The Beauty Diet

by Lisa Drayer

  Identify any food allergies you might have. If you have allergies or sensitivities, stay away from problem foods, which cause inflammation. Keep in mind that you also might be allergic to topical preparations you are using on your skin, including sunscreen or, ironically, beauty products.

  Eat a high-fiber diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grain breads and cereals. The nutrients in whole, natural foods are so good for your skin; plus, these foods do not promote inflammation.

  Add omega-3 fatty acids to your to diet help combat inflammation. Acne may be caused by taking in too little omega-3 fats in relation to omega-6 fats. Such an imbalance can cause inflammation, leading to blocked pores that cause an overproduction of oil, according to researchers.

  Eat plenty of foods that contain beta-carotene. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is particularly beneficial to skin.

  Eat plenty of foods that contain zinc. This mineral has anti-inflammatory properties and is very effective against acne. Good sources of zinc include oysters, crab, turkey, wheat germ, tofu, and cashews and pumpkin seeds.

  Drink lots of water to help your body rid itself of toxins that might otherwise contribute to skin flare-ups.

  Note: Drugs prescribed for acne include Accutane (isotretinoin) and Retin-A (tretinoin). These are derivatives of vitamin A and should not be taken during pregnancy or if you are planning on becoming pregnant because high doses of vitamin A can cause birth defects.

  BEYOND THE BEAUTY DIET

  Lifestyle Tips for Gorgeous Skin

  Drink water, not alcohol. Drinking alcohol contributes to aging skin by dilating small blood vessels in the skin and increasing blood flow near the skin's surface. Over time these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, creating a flushed appearance and broken vessels on the skin's surface. Drinking water keeps you adequately hydrated and your skin moist and supple.

  Relax! Stress and worry cause frowning, and over time the muscles in the face actually conform to that movement. Be aware of your stress level and try to relax your facial muscles during the day. A good antiaging skin-care program should include meditation, yoga, gentle exercise, or other relaxation techniques (see Chapter 8).

  Get your beauty rest. Lack of sleep shows up on your face as puffiness, bags, and dark circles under your eyes. Most adults need eight hours of sleep each night to feel refreshed in the morning. (If you are having trouble getting to sleep, see my tips in Chapter 8.)

  secrete more oil that becomes trapped inside the pores, so skin appears shinier and pimples become plentiful. In other words, a diet focused on refined carbohydrates (those in white breads, cookies and cake, and even some salty snacks) sets off a hormonal cascade that causes excess oil production in the skin, leading to clogged pores and pimples.

  In one recent randomized controlled trial published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, individuals with acne were assigned to either a diet consisting of 25 percent protein and 45 percent low-glycemic-index carbohydrates or to a Westernized diet rich in refined, sugary carbohydrates.

  BEAUTY MYTH

  Vitamin E Helps Reduce Scars

  Although vitamin E is the main lipid-soluble antioxidant in the skin, further research is needed to prove its effectiveness in reducing scars and stretch marks. One study looked at a randomized group of 159 burn patients who were treated with topical vitamin E for four months. After one year, scar thickness, alteration in graft size, range of motion, and appearance of the scars were recorded. No beneficial effect of vitamin E was seen in any of the patients. In another study, postsurgical patients were given two ointments labeled A and B. One of the ointments contained vitamin E, and the other didn't. Patients were instructed to apply each ointment on a separate half of their scars twice a day for four weeks. The researchers concluded that not only did the vitamin E have no beneficial effects on the scars; it actually made matters worse as some patients experienced an allergic reaction to the vitamin E. Bottom line: don't depend on vitamin E creams to reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks.

  After 12 weeks, those following the experimental diet low in refined carbohydrates experienced an improvement in their skin, as evidenced by a decrease in "total and inflammatory lesion counts." Their acne had improved significantly compared to the control group.

