Essential Fatty Acids for Healthy Skin

Food in winter… it’s time to change your comfort eating habits!

Winter is a time we tend to reach for comfort food and the effect on our skin can either be a devastatingly dull appearance or give you a gorgeous healthy glow.  There can be long term effects over these three to four months if you are in the more “mature” age groups or are under stress or have any underlying health issues. If this happens, you will have set your skin on a course of ageing more rapidly than considered normal and you may not like how it looks or feels. The secret is to keep it well hydrated from the inside and the outside, and Fatty Acids are essential.

How do we choose foods to keep our skin smooth, plump and youthful?

We keep it hydrated! Skin in colder weather tends to become dryer, often rough and flaky. This may produce redness, irritation and increase sensitivity or give you lots more pimples and make congestion and acne worse. People don’t generally understand this and pile more and more moisturisers on or think they need harsher products to clean the pores to stop the pimples.

Fatty acids are the answer; both internally and topically. We have discussed adding some Alpha Lipoic acid and serums with Growth Factors to help you topically. However, eating well and making sensible choices – foods to hydrate your skin – will assist your skin products to work their magic to the max.

Fish and veggies or just the chips!

It’s all about the choice; fatty acids, omega 3’s and 6’s and lots of veggies, or carbs and saturated fats.

It has been shown that women who do not eat sufficient fatty acids are more likely to suffer from skin problems as well as skin that ages more rapidly than expected. Having insufficient Vitamins C, E, A and selenium also may inhibit how the body may utilise consumed fatty acids. Fatty acids decrease inflammation throughout the body, including the skin, and in this way make a significant difference in how the skin ages and how it processes UV’s and other environmental pollutants. Whether you are young, with acne and/or hormonal breakouts or congestion, or if you are mature with dry, sensitive skin, having a diet high in fatty acids will reduce the inflammation causing these problems. So, what are the fatty acid foods to hydrate dry skin?

There are two main types of fatty acids our body’s need to function well: Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s. They are not naturally produced in the body – we have to eat them. Omega 3’s are predominantly found in seafood (salmon and tuna), walnuts, canola oil and flax-sees. Omega 6’s are generally found in certain vegetable oils: sesame, sunflower, safflower, soy and flax-seed. The modern western diet tends to be high in 6’s but low in 3’s, but it is particularly important to have a good balance between the two, with a ratio of 2 omega 3’s to 1 omega 6 usually considered acceptable. So, for most of us we do need to consciously eat more 3’s. However, when it comes to our 6’s we also need a few other nutrients to ensure our 6’s can work well: magnesium, zinc and vitamins C, B3 and B6. Like so much of our body, it’s all about the combination to ensure we have the right balance of all nutrients.

Recent studies show that the average person today consumes 2-4 times more red meat and chicken than fish. This can upset the optimal balance resulting in an increase in inflammation throughout the body and can be responsible for many chronic illnesses and skin concerns, including acne, sensitive and super dry skins, plus developing all the signs of a pre-maturely ageing skin.

Cell Membrane

One of the major functions of these fatty acids is the maintenance of a healthy cell membrane. This ensures harmful things are excluded from the cell, allows nutrients and oxygen to enter and waste to be expelled. Thus having a healthy cell membrane means your cells can function optimally, the balance of water in the cell can be maintained, ensuring your skin is hydrated and this makes your skin healthier, better looking and feeling. Inflammation will be lower, the ability to heal itself more efficient, meaning that it will also age much more slowly and is more likely to be problem free.

So enjoying a diet well balanced in these fatty acids, especially over winter and especially if you are menopausal or have sensitive dryer skin anyway is super important!! 

We have given you some recipes to help you survive the cold and eat the foods your skin needs.

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Chia Flax Hot Pudding Breakfast

Recipe from Kelly LeVeque | Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
• 2 cup coconut or almond milk
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3 tablespoons ground flax seed
• Optional Sweetener:
  • 3 Stevia drops
  • 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
• Optional Toppings:
  • 4 tablespoons chopped pecans or other nuts
  • ¼ cup mixed fresh berries

Directions:

1. In a medium nonstick fry pan on medium heat, add ghee/coconut oil, chia and flax seed and 1 cup of coconut milk.
2. Continuously stir all ingredients until pudding is thick, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour warm pudding into a bowl, option to stir in sweetener of choice.
4. Top with nuts, remaining coconut milk and berries. Serve warm.

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Orange Glazed Salmon With Wilted Kale

Recipe from SkinnMs. | Servings 4

Ingredients:

Easy Baked Paleo Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Chicken Tender Ingredients:

• 900g chicken tenderloins
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon chicken seasoning
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• olive oil, in an oil spray bottle

Chicken Tender Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 220 Degrees Celsius and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
2. In a shallow wide bowl, mix together the almond flour, flax meal, paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, parsley, poultry seasoning, and ground black pepper.
3. In another small mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
4. Blot the excess moisture off from the chicken tenders with paper towels and then dip them in the egg. Make sure the tenderloins are thoroughly coated in the egg mixture and then dredge them in the almond flour breading, pressing to adhere.
5. Divide the breaded chicken tenders up between the 2 baking trays and lightly spray with olive oil. Place in the oven and bake for 8-9 minutes. Flip the tenders over, lightly spray again with olive oil and bake for another 8-9 minutes until cooked through.
6. Transfer the chicken tenders to a platter and serve immediately, or at room temperature.  Serve with the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce below.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons runny honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• If it’s too sweet for your taste, try adding a tablespoon of mayonnaise to tone it down. 

Directions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey and Dijon. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for later use.

 

Yum, Yum – Better Skin from your Tum!

 

Still not sure?

If you need more help or would like personalised advice on what skincare products are best for you, book now for your consultation with a skin care advisor:

Book Your In-Clinic Consultation.

 

Or fill in the Online Skin Consultation and Gaye, our registered nurse, will happily help you to choose the right treatments and products for your skin type or concern.

Online Skin Consultation