Vitamins for beauty

Shahnaz Husain *

Maintaining a bright, clear and youthful complexion doesn't just come down to a good skincare routine, regular facial massage, or the right products to boost your glow. To help keep your skin looking, working, and feeling good, feed it well from the inside. If you want beautiful, glowing skin that’s healthy from within, you have to eat the right foods.

A balanced diet that offers a spectrum of essential minerals and vitamins are crucial to maintaining your hair and skin.

To protect your skin from the ravages of time and damages caused by harsh weather, incorporate vitamins into your daily beauty routine. Both internal and external use of vitamins is critical for skin health.

There are certain essential vitamins that are of great importance to women, especially at certain phases of their life. During and after menopause, for example, women need Vitamin D and Calcium to keep the bones strong and healthy.

Vitamin C is most essential for the immune system, which keeps us free from disease. It is also most essential for the health of collagen. It has an action on connective tissue and is essential for collagen synthesis.

Therefore, Vitamin C helps to protect and preserve the youthful properties of the skin. It keeps the skin firm and resilient and delays the formation of wrinkles and lines. As it strengthens the immune system, it protects the body from degeneration.

Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, like oranges, lemon and grapefruit, amla, tomato, sprouted grains and green leafy vegetables. In fact, while having citrus fruits, include the white strands, which contain bioflavonoids and are said to act like estrogen, which helps to maintain the health of the skin and hair too.

Vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining the youth of the skin, as it helps the process of cell regeneration. It keeps the skin soft, smooth and youthful. Vitamin A also helps to strengthen the immune system and protects the health and texture of the hair. It is also extremely necessary for our vision. Vitamin A can be obtained from milk, fish, carrots, papaya, mango and cabbage.

The B-Complex Vitamins promote and protect good health, including the good health of the skin and hair. They restore the health of the hair and are even said to play a role in delaying greying of the hair.

Adequate quantities of these Vitamins, along with minerals, help to keep age-related changes at bay. Nutritionists agree that diets that are rich in the B-Complex Vitamins help to cure hair problems like dandruff and hair damage, also promoting hair growth and checking hair loss. The B-Complex Vitamins are available in whole grains, a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, Brewer’s Yeast.

Another essential Vitamin is Vitamin D, which is most necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D is produced when the body is exposed to the sun. It also helps in the regulation and maintenance of minerals in our blood, including calcium. It also helps to absorb calcium. A deficiency of Vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis during menopause and with ageing. Vitamin D is available in fish, eggs and liver.

Vitamin E is rich in antioxidants, which help to preserve youthful properties. Many have called it the “vitality vitamin” as it not only protects youthful qualities, but also helps during old age. It helps to oxygenate the tissues and among other things, it keeps the skin soft, smooth and firm.

Skin care with creams containing Vitamin E or ingredients that are rich in Vitamin has helped to keep lines and wrinkles at bay for a longer time. Wheatgerm oil, which is used in many skin care creams, is said to be rich in Vitamin E. Food items like eggs, liver, sunflower oil, almonds, peas, turnip and green vegetables are rich sources of Vitamin E.

So take a look at your diet and ensure that it supplies you with the essential nutrients. Avoid polished and refined grains, as well as overcooked and fried foods. Vitamins are so sensitive that cooking destroys more than half of their properties . So include fresh fruits, salads, sprouts and yogurt in your daily diet.