  My Beauty Diet includes all the nutrients you need for beautiful skin and avoids problem foods with lots of sugar and poor-quality fats. By making a few modifications, you can create your own personal Antiacne Diet. Follow it closely and you should see improvements in your skin in about four weeks.

  Dairy and Acne

  Many people have asked me if dairy foods can cause acne. Here's the lowdown: Some researchers believe that iodine is what exacerbates acne, and dairy products are a source of iodine. In addition, farmers give their cows iodine-fortified feed and use sanitizing iodine solutions on cows' udders and milking equipment. Others believe that hormones in milk may be responsible for acne. While research has revealed that drinking milk and consuming dairy products from pregnant cows exposes us to hormones from the cows' pregnancy, the amount of hormones in the milk is minuscule compared to the amount produced in our bodies, according to Greg Miller, Ph.D., a scientist with the National Dairy Council.

  The dairy and acne link has not been substantiated in clinical studies. If you suffer from regular acne flare-ups, it is most likely due to other causes.

  Topical Treatments

  Many of the foods discussed in this chapter can also be applied directly to your face. For example, many people use yogurt as a face mask. I have read that applying fish oil to your skin can be beneficial, but I have not tried this personally—I don't want my husband, David, to think I smell like a mermaid!

  Many natural substances found in food are now being used in commercial cosmetics. For example, dimethylaminoethanol, which is found in salmon, is used topically to increase circulation. A modified version of vitamin C can be applied to the skin, and of course medications containing vitamin A are used for acne and other skin problems. I asked my friend Valerie, a skin specialist who owns the Face Studio in New York City, for her recommendations regarding food and beautiful skin. You can read what she has to say in the "Expert Advice" section that follows. If you are considering other topical treatments for your skin, be sure to check out Dr. Aron Kressel's advice in the second "Expert Advice" section.

  Expert Advice: Natural Skincare Ingredients Found Inside Your Home

  According to skin expert Valerie Mayo of the Face Studio in New York City, once you find the right combination of natural ingredients for your skin, you will be amazed at how radiant you look.

  Following are a few suggestions from Valerie for using natural skin-care ingredients found at home to get you moving toward healthy, balanced, and radiant skin. Remember to test any ingredient on a small area of your body first, to make sure you are not allergic.

  Honey. Humectants attract and help to retain moisture, which is a major factor in giving the skin a hydrated and plump appearance.

  Strawberries and egg whites. Strawberries contain antioxidants that help the skin fight free radicals caused by stress, sun, and pollution. Egg whites have a great firming effect on skin. Mix the ingredients together and you have a winning antiaging combo.

  Lemons. These are excellent for lightening dark patches on the surface of the face and body. The citric acid is the ingredient that lightens the skin.

  Oats, lemon juice, and honey. This is an excellent combination for a moisturizing facial mask. The oats and honey hydrate and plump, while the lemon lightens.

  Plain yogurt. This is an excellent mask for oily and combination skin. Yogurt, oatmeal, and honey are a great combination to use for balancing the skin.

  Milk. Excellent for soothing irritated skin. Milk contains lactic acids, which are enzymes that help to exfoliate dry patches and make skin smooth and soft. Great for soothing mild sunburns and shaving irritations.

  Water. The
best natural resource ever! Drinking water hydrates the skin and helps flush out toxins, which can cause all types of skin problems. Dehydration is a major cause of dry, dull, and patchy skin, as well as acne with dry patches. Water is one of the great balancers of life.

  Expert Advice: Skin Treatments

  According to New York City–based plastic surgeon Dr. Aron Kressel, the character of our skin will change as we age due to a combination of external and internal factors. Externally, the sun's rays and air pollutants will cause the skin to become wrinkled, rough, and darkened and to develop red spots. Internally the chronological, inevitable aging of the skin causes thinning of the skin and loss of elasticity. Following is a summary of Dr. Kressel's lowdown on popular skin treatments.

