Hawaii Health
By Mia Inoshita
Meadow Gold Dairies
Nutrition
Inner Beauty:
Look & Feel Amazing
Taking care of your body is a beautiful thing...
Nutrition plays an important role in maintaining a beautiful body both inside and out. If having luscious locks, smooth skin, and strong, healthy nails is important to you, be sure to choose nutrient-rich foods and beverages.
These healthful tips are brought to you by Meadow Gold to help nourish your body from the inside, to make you look your best on the outside!
HAIR
Shiny, strong, and luscious hair can be yours with enough iron-rich protein and zinc. Zinc keeps the oil glands on your scalp working right, helping to maintain a lustrous shine, while ensuring the growth of new hair. Not enough zinc can cause slow growth, dandruff, or even hair loss. B vitamins (vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12) and folate will help prevent weak, easily breakable hair and excessive shedding.
SKIN
Got dry, flaky skin? Essential fatty acids (specifically omega-3 fatty acids) help sustain the moisture in your skin, preserving a natural oil barrier. These fatty acids maximize the hydration of your skin cells, keeping your skin moist and glowing. Vitamins A, C, and E and the mineral selenium all work as antioxidants, seeking out and deactivating free radicals. Free radicals can damage connective tissues and fibers known as collagen and elastin. When these fibers are damaged, loss of skin tone and eventual wrinkling may occur. Collagen naturally diminishes with age (at a rate of about one percent a year), so preserving what you have at a young age is essential to maintaining the firmness and elasticity of your skin, as you get older. Vitamin C is one of the major manufactures of collagen, and is necessary if you want to maintain collagen and elastin. It also supports the strength of your capillaries so you don't bruise easily. Selenium protects your skin from the daily damage of UV rays, helping to prevent skin cancer.
NAILS
Nails are the benefactors of B vitamins, calcium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies often show up as dry, brittle, misshaped, or discolored nails. If you have ridges in your nails, try beefing up on the B vitamins. If they look dry and brittle, you may not be getting enough calcium or vitamin A. The lack of vitamin C, folate, and/or protein can also lead to those pesky hangnails.
There are many other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients necessary for maintaining a great appearance. If you drink lots of water and keep up with a balanced diet, you should have no problem getting what you need to optimize your body both inside and out. If you take care of your body, it will take care of you!
Meadow Gold has compiled a list of important nutrients, and what foods you need to eat in order to get them.
| Nutrient | Where to get it |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Liver, milk, eggs, fish, carrots, spinach, peaches, and kale. |
| Vitamin C | Citrus fruit, broccoli, strawberries, and greens. |
| Vitamin E | Vegetable oils, leafy greens, nuts, and peanuts. |
| Vitamin B-6 | Beans, meat, poultry, fish, and some fruits and vegetables like potatoes and bananas. Fortified breakfast cereals. |
| Vitamin B-12 | Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Fortified breakfast cereals. |
| Folate | Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, mustard greens or spinach. Legumes such as dried beans, peas or peanuts. Oranges, orange juice, asparagus, avocados, and "enriched" grains (check the label). |
| Calcium | Milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, Chinese cabbage, kale, and broccoli. |
| Selenium | Seafood, eggs, beef, chicken, and grains. |
| Zinc | Oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, certain seafood, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products. |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids |
Cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel; olive oil; and flax/flaxseeds. |
| Protein | Lean beef, chicken, turkey, pork, eggs, tofu, beans, soybeans, and black-eyed peas. |
