D’Ageless Organics
Best Supplements for Glowing Skin Healthy Hair and Strong Fingernails
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Best Supplements for Glowing Skin, Healthy Hair, and Strong fingernails
You are what you eat, and what you eat can often be reflected on your skin, hair, and nails. If you eat a lot of processed, high-sugar foods, it can lead to acne and a proinflammatory state causing premature aging. When our body is deficient in certain vitamins or minerals, our skin will look sallow, our hair limp and dull, and our nails brittle.
Achieving optimal nutrition through diet alone is just not realistic. We all try, but It’s hard to meet the dietary recommendations on a daily basis, especially for most of us with a busy work schedule. For those of us who are not able to get all these requirements through food, including myself, I recommend daily vitamins and nutritional supplements to help to support our overall health plus that of our skin, hair, and nails.
Supplements for Healthy Skin
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for our body and skin health. It is an essential nutrient our skin needs to make collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body. In addition to skin, it also supports our muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. Collagen is lost over time due to aging, which manifests as sagging of skin, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps to fight premature aging induced by the sun and our environment. It is a water-soluble nutrient that is not produced by our body, therefore it’s critical that we obtain it through diet. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruit such as lemon, oranges, and grapefruit; vegetables including bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and brussel sprouts, just to name a few.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another important nutrient, like vitamin C, that has antioxidant properties. In fact, the two often work better together. Vitamin E helps to prevent DNA damage induced by free radicals generated by the sun and pollutants. It also helps to strengthen our immune system and prevent blood clots. Many topical formulations of vitamin E plus C are available to help fight sun damage and reverse signs of aging.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
There are numerous health benefits from omega-3s. These essential fats need to be consumed through food or supplements as our body is not able to produce them naturally. Fatty acids are an important component of cellular membranes and help to fight inflammation. They also may play a role in the prevention of some chronic diseases.
Probiotics
The body’s microbiome plays an important role in keeping our body healthy and balanced. We know that in many inflammatory diseases, there’s often an imbalance between good and bad bacteria.
Supplements for Healthy Hair and Nails
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is made on our skin upon UV exposure. It has numerous biological effects on our body including promoting bone health, modulating inflammation, and hair health. Research has shown that vitamin D may also play a role in modulating autoimmune disease by regulating gut bacteria.
Biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble B7 vitamin needed by our body to convert nutrients into energy. It is essential to our body’s daily function, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Supplements for Acne-Prone Skin
Acne is the most common condition that brings individuals to my office. Acne doesn’t just affect teenagers–a handful of adults in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and even older will be afflicted by acne.
Spearmint
Spearmint has well-known anti-androgen effects. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Spearmint modulates hormones that are increased during our menstrual cycle. These hormones then stimulate our oil glands and ultimately lead to deep cystic-like pimples around menses. Clinical studies have shown that 1 cup of spearmint tea twice daily has moderate effects on improving hormonal acne.
Turmeric
A very popular ingredient in India, turmeric has long been used for centuries as medicine. Curcumin is the active compound isolated from turmeric that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Being one of the most heavily studied spices, turmeric has shown many promising results in laboratory studies.
Remember that great skin, hair, and nails are more than what you put on them–diet and nutrition play a huge role. Combining a good diet with regular exercise, adequate time for self-care and stress relief will ensure a clear mindset, healthy body, and glowing skin.