  Numerous products have become available with the promise of rejuvenating the skin. What these products share is their ability to stimulate the components of the skin to develop thicker, plumper, shinier, and smoother skin. Products containing alpha-hydroxy acids are available in concentrations ranging from 5 percent to 15 percent. Alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic acid) have been shown to improve hyperpigmentation, color, and to a lesser degree the character of wrinkles. When used in moisturizer products at a 4- to 5-percent concentration, skin smoothness has improved.

  Tretinoin (Renova/Retin-A) is a prescription product that has been shown conclusively to improve wrinkles and smooth skin by stimulating collagen production. Unfortunately, when use of the product is discontinued, the skin reverts to its untreated condition. The major drawback of this product is that the skin becomes quite sensitive to sun exposure.

  Glycolic acid and trichloroacetic peels have been shown to smooth skin and reduce hyperpigmentation. The higher the product's concentration, the greater the resulting effect, though with deeper chemical trauma to the skin. More peel means more posttreatment redness and crusting, which can often last for several weeks or months. Another potential complication is the development of areas of scarring or irregular skin lightening.

  Treatment with laser or LED light causes a controlled thermal burn on the layers of the skin. The depth of injury depends on the type of laser and other factors varied by the laser operator. Often small variations in the settings can cause significant trauma to the skin. Just as with chemical peels, these burns can cause redness and crusting and potentially areas of irregular skin lightening. Many of the lasers/light products will require multiple treatments over several months. The hope is that, by using a less aggressive treatment more frequently, the posttreatment side effects will be minimal.

  When evaluating options for skin rejuvenation, take a historical perspective. Over the years numerous products have arrived with great promise that did not stand the test of time. Clearly, if there were a perfect product, research would cease. When looking at a new product or treatment being offered, we have to look at its potential for improvement and also weigh it based on the number of treatments that will be needed, the time commitment required, and the potential for skin damage.

  4

  Nutrition for Rich, Shiny, Strong, Soft Hair

  Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest.

  —Christian Dior

  On a good hair day, anything seems possible! When your hair is lustrous and shiny, with extra bounce and body, you feel energetic, attractive, and sexy. With the right color and a terrific cut, you know you'll make a good first impression on a date, you'll turn heads walking down the street, or you'll command attention when you need it most. When and with whom you choose to let your hair down later is your business!

  Beautiful, healthy hair is not only a pleasure for others to see; it's a pleasure to have—even show off. Our hair says a lot about who we are and how we're feeling. In fact, when someone makes a drastic change in her hair, we wonder if she is the same person. Maybe that's why it was so disturbing when Britney Spears shaved her head. Or when Faith Hill chopped off her long blonde curls and got a trendy, razor-cut, bottle blonde style. In fact, when actress Keri Russell cut her long ringlets in favor of a short crop, viewers stopped watching her top-rated show, "Felicity"!

  We all want thick, healthy hair that looks shiny and fresh. The best way to get great hair is to grow it. While this chapter does include information about taking care of the hair you have, the real story is the hair you are going to have in about six months. Starting today, you are going to grow your own lovely, lustrous locks—then treat them gently so your hair stays full and fabulous.

  How Healthy, Luxuriant Hair Grows

  Just like your skin, your hair reflects your nutritional status. Behind great hair is great nutrition. There are no hair products that can be applied on the outside that will make up for poor nutrition, and there's a limit to how much conditioners can help damaged hair. Unlike your skin, hair can't repair itself, so if your hair has become thin or brittle, it's time to switch your focus from buying expensive hair products to growing a new head of healthier hair from the inside out.

  After you start my Beauty Diet, it usually takes two to three months to start seeing results in the condition of your hair. Scalp hair generally grows at a rate of about half an inch per month, or six inches a year, but this growth rate is very individual—yours could be slower or faster. Also, as people age, their rate of hair growth slows. This means patience and consistency are very important as you await your new halo of fresh hair.

