It’s about that time of the term when we’re all feeling a bit drab and a nice break and a good spa day wouldn’t go amiss. Well, we can’t have everything but we can eat our way to looking and feeling good. Over indulging in junk food and processed goods can lead to a dull complexion, lifeless hair and damaged nails. The key to having great skin, hair and nails lies with filling our diets with these nutritious and delicious foods.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a major element of achieving those luscious locks. Walnuts are a great source of biotin, which not only strengthens your hair but also improves hair growth and reduces hair fall. If you aren’t sold already, walnuts are also known to help ensure a good nights sleep as they elevate blood levels of melatonin (the hormone that induces sleep) and make the perfect bedtime snack.
Oily Fish
Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon are packed with Essential Fatty Acids such as, Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are crucial for getting great skin, hair and nails. As well as being coined a ‘brain food’, the omega 3 and 6 are proven to prevent hair loss, hydrate the scalp and strengthen the follicles. Fish is also loaded with vitamin D, B12, iron, zinc and protein, which are all vital for a glowing complexion and a healthy head of hair. If you aren’t such a massive fan of fish you can also try nuts, seeds and eggs to get all these nutrients.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rife with the anti-ageing ingredient, lycopene. Whilst none of us have reached the age when we need to be worrying about anti-ageing – it couldn’t help by slowly down the process by simply stocking our fridges with some tomatoes. However, the key is moderation, according to the Daily Mail a woman in the US drank so much tomato juice her skin turned orange!
Dark Chocolate
That’s right – chocolate. Now you don’t have to feel guilty about eating that last piece of chocolate. Dark chocolate helps the skin to stay hydrated and protects our skin from sun damage. However, be sure to select a chocolate which is at least 60% cacao to ensure the benefits.
Zinc
Eating foods that are rich in Zinc are essential to maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails. Zinc is vital to the immune system and the manufacture of collagen. A lack of zinc can lead to blemishes, white spots on fingernails and dandruff. Her Campus recommends eating foods such as turkey, cheese, eggs, nuts and mushrooms to get your zinc intake.
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