Good Hair, Good Skin, Good Food

We all want them. Ask anybody, and few will tell you that they don't want them or that they don't care about them. We spend millions to get them. Good hair and good skin, that is.

Just what is good skin and what is good hair? In general, its skin that is even toned, blemish free and glowing. It's hair that is clean, healthy looking and shiny. There are many things you can do, products you can buy, for hair and skin that look good on the surface. But the things you put on the inside of your body are going to give you the greatest, most lasting skin and hair results. The bonus? What you do on the inside for your hair and skin will benefit your overall health, as well. In fact, It's most important to start from the inside out, from the mind to the body. We know that the mind influences so much of our outer appearance. Healthy thoughts about your skin and your hair are just as important as those beauty products on your counter and as important as the food that you eat.

So before we delve into the foods that are going to give your hair and skin the best opportunity to shine and look gorgeous, let't take a few moments to examine how we think of our hair and our skin.

When you look in the mirror do you appreciate the hair and skin that you have or do you bemoan the blemishes and the redness or cringe at what you perceive as hair too thin, thick, curly or unruly? As with most things in our lives, a shift in our thinking can help us to appreciate and embrace what we have - to work from where we are in order to realize what we want. A small tip: substitute affirmations for complaints and embrace your hair and skin.

Take the time to meditate to ease stress and tension that has a detrimental affect on hair and skin. Too much stress - hair falls out and skin breaks out. Hair becomes dull and so does the skin.

Consider the amount of sleep you get. Not enough sleep or poor sleep habits and the results are the same as too much stress. Generally, we can control sleep and stress, consequently controlling our hair and skin's beauty. So pay attention to both to better your chances of great skin and great hair.

It's important to realize that the foods you eat are making a difference in the way you look and feel each day. Getting the right amount of fresh, unprocessed food is important to helping you get the nutrients found in the food and available to each of us.

The most important food that have direct impact on your hair contain protein found in foods like eggs, fish, dairy, nuts and meats. Carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, apricots, mangoes, spinach and kale are rich in beta carotene. Vitamin H, which is also known as biotin, are found in eggs, fish, milks and nuts.

The fatty acids in some foods are also great for your hair. Nuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds all have fatty acids. They contribute to the shine and elasticity of the hair. These foods do tend to be high in calories as well, so just remember to eat them in moderation.

Foods rich in iron are also important to healthy hair. Not enough iron, anemia can result and your hair will fall out. Meats, organ meats in particular, are rich in iron. Other foods rich in iron are dried peaches, egg yolk, oysters, and oatmeal. These same foods are important to healthy skin, as well.

Skin Foods

Your skin is the largest organ of your body and, like your hair, is one of the first things that people see. You want your skin to look great. Chances are if our skin looks great we also feel great, because it can be a barometer to overall health.

No food is going to do the work of making your skin look good without adequate hydration. It's important to remember to drink at least eight, eight ounce glasses of water. If you are not a fan, add lemon or cucumber or some other natural flavoring to get your eight glasses in. And if it continues to be hard to get the proper amount of hydration, start with that look in the mirror and tell yourself how important water is to achieving the skin you want.

Luckily, there is some overlap with the food that is great for your skin and food that is great for your hair. Vitamin E is great for your skin when taken internally and as an oil applied to your hair topically. Vitamin E can be found in nuts and seeds, wheatgerm and wheatgerm oil, sunflower seeds, and sunflower oil, olive oil, almonds, pine nuts, peanut butter, sweet potato, whole grains and blackberries.

The selenium found in Brazil nuts, fish and shellfish, meats, sunflower seeds, wholemeal bread and garlic all contribute to having great skin. Some of the same foods contain the protein and biotin needed for skin.

Copper is an innocuous trace mineral that is also very important to the skin you want. Oysters, liver, shellfish, sardines, sunflower seeds and peanuts all contain copper. Again food benefit is overlapped and what is good for hair is good for skin.

The Nail Care Connection

Because so many of the vitamins and minerals that give you great food and great hair, it's important to mention just which of these food is also good for healthy great looking nails. You know your nails are in trouble when they are dry, brittle, split or break easily and have white spots on them. Nails that are susceptible to fungal infections are also nails that are not getting the proper nutrients. Those foods that are high in biotin, good for the hair, are also good for the nails. Adequate amounts of B12 and vitamin C are also necessary for strong nails. Vitamin C is easily found in tomatoes, oranges and orange juice, cranberries, cantaloupe, potatoes, green leafy vegetables and peppers are all excellent sources of vitamin C.

Now That You Know

It is important for you to know just what foods and vitamins contribute to healthy lifestyles with fantastic hair and skin. Foods are interactive. No vitamin does the job alone. These are some of the major contributors that target a specific part of your body. Given a little thought, a little creativity and a little diligence, a healthy diet can be achieved.

The ultimate takeaway is to eat a balanced diet, get an adequate amount of sleep and keep your stress level low. Ultimately, you will appreciate the skin you're in and the hair that adorns you.