Beauty from within, Nutrition

The essential nutrients to support collagen production include:

1. Genistein – Primarily found in soybeans, but also found in smaller quantities in other legumes like fava beans and kudzu. It is an isoflaven that has estrogenic properties and blocks enzymes that break down and age the skin.

2. Lutein – Eat dark, leafy greens like spinach and kale for Lutein and vitamin C. Is there anything spinach and kale.

3. Lycopene – Red & orange vegetables and fruits like tomatoes, red peppers, carrots, and sweet potatoes are packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant supporting collagen synthesis. On the upside, they also contain vitamin C!

4. Hyaluronic Acid /HA/ – Production supported by bean (legumes) consumption; shoot for two tablespoons per day. HA is found in virtually all of your body’s cells. HA is intercellular that holds proteins, bind and retain water in the skin, cartilage and other connective tissue and in the synovial fluid that lubricates the body’s joints. The body needs magnesium for complete synthesis of Hyaluronic Acid.

Magnesium rich food: asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, spinach, green lettuce and beans.

Hyaluronic Acid rich food:

• Bone Broth (bones, skin, cartilages, ligaments of chicken, beef and other animals cooked in water for a long time).

• Organ meats of most livestock, fish eyeballs, veal liver is rich in Ha.

Food that can improve HA level in the body :

• Dark grapes, therefore grape juice and red wine (in moderate);

• Soy products-tofu, soymilk, soybeans;

• Starchy root vegetables

• Spices and pepper

• Fruit- bananas, apples, avocados, tomatoes, melons, pineapples, pears, and peaches.

1. Naringenin-Rich Foods

Research on naringenin, a bioactive ingredient in grapefruit, oranges and tomatoes, has a strong inhibitory effect on hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid in the body. Based on these research findings, published in a 2009 issue of "Food Science and Biotechnology," eating foods rich in naringenin may help your body to conserve more of its natural reserves of hyaluronic acid.

1. Essential Fatty Acids – Omega-3,6,9, Flax Seed, Nuts, Olive Oil, Salmon, Avocados, etc. Skin cells are surrounded by a fat layer of fatty acids. They really are essential for healthy looking skin – a tablespoon per day would be suggested.

2. Vitamin A -Back to those red & orange colored fruits and vegetables as good sources of Vitamin A.

3. Carnosine – A protein found in turkey that helps to prevent cross-linking. Protein degradation occurs as a result of cross-linking and the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE). These changes figure prominently in the processes of aging and its typical signs such as skin wrinkling and brain degeneration.”

4. Sulphur – Best food sources include garlic, onions, cabbage, eggs, meat, fish, seafood and nuts. The minimum requirement is 850mg/ for normal daily requirements.

5. Vitamin C – In the case of collagen, Vitamin C combines with two amino acids – lysine and proline – to form pro-collagen. Pro-collagen is then used to manufacture one of several types of collagen found in different tissues throughout the body. Best sources of Vitamin include citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, mangos and kiwi. Most fruits and vegetables have some Vitamin C so if you get in your 6-10 servings per day, you should be good!

You can also support collagen production topically with the application of Vitamin C ( ascorbic acid) on the skin. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, “Topical application of ascorbic acid will penetrate the epidermis into the underlying dermal layers to synthesize collagen.

Antioxidants such as carotenes, quercetin, vitamins C and E, it's better to eat the natural foods.