When it comes to your skin, there is one thing we know for sure.. what you eat has a huge impact on how you look.  Dr Tara Kidd of The Skin Clinic Company gives some advice about how to nourish our skin in the winter months and regain that sense of healthy skin.

Winter time can be extremely harsh on our skin, and whilst there are lots of medical treatments available to boost and rejuvenate ourselves, some simple lifestyle measures and dietary advice can make a huge difference to how healthy our skin looks and feels.

The combination of spending more time indoors with heating on, coupled with the cold winds and temperatures outside can make our skin very dry. Its important to nourish the skin from the inside out with good nutritious foods rich in vitamins.

Dr Tara provides high-strength Vitamin Infusions, bespoke to each patient to deliver high levels of vitamins and essential minerals. These can be used to promote collagen production, increase hydration, aid with fat burning and improve athletic performance to name but a few, and after an initial consultation, the procedure takes a mere 30 minutes. Diet is also vital to nourish the skin from the inside out.

“A diet focused on lean proteins, fibre, healthy oils and raw fruit and vegetables is the key to support health skin”, says Dr Tara. “These foods contain amino acids which are the building blocks for skin, plus are rich in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients to promote defence against the environment.”

Below, Dr Tara has put together some useful foods to promote healthy skin, packing a punch filled with powerful anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids.

Ginger: Ginger is a powerful anti-oxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and has a soothing effect on the skin.

Chia seeds: Sprinkling these into your smoothies provides you with a high dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which encourage collagen production, preventing wrinkle development.

Cinnamon: This stimulates blood flow, encouraging nutrients and oxygen to be brought to the skin to help it glow. It also can stabilise blood sugar levels which can be vital in the indulgence of the Christmas period!

Avocados: To encourage hydration, include some avocado into your diet to boost levels of vitamin E and healthy fats.

Salmon: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon will contribute to collagen production and we should aim to eat it twice a week if possible. Its also hugely beneficial to heart health too.

Kale: kale is a real superfood, rich in beta-carotene with is converted into Vitamin A which boosts circulation and reduces inflammation in the skin. Lutein and zeazanthin and omega-3s protect against sun damage.

Blueberries: full of vitamin A which helps to clear up acne-prone skin, and rich in anti-oxidants, blueberries neutralise free-radicals helping prevent skin damage and collagen production.

Lemons: packed with Vitamin C which neutralises free-radicals, lemons once metabolised in the body, maintain the correct pH of our body – if our pH is out of line, our skin becomes dry and sensitive.

Walnuts: containing zinc and omega-3 and -6, vitamin E and selenium, walnuts are full of nutrients to promote health skin growth.

Dr Tara runs her medical skin and aesthetics clinics in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire and provides a range of treatments to help with skin issues including wrinkle reduction, dermal fillers, collagen therapies, fat-dissolving, wart and mole removal, plus many more. More information available at www.the-skin-clinic-company.co.uk.

Please get in touch at hello@the-skin-clinic-company.co.uk or on Instagram @theskincliniccompany

www.the-skin-clinic-company.co.uk