The Beauty Diet (14 page)

a family of lipids called
ceramides
, which have names like
alpha-hydroxy
and
omega-hydroxy acids
. Sound familiar? Some beauty products contain synthetic ceramides to replace those lost during the aging process. These natural lipids are a major component of skin structure, and they allow the skin to retain moisture.

The
dermis
is right under the epidermis. It is a thick, resilient layer of connective tissue that makes up about 90 percent of the skin's depth. Beneath every attractive epidermis is a robust dermis.

The dermis contains collagen and elastin, two interconnected structural proteins that create a dense mesh. Collagen gives skin its resilience and strength, while elastin gives skin its ability to stretch and snap back. Together they support the nerve endings, muscle cells, sweat glands, sebaceous (oil) glands, hair follicles, and tiny blood vessels in this layer of skin. The dermis also contains special cells called
fibro-blasts
that synthesize collagen and elastin. The sebaceous glands produce sebum, which lubricates the skin and makes your hair waterproof. These natural oils keep your skin soft and supple and prevent your scalp from getting dry and flaky. When the sebaceous glands become overactive, they produce too much oil, which can lead to clogged pores, blackheads, and pimples. Later in this chapter, I'll explain how to turn troubled skin into terrific skin.

The hypodermis is a subcutaneous layer that consists mostly of fat and provides both insulation and cushioning. This layer is responsible for smooth, plump-looking skin.

While some factors are out of your control, you can do a lot to achieve glowing, movie star skin. When you feed your skin with my beauty foods, it will give back to you in the form of a beautiful reflection for years to come. Following are seven
ways to keep your skin in top condition by nourishing it from the inside out.

Soft and supple skin depends on two things: water and fats. This may seem contradictory because the two don't mix, but your skin needs both to retain its youthful texture.

Your skin is 70 percent water, 25 percent protein, and 2 percent lipids. Water plumps up your cells and keeps your skin moist. However, keeping your skin refreshed and hydrated is a challenge because of factors both outside and inside your body. The outer layer of your skin is constantly losing water due to exposure to dry air, sunlight, chemicals, and other elements. This moisture is slow to be replaced since water has to seep up through many layers of skin cells to reach the surface. Water for your skin is even scarcer when your body is dehydrated; your body reduces the amount of moisture in your skin to conserve water for more important functions, like keeping your blood flowing smoothly. If you are chronically dehydrated, your face will look drawn and any wrinkles will become more obvious.

A little-known dietary cause of dehydration is super-high-protein diets. Water loss accounts for the rapid loss of weight at the beginning of these diets. During the first phase of a very-high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, your body burns any glycogen that is stored in your muscles or liver—a process that releases a lot of water. Additionally, the breakdown of amino acids from protein produces urea, which requires large amounts of water to be excreted from the body. And without adequate carbohydrates, fats cannot be metabolized completely, and this leads to the formation of ketone bodies, which have a strong diuretic effect on your kidneys. Bottom line: high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets cause water loss from the body, which can ultimately affect the plumpness of your skin, leaving it dry and wrinkled.

So what can do you to keep your skin hydrated adequately? For one, drink plenty of water and green tea, my favorite beauty beverages. In addition to drinking plenty of fluids, it's important to consume quality fats to keep the lipids in your skin abundant and flexible. The fats you eat are incorporated into your cell membranes, helping the insides of the cells stay plumped up with water. When you don't eat enough healthy fats, skin cells become more permeable and lose moisture. When that happens, your skin may get dry and sensitive, sometimes even red and rough.

Consuming essential fatty acids helps reverse skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, and dry, red, itchy skin. Quality
fats, like the omega-3 fats found in walnuts and fish oils, are a key component of the lubricating layer that keeps skin moist and supple. Numerous studies have shown that consuming increased levels of fish oils helps keep the skin flexible and helps skin retain its moisture content. In one study published in the
British Journal of Dermatology
, volunteers with psoriasis took either capsules of supplementary fish oil or identical-looking capsules of olive oil. The fish oil group had statistically significant improvement in all parameters. Another study published in the
American Academy of Dermatology
found similar results.

Finally, for maximum hydration, consider limiting your alcohol and caffeine intake. Caffeine causes water loss from your body, including your skin. Additionally, alcohol has a diuretic effect, so in excess it can dehydrate your skin. You might be familiar with the effects of alcohol on your skin when you wake up the morning after a night of drinking! Your skin might look wrinkled and dry. Alcohol can also cause redness and flushing of the face, due to its ability to dilate blood vessels.

As you read in
Chapter 1
, free radicals are electrically charged molecules produced by sun exposure, air pollution, and other toxins that attack the healthy cells of your body. Free radicals damage protein, DNA, cell membranes, mitochondria, and more.

One free radical can initiate a cascade of damage. Many free radicals together can cause extensive damage. As free-radical damage accumulates, irritation develops at the cellular level. In your skin this eventually manifests itself as fine lines, wrinkles, uneven and dull skin tone, and loss of firmness.