Good Skin, Bad Skin, Part 1

Want Good Skin?  Then you need to nourish your skin from the inside by eating foods that slow the aging process. A combination of a healthy diet and specific foods and nutrients can do everything from hydrate your skin to protect it from the environment. Below are 4 food classes that will help you eat your way to great skin:

1. Vitamin C Foods - Oranges and other citrus fruits, peppers and kale are all high in vitamin C. A British study showed that women who ate higher amounts of this antioxidant vitamin had fewer wrinkles and less dry skin.
2. Lean Protein - Protein is a building block of collagen, which gives skin its elasticity. When collagen and other proteins break down, it causes the skin to fold into itself, creating wrinkles. Lean protein foods include skinless poultry, egg whites, fish and tofu.
3. Fatty Fish (Alaskan Sockeye Salmon) - A natural source of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs), fatty fish help guard and protect your skin from the environment, including the sun, according to three British studies. The best fish to put on your plate include salmon, tuna, mackerel and trout. If fish isn’t your thing, walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, pumpkin seeds and tofu containing ALA are also natural sources of EFAs.
4. Produce Rainbow - Load up on colorful fruits and vegetables, especially ones that are yellow, orange or red. Produce in these colors is a source of carotenoids, free radical-fighting antioxidants that nourish the skin. They include beta-carotene, which helps skin stay hydrated and increases collagen production and lycopene, which protects skin from environmental damage.