Our skin is the largest organ of our bodies and it’s important that we seek to nourish it in the best way possible, but sometimes it’s easy to forget about the other elements of skin, being our nails and hair. They do grow from our skin after all. While we’ve all seen the many different supplement brands on the market catering to hair, skin and nails, have we ever thought about what it is exactly that we need in terms of vitamins to attain the healthiest skin, hair and nails that we possibly can? And besides supplements, where in our food sources are these vitamins coming from? By empowering ourselves with knowledge, we’re able to make the best food choices possible and look forward to reaping the benefits thereof.

Omega-3 fatty acids
These are probably the most famous and well known of all the vitamins. Omega-3’s have anti-inflammatory and moisturizing effects on the skin, thereby combating the redness and swelling of the skin when countering eczema and dermatitis. Omega-3’s can be found in oily fish (sardines, tuna and salmon) as well in flaxseed (which is great source of plant based acid). Don’t eat fish or you’re a vegetarian? Try taking evening primrose oil or fish oil as a supplement.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and is great at healing the body after damage, as well as facilitating healthy circulation. This enables the blood to move more freely to the red blood cells, which oxygenate and carry nutrition to feed your skin cells. Vitamin E can help prevent acne scars as well as premature wrinkling. You can find this vitamin in sunflower seeds, nuts and vegetable oil.

Selenium
This works with Vitamin E as an antioxidant and helps to regulate your metabolism. Selenium helps your body process food so that the correct amounts of nutrients find their way to your skin. Good source of selenium are eggs, Brazil nuts and wholegrain bread.

Vitamin A and Beta Carotene
Beta carotene is a crucial antioxidant for healthy skin as it locates and destroys harmful free radicals. Beta carotene is transformed into Vitamin A by the liver and is an essential vitamin to renew skin cells and produce sebum. This is great news for hair as sebum is what keeps the hair looking shiny. It is a natural moisturizer and conditioner. You can get your dose of Beta Carotene and Vitamin A in broccoli, spinach, squash and carrots.

Zinc
Zinc helps to repair, build and protect cells and thus plays an important role in skin cell renewal. It also helps to maintain moisture and keeps your complexion looking energized. A zinc deficiency can lead to weak and brittle nails as well as hair loss. Get your daily dose of zinc in red meat, oysters, nuts and beans. Zinc is great for fighting off adult acne.

Vitamin C
This is the vitamin responsible for Collagen production. Collagen is basically the glue that keeps body tissue together and lack thereof causes sagging and wrinkling in the skin. Vitamin C is thus the maintainer of supple skin and is essential as an antioxidant to fight off skin damage. Find Vitamin C in citrus fruits, red and green peppers, cauliflower and tomato.

B Vitamins (B2, B5, B6, B12, Biotin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Thiamin and Folic Acid)
B2, B5 and B12 are responsible for healthy skin cell growth and biotin is essential for hair and nail health. Biotin promotes healthy hair growth and staves off brittle nails.  Find biotin in legumes, peanuts, milk and eggs. Good sources of thiamine are almonds, pecans, dark green leafy veg, and wheat germ. Find your dose of riboflavin in sources like yoghurt, cheese, asparagus, fish and eggs. Niacin can be found in chicken, turkey, peanuts and pasta and folic acid can be found in foods such as leafy greens. B Vitamins are found in a broad spectrum of foods, so it’s pretty difficult to miss out on them.

If you’re eating a healthy and balanced diet, you should be able to get your dose of essential vitamins for healthy hair, skin and nails. If you’re not, do try to up the intake of healthy foods and don’t skip on the supplements. Remember, supplements are not there to replace a healthy diet.

Article by: Suaad D Artistry http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/suaad-d-artistry