GIVE YOUR BODY GOOD FOOD AND GUESS WHAT IT GIVES YOU IN RETURN?
Beauty and health. Beauty?

Yes – soft, glowing skin, twinking eyes, healthy and lustrous hair!
And, how exactly?

Just like the other parts of our body, our skin, hair, nails and eyes, too need specific nutrients. Include themin your diet and watch the mirror get friendlier. Of course, beauty products do help, but diet, Try some of these super foods:

OLIVE OIL

For a dewy, healthy look, olive oil it is! It’s packed with antioxidants that help skin pores stay clear, repair skin and prevent further damage. And, guess what? It keeps wrinkles away – the omega-3 fatty acids contained in olive oil do the works! How much? As little as two to three tablespoons per week are sufficient. Use olive oil to stir-fry vegetables, flavour pasta dishes or dress salads.

Berries
Strawberries, raspberries, currants, blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes and cranberries are loaded with antioxidants. They reduce the negative effects of the sun’s harsh rays on skin, hair and eyes. In particular, they improve sight. Grab a handful of berries every day and see the difference.

Essential fats
Come on, a little fat cannot do your waistline much harm! Moreover, if you avoid fat completely, your face could pay the price. A lot of us have dry, flaky skin only because we don’t eat enough (at least four teaspoons or 20g) fat a day. Healthy fats contain essential fatty acids (such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) that help cells maintain their fluidity. Flexibility and functionality – and healthy cells make for a healthy glowing skin. Fish, flaxseeds, beans, nuts, and olive oil are all rich in

Proteins

A protein deficient diet can cause thinning of hair and even slow growth. Similarly, the skin cells need a constant supply of protein for growth and repair. Eat a lot of meat, chicken, fish, eggs, pulses, milk and nuts. Fish packs a double punch of protein combined with health-building essential fatty acids and natural oils. Soya protein – as in beans, flour, nuggets, or tofu – has been found to strengthen hair and stimulate its growth. In addition, soyabeans are low in fat, rish in essential fats and Vitamin E. They also contain oestrogen, a hormone, which stimulates connective tissue and promotes healthy skin.

Seafood
The oils it contains nourish our appearance. Fish is a great source of essential fatty acids (EFAs) like omega-3 and omega-6 that add luster to hair, a glow to the skin and preserve sight. Salmon, sardines, mackerel and tuna contain the most EFAs. Friend, baked, gravied or grilled – try to fit fish into at least one of your daily meals, if you are a non-vegetarian, that is!

Nuts
Groundnuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and so on are Nature’s most concentrated food sources and particularly high in Vitamin E. This vitamin promotes skin health and provides lots of benefits for growing vibrant hair. Snacking on eight to 10 nuts during the day, is a handy key to beauty.

Vitamin A-rich foods
Vitamin A is good for healthy eyes and vision and is also an important weapon in protecting our skin from the effects of environment and ageing. In fact, the health of our epithelial tissue – the cells lining the passages of body openings such as throat and

sinuses – is directly dependent on the amount of Vitamin A in our diet. Plus, it helps keep our skin soft and wrinkle-free. Vitamin A is present in milk and milk products, egg yolk and meats. Also, broccoli, beans, capsicum and peas as well as green leafy vegetables are loaded with this. Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables papaya, apricots, carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes – contribute carotene, which converts into Vitamin a in the body. In fact, the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables in a day can adequately meet the ideal requirement of Vitamin A. Fish liver oils – both shark and cod – are concentrated sources or the vitamin.

Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits like orange and lemons, limes are packed with Vitamin C, an antioxidant that promotes cell repair and growth. It protects the eyes from the harsh effects of the sun and maintains the robustness of skin to prevent wrinkles. Drink lots of numboo pani, adda dash of lemon to dals, snack on fresh oranges, melons and berries. Tomatoes and red peppers are also rich in Vitamin C.

Beauty woes

Unfortunately, the things we enjoy most in life – delicious food and an erratic lifestyle – are the most harmful for our health and consequently our looks.

No white Stuff
Yes, we love potatoes, pasta and sweets. The bad news is these foods contain simple carbohydrates, which trigger the production of large amounts of insulin the skin, enlarges the pores, and leads to a series of skin breakouts. Sugar, in particular, is a top dietary skin spoiler. Eat whole-grain bread, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta.

Shake off stimulants
Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and recreational drugs rob our body of important nutrients. Eliminate or cut back on smoking as well as drinking tea/coffee/colas, which weaken the body and spoil your appearance.

Drink water
That is the best way to ensure that you look good. Water keeps the skin well hydrated and washes away all toxins and other impurities from the body. How much? At least eight to 10 glasses a day.