Raw Food and Skin Health

The largest organ of the body, which is the skin, is primarily designed to act as a protective covering for other bodily organs. The skin regulates the internal temperature of the body. The skin is also the main indicator of the well being or health of a person. Most of us these days spend a considerable amount of our hard earned money just to make our skin look great. What most people don’t know is that you can achieve a great looking skin tone while spending less. The secret? Raw Food Diet.

The health of our skin is very much dependent on the health of our internal environment and organs. When the body is unhealthy and toxic, these conditions manifest themselves externally. These could include dry skin, chaffed skin, dark eye rings, poor complexion, body odor, to name a few.

Heating food above 105 degrees Fahrenheit destroys the enzymes as well as 50% of the protein and 70-90% of the vitamins and minerals. Eating cooked food overtaxes the body’s enzyme reserves.

If you go on a raw food diet, you will provide your skin with all the essential vitamins, nutrients and amino acids that your skin needs. Thereby making your skin looking young and fresh. The reason for that is because raw foods have much higher level of moisture than that of cooked or processed foods. And once your body has the proper vitamins and nutrients it needs, your organs will become healthier, as mentioned before, your skin is the main indicator of your health.

As the saying goes, “the best way to have a radiant and healthy looking skin, you must start inside out”. To do that, you must have a healthy diet. If you are an avid coffee drinker, it would be best that you start reducing your coffee intake until you no longer crave for one. The reason for that is because caffeine removes a lot of moisture to the body. And moisture deficiency is one way of having dry skin which would lead to lines and wrinkles.

Consuming pure water, fresh fruit juices or coconut milk provide your body with the much needed moisture it craves. And by substituting carbonated drinks, tea, and coffee with above mentioned, your skin will become more radiant and younger looking. An indication of a healthy body. Drinking water will help your body increase its detoxification rate. Eating seaweeds will also help you get rid of the toxins inside your body because seaweeds have high levels of vitamins and minerals that greatly benefit the skin.

CoenzymeQ10 is an effective antioxidant involved in the energy process and present in every cell in the body. CoQ10 levels in the body diminish with age. CoQ10 destroys free radicals and slows aging. Spinach, broccoli and peanuts are foods high in CoQ10.

Alpha-lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant that boosts the strength of other antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E, and assists the body’s energy production. Alpha-lipoic acid can be found in spinach, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, tomatoes and peas.

Sulfur is a mineral present in every cell in your body. It is needed in collagen production and for healthy skin, hair and nails. Organic sulfur levels in food are lost when processed, heated or dried. Sulfur is known to help improve skin conditions such as acne. High sulfur content foods include asparagus, broccoli, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, red pepper, garlic, onion, watercress and kale.

Silicon is an essential trace mineral needed for healthy skin, hair, nails and bones. Silicon levels decrease with age. Fruits and vegetables are the richest source of silicon including apples, oranges, cherries, grapes, strawberries, beets, cucumber, carrots and green leafy vegetables.

Phytochemicals are plant chemicals that help the body defend against damage and are said to have anti-aging properties. Phytochemicals can be found in berries, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, spinach, carrots, cocoa and bell pepper.

Raw nuts and seeds are high in Vitamin E which is beneficial to the skin. Selenium keeps the skin elastic and can be found in garlic, onions and shallots.

Having a raw food diet will let your body get rid of the various toxins in your body. Eating raw food will greatly increase the detoxification rate of your body. So, if you want to have a healthy skin tone, having a raw food diet will help you achieve your goal. The appearance of your skin tone reflects your health. In simple terms, what you eat is what you are.

Not intending or unable to go fully raw? It’s fine – just increase the proportion of raw foods and fresh juices in your diet, and you will see the difference. Eat more raw foods and your skin health will get better, too!