROTECTING ANTIOXIDANTS

  If your appearance is suffering because you have not been eating enough antioxidant-rich foods, there are three ways to help get your skin back into shape:

  1. Eat foods every day that are full of natural antioxidants. The antioxidants will work together to fight free radicals and will also benefit your health in many other ways. In addition, fresh, whole foods contain other micronutrients that have their own various beauty benefits.

  2. Apply topical treatments that contain antioxidants. The combination of consuming antioxidant-rich foods and applying topical antioxidants can fully arm you with the best possible antiaging protection. Look for foods and products

  THE BEAUTY DIET RX

  For Boosting Skin-Protective Antioxidants

  Include lots of beta-carotene-rich foods in your diet.

  Consume fresh sources of vitamin C every day.

  Choose vitamin E–rich foods daily.

  Include selenium-rich foods in your diet.

  Consume foods rich in zinc.

  Consume anthocyanins daily.

  that pack these topical antioxidants: vitamins C and E, zinc, green tea, grape seed, selenium, resveratrol (from the skin of red grapes), pomegranate, Arctic cloudberries, lycopene, quercetin (found in apples, tea, and onions), and coenzyme Q10.

  3. Take a multivitamin. There is no substitute for eating real food with multiple, fresh micronutrients. However, if you are dietarily challenged, it's better to get vitamins from supplements than to risk antioxidant deficiency.

  THE ANTIWRINKLE DIET

  If you've read my first book, Strong, Slim, and 30!, you may be familiar with the study I'm about to describe. If not, you're about to get some great news. The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, examined the diets of 453 adults living in Sweden, Greece, and Australia. After researchers adjusted for confounding factors such as age and smoking, they found that individuals who consumed higher amounts of vegetables, fish, olive oil, and legumes were less prone to skin damage and wrinkling in areas of the skin that were exposed to the sun than those who had a high intake of meat, butter, margarine, high-fat dairy, and sugary foods. In particular, processed red meat, soft drinks, and pastries were associated with extensive skin wrinkling, while foods such as yogurt (one of my Top 10 Beauty Foods), beans, green leafy vegetables,

  Vitamin E's Role in Beauty

  Recommended Dietary Allowance

  WOMEN

  MEN

  15 mg (22.5 IU)

  15 mg (22.5 IU)

  Note: 1 mg alpha-tocopherol = 1.49 IU

  Dietary vitamin E is beneficial to skin because of its antioxidant effects, which help prevent wrinkles by keeping the membranes of the cells in the skin intact. The term vitamin E actually refers to a family of eight antioxidants, but the one that appears to have the most nutritional significance is alpha-tocopherol, a fat-soluble version of vitamin E that is a powerful antioxidant. Topical vitamin E is frequently used in skin creams and suntan lotions.

  10 Good Whole-Food Sources of Vitamin E

  FOOD

  MILLIGRAMS (MG) ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL PER SERVING

  Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon

  20.3

  Almonds, dry-roasted, 1 oz.

  7.4

  Sunflower seed kernels, dry-roasted, 1 oz.

  6.0

  Sunflower oil, over 60% linoleic, 1 tablespoon

  5.6

  Safflower oil, over 70% oleic, 1 tablespoon

  4.6

  Hazelnuts, dry-roasted, 1 oz.

  4.3

  Peanut butter, smooth-style, vitamin and mineral fortified, 2 tablespoons

  4.2

  Peanuts, dry-roasted, 1 oz.

  2.2

  Corn oil (salad or vegetable oil), 1 tablespoon

  1.9

  Spinach, frozen, chopped, boiled, ½ cup

  1.6

  asparagus, nuts, olives, cherries, apples, pears, melons, dried fruits, tea, and water were associated with less skin aging. In fact, diet accounted for 32 percent of the differences seen in skin wrinkling!

  My Beauty Diet maximizes your intake of antiwrinkling foods, such as those mentioned in the study. Check out Chapter 9 for my meals and beauty snacks that contain these skin-friendly foods.

