Way to Good Hair and Skin

Eating your way to Good Hair and Skin

Like so many elements of our health, what we eat can make the difference between good skin and hair and dull, dry versions. Skin and hair need slightly different things to thrive, but this diet will aid both.

A Day’s Diet at a Glance

- Start by taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement, plus 1,000mg of methyl sulfonyl methane (which converts to sulphur in the body) and 500mg of evening primrose oil. Drink at least one glass of water, and aim to drink another eight throughout the day.

- For breakfast, have a bowl of bran or wheat cereal topped with skimmed milk, two tablespoons of blueberries and two of raspberries. Drink a glass of orange juice.

- Mid-morning, have a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts or a low-fat yogurt.

- At lunchtime, take another 500mg of evening primrose oil. Have a sandwich of two slices of wholegrain bread filled with 50g (2oz) fish, chicken or low-fat cheese. Top with a mix of lettuce or alfalfa sprouts, chopped onion, tomato, avocado and cucumber. Serve with a cup of tomato, carrot or vegetable soup.

- Mid-afternoon, have another piece of fruit.

- Before your evening meal, take another 500mg of evening primrose oil. 

- For your meal, eat a 75g (3oz) serving of lean protein. Serve with 50g (2oz) brown rice, wholewheat pasta, jacket potato, new potatoes or wholegrain bread. Add two tablespoons of a green vegetable and two of another vegetable.

Living the DETOX Life

As well as integrating the diet advice into your normal life, there are three other essentials for good looks:

- Use sunscreen. This is the most important thing that you can ever do for your skin. You should apply at least an SPF 15 sunscreen 30 minutes before you go into the sun; even in winter, ultraviolet rays still break through clouds. If you have sensitive skin, screens that use titanium dioxide as a block may cause fewer problems than so-called chemical sunscreens. Hair should also be protected with sun-protective sprays because sunlight dries it out.

- Stop smoking (Find details in Category: Quit-Stop Smoking Tips)

- Keep your skincare regime simple. If a product has more than ten ingredients, it could increase your risk of sensitive skin. Stick to products with short ingredient lists and keep the amount you use to a minimum. Even the most mature skin needs only a cleanser, a moisturizer, a vitamin C serum for the daytime and a vitamin A cream at night to look good – not forgetting sunscreen, of course.