Getting Pretty from the Inside Out

You know the old adage "you are what you eat"? It applies to your hair and skin, too. It makes sense when you think about it, that your body looks its best when all its parts are well nourished with a healthy diet. Of course going for variety is always a good idea, since it ups your chances of hitting all your vitamins and minerals, but making sure you're getting certain nutrients will definitely enhance any beauty regime. So, here are the basics that will have you glowing from head to toe.

For Your Skin:

 

Omega 3s

Omega-3 fatty acids (the wonder class of nutrients, found in soybeans, nut oils and fish like salmon, that's been in the news for its heart benefits) are key to maintaining a soft and youthful skin texture, thanks to their ability to strengthen the cell walls-meaning they help your cells retain more moisture. And when you throw in their anti-inflammatory benefits, they're a must-have for any beauty diet.

 

Lycopene

Lycopene, a caretonoid (or fat-soluble pigment) found in cooked tomatoes (think marina sauce and stewed tomatoes) is one of the best things you can eat to ensure pretty skin. This anti-oxidant ups your skin's natural sunscreen, protecting it from the sun from the inside and heading off signs of aging. In fact, in a 2001 study, volunteers who ate tomato paste for 10 weeks were less likely to show sunburned skin cells when exposed to ultraviolet light than the control group. That means that down the road, you'll have fewer sun spots and fine lines.

 

Vitamin C

You know this vitamin ups your immune system, but here's another reason to start your day off with some OJ (or bell peppers, grapefruit, strawberries, raspberries, or aparagus, all of which are high in the vitamin): It makes for some pretty skin, too. In fact, a 2007 study showed that women who eat a diet rich in C have fewer wrinkles and higher moisture levels than those with a similar lifestyle who do not.

 

For Your Nails and Hair:

Vitamin B

This energy vitamin, found in everything from carrots to romaine lettuce to cucumbers is widely regarded as the best nutrient for your hair and skin. And with good reason-several vitamins in the B family have been linked to strong, beautiful locks and nails. For instance, several studies have found that the B vitamin biotin boosts your body's production of keratin, the protein that makes up your skin and hair. And in a 2001 study, women who had alopecia (a condition that causes hair loss) actually saw an improvement in the quality of their hair after taking vitamin B6 for several weeks, making for stronger, shinier locks. And now researchers also believe it has the same reinforcing benefits for your nails.

 

Sulfur

This element found in meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and legumes onions, garlic, cabbage is essential to maintaining beautiful nails that hold up to cracking, chipping and peeling. Take as proof a small study that found that after six weeks of taking a dietary supplement form of sulfur called Methylsulfonylmethane (or MSM), 50% of volunteers had a remarkable increase in nail length and thickness growth. In fact, the mean nail length increase was 2.5 times more in the MSM group than in the control group.