Most of us are aware by now that healthy skin starts from the inside and shows up on the outside. When we feed our body healthy food, our cells show their gratitude by improving how we feel and how we look.
Our skin is the largest organ in our body, weighing around 8 pounds total. It is our first defense and protection from the elements. Environmental and lifestyle stressors like the climate we live in, seasonal changes, eating processed foods, drinking alcohol, smoking and stress all contribute to accelerated skin dehydration.
The good news is, along with identifying and adopting better habits – AHEM – eating foods with a high concentration of water will help hydrate us from the inside. They’re loaded with nutrients that feed our skin and they are readily available most of the year. The following have scientific evidence behind them that they provide a high concentration of supplemental water to help you get that dewy glow.
Lemons & Limes: They’re about 88% water and are packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and potassium. The form of Vitamin C contained in lemons and limes is some of the most easily absorbed by the body and they uplift our spirits with their bright smell!
Apples: Are about 86% water and are deeply beneficial to the skin on a cellular level. Apples provide phytochemicals that feed the neurons and increase electrical activity in the brain. They cleanse our organs and lymphatic system and provide electrolytes and mineral salts that help re-hydrate you after exercise or stress. A pure, powerful fruit!
Melons: Containing high levels of electrolytes, melons are about 90% water. The water in melon mimics our blood. Its potassium, sodium and glucose levels are bio-available making melons a wonderfully hydrating food. They help our bodies flush out toxins and allow the immune system to repair itself.
Cucumbers: This vegetable is almost completely water – about 97%. They help cool down the adrenals and kidneys that aid in the filtering process. They deliver trace minerals and amino acids to neurotransmitters which have a calming influence on the body – literally – cool as a cucumber.
Radishes: At 95% water, radishes are incredibly healthful to the heart. They help reduce bad cholesterol and increase the good one. The green part on the top is particularly powerful – it’s full of antioxidants, phytochemicals and cancer fighting alkaloids. The sulphur in radishes helps clean arteries and veins and stops plaque from adhering to the lining of blood vessels.
Blueberries: Especially the wild variety, blueberries are considered one of the world’s healthiest foods. They’re about 84% water and contain amino acids and polyphenols which help in the detoxing of heavy metal in the body. These blue boys help brighten and repair the skin and provide more antioxidants than green tea.
So I agree with Hippocrates, ancient Greek physician and known as the father of medicine: “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”