Eat This, not That: Holiday Edition

• Posted on: Dec 15 2016
• By: American Dermatology Associates
• Leave a response

The holidays present us with a number of options. We have to choose which parties to attend (and what to wear). We have to select the perfect gifts for friends and family, find time to shop and work and work out and cook and bake and wrap . . . the list is endless. In the midst of all the wonderful holiday hoopla, we also have to figure out how to take care of ourselves. One of the crucial factors to having a healthy body and beautiful skin is what we eat. In this post, we want to look at some of the popular foods we find on holiday tables, and how they may help or harm the skin.

Eat This . . .

• After a long day of shopping, what could be a better treat than a hot cup of freshly made cocoa? Cocoa contains epicatechin. This is a flavinoid that promotes healthy circulation to the skin. The result of one study suggests that a daily cup can improve skin texture.
• There are cocoa-lovers, and there are coffee-lovers. Whichever you are, you can benefit from your favorite beverage. Caffeinated coffee has recently been getting good press for its cancer-fighting capabilities, including nonmelanoma types of skin cancer. Similar benefits are enjoyed by (caffeinated) tea-lovers, too.
• The C-foods have it during the holiday season! Cranberries, cooked into a lovely sauce, provide vitamin C. This vitamin is known for the way it supports the immune system. It also supports the skin by standing in the way of collagen breakdown due to free radicals.

Not This . . .

• Candies and baked goods. It’s not that you have to avoid all of the tasty baked treats that call to you. In fact, a slice of pumpkin pie can be good for your skin. However, indulging in too much white flour and refined sugar can cause collagen and elastin to degrade more quickly than you might like.
• Holiday revelers are encouraged to be careful about alcohol consumption. Beyond the obvious reasons to limit alcohol, there is also the impact on the skin. Alcohol draws water out of the body more quickly, so can lead to dehydration. Dehydrated skin is wrinkled skin, it’s that simple.

The team at American Dermatology extends bright holiday wishes to all of our patients.

Posted in: Skin Care