  Nourish Your Follicles

  Hair follicles can be found all over the body, but the highest density of follicles is on the head, which is also where the longest hairs grow. No new follicles are formed after birth. This means you'll want to take care of the follicles you've got. It also means no product can give you more hair than you already have.

  The average person has around 120,000 hairs on his or her head. Blondes tend to have more than the average, brunettes are about average, while redheads tend to have a little less than average.

  The hair follicles in your scalp are like little pockets. Each hair grows from rapidly dividing cells in a bulb at the base of the follicle. The root of each hair is nourished by the connective tissue around it. Each follicle needs a constant supply of oxygen, nutrients, and moisture to grow hair properly, which is why good circulation in the scalp is important to gorgeous hair.

  Each follicle is associated with one or several tiny sebaceous glands that produce sebum. This natural oil softens and protects both the hair and the scalp. It's easier for sebum to travel down long, straight hair, which explains why curly hair tends to be drier. It's important to make sure sebum does not accumulate and clog the follicles, which can cause loss of hair.

  Building a Gorgeous Head of Hair, One Strand at a Time

  The part of a strand of hair that is visible above the surface of the scalp is called the shaft. Each shaft consists of three concentric layers: the cuticle, the cortex, and the medulla.

  The cuticle is the tough outside layer that protects the inner sections of the hair. The cuticle is thin and colorless. Damage to the cuticle can make your hair look dull. It also makes the hair more porous, which means it will absorb more humidity.

  The cortex is the middle layer of hair. The proteins twisted together inside the cortex give hair its elasticity. The cortex contains the melanin that gives your hair its color. Eumelanin creates brown or black hair, while pheomelanin makes hair appear red. Blonde hair is a result of very low amounts of melanin; the shade of blonde depends on which type of melanin is present. When melanin is no longer produced in the hair root, the hair grows in without pigment and appears gray.

  The medulla is the innermost layer of hair. This part of the shaft reflects light, which is why hair looks so different in sunlight.

  Feed Your Head

  Healthy hair depends on two things:

  1. Having a healthy scalp with healthy follicles

  2. Giving your body the building blocks it needs to construct strong, lustrous hair shafts

  Stunning hair and a healthy scalp require quality pr
otein, healthy fats, clean water, vital vitamins, and mighty minerals—in the correct amounts. If you consume too much of any one thing, you may end up causing more problems than you correct. For example, an excess of some micronutrients can cause you to lose hair. As long as you follow my Beauty Diet, you'll have all the beneficial components you need with no risks and no harmful side effects.

  For a Marvelous Mane, Eat Plenty of Protein

  Many people assume that good hair care starts with shampoo. In fact, beautiful hair starts with what you eat. Hair is about 97 percent protein, so protein is a good place to begin this discussion.

  Your protein intake can have a dramatic effect on the texture of your hair. Without enough protein, your body cannot make new, beautiful hair to replace the hair that has shed. Too little protein can change the texture of your hair. It can result in hair that is dull, dry, thin, brittle, and weak. Not getting enough protein can affect hair color, too. According to Dr. Martha H. Stipanuk, a Cornell University professor who studies the effects of protein malnutrition, if you're consuming less than 7 percent of calories from protein (or less than 26 grams on a 1,500-calorie diet), you can undergo changes in hair pigmentation. You may start to see pale hair or have a band of hair that is a different color.

  A main component of hair is keratin, which gives hair its strength and elasticity. Keratin is made up of amino acids, particularly cysteine. It is not necessary to find dietary sources of cysteine, specifically, because it can be synthesized by your body—provided you consume an adequate amount of protein daily.

  Eating food from a variety of different protein sources will help ensure you take in adequate amounts of hair-protective amino acids. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, the highest amount of protein is found in salmon, yogurt, walnuts, and oysters. Other good sources of protein include fish, shellfish, turkey, chicken, beef, lamb, soybeans, eggs, nuts, and dairy products. (For more information about protein sources, see Chapter 1.)