We all know that topically applied products can help provide moisture and restore elasticity to aging skin. But how about what we eat? It makes sense that diet plays a role in how well (or how poorly) our skin responds to factors associated with aging, such as sun damage and the general loss of collagen over time.

According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, the skin is made up of 80% collagen. It is naturally produced in the body and decreases over time. The diet greatly affects how much collagen is produced.

There are some adjustments you can make to your diet that not only provide overall health benefits, but specifically work at stimulating collagen. Below are some food groups you should include in your diet every day for more youthful looking skin.¹

Dark, leafy greens, which contain lutein, an antioxidant, provide positive effects on the skin including increased hydration, elasticity, lipid content and photo protective activity.

Berries, kiwi, guava, oranges, and grapefruit contain significant amounts of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that prevents free radical damage to skin and helps the skin form collagen.

Soy, found in soy beans, milk, tofu, cheese, and yogurt, contains isoflavones, a class of organic compounds, which like vitamin C can also be helpful in preventing cell damage caused by free radicals.

Pinto, kidney and navy beans contain hyaluronic acid, an anti-aging substance that prevents skin sagging and improves elasticity. This substance is naturally present in the skin, but decreases with age.

Omega three fatty acids contained in cold water fish, walnuts, flaxseed, and some vegetables offer a long list of health benefits, which include improving dry skin.²

A diet rich in the good foods listed above, and complemented by topical skincare products rich in emollients, can greatly improve the skin’s ability to withstand aging and other external assaults on collagen.

1) LiveStrong.com

2) NaturalSkinHealth.com

We have said in this blog before that diet has little effect on acne. In fact, this has been widely believed for years.

Several studies, though, implicate a high carb/high glycemic diet in many of the problems acne sufferers have to deal with.

One in particular – a two year study from Australia’s RMIT University – focused on metabolic changes in glucose and insulin levels in the body due to diet.

The results of the study led researchers to believe that spikes in insulin and glucose caused by eating a diet heavy in foods of high glycemic index could be responsible for outbreaks of acne. The test subjects who ate a diet consisting of low glycemic index carbs and protein saw improvement in their acne.

While there is still no absolute answer on what role diet plays in acne treatment, this type of diet can be beneficial not just for acne, but for overall health.

Combined with topical treatment like SkinHealth Technology’s AcneCare ClearTech Treatment, it may bring relief to people suffering with acne.

Plaque psoriasis is a skin disease that has been long known in humans. It is categorized as an autoimmune disease, but according to Dr. Michael F. Holick, a leading authority on vitamin D and author of The Vitamin D Solution, this may not be completely accurate. His research has led him to believe that the disease begins with a defect in the skin cells that causes them to reproduce out of control, thus calling on the immune system to respond, making the problem worse.

Treating psoriasis with drugs that suppress the immune system doesn’t address the defective skin cells where the problem begins and these drugs are well known to have serious side effects.

In treating psoriasis, patients and doctors alike have long known that moderate sun exposure was useful in improving the condition, even before it was determined that vitamin D therapy would help. It is now understood that the sun exposure activates vitamin D in the skin which helps regulate the over-proliferation of skin cells.

Even though vitamin D from the sun can be a good thing, too much sun can be bad for psoriasis. If you are using sun exposure in your treatment regimen, you must be careful to gauge exposure in order to receive the optimum dose before becoming pink. SkinHealth Technology’s Natural Vitamin D UV Activation Sensors are a good way to ensure this.

Holick, Michael F. The Vitamin D Solution. New York, NY: Hudson Street Press, 2010. 109-112. Print.

Summer weather, with its sunburn, bug bites, scrapes and scratches is hazardous to the skin. But for people with sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, winter can be much worse. The drying effect of the harsh cold combined with an overly warm and arid indoor atmosphere can remove needed moisture from the skin. These skin conditions are more prone to flare, generalized flaking and cracking are common and dark skin is more likely to become ashy.

Below are some tips to help relieve dry winter skin:

1. If the indoor air is extremely dry, use a humidifier to add moisture to the atmosphere.
2. Use balm type moisturizers for extra dry, cracking, flaking, or ashy skin.
3. Hydrate your body by drinking plenty of water.
4. Exfoliate the skin if it is flaky. Be sure to moisturize right after exfoliation.
5. As tempting as it is, don’t take long, hot showers or baths. This dries the skin more.
6. Layer your clothing so that softer items are closer to the skin and scratchy sweaters, etc. are on the outside.

SkinHealth Technology’s line of conditioning skin and sun care products are the perfect addition to your winter routine.

Click here for more detailed advice on keeping your skin comfortable and conditioned during the winter months.

According to Mercola.com:

Theories linking vitamin D deficiency to cancer have been tested and confirmed in more than 200 epidemiological studies, and understanding of its physiological basis stems from more than 2,500 laboratory studies.

Optimizing your vitamin D levels could help you to prevent at least 16 different types of cancer including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate, and skin cancers. Overall, optimal vitamin D levels can cut cancer risk by as much as 60 percent, according to one large-scale, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

The most important factor is your vitamin D serum level. In order to help prevent a wide variety of diseases and health ailments, your vitamin D level needs to be between 50 and 70 ng/ml year-round.

The ideal way to optimize your vitamin D level is through sun exposure. As a very general guide, you need to expose a substantial amount of your entire body, when the sun is at its zenith.

According to recent findings from the D* Action study, adults need about 8,000 IU’s of oral vitamin D3 per day in order to get serum levels above 40 ng/ml.

Natural sunlight is the best source of vitamin D! UV sunlight is the fuel that enables the body to make vitamin D, but how long should you stay in the sun to optimize your Vitamin D without sun protection?

Skincare experts at SkinHealth Technology, LLC have developed a patented, new concept that enables you to attain vitamin D development 100% naturally–without damage to the skin. To accurately gauge the necessary length of time in the sun, simply apply one of their Natural Vitamin D UV Activation Sensors to skin or clothing. When the sensor turns red and the sun symbol disappears —it’s time to apply sunscreen or get out of the sun.