  3. Protect Your Skin with Edible Sunscreen

  I'm sorry to disappoint you sun worshipers out there, but if you want to damage your skin, sunbathe. The harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation are well established. Sun exposure generates so many free radicals that the body can't handle them all, resulting in photoaging, immunosuppression, and the possibility of skin cancer. Melanoma, a very serious form of skin cancer, is rapidly increasing: The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008 there will be 62,480 new cases of melanoma in the United States.

  Even a brief encounter between your unprotected skin and the sun can cause sunburn (medical term: erythema). Your skin turns red and may even swell (medical term: edema). Sun exposure damages the lipids in your skin and creates free radicals, which cause oxidative stress and inflammation on a cellular level. Free radicals consume collagen and elastin, th
e fibers that support skin structure, causing wrinkles and other signs of premature aging. Free radicals also stimulate the synthesis of melanin, which leads to darker skin pigmentation (tanning). After just one burn, the increase in cell division activity in the skin lasts for days or even weeks, making the skin thicker. With continued exposure to ultraviolet light, the skin changes in appearance and texture, eventually becoming dry and leathery, with wrinkling and sagging.

  Here's an idea you can really sink your teeth into: in addition to using a really good sunscreen, you can protect the entire surface of your skin from the inside out by adopting an antioxidant-rich diet. To save your skin, you'll want to add a variety of photoprotective foods to your diet. Studies have shown that eating these foods reduces burning and other damage caused by sun exposure. Following are some photoprotective micronutrients that you can add to your diet. After you consume them, they are distributed into your tissues, where they provide systemic photoprotection. With a little dietary effort, and proper protection, sun damage is completely avoidable.

  CAROTENOIDS

  Dietary carotenoids, found in foods such as watermelon, cantaloupe, carrots, tomatoes, and mangoes, may protect you against sunburn and contribute to lifelong protection against harmful UV radiation. A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition revealed that daily supplementation with carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene, helped to decrease redness in skin when skin was exposed to ultraviolet light.

  Beta-carotene is used to help individuals who have erythropoietic protoporphyria, a disorder that makes their skin sensitive to visible light. Sun lotions made to absorb UV light are useless to these people. However, high doses of carotenoids effectively decrease their photosensitivity by quenching free radicals. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, beta-carotene can be found in significant amounts in sweet potatoes, spinach, kiwifruit, and tomatoes.

  Lycopene, another photoprotective micronutrient, is the major carotenoid in tomatoes. Research published in Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences shows that photoprotective effects are evident after volunteers eat tomato-derived products rich in lycopene. After 12 weeks of lycopene intervention, their sensitivity to UV-induced sunburn was decreased. The study concluded that dietary carotenoids such as lycopene may contribute to lifelong protection against harmful UV radiation. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, lycopene is found in significant amounts in tomatoes.

  COCOA FLAVANOLS

  Many studies have investigated the effects of the flavanols in cocoa. One recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition looked at the effects of repetitive intakes of cocoa rich in flavanols on skin sensitivity to UV exposure,

  BEYOND THE BEAUTY DIET

  Protecting Your Skin from Ultraviolet Light

  Following are some tips that will help you avoid aging your skin prematurely because of sun exposure. Personally, I never go outside without applying sunscreen. I love the beach, but I use sunscreen religiously and stay covered up!

  Avoid peak hours of sun radiation (10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.).

  Wear photoprotective clothing, including a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. Tightly woven, dark synthetic fabrics made from nylon or polyester provide maximum protection against UV radiation, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Tightly woven cotton blends rank second. A white cotton T-shirt won't provide much protection since it is light in color and loosely woven.

  Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to all exposed skin—even in the shade or on cloudy days—and use it generously. Choose a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. I prefer products that contain Mexoryl SX because the ingredient provides a high level of protection against UVA rays, including short UVA rays. Other beneficial ingredients include physical blocks, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

  Reapply your sunscreen every two hours and after swimming or sweating.

  skin structure, and texture. Two groups of women consumed either a high-flavanol or low-flavanol drink. UV-induced redness and irritation were decreased significantly in the high-flavanol group, by 15 percent and 25 percent, after 6 and 12 weeks of "treatment." No change was seen in the low-flavanol group. Researchers concluded that dietary flavanols from cocoa contribute to photoprotection. (For more on the benefits of cocoa flavanols, see the information on dark chocolate in Chapter 2.)

