Health Tip Of The Week - Vitamins & Minerals That Improve Your Skin

We all want to look as young as we can for as long as we can.  Taking care of yourself and your skin will make the biggest difference.  Exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking, and not overindulging in alcohol are also very important for keeping the skin younger looking.

-  Vitamin A - Reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles, helping the skin repair itself, decreased acne, and reducing dry skin are all benefits of vitamin A.  Most people get enough through their diet, unless they have certain dietary restrictions.  Vitamin A is found in eggs, grains, and milk.

-  Vitamin C - Improves collagen production, slows the affects of free radicals, reverses DNA damage, and even helps heal sunburns and cuts.  You can get vitamin c from your food and supplements, but applying it topically to the skin has the most benefits.  Look for a lotion or serum with vitamin c.

-  Vitamin D - Helps with cell production and a higher turnover rate.  This helps the skin to rejuvenate, keeping you younger looking.  Most people are vitamin D deficient, especially if they live far from the equator.  With as little as 20 minutes of sun exposure a day, you can get what your body needs.  A topical cream is also very beneficial.

-  Fish Oil - Studies have shown that fish oil helps with skin conditions, such as rosacea and eczema.  It also benefits the overall health and look of your skin.  It helps alleviate dryness that leads to wrinkles and even dandruff.  It also keeps the hair stronger.  Eat 2 - 3 servings a week of fish with high omega 3's such as mackerel,  trout, salmon, and tuna.

-  Selenium - Helps heal the skin from burns, and regenerates vitamin c which helps reverse the aging process.  It can be found in Brazil nuts, poultry, seafood, oats, and brown rice.

It is always best go get as many vitamins and minerals from your food as you can.  If you do need to supplement, please talk to your doctor first to make sure it doesn't interact with any of your medications.  You also need to discuss exactly how much you should take daily.