  Wear a wide-brimmed hat.

  Wear lip balm of at least SPF 15 to protect your lips.

  Use extra caution when out in the winter, boating, or lying on the beach. Snow, water, and sand all reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.

  Stay away from tanning booths. UV light from tanning beds causes skin cancer and photoaging of the skin just like sun exposure.

  Check the UV index. Sun exposure is such an important consideration that the National Weather Service (NWS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) combined to create the UV Index. It is issued daily in selected cities across the United States to help you avoid overexposure to the sun.

  If you want to look like you've been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product that has a sunscreen combined. You might also consider airbrush tanning or spray tanning booths.

  Whatever you do, don't let your skin burn. Five or more sunburns doubles your risk of developing skin cancer.

  GREEN TEA

  This beauty beverage has many benefits, but most people don't know it is an edible sunscreen. Studies suggest that the polyphenols in green tea are photoprotective and can prevent photoaging. The polyphenols in green tea inhibit sunburn, inflammation, immunosuppression, and oxidative stress due to exposure to ultraviolet light. This is true for both topical treatment and oral consumption of green tea polyphenols.

  SELENIUM

  In early studies, oral selenium markedly protected mice against UV damage and increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes in their skin. Selenium preserves tissue elasticity and helps protect the body from skin cancer caused by sun exposure. Selenium supplements may pose risks, however, so be sure to choose food sources of selenium. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, oysters and salmon contain significant amounts of selenium. Other sources of selenium include tuna, crab, whole wheat bread, wheat germ, garlic, eggs, and brown rice. (For more information on selenium, see Chapter 2.)

  OMEGA-3S

  Studies have shown that fish oil—which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids—has a photoprotective effect on skin. A diet rich in omega-3s raises the skin's threshold of response to ultraviolet light, so sunburn is less severe. In one study, individuals added fish oils to their diets, while the other study group received a placebo. After four weeks, researchers discovered a small increase in the MED (minimal erythema dose, or the smallest amount of UV radiation needed to cause sunburn) among individuals in the fish oil group. Researchers determined that these findings corresponded to a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) slightly greater than one. In other words, a low dose of fish oils was found to protect against the sun's rays. Other research has found similar results. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you can obtain omega-3 fatty acids from salmon, spinach, and walnuts. Other sources include mackerel, herring, sardines, trout, flax, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, and whole grain products. (For more information on the essential fatty acids, see Chapter 1.)

  VITAMINS AND SUNSCREENS

  Do vitamins in sunscreens provide additional protection against damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays? At least one study suggests yes: a combination of vitamins C and E in sunscreens can be beneficial.

  THE BEAUTY DIET RX

  For Protecting Your Skin from the Sun

  Consume more carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lycopene.

  Consume small portions of dark chocolate, rich in cocoa flavanols.

  Drink your fill of green tea, the beauty beverage with myriad benefits.

  Consume more selenium-rich foods.

  Include fish and other omega-3
–rich foods in your diet each day.

  The study, from Duke University, found that when pigskin was irradiated with ultraviolet light, the combination of vitamins C and E provided four times more protection against sunburn than a placebo cream. Plus, the vitamins provided protection against DNA damage in skin cells that can lead to mutations that cause skin cancer.

  How do the vitamins relate to the SPF? Generally speaking, you can improve the SPF of sunscreen with the addition of vitamins C and E by a factor of 1 to 4. In other words, if you have an SPF of 15, maybe you will get an SPF of 19 with the vitamins added.

  ON THE HORIZON

  Would you believe the next big thing could be a topical solution that protects against sunburn . . . made from broccoli sprouts? Although it is applied topically, this substance is not a sunscreen, and it does not work by filtering out UV light and preventing its entry into the skin. Instead, it works inside the skin by boosting the production of protective enzymes that defend cells against UV damage. The topical solution can even be applied three days before you go out in the sun, because its protection lasts for several days.

  THE BEAUTY DIET RX

  For Boosting Circulation to Your Skin

  Consume more omega-3 fatty acids. Choose cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, trout. Add walnuts, spinach, flax, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans to your diet.